Transcript Highlights:

• specialists that are needed to take care of most of our neediest of residents.
• part of delivery of... ...are an essential part of the health care continuum and an essential part of
• to kind of marry some of the programs?
• My question kind of revolves around hospital staffing and emergency room backlog that we've kind of all
• these EMS partners so that we can reduce some of the backlog in the emergency room.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a one-page summary of each of the audit reports.
• We started with July of 2024, so there was essentially an 18-month backlog.
• We started with July of 2024, so there was essentially an 18-month backlog.
• , of the timing of the passage of the federal legislation.
• At the bottom of page three, there's a summary of At the bottom of page three, there's a summary of each

Summary: The committee was called to order, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer were offered, and the minutes from the previous meeting were approved. Members then received a memo summarizing major audit items and began hearing audit presentations from the State Auditor’s Office and private auditors on a range of state agencies and organizations. Several audits were reported as clean, including the Bank of North Dakota, the North Dakota Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the Office of the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation’s flexible transportation fund, Lake Region State College, and the Department of Environmental Quality. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association also received an unmodified opinion, though repeat findings were noted for limited segregation of duties and financial statement preparation due to its small staff. The Council on the Arts audit found two findings: payroll charged to federal awards without adequate timekeeping records, and unallowable expenditures from a restricted cultural endowment fund. The Department of Public Instruction audit identified unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, though additional testing showed the funds were used for their intended purpose. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which identified four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating limit, grant conditions not being met, improper Breeders Fund awards, and improper procurement for advertising services. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson acknowledged complacency and weak controls, said the agency would tighten procedures, and explained that the commission had since worked with procurement and would follow the rules more closely. Auditors also explained that the commission would now be audited every two years because of the findings. Another major discussion involved the University of North Dakota School of Law, where auditors found a lack of documentation supporting admissions decisions for post-baccalaureate programs. UND officials said they remain in good standing with the American Bar Association but agreed better documentation and tools are needed; the committee pressed for more transparency and follow-up on admissions criteria. The committee also received an update on Dakota College at Bottineau, where Minot State University reported that bank reconciliations had been brought current after a significant backlog and would now be maintained through shared services. Members requested a written follow-up report on the issues and corrective actions. Finally, the North Dakota Fair Association explained that its foundation has been dissolved and remaining funds were transferred to another nonprofit for continued support of the state fair, and the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, saying the reported amount was about $1.1 million from a partial district survey and that debt remains a local issue, though it could be revisited if school meal funding changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• a one-page summary of each of the audit reports.
• So all of this goes back to a lot of...
• We started with July of 2024, so there was essentially an 18-month backlog.
• We started with July of 2024, so there was essentially an 18-month backlog.
• Dakota, hundreds of millions of dollars.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The committee convened, approved the prior meeting minutes, and received a memo summarizing major audit items. The State Auditor’s office and outside auditors then presented a series of audits, many of which were clean with unmodified opinions and no findings, including the Bank of North Dakota, the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Quality, Lake Region State College, and the Office of the Governor. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association audit was also clean overall, but it repeated findings about limited segregation of duties and auditor assistance in preparing financial statements, which the auditor said were expected to continue because of the organization’s small size. Committee members asked about out-of-state board addresses, and the association explained those members were North Dakota residents using South Dakota mailing addresses. Several audits did include findings. The Council on the Arts audit identified two issues: payroll charged to federal awards without supporting time records, and $12,825 in Cultural Endowment Fund spending that was not allowable under state law, including staff training, retreats, and executive director candidate travel. The Department of Public Instruction audit found unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, but additional testing confirmed the funds were credited properly and students completed required school district work, so no improper payments were identified. The University of North Dakota audit found a lack of documentation and transparency in School of Law admissions decisions; the auditor said the law school used a holistic process but did not keep notes or evaluation tools to show why applicants were admitted, waitlisted, or denied. UND leadership said the school is in good standing with the American Bar Association and agreed better documentation is needed, and the auditor said the issue was the missing documentation, not ABA accreditation itself. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which found four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating cap, grant conditions not being met, improper breeder fund awards, and improper procurement. The auditor said promotion fund spending exceeded the cap by $327,447 and the fund balance dropped sharply over the audit period. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson said the agency had become complacent, that grant requests were treated as routine, and that controls and documentation need to be tightened. He also explained that the breeder fund overpayments involved two horses whose ownership transfers were not properly documented before racing, and that the procurement issue stemmed from an advertising contract that proceeded without proper written procurement procedures after a misunderstanding with the State Procurement Office. The auditor said the Racing Commission will now be audited every two years because of the findings. The committee also received updates on Dakota College at Bottineau’s bank reconciliations, which Minot State University said had been brought current after an 18-month backlog, with only one account still needing cleanup; members asked for a written report on the corrective actions. The North Dakota Fair Foundation was reported to have dissolved, with remaining funds transferred to another nonprofit account for continued support of the state fair. Finally, the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, revising the earlier estimate to about $1.1 million based on incomplete district survey responses, and said the Anti-Lunch Shaming law likely increased meal debt because schools must feed students regardless of account balance. Members discussed the need for a more accurate year-end debt figure and possible future reporting at a later committee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The commission has also been active in the most recent repair, actually replacement, of the Hampton River
• The commission has also been active in the most recent repair, actually replacement, of the Hampton River
• study alternatives to the funding and operation, maintenance, and repair of state-owned dams.
• repair of state-owned dams.
• </c> but it's not going to help on the repair but it's not going to help on the repair of<03:51:59.359

