Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're forced to pay the local association, the state association, and the National Association
• , forced to pay the local association, the state association, and the National Association.
• From the get-go, they weren't listening, they weren't paying attention to anything that I had to say
• You need to quit paying defense, be very offensive.
• You basically pay local dues. The locals pay state dues. State dues go to the national.

Bills: SB2101 , SB2334 , SB2633 , SB2637 , SB2713 , SB2781 , SB2782 , SB3059 , HB 1130

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard several bills, mostly on alcohol regulation, ethics procedures, the Alamo, and free speech in professional associations. SB 2633 would let the City of Garland hold local option elections on alcohol sales within designated zones and use zoning/land-use rules for alcohol-selling businesses; Senator Johnson and Garland officials said it would reduce the burden of the petition process and support economic development. SB 2637 would require social media platforms to disclose when posts are made by bot accounts and allow Attorney General enforcement; supporters framed it as consumer protection against misleading automated content, while members raised questions about how platforms would identify bots and how enforcement would work. SB 2334 would allow airlines with passenger transportation permits to store sealed alcoholic beverages within five miles of an airport in the same county, which the sponsor and an American Airlines witness said would improve logistics without changing permits, taxes, or alcohol sourcing. The committee also heard SB 2781 and SB 2782, both related to Texas Ethics Commission procedures. SB 2781 would cap civil penalties tied to certain campaign contribution violations by former legislators who later lobby, and SB 2782 would require TEC to adopt discovery control plans and align discovery rules more closely with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to limit costly, open-ended discovery. Both bills were left pending after no public testimony. SB 3059 would transfer oversight of the Alamo from the General Land Office to a new Alamo Commission beginning in 2027; Senator Campbell said it would provide long-term stewardship and transparency, while Senator Birdwell questioned the need for a change and the commission’s structure, and GLO witnesses said they were not aware of any problem prompting the shift. HB 1130, a House companion to a previously passed Senate bill, would provide liability protections for cavern entities that post warning signs, and it was also left pending. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 2713, which would bar professional or trade associations from denying membership or access based on protected characteristics or lawful speech and assembly. Senator Middleton and invited witnesses described disciplinary actions by realtor associations against members for social media posts, sermons, or political speech, arguing that the National Association of Realtors’ ethics rules were being used to punish private expression and threaten livelihoods through loss of MLS access. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the bill should be narrowed to avoid affecting religious organizations, how association discipline works, and whether the measure should address existing penalties or only future conduct. The bill was left pending after extensive invited testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're getting fresh produce to kids in schools, and you're paying farmers for doing that.
• So a farmer who had a big turkey barn, because these lasers are expensive, could pay a little bit, I
• testing</c><00:08:23.440><c> and</c><00:08:23.759><c> now</c><00:08:24.000><c> they're</c> used to pay
• for testing and now they're used to pay for testing and now they're not<00:08:24.879><c> or</c><00:08
• a little bit, I think it's could pay a little bit, I think it's like<00:09:39.680><c> half</c><00:09

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We deserve to know what's being taken from our pay, to have temp-to-permanent opportunities, and to have
• For example, labor pools must provide itemized pay stubs, ensure seating for workers, wait hours for
• and state law would allow deductions specifically for meals and transportation, even if they reduce pay
• This modifies the interest rate or dividend a financial institution must pay on funds in an interest
• the Florida Bar rewrote the rules and dramatically increased the interest rate they require banks to pay

