Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we're not talking about raising our renewal rates, and we haven't raised them since 1999, but we're
• ,</c><00:12:39.600><c> and</c><00:12:39.839><c> we</c> raising our renewal rates, and we raising our
• renewal rates, and we haven't<00:12:40.320><c> raised</c><00:12:40.639><c> them</c><00:12:40.800><c>
• We hear all the time around this place from people who haven't had a rate increase, you know, &gt;&gt
• So, uh, you know, and maybe we've got a lot more people in government who've had rate increases a lot

Committee: Senate Licensing & Occupations

Transcript Highlights:

• In the last five years, California's child poverty rate has increased nearly threefold, jumping from
• California, unfortunately, has one of the lowest utilization rates of the program in the country.
• And I wish, you know, I wish we had an 89% compliance rate. If we did, that would be awesome.
• And I think your opt-out rate is going to be nothing, because people don't tend to buck what happens
• But we did have much higher participation rates, and the cases where families did need services were

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• members, which is to continue to receive support to be able to provide our members' rural customers' rates
• similar to the rates that urban customers pay.
• NMECG fully supports a supportability component that will offer discounted rates to low-income customers
• They would be able to have a lower-cost, low-income rate available to them.
• But our credit rating didn't change at all when we fell back down to like 10-point whatever.

Bills: SB152 , SB145 , SB190 , HB247 , SB152 , SB145 , HB2 , SB190 , HB247

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• The current interpretation is that a nationally accredited or star-rated program may not be reimbursed
• at a full-time rate for serving a four- and three-year-old if that provider does not offer New Mexico
• You'll see and hear the tiered quality rating system is how we set our rates.
• You'll see in here the tiered quality rating system is how we set our rates.
• You'll see in here the tiered quality rating system is how we set our rates.

Bills: SB204 , SB241 , HB34 , HB2 , SB204 , SB241 , HB34

Committees: Senate Senate Education , Senate House Education

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• And those are things that insurers have to take into account to accurately price and rate their risk.
• these measures, and assurance that we can keep our homes insured, and even potentially get a lower rate
• these measures, and assurance that we can keep our homes insured, and even potentially get a lower rate
• Third, the rate of assessment should be based upon a percentage of gross revenue, which can simply be
• Even though the rate of return seems to be fairly significant if we had that funding from the state,

Bills: SB6061 , SB5844 , SB6079 , SB6137 , SB5831 , SB6031 , SB6178

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, storage rental, tenancy agreements, tenant rights, landlord obligations, termination notice, insurance, wildfire prevention, policy nonrenewal, cancellation, risk management, sports wagering, sports betting, sports gambling, bookmaking, gambling regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• Our recipiency rate is 10%. That's that nine, 10 workers out of the hundred that make it.
• Our exhaustion rate, how long you can remain getting benefits, the worst in the nation.
• So the number of weeks that someone is able to remain on... ...to the unemployment rate.
• But again, because we tie, when we made that change to tie it to the unemployment rate, right?
• Unemployment in Florida, that rate may go down. That's statewide. That is industry-wide.

Bills: S0216 , S0246 , S0356 , S0388 , S0470 , S0488 , S0490 , S0528 , S0584 , S0594