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first discussed scheduling and notice for upcoming executive sessions on a larger slate of bills, including plans to take up eight bills in the morning and possibly the last three bills in the afternoon, with caucus time provided if needed. The chair emphasized advance notice, publication, and flexibility if more bills are added later. The hearing then opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and proceeded to HB 568, a bill allowing local planning boards to request water supply studies for subdivisions to ensure water adequacy as housing density increases. Representative Kat McGee, the prime sponsor, said HB 568 was developed after constituent concerns about private wells being affected by nearby development. She described the bill as narrowly tailored, non-mandatory, and intended to preserve local control while clarifying that planning boards may request studies under local regulations. She noted bipartisan support, an exclusion for community water systems and larger groundwater withdrawals regulated elsewhere, and said the bill would help prevent water shortages and related problems for new and existing homes. Questions from members focused on whether the bill should specify that it applies to subdivisions of four or more lots, since that language had been in an earlier version. Testimony on HB 568 was mixed. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors opposed the bill, arguing it lacked a definition of “water supply study,” could lead to expensive hydrology studies, and might raise housing costs; he suggested more work with DES or a study committee. DES administrator Brandon Kernin said the department had worked from a 2010 groundwater commission report, that such problems arise only intermittently in certain areas, and that the bill would make explicit local authority to adopt such ordinances. He also said DES data and homeowner surveys can help identify problem areas and that more robust wells could be considered in the long term. The committee noted 10 online submissions in favor and 3 opposed, plus blue-sheet testimony of 2 in favor and 1 neutral, and then closed the hearing on HB 568. The committee immediately opened HB 582, a bill on safety requirements for operation of personal watercraft. Representative Darby, the sponsor, said the bill responds to the speed and maneuverability of modern personal watercraft, which he described as more like motorcycles on water than traditional boats, and cited a fatal accident on Lake Monomonac as an example of the risks. He said the bill is not intended to restrict ordinary recreation or wake surfing, but to update safety standards for a newer class of larger, quieter three-person PWCs. The hearing began with Darby’s presentation, and no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm ahead of myself. We have a couple of presentations. Is DOT ready?
• So we're getting some of this and some of one of the prior appropriations to cover the total cost.
• Here's the list of all of those projects.
• that type of thing, and that's a total of $8.1 million.
• is you have a lot of different types of weather: a lot of winter weather and a lot of heat in the summer

