Transcript Highlights:

• SARA is the only 1937 Act county pension system that does not offer an automatic yearly pension cost-of-living
• The last ad hoc COLA pension granted was in 2008.
• Meanwhile, retirees' pension payments haven't increased since 2008.
• Our retirees' yearly average pension payment is very modest, between $18,000 and $42,000 per year.
• We believe that investments of union members' defined benefit pension contributions by public pension

Summary: The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee heard and advanced several bills covering workers’ compensation transparency, public pensions, prevailing wage, workplace harassment training, and employee benefits. AB 1048 would require disclosure of the contract justifying reduced workers’ compensation payments to medical providers; supporters said it would improve transparency without changing reimbursement rates, while opponents argued the problem was overstated and existing dispute remedies were sufficient. AB 1601 would give Sonoma County flexibility to target a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees rather than requiring an all-or-nothing COLA; county and union witnesses said retirees have gone without a COLA since 2008 and have lost purchasing power, and the bill passed unanimously. AB 1439 would commission a UC Berkeley study on labor standards in pension-funded real estate and infrastructure projects; labor groups supported it, while local governments, housing, and industry groups opposed it, and it passed on a 4-1 vote after one senator voted no in committee. The committee also heard AB 1697, which would delay implementation of a prior law restricting certain employment debt and pay-to-quit arrangements until 2027; the author said the delay would give employers, including professional sports leagues, time to adjust, while a financial services group sought a further delay to 2028. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech content in existing workplace harassment training for employers with five or more employees; supporters cited rising antisemitic and other hate incidents and said the bill would help workers recognize and report hate, while opponents raised First Amendment concerns and argued existing harassment law already covers hostile conduct. AB 2120 would extend Los Angeles Unified’s selective certification hiring authority and allow retention of specialized employees in layoffs, and AB 2292 would bar providers from charging administrative fees for disability insurance and paid family leave certification forms; both drew support and were advanced without opposition testimony. AB 1198, the Fair Pay for Construction Workers Act, would require prevailing wage to be based on the time work is performed rather than the date a project is advertised for bid. Labor and contractor supporters said the current rule can lock in outdated wages and underpay workers on long projects and change orders, while cities, counties, and contractor groups warned it would create uncertainty, raise costs, and jeopardize projects funded by fixed grants or bonds. After testimony and questions, the committee voted to send all of the bills forward, with final recorded votes later showing unanimous or near-unanimous approval and several measures placed on call before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not a pension.
• </c><01:35:19.920><c> from</c><01:35:20.880><c> her</c> pension, a full pension from her pension, a full
• It is not a pension. You service. It is not a pension.
• </c> a pension. It clearly is not a pension. a pension. It clearly is not a pension.
• </c> there's retired paid is not a pension. there's retired paid is not a pension.

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• It restricts that so that money has to come from somewhere else; it cannot come out of the Pension Board
• As you know, pensions is not the most sexy committee. Everybody's on here.
• There will be no changes in their pension systems as far as the payments.
• There'll be no changes in their pension system as far as the payments that they're receiving. St.
• Louis City Teachers' pension is its own system.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Summary: The Committee on Crime and Public Safety met in executive session with a quorum present and considered three measures. First, members took up Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1652, offered a House committee substitute, and discussed changes clarifying that an office was created within the Department of Public Safety rather than targeting women and girls. The bill was described as addressing missing persons and trafficking concerns, though one member objected that the language was not inclusive enough. The committee adopted the House committee substitute and then voted the bill do pass by a 12-1 vote. The committee next considered Senate Bill 1572, which was explained as a cleanup bill for several retirement-related issues, including St. Louis Police Board appointment timing, recovery of overpayments, refunding small accounts, and a quorum change for the St. Louis teachers’ retirement board after its membership was expanded. Members asked whether the changes affected pension benefits, and were told they did not alter payments or retirement system structure. The House committee substitute was adopted, and the bill received a unanimous do pass recommendation, 16-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3533, with a House committee substitute removing sports betting language and leaving only changes to riverboat admission fees and licensee tax rates. Members discussed the size of the increase, noting the current fee had not changed since 1993 and that the costs could be passed on to consumers. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted the bill do pass by a 9-7 vote, with one member present.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, pensions is not the most sexy committee. Everybody's on here.
• for retired teachers and how they came... ...pensions for retired teachers and how they came out of
• There will be no changes in their pension systems as far as the payments.
• Let me phrase it this way here: there'll be no changes in their pension system as far as the payments
• Louis City Teachers' pension is its own system.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Senate Standing Committee on Civil Service and Pensions.
• Security Law in relation to the determination of salary base for members of the New York City Police Pension
• Retirement and Social Security Law in relation to permitting certain New York City correction and pension
• Law in relation to the treatment of prior service with certain agencies by the New York City Police Pension
• York City Police suspension. ...of prior service with certain agencies by the New York City Police Pension