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered ten bills, beginning with SB 594 on local housing assistance plans. Senator Burton explained that the bill would make residents of mobile home parks and manufactured housing communities eligible for SHIP rental assistance and, in some cases, repair or rehabilitation funds, recognizing that many own their homes but rent the lot. Supporters from AARP and the Federation of Manufactured Homeowners said the bill would help seniors and low-income residents remain housed. The bill was reported favorably by a roll call vote. Members then approved two Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles measures: SB 488, the agency package updating Florida’s motor fuel tax compliance with IFTA, allowing online filing and private license plate agencies to act as agents, raising the crash-damage reporting threshold, expanding email communications, and updating tank vehicle compliance; and SB 490, a related public records exemption for email addresses collected for renewal notices. Both were reported favorably without opposition. The committee also passed SB 246, creating a specialty license plate for the UFC Foundation, despite concerns raised that the foundation is based out of state and that the plate was politically motivated; the bill was approved on a split vote. The committee gave favorable reports to SB 216 on reemployment assistance eligibility, which would tighten job-search requirements, require more frequent eligibility verification, and add reporting on fraudulent claims. The bill drew substantial opposition from labor and policy advocates who argued it would add barriers for unemployed workers, especially in rural and skilled-trades jobs, and that the state’s unemployment system remains difficult to navigate. Supporters said the bill was aimed at fraud prevention and ensuring claimants remain eligible. SB 356 on utility terrain vehicles generated extensive debate over safety, local control, and whether UTVs should be allowed on certain roads; supporters emphasized rural utility and law enforcement benefits, while opponents cited manufacturer warnings and crash risks. The sponsor ultimately temporarily postponed the bill. The committee also reported favorably SB 528 on manufacturing, which expands the Department of Commerce’s manufacturing responsibilities, codifies the chief manufacturing officer position, and creates workforce development grant support; SB 584 on commercial driving schools, which authorizes DHSMV agreements with county tax collectors to help enforce school regulation; and SB 388, which raises the annual use fee for the Florida Wildflower specialty plate from $15 to $25 to support the Florida Wildflower Foundation. The final bill, SB 470 on the Fraternal Order of Police specialty plate, was introduced as a measure to broaden eligibility for the existing plate and stabilize funding for law enforcement memorial efforts, but no final action on that bill was reached in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The insurer then reimburses the covered entity, typically at a higher rate than what they paid for the
• A 340B medication is reimbursed at the same rate as a non-340B medication.
• 340B, employees with high-deductible plans often pay based on the full list price, not the discount rate
• the status quo without this bill means that the 340B program will continue to grow at a parabolic rate
• According to the CBO, this was... ...that the 340B program will continue to grow at a parabolic rate.

Bills: HB2145 , HB1828 , HB2155 , HB2437

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: 340B drug pricing, healthcare access, patient rights, discounted medications, manufacturer limitations, health professions, plasma donation, physician substitutes, medical regulation, nursing titles, healthcare, regulation, professional standards, licensure, accreditation, opioid treatment, health services, fee authority, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• The insurer then reimburses the covered entity, typically at a higher rate than what they paid for the
• A 340B medication is reimbursed at the same rate as a non-340B medication.
• 340B, employees with high-deductible plans often pay based on the full list price, not the discount rate
• 340B, employees with high-deductible plans often pay based on the full list price, not the discount rate
• the status quo without this bill means that the 340B program will continue to grow at a parabolic rate

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2437, which would put the Department of Health’s authority to accredit opioid treatment programs into statute and allow the department to set a fee to cover the cost of those services. The prime sponsor and DOH said the bill would preserve a service that is especially important to tribal and rural providers and would be self-sustaining rather than supported by the general fund. Members asked about the relationship between DOH and HCA and whether the bill would duplicate existing authority; staff and the department said DOH already performs the accrediting role and the bill mainly formalizes that authority and fee-setting power. Public testimony on the bill was then closed. The committee then held an extensive work session on the federal 340B drug pricing program and later opened public testimony on House Bill 2145, which would prohibit manufacturers, distributors, and third-party logistics providers from restricting 340B drug acquisition or delivery and from requiring claims or utilization data as a condition of access. Committee staff and NCSL gave background on how 340B works, recent growth in the program, contract pharmacy issues, and state efforts in other jurisdictions. Testimony on HB 2145 was sharply divided: hospitals, community health centers, tribal representatives, contract pharmacies, and labor groups said the bill would protect safety-net providers, rural access, HIV and behavioral health services, and tribal programs from manufacturer restrictions; business groups, pharmaceutical companies, and employer coalitions argued the program has expanded beyond its original intent, lacks transparency, shifts costs to employers and taxpayers, and should be addressed through federal reform instead. No vote was taken in the excerpt. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2155, which would bar non-human entities from using nursing titles such as RN, APRN, or LPN or otherwise implying they are licensed nurses. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to protect patients from being misled by AI systems and to preserve transparency and public safety as health care technology expands. The Washington State Nurses Association testified in support, saying AI can be useful but should not replace nurses or be presented as a licensed professional. A member asked about enforcement and liability, and staff said they would follow up on those details.