Summary: The committee first received a detailed New Mexico DOT District 5 presentation from Rhonda Lopez. She reviewed District 5’s budget, staffing vacancies, completed and ongoing special appropriations from 2020 through 2025, active construction projects, maintenance work, STIP and local government funding, and equipment needs. Members asked about a guardrail issue near U.S. 64, the status of the 5% local match for Transportation Project Fund projects, and the New Mexico 371/Navajo Route 36 intersection; DOT said the match agreements were in place or waived where eligible, and that the Navajo Nation funding agreement was nearly finalized. The chair then moved the agenda to bills before finishing the remaining presentations later. House Bill 270, dealing with contributions to apprenticeship and training programs on public works projects, was presented by Rep. Borrego as a follow-up to the 2024 workforce development and apprenticeship trust fund law. The bill would remove an exclusion for street, highway, bridge, road, utility, and maintenance contracts and require contributions unless a trade classification has no approved apprenticeship program. Associated Contractors and the Asphalt Pavement Association opposed the bill, arguing it would raise road project costs and duplicate existing training programs. Members raised concerns about notice, added costs, and whether contractors with existing programs would be paying twice. A motion to table failed on a tie vote, and a later motion to pass also failed on a tie vote, leaving the bill in committee and available for reconsideration. Ranking Member Brown then presented House Bill 322, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund, with a planned distribution beginning in 2029, including a 5% use for federal matching funds. The bill would also dedicate a portion of the gross receipts tax on electricity and redirect part of the motor vehicle excise tax to grow the fund. Associated Contractors and the Asphalt Pavement Association supported the concept, saying it would help sustain DOT and address the state’s road maintenance gap. Members questioned the electricity tax component, its effect on ratepayers and data centers, the interaction with SB 2 and bond financing, and how projects would be prioritized. A motion to pass failed on a tie vote, and the ranking member suggested the bill could be reconsidered with an amendment removing the electricity portion. The committee then heard a District 4 DOT presentation from assistant district engineer Cruz Sudoste, covering the district’s geography, budget, staffing, completed and active projects, STIP and local government programs, and equipment replacement needs. Members asked about school district uses of transportation project funds and the impact of aging equipment on repair costs. The presentation concluded without any vote or other action on the district report.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm ahead of myself. We have a couple of presentations. Is DOT ready?
• That was also for design of the second portion of the project.
• So we're getting some of this and some of one of the prior appropriations to cover the total cost.
• We are in favor of the funding of that program right now.
• is you have a lot of different types of weather, a lot of winter weather, a lot of heat in the summer

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee heard a District 5 New Mexico Department of Transportation presentation from Rhonda Lopez, who reviewed the district’s FY26 budget, staffing vacancies, and the status of special appropriations from 2020 through 2025. She described numerous completed and ongoing projects across the district, including roadway overlays, bridge work, intersection improvements, ADA upgrades, and maintenance projects, and also summarized STIP, TPF, LGRF, and equipment needs. Members asked about a guardrail issue near U.S. 64 in Hogback, the 5% local match for TPF projects, and the status of the New Mexico 371/U.S. 36 intersection funding agreement with the Navajo Nation; DOT said the match is secured or waived where applicable and that the Navajo agreement is nearly finalized. The committee then heard House Bill 270, which would amend the Public Works Apprentice Training Act to require contributions to apprenticeship and training programs for certain public works contracts, including highway-related work, while creating an exception where no approved apprenticeship program exists for a trade classification. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen workforce development and support apprenticeship training. Contractors and asphalt industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it would raise road project costs and duplicate existing training contributions. A motion to table failed on a tie, and a later motion to pass also failed on a tie, leaving the bill in committee. Next, the committee heard House Bill 322, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund, dedicate additional revenue sources including a portion of electricity GRT and motor vehicle excise tax, and begin annual distributions for federal matching funds in 2029. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help address a multi-billion-dollar road funding gap, improve maintenance, and provide a stable source for matching federal dollars. Some members raised concerns about the electricity tax component, its effect on utility bills, and overlap with recently enacted transportation financing measures; others supported the concept but questioned timing and funding priorities. A motion on the bill resulted in a tie and failed, leaving the bill in committee. The meeting concluded with a District 4 NMDOT legislative presentation. The district outlined its geography, budget, staffing vacancy rate, completed special appropriations, active construction and maintenance projects, wildfire-related recovery work, local government funding allocations, and equipment replacement needs. Members asked about school district uses of local funding and the impact of aging equipment and weather on maintenance costs. The presentation ended without any formal action on District 4 items, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Matter of fact we had we had backlog.
• </c> fall off of. fall off of.
• </c> had with a lot of people on a lot of had with a lot of people on a lot of fronts.<02:18:38.479><
• of a reminder of deserves a little bit of a reminder of where<02:26:20.960><c> these,</c><02:26:21.439
• Intentionality of training of ranges of that type of stuff.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Spirit of Life, Spirit of Justice, Spirit of the ancestors who dreamed of liberty and who fought for
• roots of hope; where there is injustice, may we rise in the spirit of repair.
• </c> rise in the spirit of rise in the spirit of repair<00:02:40.120><c> grant</c><00:02:40.400><c> us
• </c> recite the pledge of Alle to the flag of recite the pledge of Alle to the flag of the<00:03:30.640
• 03.079><c> which</c> governor of the state of Minnesota which governor of the state of Minnesota which