Committee: Senate Civil Service And Pensions

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Civil Service and Pensions met on March 10, 2026, with a quorum present and 11 bills on the agenda. The committee chair noted that all measures were recommended to be referred to the Finance Committee. The bills largely concerned retirement and pension-related changes for public employees, including increased military service credit, retirement rules for 911 operators and dispatchers, salary base determinations for NYC police pension members, retired firefighters serving as fire science instructors, borrowing from accumulated contributions for certain NYC correction members, a cost-of-living-related benefit for Verrazzano Bridge toll employees, restoration of 20-year service credit for certain NYC correction officers and sanitation workers, death benefits for Orange County correction personnel, pension benefits for fire marshals with service beyond 25 years, prior service treatment for NYC Police Pension Fund members, and death benefits for certain retirement system beneficiaries. Members moved each bill without substantive debate, and each received unanimous support in the recorded vote tally of seven ayes, zero nays, and zero AWRs. Several bills were sponsored by Senator Jackson, who also participated in the motions on those measures. Senator Cooney arrived during the meeting and joined the committee proceedings. No opposition or amendments were recorded. At the conclusion of the agenda, all 11 bills were reported to the Finance Committee, and the chair adjourned the meeting after noting the completion of the committee’s third meeting of the 26th legislative session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I sit on the Investments and Pensions Oversight Committee.
• Our pensions are slated to drop in value almost 50% if we live 30 years after we retire.
• Our pensions are slated to drop in value almost 50% if we live 30 years after we retire.
• And as I justified in front of the pension board, I'm 73 years old.
• And when we retired since then, the pensions have only increased 1.6% in five years, six years.

Committee: Senate House Rules & Order Of Business

Summary: The committee first heard HB 124, which would codify the Office of New Americans within the Workforce Solutions Department. The sponsor and Workforce Solutions officials said the office has already been operating on a grant and has become a key resource for businesses and immigrant workers, especially for workforce development, credential recognition, language access, and referrals. Supporters from immigrant advocacy, child care, conservation, and civic groups argued the office would help address labor shortages, improve integration, and strengthen economic growth. Several members questioned whether the office would serve people without legal status, what services would be provided, and whether it would create taxpayer costs; sponsors said eligibility would depend on specific programs, the office would mainly provide referrals and workforce support, and it is currently philanthropic grant-funded. The bill was ultimately passed on a 6-4 due pass vote. The committee then considered SJR 6, a proposed constitutional amendment to change New Mexico’s pretrial detention standards. The sponsor argued the 2016 bail reform language has contributed to a “revolving door” for repeat offenders and that the current standard is too restrictive and inconsistently applied across judicial districts. Supporters from State Police said the resolution would give clearer direction and let voters revisit the issue. Opponents from the ACLU and the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association warned it would expand pretrial detention, weaken the requirement that the state prove no release conditions are adequate, and disproportionately affect poor people and people of color. After extended debate over public safety, judicial discretion, and whether the proposal should include a clearer standard, the committee approved the resolution on a 6-4 due pass vote. The committee also passed SJR 7, a land swap between the state and the City of Santa Fe involving the DPS site and part of the Midtown campus. The sponsor, the Department of Public Safety, and the Santa Fe mayor said the exchange had been discussed for years, would allow the state to own the land under its DPS facilities, and would help the city advance its Midtown redevelopment plan, including housing and public amenities. Members asked about the parcels involved, whether both sides agreed, and whether any member had a financial interest; the sponsor said the swap was non-monetary and fully agreed to by both parties. The resolution passed without opposition. Finally, the committee heard SM 31, which creates a workgroup with LFC, DFA, and PERA to study the loss of COLAs for PERA retirees and recommend solutions. Retiree advocates said the reduced COLA has significantly eroded pension value and that retirees relied on the statutory promise of a 2% COLA. Other speakers emphasized the need to protect long-term fund solvency while addressing retiree losses. The memorial passed unanimously by roll call. The meeting then recessed, with the chair noting the next day’s agenda would be posted later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Decisions related to pensions, public safety, and transparency.
• Returning to those benefit structures would severely compromise the future of our pensions.
• For the City of Salinas, we have over $11.4 million that we pay annually into pensions.
• Raising the cap on the pensionable salary is an issue.
• Raising the cap on the pensionable salary is an issue.