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and considered a wide range of bills, including early learning and special needs funding (SB 1102), Israel bond investment authority (SB 1674), Parkinson’s disease research at USF (SB 1800), mental health and substance use disorder reforms (SB 1620), veterans nursing home beds (SB 788), securities regulation updates (SB 988), labor pool regulation (SB 1672), Alzheimer’s awareness (SB 398), educator preparation (SB 1590), student mental health reporting (SB 1310), specialty license plates (SB 824), financial institutions and IOTA-related issues (SB 1612), transportation facility designations (SB 1408), utility worker protections (SB 1386), DNA testing grants (SB 1072), the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (SB 364), housing support for former foster youth and homeless students (SB 584), sex offender registration changes (SB 1654), migrant vessel disposal (SB 830), commuter rail indemnification (SB 916), juvenile justice revisions (SB 1344), aggravating factors in capital cases (SB 984), and a criminal offender substance abuse pilot program (SB 1140). Most bills were explained by sponsors, often with supportive testimony from affected agencies, advocacy groups, or industry representatives, and several were amended before final action. The committee adopted amendments on many measures, including clarifications and effective-date changes for SB 1102; technical changes to SB 1620 implementing mental health commission recommendations; a delete-all amendment for SB 1620; an amendment to SB 988; a consumer-disclosure amendment on SB 1612; and multiple amendments to SB 1408, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, and SB 1344. SB 1672 on the Labor Pool Act drew extensive public testimony in opposition from worker advocates, who argued repeal would weaken protections for temp workers and formerly incarcerated workers, and the bill was temporarily postponed to a later meeting without a vote. Several bills received notable testimony in support, including SB 584, where former foster youth described housing instability and the importance of campus housing and federal voucher coordination; SB 1386, which was backed by utility and industry groups seeking stronger penalties for assaults on utility workers; and SB 984, which drew opposition from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops over expansion of death penalty aggravators. The committee also heard support and opposition on SB 1612 regarding IOTA interest rates and legal aid funding, with bankers and civil legal aid representatives disputing the proper rate structure and whether the bill conflicted with Florida Bar rules. At the end of the meeting, the committee reported all voted-on bills favorably, including SB 1102, SB 1674, SB 1800, SB 1620, SB 788, SB 988, SB 398, SB 1590, SB 1310, SB 824, SB 1612, SB 1408, SB 1386, SB 1072, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, SB 830, SB 916, SB 1344, SB 984, and SB 1140. Members also requested to be recorded on various bills, and the committee adjourned after noting one remaining meeting would be lengthy.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're paying, they're taking out. The employer is taking it out.
• The state's paying for help.
• But, um, we'll end up paying more money in foster care. That's right.
• I mean, if we're going to pay more money. For foster care.
• And we could have gotten better results by paying more money.

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Transcript Highlights:

• But as far as overall, it would be very small because they pay a higher, if they pay out-of-country or
• more in tuition and fees, total tuition and fees, would an out-of-state and an out-of-country student pay
• Generally, it's more than double what an in-state Texas resident would pay. Okay. Thank you.
• Generally, it's more than double what an in-state resident, Texas resident would pay. Okay.
• That was a huge effort that we've made over the last few cycles, and I think it's starting to pay off

Bills: HB42 , HB125

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: special prosecutor, state law, criminal justice, accountability, law enforcement, stormwater management, counties, regulation, environment, water quality

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending. Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending. The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• You pay us back monthly for the next four to five years.
• You pay us back monthly for the next four to five years. Wow.
• I still owe PG&E money, and I'm paying those monthly rates right now for no savings.
• So... ...money, and I'm paying those monthly rates right now for no savings.
• California couldn't procure enough, and sort of who pays, you know, who would pay for that, obviously

