Transcript Highlights:

• They must have their site investigated by the Fire Prevention Officer and obtain liability insurance.
• that could have been avoided with early prostate cancer screening and diagnosis.
• One of those is preventive services, and what it does is it says if a preventive service is... ...by
• That's an independent group of doctors and researchers that look at preventive services.
• It is 100% in our interest to look at things that way and to bring in preventive care where it makes

Bills: HB712 , HB722 , HB946 , HB1687 , HB1809 , HB1899 , HB2528 , HB2583 , HB2741 , HB2750 , HB3021 , HB3150 , HB3265 , HB3658 , HB3812 , HB3960 , HB4392 , HB4432

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: prostate cancer, health benefit plans, insurance coverage, cost sharing, preventive health care, auto insurance, total loss evaluation, disclosure, insurance materials, vehicle appraisal, HB 946, Texas Insurance Code, automobile insurance claims, oral release, written release, settlement agreement, claim release, property damage, bodily injury, psychological injury

Transcript Highlights:

• Injunctions and long, drawn-out judicial proceedings are preventing that from happening. ...not attempt
• Studies have shown that acknowledgement and awareness are key to preventing the impact in the courtroom
• And I request your favorable consideration of this measure to try and prevent it.
• And so the only way to prevent that, I think, and I'm no expert, but is to let the lawyers out.
• Chapter 5 of the Code of Criminal Procedure relates to preventing, investigating, and prosecuting family

Bills: HB 1181 , HB3704 , HB1363 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB3223 , HB1317 , HB2884 , HB2176 , HB4027 , HB1664 , HB933 , HB2613 , HB3353 , HB2086 , HB4101 , HB3441 , HB4145 , HB3455

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you all want to go ahead and vote it out.
• not have jurisdiction in these areas and it prevents these two courts from upon the jurisdiction of
• And today, these companies are not merely passive suppliers to government programs.
• And then they may go on and sell it to another person. And it goes on and on.
• So we, I, you know, I do believe in this and, and, and I believe.

Bills: HB 1181 , HB3704 , HB1363 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB3223 , HB1317 , HB2884 , HB2176 , HB4027 , HB1664 , HB933 , HB2613 , HB3353 , HB2086 , HB4101 , HB3441 , HB4145 , HB3455

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• There are many certifications and training programs available to learn how to perform safe repairs.
• The goal is to prevent a situation where a company walks away from a site and leaves the landowner with
• As a school board member, I worry about potential program cuts and the increased burden on taxpayers.
• I am the Ecological and Environmental Planning Program Director at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• Early notice to local stakeholders and engage with local government members.

Bills: SB458 , SB819 , SB1238 , SB1642 , SB1643 , SB1644 , SB1791 , SB1810 , SB1824 , SB1825 , SB758 , SB1455 , SB1706

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: insurance appraisal, property insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, residential property, disputed loss, loss valuation, appraisal clause, appraiser, umpire, Texas Department of Insurance, TDI, insurance dispute resolution, claims adjustment, total loss, windstorm insurance, FAIR Plan, surplus lines insurance, policyholder, insurer

Transcript Highlights:

• Programs and alternative schools.
• It seems to be even more wide open than our current ESA program, and our current ESA program allows people
• There were 5,000 participants in the ESA program. It's now over 110,000 and growing.
• — Applications for SNAP and for the Access program, the medical, and these people are not going to be
• Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to alternative education programs and alternative schools.

