Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, Tammy Fellin with the Department of Labor and Industries.
• Members of the committee, Tammy Fellin with the Department of Labor and Industries.
• Tammy Fellin, Department of Labor and Industries, Insurance Services Division: I'll be very brief.
• For example, the Department of Labor is called out.
• For example, the Department of Labor is called out.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2091, a collective bargaining measure that would require state agencies and other employers covered by the Personnel System Reform Act to provide unions with employee contact and job information similar to what other public employers already must share. The sponsor and union witnesses said the bill would close a gap left by prior legislation and improve communication with represented employees; no one testified in opposition during the hearing portion shown. Action on the bill was deferred. The committee then moved to House Bill 2264, which would allow workers who voluntarily participate in an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan to qualify for unemployment insurance if the separation results from that plan. The sponsor and a member described it as a narrow fix to clarify eligibility and reduce disputes. After brief supportive testimony, the committee voted 9-0 to report the bill out with a due pass recommendation. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 2218, a workers’ compensation bill that would expand provider choice, require notice to injured workers of their right to choose a provider, limit employer steering, speed utilization review, allow more flexibility from treatment guidelines, and change rules for reopening or continuing treatment on certain claims. Supporters, including injured workers, unions, attorneys, firefighters, and a psychiatrist, argued the current system delays care and over-relies on rigid guidelines; opponents from business groups and the Department of Labor and Industries said the bill would weaken evidence-based standards, raise costs, and create uncertainty. No final action was taken in the portion shown. The committee also heard House Bill 2105, as a proposed substitute, which would require employers to notify workers after an ICE Form I-9 inspection notice or results, limit voluntary access to certain records without a subpoena or warrant, require workplace postings, and create enforcement by the Attorney General and private lawsuits. Supporters said the bill would provide due process, transparency, and protection for immigrant workers; opponents, especially small business and agricultural groups, warned of conflicts with federal law, burdensome notice requirements, and severe penalties. The hearing continued with additional testimony, and no vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to hear what the Department of Revenue has to say about the resources aspect of it.
• or keeping up with insurance. the Department of Revenue has to say about the resources aspect of it.
• Good evening, Chairman, members of the committee. Joshua Schumerary, Department of Revenue.
• Chairman, members of committee, Joshua Schumerary Department of Revenue.
• I'm here as a representative of the Department of Revenue.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Department of Agriculture.
• to the Department of Agriculture.
• There is this—this is the one moving the breakfast from the Department of Ed to the Department of Agriculture
• Department of Agriculture.
• to the Department of Agriculture.”

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alex Schoppe, Department of Finance.
• Teresa Caller, Department of Finance.
• Teresa Caller, Department of Finance.
• Andrew March, Department of Finance.
• The Department of Finance, Ms.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard opening remarks on the Governor’s 2026-27 budget and presentations from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Chair Laird described the proposal as roughly balanced with $23 billion in reserves, while Vice Chair Niello argued the revenue estimates were overly optimistic and warned of a structural deficit, calling for a deeper review of programs and concern over the state’s $20 billion unemployment insurance debt. Finance said the budget is balanced in the budget year but still leaves a roughly $2.9 billion deficit, with out-year gaps above $20 billion, and characterized the plan as largely a workload budget with limited new spending or cuts. The LAO said its office sees substantial downside risk to the revenue forecast, emphasized the volatility of stock-market-driven revenues, and urged the Legislature to begin addressing the structural deficit now rather than waiting until May. Members focused on the implications of federal policy changes, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and the MCO tax, as well as the state’s reserve strategy. Senators Menjivar and Richardson raised concerns about health coverage reductions, county costs, hospital finances, and the lack of a broader revenue solution, while Finance said the state cannot fully backfill federal cuts and is still assessing the impacts. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal to suspend the rainy day fund deposit and setting aside the proposed Proposition 98 settle-up rather than using it for spending. Finance defended both proposals as necessary to balance the budget year and said it plans to begin discussions with legislative leaders before the May Revision. The committee also discussed climate and transportation funding, including cap-and-trade/GGRF allocations for Cal Fire, interest earnings from the fund, zero-emission vehicle incentives, and AB 617 air quality investments. Senator Reyes questioned the focus on light-duty ZEV incentives instead of heavy-duty vehicles, and Finance said the proposal is intended to partially replace the federal consumer tax credit and that some heavy-duty funding remains from prior years. Senator Richardson also raised concerns about Olympics-related infrastructure, courthouse repairs, and displaced workers, while other members stressed homelessness funding and the need for more immediate action on out-year budget problems. No formal votes or actions were taken during the portion provided; the hearing was informational and moved into member questions after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So those that are using the unemployment insurance, again, at no fault of their own for being unemployed
• Request isn't really right because it's a demand, but I mean, requested of all of our departments.
• Representative Chappell: Because it's a demand, but I mean, requested of all of our departments, that's
• intent of the original idea for the unemployment insurance.
• But in looking at the Department of Labor missive that was handed out, just a clause that jumped out

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of our review of the programs and the base budget, we have asked the Department of Education
• He's a senior chancellor at the Florida Department of Education. Mr.
• At the department, we are really proud of the work that we do, not only to support all of our schools
• Words of wisdom. Words of wisdom. If insurance couldn't cover it, we didn't do it.
• You had a real insurance policy instead of, you know, like 11 little insurance policies.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, this bill is at the request of the department.
• </c><00:32:23.279><c> of</c> They're, you know, the the Department of They're, you know, the the Department
• I think we have the rate of insured.
• </c> increase the number of insured people. increase the number of insured people.
• It's not intended to match the cost of insurance, right?