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on grid reliability, affordability, clean energy infrastructure, and industrial decarbonization. AB 222, by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, would require more data reporting on data centers and aim to prevent ratepayers from bearing related grid costs; supporters said better information is needed to plan for rapidly growing electricity demand from AI and data centers, while opponents warned about privacy, security, trade-secret, and cost-shifting concerns. The bill passed the committee on a 13-4 vote, with the roll left open for absent members. AB 941, by Assemblymember Bonta, would impose a 270-day timeline for CPUC review of priority transmission projects to speed clean-energy infrastructure buildout. Supporters argued that transmission delays are slowing California’s climate goals and raising costs, while opponents raised concerns about CEQA process, staffing, and prioritization. The bill passed 15-0. AB 1191, by Assemblymember Tangipa, would make existing large hydroelectric facilities eligible for the Renewable Portfolio Standard; supporters framed it as a way to lower rates and ease affordability pressures, while opponents said it would undermine the purpose of the RPS by substituting existing resources for new renewable development. That bill failed on a 4-11 vote. AB 1280, by Assemblymember Garcia, would expand state grant programs to support thermal energy storage projects for industrial decarbonization. Supporters said it would help modernize manufacturing, cut pollution in disadvantaged communities, and preserve jobs, with broad support from environmental and clean manufacturing groups and no opposition testimony. The bill passed 17-0. AB 1117, by Assemblymember Schultz, would require the CPUC to offer optional dynamic electricity rate tariffs for customers to shift usage away from peak periods; supporters said it could lower bills and improve grid efficiency, while utilities said they were not opposed to the concept but wanted more flexibility and time in the regulatory process. That bill passed 14-0. The committee also approved its consent calendar and other noncontroversial items, with several measures moving forward unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also increased the amount of longevity pay.
• And then they get a longevity bump after 12 years, this pay raise will be 15% on top of all of those
• So these are in significant pay raises.
• bill, and I think the tie between the performance issue. of the accountability for judges as well as pay
• I struggled on my position on this bill. because I do know how deeply that pay increase is needed.

Bills: SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB10 , SB11 , SB19 , SB20 , SB25 , SB62 , SB260 , SB263 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB412 , SB441 , SB442 , SB494 , SB523 , SB569 , SB616 , SB688 , SB707 , SB766 , SB842 , SB869 , SB890 , SB914 , SB929 , SB971 , SB992 , SB1066 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SJR36 , SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB372 , SB495 , SB842 , SB971 , SB1066 , SB929 , SB765 , SB523 , SB62 , SB19 , SB18 , SB666 , SB688 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB706 , SB847 , SB869 , SB890 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB494 , SB290 , SB766 , SB11 , SB10 , SB13 , SB263 , SB412 , SB20 , SB441 , SB442 , SB1621 , SB569 , SB314 , SB25 , SB293 , SB914 , SB260 , SB1248 , SB740 , SB14 , SB1006 , SB20 , SB25 , SB260 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB442 , SB494 , SB616 , SB869 , SB890 , SB929 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SR232 , SR237 , SR242 , SB16 , SB22

Keywords: capital gains, taxation, constitutional amendment, state revenue, individual investment, Supreme Court, judicial independence, Keep Nine, checks and balances, water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, education, Ten Commandments, public schools, religious display

Transcript Highlights:

• If you don't pay it, then your items can actually go into hold and be sold.
• I pay it on the first.
• If I don't pay it, my credit card times out or whatever, technically, I'm late 30 days later.
• I know I pay for my storage unit via electronic, and so I think that's a common practice.
• No one wants to pay $10 for a dozen eggs or pay the surcharge today at Lotta Burger for a breakfast burrito

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to protect student data, keep humans in the loop, pay attention to bias, pay attention to accessibility
• If a tenant can pay what they owe, they should be able to stay in their home.
• Now, yeah, they could pay it eventually.
• So once the tenant pays, then they're able to stay.
• The tenant is paying to stay in the home.