Committee: House Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard several bills dealing with pensions, holidays, public employee accountability, and first responder retirement. AB 912 was taken up on the consent calendar and passed. AB 569, as amended, would allow local public employers and unions to negotiate contributions to supplemental defined benefit pension plans; the author and Teamsters said it would clarify existing PEPRA grandfathering rules, while labor supported it, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 989 would make California Native American Day a paid state holiday, with strong support from Native organizations and tribes and no opposition; the committee members spoke in favor and the bill passed. AB 268 would recognize Diwali as an official state holiday, also with broad support and no opposition, and it passed. AJR 3 urged protection of Social Security, Medicare, and Medi-Cal from federal cuts; retirees, caregivers, and health advocates testified in support, and the resolution passed. AB 1067 would require public employers to complete misconduct investigations even if an employee retires during the process; the author said it closes an accountability loophole, while opposition raised due process and family-retirement concerns, and the bill passed as amended. AB 1510 was presented as a cleanup bill making technical changes to state employee pay and benefits and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority labor law; it passed with support from AFSCME. The committee then heard AB 1233, which would create a statewide database of classified school employee positions and certain egregious misconduct records to help school employers screen applicants. School administrators and county school officials supported the bill as a student-safety tool, while classified employee groups raised concerns about fairness, due process, and the scope of misconduct covered; the author said the bill already focuses on serious sex and drug offenses involving children and was open to narrowing language. The bill passed to the Committee on Education. Finally, AB 1383, a major first responder retirement bill, drew extensive testimony. The author and firefighters argued that lowering the normal retirement age for public safety employees from 57 to 55 and restoring some bargaining flexibility would help recruitment, retention, and health, citing cancer and other job-related risks. Cities, counties, and local government associations opposed it, warning it would roll back PEPRA reforms, increase pension costs, and strain local budgets. Despite the opposition, committee members spoke strongly in favor of first responders and the bill passed to Appropriations. The committee then adjourned after all items were voted out.

Transcript Highlights:

• that the bill introduces significant ambiguity by allowing one or more observers to attend at the exclusive
• And some of us don't have pensions, speaking as a member of the California State Legislature.
• Employees retirement boards oversee complex public pension systems, often managing multi-billion-dollar