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill requires hospitals and campus emergency departments to test for fentanyl as part of any urine
• It authorizes the Department of Health to adopt rules to implement the new requirements.
• They will ascertain whether or not the insurance provider, the new providers is miya's in or out of network
• The other option would be if they're able to go to the website of the patients HMO or insurance company
• First, the Department of Health's and reviewing the bill made some suggestions and we added some language

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My responsibility as a nurse, our responsibility as a committee, and as the Department of Health.
• would hire a superintendent and oversee the department of children, youth, and families.
• I'm a registered lobbyist for America's Health Insurance Plans... We stand in support of the bill.
• the consumer protection items that the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance had raised, and so
• The Office of the Superintendent of Insurance had raised, and so those were included in the sub.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• some</c><00:01:49.520><c> of</c><00:01:49.680><c> our</c> of health insurance and some of our of health
• family</c> the department of children and family the department of children and family and<00:25:18.000
• way that costs of insurance are going up.
• </c> lot of money from an insurance company lot of money from an insurance company into<01:06:58.559>
• ><c> up</c> impact of insurance premiums going up impact of insurance premiums going up and<01:19:09.840

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> because of our discussion the insurers because of our discussion the insurers were<00:21:44.880>
• For the record, my name is Jason Ais, Director of Health Economics, New Hampshire Insurance Department
• Last year, the Insurance Department spoke on behalf of Representative Merchants' bill.
• this year the Insurance Department is also in support of this bill.
• So from the Insurance Department point of view, like if things go sideways, if there are some problems

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• insurance guy and as a member of this committee?
• insurance guy and as a member of this committee?
• I intend to work with the Department of Insurance to find out the actual cost.
• So when we went to the State Insurance, the Department of Insurance, to get the general cost, the actual
• Most of us don't know what's going on with our insurance.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The supervisor of industrial insurance may authorize continued treatment in cases of permanent total
• That recall was instituted by members of his own department.
• Department of Education's Inspector General.
• no fiscal impact: Office of the Secretary of State, Department of Health, Department of Children, Youth
• in the care of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, known as DCYF.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• federal law, enforced by the Arizona Department of Insurance or DIFI.
• the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
• After the child enters the care of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
• children in the care of the Department of Child Safety.
• Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General recently found that most children

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a JLBC presentation on H.R. 1’s SNAP impacts, including expanded work requirements, higher state administrative costs, and a potential state share of benefits if Arizona’s payment error rate remains above 6%. JLBC estimated the administrative cost increase at about $33 million in FY 2027 and $44 million in FY 2028, and said a 2024 error rate of 8.8% could expose the state to about $139 million in benefit costs starting in FY 2028. The chair also opened the meeting by asking members and speakers to keep remarks shorter to improve efficiency. The committee then considered several SNAP-related bills. HB 2797, which requires DES to more frequently verify eligibility through data matching, post fraud/noncompliance data, and address out-of-state EBT purchases, passed 7-5. HB 2442, requiring certain able-bodied SNAP adults with school-age children to participate in employment and training unless exempt, also passed 7-5. HB 2448, which limits DES’s ability to seek work-requirement waivers or discretionary exemptions without legislative authorization, passed 7-5. HB 2206, which sets a goal of reducing the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030 and adds reporting and corrective-action requirements, passed 7-5 after debate over staffing, technology, and whether the target was realistic. The committee also advanced HB 2180, appropriating $2.5 million to the University of Arizona for AZ REACH, a hospital transfer coordination program serving rural facilities. Supporters said it improves patient transfers and reduces burdens on rural hospitals; some health system representatives were neutral but asked for operational improvements. HB 2180 passed 11-1. HB 2184, as amended, passed 7-4-1; it would extend fetal death certificate filing and require patients to be informed of the option to transfer fetal remains to a funeral home, with supporters describing it as a matter of parental dignity and closure. HB 2188, as amended, creating a Language Acquisition Grant Program for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, passed unanimously after testimony about balancing spoken-language and ASL options. The committee then began hearing HB 2194, a bill requiring insurers to provide a contact for detailed explanations after claim or prior-authorization denials, but the transcript ends before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm looking at the insurance department, department, department, but<00:31:42.720><c> I</c><00:31:42.880
• For the record, DJ Benton Court, commissioner of the insurance department.
• It has come prominently onto the radar of the department, I'd say in the last 8 to 12 months.
• </c><00:43:17.359><c> uh</c> law and the rules of the department. uh law and the rules of the department
• Speaking of prohibiting the denial of banking and insurance services based on any factor that is not