Transcript Highlights:

• More than half—more than 60%—of our bridges are rated fair or poor.
• At that funding rate, present day, we estimate our preservation backlog to be about $231 million.
• At the current funding levels, if we kind of flatline that rate out into the future by...
• If your condition rating is below a certain amount, you're colored red.
• We've also been very aggressive over the Ratings below a certain amount, you're colored red.

Bills: SB5989

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• achievement, accelerate mathematics achievement, improved student attendance, increased graduation rates
• OK, graduation rates. Oops. Advance too soon.
• Um, So we have a goal to meet the national average for graduation rates in just a couple of years.
• a transcript audit recently of 13 schools that are designated in need of improvement for graduate. rates
• they have very low graduation rates so we did an audit of junior 11th grade students transcripts and

Transcript Highlights:

• experiencing unprecedented demand for electricity, and that demand is increasing at an accelerating rate
• I am not certain because I am not at the Department of Energy what the necessity is regarding the rate
• But if we were to take that to its logical extension, that would mean a hundred percent taxation rate
• and a hundred percent incentive rate would yield the best possible outcome, and of course that's not
• storage is is is like all research incremental but the change in the effectiveness of batteries the rate

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nuclear energy, permitting process, energy production, public lands, national parks, uranium imports, legislative bills, infrastructure development

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions on a variety of legislative bills including major topics such as nuclear energy advancement, the effects of regulatory hurdles on energy production, and proposals to improve national park staffing and maintenance. Members expressed concerns over the federal government's handling of uranium imports and the necessity for maintaining a robust domestic nuclear supply chain. Efforts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate more efficient energy project development were also a focal point, alongside public testimony from stakeholders in the energy and environmental sectors. The meeting highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet rising energy demands while addressing climate change impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plus, a subsequent reduction in insurance rates is if internal pressures were applied to those who have
• thank God it will drive the rates up and they've got to practice.
• I absolutely think this is going to be a disaster and the medical malpractice insurance rates will be
• So just to sort of explain to me, I would like a system that really just grades in rates.
• An arbitrator compensation rates creates an alternative option for judicial office.

Transcript Highlights:

• Through this, the reporting in this bill and the previous bill, we have a 98% retention rate of keeping
• and the previous Bill we have a 98% and the previous Bill we have a 98% retention<00:01:17.600><c> rate
• As Representative Koznick shared, we have a 98% success rate, and success rate in our eyes is first responders
• And I think, uh, again, with the astounding retention rate, um, the Workforce Development fund is why
• </c> anything um I can speak to success rate anything um I can speak to success rate since<00:25:25.559

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of the efforts in recent years, we have the third-lowest recidivism rate in the United States
• Now, that's an elusive number because different states sometimes calculate recidivism rates differently
• prison, if you stay out three years or more from state prison, you don't count against our recidivism rate
• is the highest-risk category and creates a much higher workload due to their increased recidivist rates
• These individuals were determined by creates a much higher workload due to their increased recidivist rates