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and I'm sorry to interject, the source of the funding is exclusive to the Amite River Basin.
• legislation I'm putting in place to safeguard protections for our seniors to help them manage their pensions
• and to live... ...to help them manage their pensions and Social Security more.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 513 by Representative Young, which would regulate name, image, and likeness activity for intercollegiate and interscholastic athletes, especially high school athletes. Young said the bill reflects recommendations from a task force and sets guardrails such as parental consent and prohibited NIL categories. The committee adopted a technical amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended. Members then heard several Senate bills from Senator Mizell and Senator Cloud. Senate Bill 233 would create a statewide data exchange compact to allow state agencies to share information more efficiently; it was reported favorably. Senate Bill 300 would make various changes to the Procurement Code, including auction techniques, sole sourcing for consulting services in limited cases, and procurement process clarifications; it was reported favorably. Senate Bill 303 would allow executive branch agencies to buy or share technology solutions with other states and use the federal GSA schedule, and it was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 411, removing a 20-year lease limitation for certain Orleans Parish state property, was also reported favorably. The committee spent substantial time on House Bill 660 and House Bill 719, both dealing with district attorney funding and staffing. HB 660 would raise the state warrant amount for assistant district attorney salaries from $50,000 to $60,000, with supporters arguing it is needed to recruit and retain prosecutors; an opposition witness argued the state should fund both prosecutors and public defenders more equitably. The committee adopted an amendment making the bill effective only upon appropriation and reported it favorably as amended. HB 719 would increase the number of assistant district attorney warrants statewide, with most of the new warrants directed to Baton Rouge, St. Tammany, and Caddo; it too was amended to be subject to appropriation and reported favorably as amended. House Bill 596, which would have created an inactive well-feet assessment credit for oil and gas operators, was voluntarily deferred after concerns that it could reduce funding for the oil field site restoration fund. Later, the committee reported favorably as amended House Bill 802, which redirects existing revenue to watershed and flood restoration work in the Amite River Basin, and House Bill 940, which creates a task force and rules framework for law enforcement responses to unlawful drone activity. It also reported favorably House Bill 76 on coverage for orally administered anti-cancer medications, House Bill 950 on consumer protection materials for seniors, and began discussion of House Bill 1028, which would require higher Medicaid reimbursement rates for non-emergency medical transportation providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and I'm sorry to interject, the source of the funding is exclusive to the Amite River Basin.
• legislation I'm putting in place to safeguard protections for our seniors to help them manage their pensions
• and to live. ...to help them manage their pensions and Social Security more.

Bills: HB513 , HB581 , HB596 , HB660 , HB719 , HB766 , HB802 , HB940 , HB950 , HB1028 , HB1183 , HB1201 , SB233 , SB300 , SB303 , SB315 , SB324 , SB411

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: supplemental pay, law enforcement, probation officers, parole officers, constitutional amendment, plugging credit, inactive well assessment, oil and gas regulation, well plugging, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, HB 660, district attorney salary, assistant district attorney salary, prosecutor pay raise, Louisiana prosecutors, state-paid salaries, warrant payment, R.S. 16:10, R.S. 16:11, general fund impact

Transcript Highlights:

• the company's investment practices, the effect of those investment practices on this state's public pension
• investments, and any investment or potential investment of the state's public pension funds to further
• political ...in any investment or potential investment of the state's public pension funds to further
• the company's investment practices, the effect of those investment practices on the state's public pension
• or any investment or potential investment of this state's public pension funds to further political

Bills: SB312 , SB945 , SB946 , SB1367 , SB1861 , SB2044 , SB2337 , SB2403 , SB2819 , SJR54

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs was called to order and a roll call showed most members present, with one absent. The chair explained that the committee had arranged witnesses for a later meeting but had received responses from some parties declining to testify, prompting Senator Bettencourt to offer a written motion for subpoenas. The motion authorized the committee chair, under Senate Rule 11.20, to issue subpoenas to BlackRock, State Street, or other financial services companies affecting Texas public pension investments, along with their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, employees, agents, or representatives. The subpoenas would require testimony and production of records concerning investment practices, the impact on Texas public pension funds, and any investments intended to further political or social causes. Members discussed the importance of obtaining testimony and the limited but necessary use of subpoena power. The committee then voted, with 10 ayes, no nays, and one absent, to adopt the motion. With no further business, the committee recessed until the call of the chair, planning to return after the local calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the value of the monthly pension? the value of the monthly pension?
• </c><00:09:36.640><c> amount</c> into what your average pension amount into what your average pension
• Pension is much more steady, much more slow-moving. Insurance funding statuses are volatile.
• </c><00:38:46.400><c> Pension</c> at the time, these are volatile.
• Pension at the time, these are volatile.