Summary: The Senate met in multiple Committee of the Whole sessions and considered a large number of bills, many related to digital assets and cryptocurrency, including SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1044, SB 1045, SB 1432, SCR 1003, SCR 1033, and SCR 1028. Members discussed whether the state should accept cryptocurrency for payments, tax or exempt virtual currency, ban central bank digital currency, and support digital assets in retirement systems. Senator Epstein repeatedly argued against the measures and tried to offer amendments targeting data center tax exemptions, but one such amendment was ruled not germane and the ruling was upheld on a division vote. The bills and resolutions in that group generally advanced with do-pass recommendations, with SB 1043 and SB 1044 amended before advancing. The Senate also advanced several bills on family law, public records, scholarship organizations, property conveyances, underground facilities, and environmental and energy issues, including SB 1039, SB 1139, SB 1147, SB 1148, SB 1328, SB 1078, SB 1142, SB 1184, SB 1254, SB 1278, SB 1281, SB 1418, SB 1445, and SB 1566. Some measures drew discussion and amendments: SB 1254 received a clarifying amendment for deeds handled by title and escrow professionals; SB 1278 had a floor amendment withdrawn; SB 1281 was amended by committee and floor changes; SB 1418 prompted questions about small modular reactors and concerns about uranium mining and health impacts; and SB 1566 was amended to address malicious delay enforcement and judicial review. Most of these bills received do-pass recommendations. In the health and human services calendar, the Senate advanced SB 1052, SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, SB 1345, SB 1346, and SB 1631, with SB 1124 retained on the calendar. Debate centered on ACCESS and remote work, administrative deficiency cure periods, anonymous complaints, fee-for-service claims, and DCS-related hearings and investigations. Senator Gonzales opposed several ACCESS-related bills, arguing they lacked appropriations, could disrupt services, or conflicted with federal Medicaid law, while sponsors said the bills addressed agency performance and provider complaints. SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, and SB 1345 were amended before receiving do-pass recommendations, and SB 1345’s sponsor said ACCESS was removed from the bill. The final calendar included regulatory and veterinary-related bills such as SB 1137, SB 1144, SB 1205, and SB 1286. SB 1205, dealing with motor vehicle booting fees, received a floor amendment requiring an appeals process for private parking lots. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine and prescriptions, drew the most extended debate, with a committee amendment and a Kavanagh floor amendment restoring a 14-day prescription extension and adding flea and tick treatment; Senator Leach opposed the floor amendment, describing prior stakeholder negotiations and changes in committee support. The transcript ends while that debate is still underway, after several bills have already been reported out with do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:54.400><c> and</c> have to change the types of programs and have to change the types of programs
• managers and the program.
• there</c><02:49:09.680><c> or</c> Hikina program and the stewards there or Hikina program and the stewards
• And there was a program that was, um, that the governor and the administration approved, and then it
• ><c> that</c> and there was a program that was um that and there was a program that was um that the<03

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate tourism briefing focused on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract oversight, destination management action plans (DMAPs), and the impact of recent legislation and audit findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson said she accepted the temporary role to help address agency challenges, emphasized rebuilding trust, and said HTA is reviewing the state auditor’s concerns and posting its response publicly. She also described HTA’s mission and organizational structure under SB 1571, including reporting lines to the governor, the director, and the board, and outlined staff additions in finance, brand marketing, destination stewardship, and planning. A major topic was the permanent CEO search. HTA board chair Tata Po said the goal is to select a CEO within about four months, with the search firm still engaged, the position description being revised to reflect the new law and compensation changes, and approvals still needed before the job can be reposted. Members expressed frustration that the recruitment had been paused and questioned whether HTA has sufficient qualified leadership and staff during the interim period. Board leadership said the current staff is limited by vacancies but that they have confidence in the team and will add resources if needed. Members also pressed HTA on the role of the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana contract, asking how staff oversight works and whether staff members were effectively wearing multiple hats. HTA explained that the stewardship team provides direction to contractors and that the work is divided among specialists overseeing projects such as tour guide certification, technical assistance, community tourism collaboratives, and a destination app. The committee also discussed whether the board can still vote on budgets under the new structure; the Attorney General’s office was cited as confirming that the board may advise, but the department director retains budget authority. HTA said it is working with CNHA and HVCB on contract and budget timing, with a goal of shifting to a calendar-year process so recipients know funding earlier.

Transcript Highlights:

• Think about it also in a fraud prevention identification and program integrity sense.
• overseeing and supporting programs that serve children and families across Minnesota.
• Without modern tools and processes, even the best policies and programs can't fully reach the families
• That reduced burden for clients and workers and improve coordination across the programs and advance
• And some of these programs are 75/25, 50/50.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and steer clear of wars and foreign interventions.
• , and that is that there's all of these programs out there, and they're being looked at right now, and
• During the hearing here, that we should look at all of the programs and spending and aid that we are
• programs at aid. and another 4,000-odd at state.
• mass migration and those programs that affect actively counter China and Chinese and Russian disinformation

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• fraud prevention, and then the ACH payment capability.
• Amendments 1 and 2, and most of 3, are technical.
• and therefore they actually and abused them over and over and over again, and therefore they actually
• and banged them back and killed them.
• and intervention programs available to juveniles, including school- and community-based programs; development