Summary: The House convened on June 30, 2026, with opening ceremonies, guest introductions, and moments of silence for Gerlindy Lancelotti and Iva Durham. Members then took up a long agenda of bills and resolutions, including consent calendar items and several measures related to agriculture, lottery reporting, health care, fire service membership standards, inmate work, telecommunications, rent increases, youth camp licensing, primary elections, respiratory care practice, and marriage equality. The chamber also heard extended debate on Senate Bill 233, concerning removal of snow and ice from vehicles, and on House Bill 188, which would allow unaffiliated voters to choose a party primary while barring participation in both parties’ primaries. Among the notable actions, House Concurrent Resolution 157 passed as amended, directing the State Lottery to report on options to support traditional lottery retailers. Senate Bill 53, preserving the Delaware Farm to Community Program if federal support declines, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 307, giving the Public Service Commission authority to designate eligible Lifeline carriers, and Senate Bill 339, clarifying advance health care directives, also passed. Senate Bill 235, removing a sunset on manufactured home rent increase calculations, passed, as did Senate Bill 325 after House Amendment 1 narrowed disqualifying offenses for fire service membership and adjusted related background-check rules. Senate Bill 309, discharging remaining incarceration-cost balances, and Senate Bill 324, addressing constable-related firearm permit provisions, both passed. The chamber tabled Senate Bill 233 once to consider a proposed amendment for trucks and other hard-to-clear vehicles, but the amendment failed and the bill later passed as amended by the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 19, directing DHSS to study strategies to reduce health care costs, was tabled pending legal review. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 100, proposing a constitutional amendment to protect the right to marry, passed after extensive floor debate and personal statements from members on both sides. Senate Bill 293, creating a licensure pathway for summer camps to participate in purchase-of-care, passed after House Amendment 1. House Bill 188 on open primary access for unaffiliated voters passed 22-17, and Senate Bill 94, concerning respiratory care practitioners and ECMO medication delivery, passed after House Amendment 2. The transcript ends as the House begins consideration of House Substitute 1 for House Bill 404.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:44.360><c> the</c><00:13:44.480><c> projects</c><00:13:45.200><c> and</c> been raised to pay
• for the projects and been raised to pay for the projects and associated<00:13:46.120><c> costs.
• that they used to pay those bills in the first place.
• that they used to pay those bills in the first place.
• </c> to pay those bills in the first place. to pay those bills in the first place.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you commit the crime, then, of course, you have to pay the consequences.
• You should absolutely pay for the crime.
• I mean, if they knowingly, I think the keyword is, to pay rent.
• You should absolutely pay for the crime.
• That's to pay for some water or a bag of chips.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the House Journal by a 121-0 vote, and a brief suspension of business for the Speaker to sign HB 2014. Members also observed a moment of silence for Butler County Fire Protection District Sergeant Commander Jatin Warren, who died in the line of duty, and the chamber introduced several guest groups, including Missouri Council on Aging representatives and county clerks. A resolution was also presented honoring former state representative K. H. Steinmetz for her 18 years of service in the Missouri House. The House then received committee reports recommending passage of HB 2934, HB 1800, and HB 1707. On third reading, HB 2974 passed 136-0 on telehealth and licensure reciprocity; HB 2934 passed 121-24 on consolidating St. Louis convention center governance; HB 2057 passed 137-10 on entertainment districts for Osage Beach and Chesterfield; the combined HB 1839/2921/3015 passed 120-19 on age verification for harmful online content; HB 1707 passed 149-0 to bar the Department of Revenue from taxing credit card processing fees; HB 2819 passed 145-0 to set rounding rules as the penny is phased out; and HB 2600 passed 148-0 to allow ambulance districts to combine resources for coverage. HB 1800, which reduces the inflationary growth factor for certain taxing districts from 5% to 3% and adjusts assessment ranges, drew the most extended debate over its effect on schools, fire districts, and taxpayers; it ultimately passed 82-61. Members also perfected HB 2774, which bars state and local governments from restricting equipment sales or use based on fuel source, and HB 2383, a utility infrastructure protection bill adding wired/copper infrastructure to existing critical infrastructure protections and setting penalties for theft or damage; HB 2383 was amended to align with the Senate version and then perfected. Finally, the House began debate on a combined bill package including HB 1664, 1610, 1645, and 2182, which would extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse civil claims while also shortening the general personal injury statute of limitations from five years to three; the child sexual abuse provisions drew broad support, while the tort-reform portion prompted sharp disagreement over access to justice versus business certainty.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so this simply unmasks all of that to say, if we're going to be paying for care, we want to pay for
• If we're going to be paying for care, we want to pay for all of it, and that's it.
• We pay 100% of the money out of general revenues. A federal waiver must be granted.
• But the hard fact is that the electric utilities pay a tax when they provide...
• Electric utilities pay a tax when they provide the electricity to a charging station.