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call, a quorum was confirmed, and the minutes were approved. The committee then heard testimony on Senate Bill 9, which concerns TRS sick leave audit requirements and process. Auditor Allison Ball’s staff said the audit is an information-gathering review of how teacher sick leave is accumulated, current balances, how many employers use the sick leave function, and the policies and procedures governing sick leave. Members discussed how unused sick leave affects retirement calculations, the distinction between the state’s financial responsibility and school districts’ responsibility, and whether the audit would also examine related leave categories such as personal leave, annual leave, and leave of absence. Committee members emphasized that Senate Bill 9 was intended to add accountability and standardize reporting, including preventing annual leave from being rolled into sick leave. Several members asked for clarification on how sick leave is factored into retirement benefits. Witnesses and members explained that, under the system described, accumulated sick leave can be converted into retirement credit based on a teacher’s daily rate and then multiplied by a percentage, with the school district often bearing the cost. Members also noted nuances in the law, including different accumulation limits by hire date and tier, and that the audit may help the public better understand why some educators retire relatively young. The auditor’s office said it is still early in the process, has met with TRS leadership, and will report back once the audit progresses. The committee also asked whether maternity leave would be included; the auditor’s office said it was not specifically mandated but could be examined if the body requests it. The committee then received an overview of Senate Bill 10 from KPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Rebecca Atkins. They explained that the bill enhances retiree health insurance benefits for certain CRS members who are non-Medicare participants and meet specified career thresholds, with different rules for hazardous and non-hazardous service. They described the benefit as $40 per month per year of service for non-hazardous service and $50 per month per year for hazardous service, both inflated annually, and clarified that these amounts are not cumulative with prior benefit formulas. Members asked about the interaction between the new amounts and existing benefits, and the presenters explained that the bill also changes current employee health insurance contribution rates effective July 1, 2026, with different impacts by tier and hazardous status. The committee discussed the need for clear communication to affected employees and reviewed example calculations showing how the new contribution structure would work.

Transcript Highlights:

• because just the pace to federal accountability exclusively because just the pace of what we're seeing
• Some of those folks may be designated exclusively for federal accountability work.
• But they also will be exclusively sometimes designated to consumer protection work because the federal
• The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Trust Fund now stands at $120.3 billion, up 12.6% net for
• We have unfunded pension liability, unfunded OPEB liability, and that third unfunded liability being