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on May 12 and took up a series of bills, mostly on juvenile justice, gaming-related background checks, bail/electronic bonds, and corrections policy. Early in the meeting, the committee reported favorably SB 258 on juvenile traffic violations, SB 321 on electronic bonds, SB 134 on limiting certain child sexual abuse material offenses for juveniles under 17 in specific circumstances, HB 75 on promotional play for racetracks as amended, and SB 422 on unsupervised probation for certain fourth-offense impaired driving cases. Later, the committee also advanced SB 440 on the Renaissance District board membership, SB 393 on explosives regulation, SB 487 on charitable gaming rental arrangements, SB 339 and SB 288 on criminal background check procedures in the gaming and related regulatory systems, and SB 325 on excluding certain persons from sports wagering. A major portion of the hearing focused on SB 201, which would change juvenile homicide sentencing procedures, including first- and second-degree murder cases, and how reviewing courts consider parole eligibility and prior death sentences converted to life. Supporters said the bill aligns sentencing with existing Supreme Court precedent and gives courts clearer guidance; opponents from children’s rights and civil liberties groups argued it weakens the “rarest and uncommon” safeguard for juvenile life-without-parole sentences and could expand harsh sentencing beyond constitutional limits. After debate and testimony, the committee adopted an amendment and reported SB 201 favorably by a 7-3 vote, with Representatives Adams, Knox, Moore, and others voting no. The committee also heard SB 523 on clemency and sentencing considerations for defendants who are victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking, or sexual assault. Survivors’ advocates and domestic violence organizations supported the bill’s overall purpose but objected to the mandatory pre-sentence investigation language, warning it could introduce biased information and harm survivors; the Board of Pardons and Parole said its staff and trauma-informed victim assistance coordinators are trained to handle these cases. The committee adopted an amendment narrowing the bill and then reported SB 523 favorably. Finally, SB 320 on DNA detection and crime lab reporting was advanced without opposition, and SB 470 on pregnant women in custody passed after testimony from the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association and discussion of pregnancy testing, bonding options, and prohibiting shackling during delivery and postpartum periods.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's basically a cap-and-trade program as an effective low-cost tool to lower emissions while driving
• global adoption. trade it's basically a cap and trade trade it's basically a cap and trade program<00
• </c><00:25:35.399><c> invest</c><00:25:36.279><c> program</c> considering her cap and invest program
• considering her cap and invest program and<00:25:38.039><c> just</c><00:25:38.600><c> uh</c><00:25:38.720
• by administering incentive programs and supporting local incentives.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Queen Creek and others.
• These types of augmentation and transportation programs will enable us to better manage the totality
• And then there are other programs, there are conservation programs, serious conservation programs that
• Chair and members, House Bill 2103 modifies the requirements of a water improvement program by allowing
• Chair and members, House Bill 2494 prohibits counties from preventing, restricting, or regulating the

Committee: Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard an informational presentation on transportation fuel supply in Arizona from Gordon Shemp of Nemecu Analytics. He described Arizona’s dependence on pipeline deliveries, limited terminal inventories, and the resulting vulnerability to outages and price spikes. He also discussed recent refinery closures in California, increased imports from overseas, and a proposed Kinder Morgan project that could add east-to-west capacity into Phoenix. Committee members asked about fuel formulations and how many fuel types move through the system; Shemp said the project would not change destination fuel specifications and that multiple fuel products already move through the pipelines. The committee then took up House Bill 2758, which would allow groundwater transport from the McMullen Valley basin to an initial AMA and related uses, with provisions for eligible entities, transportation fees, and water improvement programs. Supporters, including Stan Barnes, Jim Downing, and Barry Arons, argued the bill follows the 1991 transfer-basin framework, provides needed water augmentation for urban Arizona, and includes local benefits and guardrails. Opponents, including La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, Devonna Sater, and Ed Curry, said the bill would worsen groundwater decline, subsidence, and well failures in Salome and Wenden and favored rural communities being used to solve urban water shortages. The committee approved HB 2758 on a 4-3 vote. The committee also considered HB 2078, which clarifies that certain aggregate mining reclamation notice requirements apply only to new reclamation plans and new aggregate operations, not existing mines. The sponsor said the bill fixes confusion from prior legislation, and the committee passed it 5-0. HB 2031, extending the deadline for applying for a certificate of grandfathered right in the Wilcox AMA from 15 to 27 months, also passed after some members argued the extension was needed for affected applicants while others said it would delay needed protections. HB 2102, allowing county improvement districts in certain basins to use eminent domain for a well and standpipe site and to operate domestic water delivery systems, and HB 2103, allowing gifts and fee revenues to support water hauling and local water improvement programs, both passed 4-3 despite opposition that they were only partial fixes. Later, HB 2117, which increases the annual distribution cap for conservation district education centers and shifts Environmental Special Plate Fund disbursements to the Natural Resource Conservation Board, passed 5-2 after supporters called it a technical cleanup and one member objected to changing the administering entity. HB 2261, revising agricultural property tax valuation terminology and requiring income-based valuation for agricultural real property, passed 4-3 after assessors and county representatives warned it would remove agricultural improvements from the tax rolls and shift costs to homeowners, while farm groups said it would clarify and stabilize agricultural taxation. Finally, HB 2262, transferring the Resource Analysis Division from the State Land Department to the Arizona Geological Survey and changing related geospatial advisory duties, was presented with State Land Department concerns that the bill left several duties and funding questions unclear; the transcript ends before any final action on HB 2262.