Bills: S0006 , S0026 , S0206 , S0532 , S0576 , S1012 , S1110 , S1178 , S1192 , S1758 , S1760 , S7046 , S7048

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: child welfare, negligence, settlement, injury compensation, Department of Children and Families, motorcycle accident, compensation, Department of Transportation, legal claim, autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special education, exceptional student education, ESE, teacher preparation, educator certification, micro-credential, loan forgiveness, student loan repayment

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met and considered a large agenda of bills, reporting several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and the estate of Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, which was approved for $3.8 million. The committee also passed a cybersecurity internships bill creating a Department of Commerce program with Cyber Florida, and SB 532, which lets clerks of court retain the full amount of certain excess revenue and clarifies foreclosure-sale procedures. Veterans housing measures, CS for CS for SB 1602 and SB 1604, were approved to create a pilot program and a related trust fund for vacancy relief and risk mitigation for veteran housing. The committee also favorably reported SB 1110 on Medicaid and insurance coverage for orthotics and prosthetics, with emotional testimony from a student and family describing the high cost and importance of activity-specific prosthetics. Members also approved CS for CS for SB 1012 after adopting an amendment that removed inmate emergency and specialty medical service compensation provisions while retaining changes to the contractor-operated institutions inmate welfare trust fund. Another bill, CS for CS for SB 1614, was narrowed by a delete-all amendment to focus on limiting the use of excess fees for new building construction by local governments. All of these measures were reported favorably after brief debate, with some support testimony submitted in writing or waived. The most extensive discussion centered on CS for CS for SB 17, a major Medicaid and public assistance overhaul. The bill would create a Joint Legislative Committee on Medicaid Oversight, allow the Legislature to retain its own actuary, tighten Medicaid program oversight, update encounter-data reporting, set performance standards for managed care plans, revise pharmacy benefit manager rules, and require DCF to implement SNAP fraud-reduction and payment-accuracy reforms, including photo IDs on EBT cards and updated work requirements. It also would direct agencies to seek federal waivers for Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied adults and expanded behavioral health services. After lengthy questioning and testimony, the committee adopted amendments adding a transitional medical benefits glide path for people who gain employment and later lose Medicaid eligibility, and exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would improve accountability, reduce fraud, and save money, while opponents warned it would create administrative burdens, increase paperwork, and cause eligible people to lose coverage or food assistance. The committee ultimately reported the bill favorably as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, currently does HECO pay for all of this vegetation clearance? Yes.
• So who would pay for that? The ratepayers. Yeah, the ratepayers.
• </c> thank you so um currently does heo pay thank you so um currently does heo pay for<00:18:03.640><
• Please pay attention to HB 732.
• He shall pay for inspections and will face fines for non-compliance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The hearing opened with committee procedures and then took up SB 1, relating to vegetation management near utility lines. DLNR opposed the bill, saying it would shift rights, responsibilities, and liability onto the state and private landowners. Hawaiian Electric supported the measure with amendments, describing it as a first step to address wildfire risk and improve public safety and system reliability. The Hawaii Farm Bureau and Command Schools both raised concerns that the bill could impose significant costs, liability, and access burdens on farmers, ranchers, and other landowners, especially where easements are old or unclear. Life of the Land argued the issue belongs before the Public Utilities Commission, and PUC staff explained that the commission is already reviewing Hawaiian Electric’s wildfire mitigation plan and vegetation management in a docket, with a decision expected by September and public meetings scheduled for April 23 and 24. Committee members questioned the need for legislation versus negotiated solutions, and witnesses said private parties could potentially renegotiate easements without statute. The committee then heard HB 1296, relating to disaster recovery. DLNR and OPSD supported the bill, saying it would ease regulatory burdens in post-disaster rebuilding and help speed permit review. Testimony and member questions focused on the bill’s five-year rebuilding timeline, the role of the coastal zone/SMA process, and how long permit reviews typically take; OPSD said SMA major/use permits generally take about six months, while minor permits are faster. Members also discussed