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The hearing opened the FY27 budget process with remarks from the Senate and House Ways and Means chairs and testimony from Governor Healey and Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz. The chairs emphasized fiscal caution amid choppy revenue growth, rising health care and education costs, and federal uncertainty, while the governor framed House 2 as a $62.8 billion budget that grows spending by about 1% without new taxes or fees and aims to protect core services while advancing affordability. The administration said the budget uses efficiencies, program integrity, and Fair Share surtax revenue to support education, transportation, housing, child care, health care, and public safety, and it also filed a supplemental Fair Share bill using surplus FY25 funds. Much of the questioning focused on the federal “OB3” tax law and the administration’s separate proposal to delay or phase in certain corporate tax changes, especially research and experimental deductions, to avoid in-year budget shocks. Members also pressed the administration on Fair Share allocations, with the governor and secretary explaining that operating-budget surtax spending is weighted more toward education while supplemental spending is more transportation-focused, and that combined spending is roughly balanced overall. The administration highlighted Chapter 70 aid, special education circuit breaker funding, rural school aid, local aid, child care, the MBTA deficit, regional transit authorities, and a new HHS transportation line item as part of the broader transportation strategy. Several members raised concerns about Chapter 70 equity, rural districts, municipal overrides, out-migration, housing affordability, public housing repairs, and the MBTA Communities Act. The governor and secretary said they are open to further discussion on school funding formulas, PILOT, and municipal aid, and stressed housing production, energy affordability, and workforce development as key responses to out-migration. On energy, the governor defended an all-of-the-above approach, including renewables, gas, and exploration of nuclear, while saying she would continue pushing utilities and regulators to reduce ratepayer costs. The governor also said fire safety grants would not be withheld for noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act, and members discussed public safety, housing, and local grant impacts in that context. Other topics included the Bright Act and higher education capital investments, with the administration saying it is preparing to support campus infrastructure across the public higher education system and that the bill is intended to strengthen Massachusetts’ competitiveness and retain graduates. Members also questioned cuts to the PCA program and EAEDC, and the governor responded that the state’s PCA program remains strong but is under pressure from large federal health care reductions. No votes were taken; the session was a hearing on the governor’s budget proposal and related policy bills, with the administration taking questions and offering explanations of its recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• fund because that's ultimately what the pension fund exists for, right?
• It wasn't our pension systems.
• We actually have fiduciary statutes already in our pension system that came with pension reform.
• It wasn't our pension systems.
• We actually have fiduciary statutes already in our pension system that came with pension reform.

Bills: SB1090 , SB1293 , SB1414 , SB1429 , SB1503 , SB1536 , SB1633 , SB1724 , SB1764

Committees: Senate Finance , Senate Senate Finance Committee of Reference

Keywords: savings and loan, technical correction, Arizona Revised Statutes, financial institutions, prohibitions, GPLET, abatement, tax incentives, local government, property improvement, central business district, insurance, settlement demands, time limits, third-party claims, regulatory compliance, initiative, referendum, ballot measures, petition circulators

Transcript Highlights:

• What can and can't be done with these plans—existing pension plans that were grandfathered in during
• AB 1383 does not grant retroactive retirement benefit increases or pension holidays.
• It does not. ...retroactive retirement benefit increases or pension holidays.
• Instead, it will drive up pension costs.
• Raising the cap on the pensionable salary is an issue.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on public employment, retirement, and recognition of cultural and public service issues. AB 569 would allow local governments and unions to negotiate supplemental pension contributions for certain employees; AB 989 would make California Native American Day an official paid state holiday; AB 268 would recognize Diwali as an official state holiday; AJR 3 would urge protection of Social Security, Medicare, and Medi-Cal from federal cuts; AB 1067 would require misconduct investigations to continue even if an employee retires during the process; AB 1510 made technical and conforming changes to state employee pay and benefits laws and to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority labor law; and AB 1233 would create a statewide database of classified school employee employment history and serious misconduct records. The committee also took up AB 1383, which would lower the retirement age for certain first responders and restore some bargaining rights over retirement benefits, drawing extensive testimony for and against. Supporters of the holiday bills emphasized long-overdue recognition of Native American and South Asian communities and the importance of honoring California’s diversity. Supporters of AJR 3 described the reliance of seniors, people with disabilities, and families on federal and state health and retirement programs, warning that cuts would cause serious harm. AB 1067 was presented as a way to prevent employees from retiring to avoid accountability, while AB 1233 was framed as a student-safety measure to help schools identify applicants with prior egregious misconduct. Opposition to AB 1233 focused on due process and the breadth of the misconduct records, and opposition to AB 1383 argued it would reverse PEPRA reforms, raise pension costs, and strain local budgets, while supporters said firefighters and other first responders face unique health and safety risks and deserve earlier retirement. Most bills were reported out of committee on unanimous or near-unanimous votes and placed on hold for add-ons or referral to Appropriations or another committee. AB 912 was taken up on the consent calendar and held; AB 569, AB 989, AB 268, AJR 3, AB 1067, and AB 1510 all advanced with do-pass recommendations and were placed on hold. AB 1233 was moved to the Committee on Education. AB 1383 drew the most extensive debate, with many witnesses in support and opposition, and committee members largely expressing support for first responders while also noting concerns about cost and pension policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• DROP program works for employees because they receive the cumulative funds as a supplement to their pension
• Seventy percent of the voters, seventy percent of the citizens, opposed the pensions before we passed
• When you add DROP to the $100,000 pension club list of these payouts, and we're talking half a million
• Madam Chair and members, AB 1383 makes limited revisions to the California Public Employees' Pension
• AB 1383 does not grant retroactive retirement benefit increases or pension holidays, and it does not