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Legal Aid of central part of the state.
• from FEMA to repair his mobile home, which would not have happened probably without the help of that
• c><00:58:51.440><c> is</c> support of of all of that is support of of all of that is significant.<00:
• or</c> different kinds of of of activities or different kinds of of of activities or services<00:59:
• timeline of um kind of what brings quick timeline of um kind of what brings us<01:03:18.240><c> to</

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky, including Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Legal Aid, AppalRed Legal Aid, and the Legal Aid Society in Louisville. The presenters explained that the four nonprofit programs provide civil legal services in all 120 counties, focusing on low-income clients and matters such as domestic violence, family law, housing, expungement, public benefits, and veterans’ issues. They emphasized that they do not handle criminal defense cases and described statewide efforts such as the kyjustice.org website and Project Renew, which helps people in recovery with legal issues that affect stability, employment, housing, and family reunification. Each organization highlighted regional service challenges and examples of casework. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass described its 33-county service area, its mobile “justice bus,” and expungement work for people in recovery. Kentucky Legal Aid focused on disaster response after the December 2021 tornadoes, including insurance disputes and contractor fraud, and said it has continued to handle repeated FEMA-declared disasters. AppalRed described serving 37 rural counties with limited attorneys, the shortage of lawyers in “rural legal deserts,” and its disaster-response work after flooding and tornadoes, including FEMA appeals clinics and volunteer attorney support. The Legal Aid Society described its Louisville-area veteran services, including Social Security and VA disability cases, veterans treatment court referrals, and homeless outreach. Committee members praised the organizations’ work and noted the importance of their services. In response to questions about funding, the presenters said their support comes from a mix of Legal Services Corporation funds, state appropriations, federal grants such as VOCA, VAWA, and HUD, United Way, and foundation funding. They stressed that many grants are restricted, while state funding is more flexible and useful for emergencies and day-to-day operations. The presenters said current funding does not fully meet demand and requested an increase in the General Assembly’s appropriation from $500,000 per year to $1 million per year, or $2 million over the biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then our Department of Transportation was constantly working to keep roads open, repair damages, and
• for the residents of the state of Washington?
• and repairs.
• Additionally, USDA support requires on-site verification of the damage before repair or replacement,
• kind of run-of-the-mill business for our staff.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on the December 2025 flooding in Washington and its impacts on agriculture, with no public testimony. Emergency Management Division Director Robert Azel described the storm sequence, record rainfall, widespread river flooding, landslides, power outages, evacuations, rescues, and damage to homes, roads, flood control infrastructure, and agricultural land. He said the state was preparing a major disaster declaration request and noted that mitigation investments and interagency coordination helped reduce losses, while debris removal and federal reimbursement remain important next steps. Snohomish County Emergency Management Director Lucia Schmidt focused on farm impacts in Snohomish County, where tens of thousands of acres were underwater. She described damage to equipment, fences, hoop houses, feed, hay, nurseries, and perennial crops, and said many small farms face losses not well covered by existing federal disaster programs. She urged funding for the Washington State Conservation Commission’s disaster assistance program and emphasized the importance of helping small-scale farms recover to preserve the local agricultural community. WSDA Assistant Director Kelly McLean outlined the department’s disaster response role, including food and feed safety, animal health, livestock sheltering, and coordination of resources. She described efforts to keep feed and dairy products moving, support dairies and livestock producers, connect farmers to relief and mental health resources, and distribute food assistance. She also said WSDA is working on a report due in July with recommendations for small and mid-sized farms and noted interest in developing a broader agricultural disaster assessment tool. Washington State Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon described repeated flooding in the Chehalis Basin and other areas, praised state and local partnerships, and argued that continued flood mitigation, storage, levee adjustments, and basin-specific planning are needed because these events are becoming more frequent and severe. Committee members asked about debris removal, federal disaster assistance, insurance challenges, farmworker impacts, and future mitigation projects, and the chair adjourned the meeting after thanking the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the property is repaired, we continue to guide and assist in other supplemental aspects of the claim
• We believe that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts should follow the example of the state of Texas and
• This was still far from what I needed to get the proper repairs done due to the number of mispriced values
• value of the first estimate, and I am now, one year later, able to make the proper repairs.
• our function, a lot of people would be left kind of in the lurch.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on a wide range of insurance-related bills. Topics included public adjusters (H. 1100/S. 785), electronic cancellation notices (H. 1123/S. 701), insurance rebates and loss-mitigation devices (H. 1233), flood hazard determinations (H. 1087 and related flood bills), organ donor insurance protections (H. 1248/S. 727), mental health parity in disability policies (S. 780), motor vehicle service contracts (H. 1139/S. 812), modernization of business-to-business insurance transactions (H. 1105), and a bill changing the GIC withdrawal notice deadline (H. 1150). Committee chairs set a three-minute testimony limit and heard from legislators, industry representatives, advocates, and affected consumers. Testimony on public adjusters was sharply divided. Insurance agents and property-casualty industry representatives argued that bills barring insurers from prohibiting public adjusters would interfere with policy terms, while public adjusters and several consumers described cases where adjusters helped secure substantially higher settlements and said some surplus lines policies already contain anti-public-adjuster endorsements. On electronic notices, the insurance industry supported consumer opt-in email communications, while agents warned that email-only cancellation notices could cause consumers to miss cancellations. On rebates/loss mitigation, insurers supported allowing risk-mitigation devices outside the policy to encourage innovation, while agents opposed the bill as an improper inducement. Flood-related bills drew opposition from insurers who said flood determinations are complex and federally governed. The committee also heard strong support for organ donor protections from a kidney transplant recipient and the American Kidney Fund, who said the bill would prevent insurance discrimination against living donors and could encourage more donations. On disability parity, a disability insurance specialist opposed S. 780, arguing that mental health limitations are a consumer choice that helps keep coverage affordable, while the bill’s sponsor said it would prevent unequal limits on behavioral health claims. The committee also heard support for H. 1139/S. 812 from the service contract industry, and support for H. 1105 from APCIA as a modernization measure for specialty commercial lines. No votes were taken; after testimony concluded, the chairs closed the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Out of those drownings, 75% involve children under the age of 3 years old.
• But we know the majority of the sales of homes are not cash transactions.
• of Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association speaking on behalf of Florida prosecutors.
• I've heard of the bus that happened even in some of my smaller towns inside of my insider, Mike, a district
• I mean, they're repaired.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And roof repair for 30 to 40 years on something that only has a lifespan of 10 to 15.
• millions of dollars?
• There are any number of rules of thumb that you can look at.
• , you know the rule of 72, things of this nature.
• out of whack.