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began by discussing 15 retained bills and the chair’s preference to keep them alive through interim study rather than kill them, using them as vehicles for further discussion and possible later amendments. The chair said the bills would be executed out by November and then move to the House floor in January, and members generally agreed that interim study was the prevailing motion for the retained bills. Several health-related bills were then discussed. On Senate Bill 247, concerning pharmacy network exclusion when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost, members said the issue had been presented differently in prior discussions and noted unfamiliar intermediaries such as PSAOs; the bill was viewed as too complex to resolve immediately, so interim study was favored. A bill on treatment alternatives to opiates was said to need an amendment from the Insurance Department, and a bill on self-funded employer access to claims data was described as having changed substantially through amendment; the sponsor explained it was intended to incentivize self-funded plans to opt into the state’s all-payer claims database (CHIS) so their data could be used for cost analysis, and members indicated a separate bill would be brought later. The committee spent the most time on a glucose monitoring bill, with testimony from a sponsor and a parent of a type 1 diabetic describing the medical benefits of continuous glucose monitors, especially for preventing dangerous lows and managing fluctuations. Opponents and committee members raised concerns about the cost of a mandate, the effect on premiums in the individual and small-group markets, and whether the bill should require coverage without a prescription; one member cited medical literature suggesting limited evidence for non-insulin users. The chair concluded the bill was headed to interim study and said the committee would do further homework on the economic impact, especially for type 1 coverage. The meeting then moved on to a bill about insurer audits and clawbacks, where the Insurance Department commissioner explained that the issue involved several separate provider-payment problems that had recently come to the department’s attention and that the department would provide a report and work with the sponsor on next steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• What type of a plan is going to, is there a plan in place through the department in case there is a shortfall
• So, in that business plan, what is the amount of liability insurance going to be required for these providers
• And then all of a sudden, the insurance guy says, you're going to do what?
• of the Department of Public Safety to study the various problems on United States Highway 491, from
• of the Department of Public Safety to study the various problems on United States Highway 491, from

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> insurance</c><00:09:57.120><c> costs</c> the split of health insurance costs the split of health
• </c> department in terms of implementation department in terms of implementation from<00:28:36.480><c
• and</c> Department of Children, Youth, and Department of Children, Youth, and Families,<01:04:26.960>
• </c> Families, Department of Human Services. Families, Department of Human Services.
• the Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Department of Health, that when this is happening

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Next we're going to move to the Department of Finance.
• that money to the Department of Labor.
• But does the Department of Finance, can you give us a little idea of why the governor did put this in
• , a regular part. of the state's unemployment insurance program.
• Completely lockstep with department, California Department of Technology.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the following agencies are going to be announced at this table: the Department of Human Services,
• Inspector General, OFFIOFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, OFFICE OF
• CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN SERVICES AND THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD
• We are redirecting funding so the Department of Labor can handle wage theft investigations in-house and
• Insurance is costing us a lot of money, and we have discussed affordability, but we shouldn't...

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services and Labor budget hearing opened with Senate and Assembly co-chairs introducing members and naming secretaries for the record. The agencies covered included Human Services, Labor, Temporary and Disability Assistance, Children and Family Services, Veterans Services, Human Rights, Workers’ Compensation, the Welfare Inspector General, and the Public Employment Relations Board. Members then gave brief statements on their priorities for the upcoming budget negotiations. A major theme was affordability, with repeated discussion of child care, SNAP, housing, and worker supports. Senators and Assembly members highlighted the Senate and Assembly one-house proposals for a $500 million child care worker retention grant program, additional child care slots and subsidies, cost-of-living adjustments for human services workers, and expanded support for supportive housing, youth employment, HEAP, and energy affordability. Several members also emphasized food insecurity and SNAP-related issues, including funding to address payment errors, prevent penalties, expand SNAP education, and respond to expected federal changes. Labor-related issues included workers’ compensation fraud, wage theft enforcement, workplace violence, temporary disability insurance reform, and the creation of dedicated enforcement funding for the Department of Labor. Some members supported using workers’ compensation assessments or insurance-company-related funding to pay for anti-fraud efforts, while others preferred grants to district attorneys or broader DOL enforcement. There was also discussion of occupational health clinics, labor standards in any SEQRA changes, and expanding access to doctors in the workers’ compensation system. Veterans, child care, and public assistance fraud prevention were also discussed, including funding for veterans legal defense and mental health services, microchip/secure EBT cards to reduce skimming, and restoring or protecting various programs. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs stating that the Senate, Assembly, and Executive would continue negotiations toward a final budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• insurance and the business of insurance and insurance companies falls within the insurance department
• </c> insurance and the business of insurance insurance and the business of insurance and<01:30:53.120
• :57.920><c> of</c><01:30:58.320><c> insurance.
• We regulatory structure of insurance.
• the Department of Safety, uh, uh, the the Department of Safety, uh, stands<02:20:11.359><c> in</c><02

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all