Transcript Highlights:

• interventions needed to meet and promote those purposes outlined below, while being supervised by a
• A very clear and concise and narrow allowance of us to go forward with a case to deal and to focus on
• > two and a half, and things are going two and a half, and things are going pretty<00:39:59.520><c> well
• </c><00:41:55.920><c> and</c> center of New Hampshire is doing and and center of New Hampshire is doing
• Um, and so, um, and obscenely expensive.

Committee: Senate Children and Family Law

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, this is hosted by the Colorado A leadership program, which I'm a proud alum, and this is building
• and and just opt just absorb this cost and and just opt out<00:52:00.800><c> of</c><00:52:00.960><c>
• So I recommend a no vote on this bill even though it is merely a wafer-thin government intervention and
• </c><01:42:30.880><c> and</c><01:42:31.199><c> government</c> government intervention and government
• government intervention and government control.<01:42:32.239><c> I</c><01:42:32.480><c> recommend</c>

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and heard several announcements about upcoming committee meetings, events at the Capitol, and recognitions, including Music Therapy Day, Black History Month activities, adoptable puppies, and a Colorado Agricultural Forum. Members also celebrated Representative Story’s birthday and recognized the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) for its long-running support of arts, culture, science access, and economic impact in Colorado. The House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 12, designating February 20, 2026, as Colorado FFA Day, by a vote of 64-1 with one excused. The chamber then moved to special orders for several bills. The first major bill considered was House Bill 1017, which would prohibit insurers from receiving criminal restitution unless they are direct victims. Sponsors argued the bill prioritizes human victims, prevents restitution from becoming an unpayable burden on low-income defendants, and clarifies the law in response to court concerns and stakeholder feedback. Opponents argued it would shift costs to taxpayers and policyholders and could increase civil litigation and insurance premiums. An amendment, L005, was adopted to clarify the bill’s scope, and the bill then passed as amended. The House also took up House Bill 114, concerning minimum lot size and local land-use rules. An amendment, L002, was offered to prohibit certain local lot frontage, setback, open-space, or coverage requirements that would effectively prevent construction of a single-family home on a 2,000-square-foot residential lot. Supporters framed the measure as protecting housing access, while opponents argued it would override local land-use decision-making and public hearing processes. The transcript ends during debate on a substitute motion related to the amendment, before final action on House Bill 114 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> chamber to prevent and end homelessness. chamber to prevent and end homelessness.
• <02:29:49.920><c> suicide</c><02:29:50.560><c> prevention</c> and suicide prevention and suicide prevention
• and prevent uh<03:26:28.800><c> and</c><03:26:28.960><c> be</c><03:26:29.120><c> prevented</c><03:26
• > also</c> prevention assistance program um also prevention assistance program um also known<03:44:41.199
• </c> program to support construction and program to support construction and renovation<03:50:12.080>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so then also on line 14, the repeal date of the pilot program needs to there as well be 2029.
• And so then also on line 14, the repeal date of the pilot program needs to there as well be 2029.
• and the continuing uh the pilot programs and the continuing um<00:41:13.359><c> work.
• So we stopped the grant program and then we did an RFP and we contracted with a nonprofit in New Hampshire
• </c><01:02:36.079><c> and</c><01:02:36.319><c> then</c> we we stopped the grant program and then we we

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation amends Idaho Code and prevents counties and cities from enacting ordinances that effectively
• Idaho has long valued private property rights, personal responsibility, and limited government intervention
• rentals as residential use and preventing local governments from imposing those de facto bans that have
• So, between my wife and I, we managed to prevent them from actually deconstructing bedrooms, putting
• And the protections of local ordinances for noise and parking and trash and all that stuff are not guaranteed

Committee: House Business

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the types of disputes that arise and what employers are trying to do with implementing programs and
• They did get a little bump because of the OPEB decrease. ...program and the OPEB.
• before I came into the legislature, and we had managers that had to deal with all these complex programs
• We also have a limited examination and appointment program that assists in the DEIA process as well.
• For example, they get $240 a year for the bicycle commute program, mass transit and van pool subsidies