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• So like whether it be pensions or other things.
• starting to invest in some form of digital assets as a pension.
• So, like, I mean, we have pensions, right?
• And I don't know for sure about specific pensions, but what you're seeing nationally is certain pension
• Well, look, everything in a pension has a form of risk, everything, okay?

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Summary: The Civil Law Committee met on May 5, 2026, and first considered House Bill 165 by Representative Abear, a constitutional amendment to dedicate $500,000 annually from lottery proceeds to a veterans service grant fund. The committee adopted a technical amendment removing “up to,” approved the 6.8A report, and reported the bill with amendments without objection. The committee then heard Senate Bill 185 by Senator Presley, which would make nondisclosure agreements in civil settlements involving child sexual abuse victims against public policy and unenforceable. Senator Presley and Elizabeth Phillips testified in support, describing the bill as part of the “Trey’s Law” movement to prevent survivors from being silenced. Additional supportive testimony came from Gillian Edwards Coburn, and committee members discussed how NDAs work in civil cases and the need to protect children’s ability to speak. The bill was reported favorably without objection. Next, the committee considered Senate Bill 77 by Senator Miller, a Law Institute measure on the effects of leases of movable property. Testimony explained that the bill is intended to protect good-faith lessees of items such as heavy equipment when a merchant leasing the property lacks authority to do so. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard Senate Bill 140 by Senator Miller, which clarifies that multiple successions may be handled in the same proceeding when jurisdiction is proper. Members discussed the cost and efficiency benefits for families, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 603 by Representative Wright, a constitutional amendment authorizing state investment in digital assets and precious metals. Members questioned whether the language could include Bitcoin and how such investments would be monitored, with the sponsor saying implementation would be handled later by statute and public officials. The committee adopted the 6.8A report and then voted 5-3 to report the bill favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• cannot discriminate based on sex, but you could now potentially do it for race and amusement-based exclusions
• If we remove gender protections, that would allow for the exclusion of individuals from these locations
• exclusions does strike me as fairly malicious.
• I don't like the idea of being exclusive of people based upon race, religion, gender, any of those factors
• For a while you couldn't come back to work unless you took your time out of the pension.

Committee: Senate Judiciary A

Summary: The committee first approved the May 5 minutes and then heard House Bill 578, which would define sex in Louisiana law as biological sex, replace references to gender with sex in various statutes and forms, and direct the Law Institute to make conforming changes. Supporters from the governor’s office said the bill would bring clarity and consistency, while opponents argued it could create conflicts with existing law and weaken protections tied to gender identity. After debate, the committee reported HB 578 favorably. Members then considered House Bill 1250, a measure aimed at aerospace-related litigation. The bill would allow a special motion to strike certain claims against aerospace flight entities when the claims are preempted by federal law. Senators raised concerns that the language was broad enough to affect airports, airlines, contractors, and even unrelated incidents, and the author said he was willing to work on narrowing amendments. The committee nevertheless reported HB 1250 favorably. House Bill 718, dealing with liability protections for private airstrips used for recreation, was amended to narrow its scope and then reported favorably, while House Bill 163, a narrower related airstrip bill, was voluntarily deferred so the committee could work from the other measure. The committee also approved House Concurrent Resolution 61, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to review possible conflicts between the constitution and statutes on expropriation. House Bill 180, defining foreign adversaries and agents of foreign adversaries for a proposed constitutional amendment, and House Bill 192, a constitutional amendment barring foreign adversaries from expropriating land in Louisiana, were both reported favorably. House Bill 1008, which sets out academic freedom and whistleblower protections for higher education, was rejected on a roll-call vote after concerns about its scope and limits on university discipline. House Bill 638, a prompt-payment bill for contractors, was set aside while amendments were being located. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 71, which would extend existing liability protections for justified use of force to properly trained armed security guards. The author and the Board of Private Security Examiners said security officers receive training and often face dangerous situations, but opponents argued the bill would give too much protection to personnel with far less training than law enforcement and could shield bad shootings. After debate, the committee voted to defer HB 71. The last measure discussed was House Bill 1082, which would change venue rules for lawsuits involving the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System so actions by the system would be filed where the employer is located; the author said the bill was meant to help small municipalities, and members indicated they were open to narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• cannot discriminate based on sex, but you could now potentially do it for race and amusement-based exclusions
• If we remove gender protections, that would allow for the exclusion of individuals from these locations
• exclusions does strike me as fairly malicious.
• I don't like the idea of being exclusive of people based upon race, religion, gender, any of those factors
• For a while you couldn’t come back to work unless you took your time out of the pension.