Summary: The Justice Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the justice budget and the major agencies within it. Chair Maney explained that the committee would hear broad presentations rather than detailed budget questions, and the first panel included the Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, Commission on Offender Review, Department of Law Enforcement, Office of the State Courts Administrator, and the Attorney General’s Office. Each agency described its mission, staffing, budget, and major responsibilities, with repeated emphasis on public safety, rehabilitation, staffing shortages, technology needs, and the importance of mental health services and education in reducing recidivism. Secretary Hall described DJJ’s prevention-to-aftercare continuum, including civil citation, detention, probation, and residential commitment programs, and highlighted reductions in juvenile arrests and commitments. Secretary Dixon said DOC’s biggest issues are staffing, overtime, and inflation, while noting progress in education, reentry, and a low recidivism rate. FDLE Commissioner Glass outlined the agency’s investigative, forensic, intelligence, and protective functions, including work on fentanyl enforcement and crime reporting systems. The State Courts Administrator emphasized the judiciary’s constitutional role, case volume, and challenges in providing interpreters, experts, and technology support. Chief Deputy Attorney General Guard described the office’s litigation, criminal appeals, consumer protection, and opioid recovery work, especially defending state laws and recovering opioid settlement funds. Members then asked questions about prison conditions, immigration enforcement, court filing fees, crime reporting, staffing ratios, and transnational gangs. Agency leaders responded that they were not aware of ICE contracts in some cases, that FDLE works with immigration authorities and detention facilities under existing authority, and that filing fees are a legislative policy decision. The committee also heard from the Justice Administrative Commission, prosecutors, public defenders, guardian ad litem, regional conflict counsel, and capital collateral regional counsel, who focused on indigent representation, dependency and death penalty cases, and persistent staffing and retention problems. No votes were taken, and the meeting concluded after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The cost of that coverage gets baked into rental rates, making car rentals..." "...free.
• But we live in a state that claims, rightfully, to have the highest rate of insured residents in the
• So, between high rates of health care inflation, rising unemployment, people losing their insurance,
• And that is the reimbursement rates that these hospitals are receiving, not only from public taxpayers
• Rates that these hospitals are receiving not only from public payers like Medicare and Medicaid, but

Summary: The Senate took up a series of resolutions and bills, beginning with unanimous adoption of resolutions congratulating two Eagle Scouts. It then advanced several local and special acts, including measures on Machado-Joseph disease awareness day, the Ipswich senior tax referral program, Swampscott conservation commission appointments, protections for individuals with disabilities in MassHealth day habilitation programs, continued employment in Brookfield, Marblehead parking fines, Natick’s home rule charter, and Boston affordable housing/branch library space. The chamber also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committees. The Senate enacted House bills authorizing additional wine and malt beverage licenses in Lexington and a means-tested senior property tax exemption in Melrose. It also passed Senate Bill 2603 on affordable car rentals after adopting an amendment; supporters said the bill would reduce rental costs by changing Massachusetts’ rental car insurance rules to align with most other states. Senate Bill 1057 on fentanyl test strips was also passed to be engrossed after Senator Creem argued the bill would expand access to a low-cost overdose prevention tool and save lives. Senator Moore then spoke in support of expanding Nikki’s Law to cover MassHealth day habilitation programs, describing the bill as a needed protection for people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. A major portion of the meeting focused on House 4530, a FY2025 supplemental appropriations bill providing $234 million for hospitals and community health centers. Senators discussed the Health Safety Net shortfall, rising health care costs, underinsurance, and federal reimbursement; Ways and Means explained that about $93 million was expected back in federal financial participation, making the net state cost about $140 million. The Senate also took up House 4531 on the 2026 state primary election date, rejecting an amendment before passing the bill to engrossment. The chamber later adopted emergency preambles for House 4530 and House 4531, and all three final bills—Machado-Joseph Disease Awareness Day, the supplemental budget, and the primary election date bill—were enacted and sent to the Governor. The Senate adjourned in memory of Ricardo Barbosa after a memorial statement by Senator Miranda.