Bills: SB414 , SB621 , SB2395

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: bond election, ballot proposition, debt obligation, municipal bonds, local government finance, property tax, ad valorem tax, school district bonds, county bonds, special taxing district, voter information document, public debt, municipal finance, tax-supported debt, election ballot language, bond transparency, homestead tax impact, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, public bank

Transcript Highlights:

• of bill.
• , repairs, Includes, which is line 16, actual provisions of services, repairs, and replacement of devices
• And so that's ...services or repair of, which would be a service.
• of them.
• And because of that lifestyle, they need just more repairs than maybe some others would.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in our wastewater system because it is well capitalized and in a good state of repair.
• </c> capitalized and in a good state of capitalized and in a good state of repair<00:46:43.559><c> uh
• </c> repair uh it is truly the interstates of repair uh it is truly the interstates of uh<00:46:46.359
• /c> doing the repairs and the kind of doing the repairs and the kind of reconditioning<00:47:38.599><
• But this is what happens when buildings have a lot of maintenance and repair needs.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:11.600><c> uh</c> of of fees acred or or a time of uh of of fees acred or or a time of uh
• of the Secretary of through the office of the Secretary of State<00:20:20.520><c> where</c><00:20:20.679
• </c><00:21:33.679><c> those</c> lot of conflict um and a lot of those lot of conflict um and a lot of
• of those forms of households um out of those forms of Housing<00:34:35.119><c> and</c><00:34:35.280><
• </c> consumers um a lot of the pieces of our consumers um a lot of the pieces of our statute<00:58:24.240

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors.
• Today, on this third day of the 100-year anniversary of Black History Month, I rise in support of Senate
• And so I called a friend of mine and said... ...of life of Daytona Beach, and so I called a friend of
• Again, there's nothing requiring the defense side to provide any type of notice of disclosure of any
• Finally, with regard to the review of the... ...review of the review of the, you know, the review of