Committee: Senate Judiciary A

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to Banking, Financial Services and Pensions.
• provide a written commitment to follow standards, making sure that any proxy advisors used in our pension
• so based on fiduciary duties and not utilizing ESG or other DEI metrics and votes for proxy of our pension
• House Bill 3265 is a request from the Police Pension Board. It's pretty simple.
• I'm the director of the police pension.

Bills: HB3041 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB1064 , HB3265 , HB3721 , HB3028 , HB3313 , HB3588 , HB3020

Committee: House Banking, Financial Services and Pensions

Summary: The Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee met and announced that several bills would be laid over, including HB 4225 and HB 4263, while also noting that actuarial follow-up reports on prior referrals were still being revised. The committee then worked through a long agenda, with members frequently noting schedule conflicts and the chair alternating between bills and committee business. The meeting adjourned after the agenda was completed, with the chair saying the committee would return the following week with a longer agenda, likely including additional pension bills. Several bills related to payment processing and pension governance were heard and passed. HB 3041 would allow merchants to pass along credit card surcharges up to the amount charged by the card company, with the author noting some businesses face fees of 4% to 5%; it passed 9-0. HB 4428 and HB 4429, both dealing with shareholder proxy advisors for pension funds, passed 8-1 and 9-0 respectively; supporters said the bills would require fiduciary standards and transparency, while the speaker referenced opposition from GreenAmerica.org as evidence of the bill’s value. HB 3028, which lets technology center districts and public schools pass on credit card service fees, also passed 7-0. The committee also advanced several pension-related measures. HB 3265, requested by the Police Pension Board, defines who qualifies as a mental health specialist for disability evaluations; testimony explained the change would let the board use psychologists because psychiatrists are harder to contract with, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 3721 would adjust the DROP benefit for public safety officers so surviving spouses can claim it if the officer dies before electing the option; the author said it has no actuarial cost, and it passed 7-0. HB 3313, a defined contribution retirement bill, would raise contribution levels, eliminate vesting delays, and add retirement planning and lifetime income options; members questioned whether it would affect retention or other retirement plans, and it passed 8-0. Other bills addressed creditors, housing, and financial exploitation. HB 3588, a Uniform Law Commission request bill on assignment for the benefit of creditors, was described as codifying existing case law and passed 8-0. HB 1064, which would restrict large institutional investors from buying single-family homes in Oklahoma, was amended in concept during discussion to narrow the hedge fund definition and remove a resale requirement; supporters framed it as protecting homeownership, while opponents raised concerns about restricting sales and the evidence for housing impacts, and it passed 5-2. Finally, HB 3020, the Protections for Financial Exploitation of Protected Adults Act, would let financial institutions place temporary holds and act in good faith when they suspect fraud against vulnerable adults; members asked about training and safeguards, and it passed 9-0.