Transcript Highlights:

• patient access to medically necessary breast pumps by increasing Medicaid reimbursement and coverage rates
• to amend Title 46, relative to ambulatory surgical centers, to provide for Medicaid reimbursement rates
• Relative to ambulatory surgical centers, to provide for Medicaid reimbursement rates.
• in Title 40 relative to non-emergency medical transportation, to provide for Medicaid reimbursement rates
• This requires the Louisiana Department of Health to increase their reimbursement rates for non-emergency

Bills: SCR12 , HB1259 , HB221 , HB509 , HCR117 , HCR58 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SB295 , SB312 , SB326 , SB348 , SB485 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB35 , SB65 , SB215 , SB246 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , SB514 , HCR32 , HCR5 , HCR95 , HB75 , HB198 , HB244 , HB302 , HB325 , HB623 , HB719 , HB749 , HB755 , HB761 , HB797 , HB823 , HB1028 , HB1049 , HB1194 , HB1199 , HB1201 , HB1222 , HB17 , HB27 , HB36 , HB41 , HB73 , HB140 , HB166 , HB181 , HB211 , HB223 , HB226 , HB271 , HB308 , HB337 , HB399 , HB410 , HB487 , HB690 , HB712 , HB730 , HB750 , HB759 , HB762 , HB775 , HB906 , HB966 , HB968 , HB1006 , HB1009 , HB1018 , HB1036 , HB1062 , HB1081 , HB1086 , HB1098 , HB1107 , HB1112 , HB1203 , HB1215 , HB1220 , HB1242 , HB1252 , HB1256 , SB208 , SB217 , SB274 , SB283 , SB300 , SB341 , SB382 , SB387 , SB389 , SB401 , SB408 , SB449 , SB469 , HB74 , HB119 , HB134 , HB368 , HB414 , HB552 , HB732 , HB776 , HB848 , HB870 , HB953 , HB956 , HB1117 , HB1236 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB78 , SB149 , SB441 , HB210 , HB258 , HB359 , HB468 , HB784

Summary: The Senate convened with 26 members present, heard a prayer from Dr. Steve Horn, and recited the pledge. The chamber then handled messages from the House, including concurrence in SCR 83 and appointment of conference committee members on several disagreements. A number of Senate resolutions were introduced or adopted, mostly creating study task forces or commending individuals and organizations, including resolutions on energy infrastructure, breast pump access, insurance coverage for auto repairs, biomarker testing, higher education funding, public-private partnership contracting, and various commendations. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, while others were returned to the calendar or concurred in by recorded vote, including SCR 29 and SCR 33 with House amendments. The Senate also considered House and Senate bills and resolutions returned from the House, with many measures adopted or concurred in. Notable actions included concurrence in HCR 117 on homeowner insurance claims processes, adoption of HCR 5 on special red drum harvest permits, and passage of bills on TOPS Tech eligibility (HB 325), vapor product permitting (HB 623), ABLE/Tuition Trust administration (HB 749), design services contracting (HB 755), rare cancer advisory board composition (HB 761), non-emergency medical transportation reimbursement (HB 1028), public meeting notices (HB 1049), healthy food retail financing (HB 1194), genetic testing coverage for SCN2A disorders (HB 1199), grocery initiative grants (HB 1222, which failed), and a constitutional amendment on retirement debt repayment order (HB 27). The chamber also adopted HCR 95, creating a joint rule requiring a fiscal review of certain tax measures for sales and use tax uniformity. Several measures drew extended debate. HB 181, which would allow the legislative auditor access to Medicaid and SNAP-related tax information for eligibility verification and fraud review, prompted concerns about privacy and scope but ultimately passed 26-8. HB 1220 on the State Board of Medical Examiners generated amendment discussion about board composition and transparency, including live video broadcasting of meetings, but was returned to the calendar before final action. HB 1018, creating a temporary local moratorium on certain alcohol permits in one Shreveport district, passed after discussion about broader policy solutions. The Senate then recessed for lunch at 2 p.m. after completing the subject-to-call list for the morning session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It directs JLARC to study state and local renewable energy tax rates by October 2031.
• It increases the small business B&O tax rate and raises the annual minimum filing threshold to $250,000
• This is followed by a preferential use tax rate for when refineries use self-produced fuel to operate
• And when the refineries use that gas, they pay a use tax rate closer to the public utility tax rate rather
• than the nominal use tax rate of 6.5 percent.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Transcript Highlights:

• It directs JLARC to study state and local renewable energy tax rates by October 2031.
• It increases the small business B&O tax rate and raises the annual minimum filing threshold to $250,000
• This is followed by a preferential use tax rate for when refineries use self-produced fuel to operate
• And when the refineries use that gas, they pay a use tax rate closer to the public utility tax rate rather
• than the nominal use tax rate of six and a half percent.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 6, 2026, with quorum present and unanimously approved the October 21, 2025 minutes. The Attorney General’s Office then provided its annual open government refresher, covering key points of the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including broad disclosure requirements, records retention, response timelines for public records requests, and rules for meetings, special meetings, emergency meetings, and executive sessions. JLARC staff gave a 2026 legislative session update on tax preference bills. They highlighted 20 bills affecting tax preferences, including repeal of the coal-related sales and use tax exemption, changes to data center exemptions, new property tax exemptions for renewable energy facilities and land bank authorities, and a broad tax package in engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6346 that created multiple credits, deductions, and exemptions. Staff also presented the 2026 expedited tax preference review report covering 64 preferences, noting it is based on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies and is now available in an interactive searchable format. The commission approved the 2026 public testimony questions without changes and then adopted the 2027–2036 tax preference review schedule, along with a new rolling 10-year schedule that will be updated each May. During discussion, commissioners raised concerns about how preferences are prioritized for full review versus expedited review, especially for older or high-revenue preferences without performance statements, and staff explained that legislative mandates, expiration dates, and workload constraints drive the schedule. The meeting also included a public and staff recognition of Commissioner Grant Forsyth’s 13 years of service and leadership, with remarks praising his collaborative approach and long tenure; the next meeting was set for August 4, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the CTF bonds are rated AAA, Aa1, and AAA again, all with stable outlook by Kroll, Moody's
• Those are the highest ratings that you can get, and we're very proud of that.
• I'd like to see it going up at least at the rate of inflation every year.
• the state treasurer issue special obligation bonds based upon certain criteria: financial markets, ratings
• issue special obligation bonds for a couple of reasons: one, because those CTF bonds are so highly rated

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets held a public hearing on H. 5279, a transportation bond bill financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. MassDOT and A&F testified in support, describing the bill as a major transportation investment package centered on a $300 million annual Chapter 90 local aid program, with $200 million distributed by the traditional formula and $100 million by lane miles to better support rural communities. They also outlined funding for MBTA rail reliability and modernization, transportation projects that support housing production, a new DCR parkway resilience and safety program, and reauthorizations of existing highway and municipal grant programs such as the Municipal Pavement Program and Shared Streets and Spaces. Witnesses said the bill would help address aging infrastructure, improve safety and resilience, support housing development, and leverage Fair Share surtax revenue through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. They explained that some authorizations are structured to allow the state to issue special obligation bonds, and clarified that the bill authorizes the full spending amount for federally aided projects even though the state only borrows the 20 percent match, with the federal government reimbursing the rest. Committee members asked about bridge repair needs, the size of the backlog, how housing-related transportation funds would be allocated, MBTA vehicle procurement, and whether rural communities would have fair access to the new funding streams. Several members praised the administration’s financing approach but urged future Chapter 90 increases to keep pace with inflation and requested more attention to rural municipal capacity and bridge safety needs. The Massachusetts Municipal Association also testified in strong support, emphasizing that Chapter 90 is the most important tool for cities and towns to maintain local roads and bridges and urging prompt passage before construction season. No votes were taken; after testimony concluded, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Don't penalize them, don't increase their insurance rates, don't diminish their salaries or whatever.
• This provides for less volatility in the employer rate moving forward. Thank you.
• And we are timing this packaging for 2029, when the rate is otherwise scheduled to go up because we have
• So the rate in 2029 would go up, but with this bill it won't go up as high, and we will levelize those
• This will allow for more predictability in the employer rate and allow the state to budget more easily

Committee: House Retirement