whether the bill would apply to existing structures damaged in disasters and whether the amendments from the Attorney General’s office and OPSD were acceptable; no objections were raised. Finally, the committee heard SB 1170, relating to the expeditious redevelopment and development of affordable rental housing. HHFDC supported the bill, and testimony from a Maui affordable housing project said the measure is needed to rebuild the Weinberg Court Apartments, a 63-unit affordable project in Lahaina, using insurance funds rather than government money. Members asked whether the bill would help existing affordable rental projects damaged before the enactment of related coastal rules, and the response was that the bill is aimed at existing structures damaged during events and intended to speed rebuilding of affordable housing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding sometimes, or the pay, is often a big issue with employees.
• Funding sometimes, or the pay, is often a big issue with employees.
• Funding sometimes, or the pay, is often a big issue with employees.
• </c><00:59:32.440><c> is</c> um funding sometimes or um the pay is um funding sometimes or um the pay
• What are our current unit costs compared to what Medicaid is paying? I'm sorry. Medicaid is paying.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on Kupuna Care funding, distribution, utilization, and the status of program rules. The Office of Aging explained that state Kupuna Care funds are distributed using the same federally approved interstate funding formula used for Older Americans Act funds, with eight weighted factors tailored to Hawaii’s conditions: older adults, greatest economic need, low-income minority status, disability, language barriers, geographic isolation, inverse population density, and older adults living alone in poverty. The department said the formula is based on census and American Community Survey data, with current county shares listed as Kauai 7.45%, Honolulu 69.61%, Maui 11.7%, and Hawaii County 17.88%. Officials said the formula is being reviewed with current data and will need federal approval and then public hearing before final adoption. Members questioned how the program works in practice, noting that the statute and eligibility language can sound like direct individual benefits even though services are delivered through area agencies on aging, ADRCs, and contracted providers such as meal and adult day care programs. The Office of Aging said ADRCs determine eligibility and then refer clients to authorized providers, who must meet service standards in their contracts. The chair pressed repeatedly for long-delayed rules, saying the Legislature had expected them years earlier and that clear rules are needed to ensure funds are spent properly and to avoid conflicts of interest. The department acknowledged the delay, said draft rules were written in 2023 after earlier commitments to finish sooner, and said it paused while federal Older Americans Act rules were being updated; it now expects to send the rules to the Deputy Attorney General, then out for public hearing, with a goal of completion in 2025. The department also reported utilization data for the last two fiscal years. In 2023, it expended about 93% of its allocation and served 5,473 older adults at an average annual cost of $1,358; in 2024, it expended about 97% and served 5,520 older adults, with the average cost down by about $200, which officials said may indicate fewer services per person. Eligibility was described as age 60 or older, U.S. citizen or qualified alien, with cognitive impairment or disability and functional deficits, and the statewide profile showed many participants were homebound, living alone, or below poverty. The most-used services were transportation, case management, and home-delivered meals. The chair also asked about the former Kupuna caregiver program; officials said the programs are now combined under Kupuna Care, with most funding going to adult day care to provide respite for working caregivers. County representatives then described local conditions, especially on Hawaii Island. Hawaii County officials said the county covers about 5,000 square miles, has about 208,000 residents, and roughly 24% are age 65 or older. They identified three main challenges: staffing shortages and retention problems among providers, shortages within the county department itself, and the loss of adult day care capacity, with only one center remaining on the island and none on the west side. They said these constraints limit service delivery even as demand grows. At the same time, they highlighted successes such as serving people in the community before they need higher levels of care, providing caregiver counseling and training through adult day care, serving 467 individuals locally, and ensuring the Resource Center answers calls from caregivers seeking help.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're the can't pay their bills.
• </c> not working, not able to pay their bill. not working, not able to pay their bill. they<01:06:02.240
• </c> the pay the benefit of planning. the pay the benefit of planning.
• Um, so I think going to pay for it.
• </c> industrial users, that they were paying industrial users, that they were paying more<05:49:05.520