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several routine items and two governor’s appointments requiring appearance. The committee first approved, by unanimous 5-0 votes, the appointments of Armin Meyer to the Division of Consumer Financial Protection and Uca Danka to the California State Lottery Commission, along with bill referrals, a rules waiver request to suspend Senate Rule 55 for guests on the floor, and floor acknowledgments. The committee then heard from Arania Ortega, appointed to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Members asked about her background, PERB’s handling of AB 288 while litigation remains pending, recusal rules, case backlogs, ride-share enforcement, and legislative employee unionization. Ortega said PERB has no current backlog, is prepared to implement AB 288 if litigation changes, and has recusal procedures that would automatically exclude her from certain state employee and child care cases for one year. Public testimony supported the appointment, and the committee voted 5-0 to send Ortega’s nomination to the full Senate. The committee also heard from Monica Erickson, nominated to continue as Director of the Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Questions focused on bargaining and fiscal responsibility, CalPERS oversight, recruitment and retention, telework, discipline and accountability, DEIA efforts, degree requirements, veteran hiring, return-to-office implementation, and the gender pay gap. Erickson said CalHR is working to reduce vacancies, expand recruitment pipelines, remove unnecessary degree requirements, support departments with guidance and training, and address pay equity; she also noted the gender pay gap has declined over the past decade. Supportive public testimony followed, and her nomination was approved 5-0 to advance to the Senate floor. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is a different program, and if this bill enhances the ability to assign a carrier for it, then
• weatherization, and even less energy efficiency programs?
• um</c> prevention staff and obviously um prevention staff and obviously um there's<05:19:17.878><c> there
• They approached the BFA and said that the BFA knows lending and knows how to administer programs, so
• They approached us and said, “BFA, you know lending and you know how to administer programs, so can you

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He actually had been in and out of intervention court and he just basically struggled and then he finally
• in and out of intervention<00:09:18.560><c> in</c><00:09:18.720><c> court</c><00:09:19.440><c> and</
• not. >> That's correct. >> And so what are these programs?
• not. >> That's correct. >> And so what are these programs?
• not. >> That's correct. >> And so what are these programs?

Committee: Joint Judiciary, Division B

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program and working with to stand up the program and working with our<01:21:04.120><c> marketing</c><
• early invested deferred and disability early invested deferred and there<02:02:28.400><c> are</c><02:
• </c> the ahara program and one would think the ahara program and one would think that<04:41:08.120><c
• </c><04:52:58.280><c> and</c> program where we uh administer and and program where we uh administer and
• the PCB program and the bacteria program the PCB program and the solid<05:21:29.320><c> waste</c><05

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented an overview of its budget and operations, emphasizing that it is the lowest-spending agency in state government and that its general fund allocation has declined since 2019. Commissioner Arling House explained that DAS also handles back-office functions for several administratively attached boards, which has affected staffing and spending comparisons. He said the department’s current general fund spending is roughly split between retiree health and other operations, and that the presentation was based on adjusted authorized spending rather than the original budget figures. A major portion of the meeting focused on retiree health benefits and the long-term effort to control costs. Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane described how the state moved from a projected deficit in retiree health to savings through a series of changes, including higher premium contributions, co-pay adjustments, and shifting Medicare retirees into Medicare Advantage arrangements to capture federal reimbursement. She said the state has about 12,500 retirees and spouses on the plan, with roughly 10,906 Medicare retirees and 1,580 non-Medicare retirees, and that the savings have depended heavily on federal funding and procurement decisions. She also noted that Medicare retirees pay Part B premiums and that the state has grandfathered older retirees from some premium contributions. Members asked about what the expenditures cover, why the state offers retiree health instead of simply giving retirees a payment to buy coverage themselves, and whether out-of-pocket costs changed under Medicare Advantage. Keane said the plan covers actual health claims or insurance premiums, that co-pays and maximum out-of-pocket limits remain in place, and that the state has no authority to change benefit details without legislative action. She explained that retiree health is a long-standing employee benefit that wraps around Medicare and is not collectively bargained in the usual sense, though its eligibility rules and cost-sharing have been tightened over time to better target the benefit to long-term state service. The discussion also covered vendor performance problems. Keane said Anthem recently won the contract back from Aetna, but its pharmacy subsidiary, Caroline, caused serious service disruptions. DAS responded by withholding payments, assessing more than $2 million in performance guarantees, and hiring a third-party auditor to review the pharmacy processes. The current contract runs through the end of calendar year 2026, and officials said they are watching federal Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes closely because future savings are uncertain.