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Patrick Boss, I'm here today on behalf of the Port of Quincy in Grant County and the Port of Warden in
• They can save tens of millions of dollars for utility customers, and we're particularly supportive of
• One of the technical tweaks we'd like to see on this moving forward is that one of the requirements of
• maintenance or repair work on the utility's equipment due to the installation of the customer's device
• Meyer is chair of the Equity Task Force of WPSR. Dr.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on four bills. SB 5982 would expand Clean Energy Transformation Act coverage to include port districts and certain single-customer utilities, and would revise definitions for market customers and affected market customers. Supporters, including environmental groups, Commerce, Ecology, and some port and utility representatives, said it would close loopholes and ensure large loads such as data centers and port-based generation are subject to CETA. Opponents from ports, PUDs, business groups, and industrial consumers argued the bill could sweep in existing single-customer utilities and burden smaller ports or industrial projects. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing after noting substantial pro, con, and other testimony. SB 6008 would create a statewide residential battery incentive and flexible demand program administered through Commerce, with higher incentives for low- and moderate-income customers and requirements tied to utility flexible demand programs. Supporters said it would improve grid resilience, lower bills, and help deploy virtual power plants and distributed storage. Utilities and some advocates supported the concept but asked for changes on funding, low-income verification, compensation, deadlines, and program design. No action was taken beyond the public hearing. SB 6050 would allow portable plug-in solar devices and one meter-mounted device per premises, while restricting utilities, landlords, and HOAs from blocking them and setting safety and certification conditions. Supporters called it a low-cost way to expand distributed solar access, especially for renters and lower-income households. Opponents, including labor, utilities, and safety-focused witnesses, raised concerns about fire risk, backfeeding, lack of existing electrical code standards, utility worker safety, and the need for interconnection review. The committee then heard SB 6056, which would direct Ecology to exempt utility service vehicles from certain clean vehicle emissions standards; Ecology said it was already pursuing a similar rule and flagged the bill’s broad definition and potential policy implications, while utility associations supported the exemption for emergency response vehicles and environmental advocates opposed the statutory approach. No votes were taken on any of the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• get out of control, could the federal government give funding to kind of Going to kind of get out of
• One of the issues has been a lot of denials and a higher rate, possibly a higher rate of denial than
• of indemnity at the end of the day back in the worst time, the worst of the worst.
• Now, this was as of September 30 of 2024, we had 14%.
• One of them is taking care of the customer.

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee received a lengthy presentation from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation CEO Tim Serio, with Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworski also answering questions. Serio reviewed Citizens’ role as Florida’s insurer of last resort, its statutory funding structure, eligibility rules, depopulation program, reinsurance obligations, and the surcharge/emergency assessment mechanisms that can be used if Citizens runs a deficit. He emphasized that recent legislative reforms, combined with lower litigation and improved market conditions, have helped the private market recover and reduced Citizens’ policy count from a peak of about 1.41 million in 2023 to 936,182 at the end of 2024, with a projected drop to about 771,000 by the end of 2025. He also said the reforms reduced Citizens’ rate need and helped avoid an emergency assessment after the 2024 storms. Members asked about Citizens’ rate increases, why Citizens still seeks higher rates despite lower litigation, how the 20% eligibility threshold works, whether Citizens should be wind-only, and whether the state or federal government could help with deficits. Serio explained that Citizens is still charging below actuarially sound rates in most areas, that rate filings reflect reduced litigation and lower reinsurance exposure, and that assessments on all Florida property policyholders are the reason Citizens tries to build surplus and depopulate. He said the depopulation program is working better than in the past, with less than 2% of takeout policies returning to Citizens, and that the Office of Insurance Regulation has been vetting takeout companies more carefully. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on claims handling after Debby, Helene, and Milton, including flood-versus-wind disputes and Citizens’ use of the Division of Administrative Hearings for some claim disputes. Serio said Citizens had received 76,625 claims from the three storms and had paid nearly $823 million in indemnity and expenses as of January 7, 2025. He said many closed-without-payment claims were either below deductible, withdrawn, duplicate, or flood-only, and that Citizens had asked its internal audit function to independently review the claims data and denials. He also described Citizens’ storm outreach, catastrophe response centers, managed-repair program, and claim review process, and said the corporation remains focused on paying valid claims while minimizing the risk of assessments on the broader Florida market.

Transcript Highlights:

• > really get a sense of um of of some really get a sense of um of of some consistency<00:29:15.559><c
• <c> housing</c><00:29:53.880><c> of</c><00:29:54.039><c> all</c> of housing of all of housing of all
• from New Hampshire DOT and expands the use of the trail repair funds to cover both existing and future
• of the trail repair expands the use of the trail repair funds<01:04:07.079><c> to</c><01:04:07.200><c
• </c><01:49:26.480><c> in</c> Trail repair funds so that's kind of in Trail repair funds so that's kind

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all