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > say</c> renewable energy instead of paying say renewable energy instead of paying say $100<01:45:07.159
• And so then we would have to pay more taxes into that.
• And so then we would have to pay more taxes into that.
• And so then we would have to pay more taxes into that.
• </c><05:11:07.160><c> it</c> so you're paying it so you're paying it already<05:11:08.920><c> but</c>

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They only pay property tax and payroll taxes.
• I was just wondering: is it a voluntary tax that you are paying, or is it regulated, or are you paying
• We do not is we pay for this totally.
• They monthly basis and then we pay them.
• </c> This would retire the current pay This would retire the current pay structure<01:08:03.920><c> which

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:23 Kentucky Bankers Association 00:02:32 How to Read and Understand KRS 6.948 Health Mandate and Federal Cost Defrayal Impact Statements 00:25:40 Proposed Amendments to Kentucky's Essential Health Benefit-Benchmark Plan 00:50:18 Proposed Health Insurance Legislation for the 2026 Session 01:04:22 Reimbursement for Covered Benefits Delivered Through the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model 01:01:46 Coverage of Eating or Feeding Disorders 01:18:47 Coverage of Hearing Loss 01:25:31, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Banking and Insurance met for its first interim meeting, established a quorum, approved routine opening items, and welcomed a new committee assistant and a legislative intern. The committee first heard a Kentucky Bankers Association presentation from Tim Shank and John Cooper focused on the state’s housing shortage, which they described as affecting all 120 counties and especially low- and moderate-income and workforce housing. They urged support for a proposed $20 million banker-backed revolving fund, paired with tax credits, to finance new housing construction; they said the program would be flexible, could support alternatives such as manufactured housing, and would use below-market loans with tax credits vesting over five years only after units are completed. They also asked for extension of the historical tax credit carryforward from five to seven years and for continued support of new market tax credits, arguing that supply-chain delays make the longer period necessary for historic rehabilitation projects. The bankers also raised concerns about credit unions, arguing that because credit unions do not pay the same taxes as banks, they should not be allowed to acquire healthy state-chartered banks or hold state and local deposits. They cited the recent purchase of First State Bank of Middlesborough as an example, saying the transaction would reduce state, county, and city tax revenue and weaken local tax bases. In response to committee questions, the presenters said local regulations, zoning, parking, sidewalk, and utility easement issues can significantly delay housing projects, and they emphasized that state policy and infrastructure support are needed to help address affordability and development barriers. The committee then shifted to a Department of Insurance presentation by Commissioner Sharon Clark on how to read KRS 6.948 health mandate and federal cost defrayal impact statements. Clark explained that the mandate statements were created in 1998 so legislators would have actuarial estimates of how proposed health insurance mandates would affect administrative costs, premiums, and total costs, and she noted that later legislation added federal cost-defrayal analysis. She also reviewed the background of the Affordable Care Act’s essential health benefits framework and said the department’s statements are intended to help lawmakers make informed decisions on proposed health coverage mandates. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• for paying wolf damages it's<01:11:04.760><c> varied</c><01:11:05.239><c> over</c><01:11:05.440><c>
• So when we run out of money, we basically hold the claims and pay them when we have money again.
• So when we run out of money, we basically hold the claims and pay them when we have money again.
• So when we run out of money, we basically hold the claims and pay them when we have money again.
• for it it's important that we to pay for it it's important that we take<01:20:41.280><c> advantage</

Bills: HF601 , HF271 , HF1101 , HF979

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: agriculture, depredation compensation, livestock, crop damage, elk, wolves, wildlife management, skills path program, career and technical education, CTE, dual credit, postsecondary options enrollment, apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, dual training, work-based learning, career pathways, skilled trades, workforce development, high school to career

Transcript Highlights:

• In many administrative appropriations, the federal government will pay a portion of the cost, usually
• Same thing happens over in HHS for DHS. will pay a portion of the cost usually will pay a portion of
• Generally speaking, the way it goes is federal funds go first and the state goes second on who pays.
• um the when we extracted that part pays um the when we extracted that part of<00:19:06.400><c> the</
• Currently, Minnesota, like a lot of other states, pays child care providers retroactively.

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• attention to any of the did not pay attention to any of the potential<00:53:19.080><c> cures</c><00:
• If just one county was unable to pay for an upgrade, that could compromise the entire system.
• </c><01:58:54.040><c> for</c> If just one county was unable to pay for If just one county was unable
• Um, and there is a standard fee that they're already paying.
• </c> revenue source, then you can be paying revenue source, then you can be paying them<02:15:22.360>

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all