Transcript Highlights:

• increases in tax rates at the upper end.
• /c><00:51:59.640> the<00:51:59.760> upper uh increases in tax rates at the upper uh increases
• We're increasing the sales tax, but then we're excusing the reduction in the rate, but not for tobacco
• While the bill does cut the general sales tax rate, it would still be at a minimum a 6.375% cost increase
• So on that segment of our economy, it is indeed a tax increase as opposed to a lower rate than if we

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• increases in each of the recommendations. rate increases in each of the recommendations.
• The three drivers are really the provider rate increases.
• I think there was an average of 30% increase—16% rate increase the last time.
• We've increased Medicaid rates across the board.
• The rate study from 2023 was implemented, but it didn't recommend rate increases.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the corporate franchise also increase the corporate franchise tax<00:54:35.760> rate<00:54:36.880
• the corporate franchise tax increasing the corporate franchise tax rate<01:07:01.839> are<01:
• Employees and businesses have choices, and increasing Minnesota's already high rates would put us at
• As well, the 2.6 percentage<01:24:54.480> point<01:24:54.719> rate<01:24:55.360> increase
• <01:24:55.679> contained percentage point rate increase contained percentage point rate increase

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's salary increases that are related to that service growth, and we saw higher rates of increase
• that some assumptions increased contribution rates...
• Some assumptions increased contribution rates, others decreased, and the combined effect is that we saw
• In the 2029-31 biennium, we can then see in this table that some of these employer rates show an increase
• led to a projected rate increase.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Act 634, we have increased that administration rate to match the Vaccines for Children rate
• However, with the rate increase, we received several comments.
• Okay, so what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates.
• Okay, so what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• So there are three categories of rates that are increasing.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Flat fees were increased a few years ago. The hourly rate... So, they're your rates.
• The hourly rate, In the civil side of the house, flat fees were increased a few years ago.
• I would say that it would lean toward the opportunity to increase those rates.
• So JAC is not standing before you today saying, please increase those rates, but they haven't been increased
• So if there's a desire to increase the rates, that would be the purview of this subcommittee and the

Summary: The committee met for an interim appropriations presentation hearing focused on justice administration agencies. Members heard budget requests from the State Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders, the Justice Administrative Commission, Regional Conflict Counsel, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Guardian ad Litem Office, followed by a presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice and a brief public comment from a nonprofit advocate. The chair noted that presentations from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Commission on Offender Review would be moved to a later meeting. The state attorney requested funding to true up underfunded circuits under the existing formula, staff 14 new criminal judgeships, replace declining VOCA victim-services funding with general revenue, and cover a projected due process shortfall. The public defender asked for a higher starting salary for assistant public defenders, funding to restore balance in circuits where public defenders lag behind state attorneys, and staffing for new criminal judgeships. Regional conflict counsel and capital collateral regional counsel also sought salary adjustments, additional attorneys and case costs, and competitive area differential funding to address recruitment and retention issues. The Justice Administrative Commission requested funding for Florida PALM readiness and implementation and for IT hardware and software replacement; it also relayed a clerks’ request for reimbursement related to injunctions for protection, Baker Act, Marchman Act, and sexually violent predator cases. The Guardian ad Litem Office said it now has a guardian ad litem for every child in Florida and requested salary increases for senior and managing attorneys to reduce turnover. The Department of Juvenile Justice presented a much larger budget request to expand residential and detention capacity, increase per diem rates, renovate and replace aging facilities, fund the Broward detention center rebuild, improve cybersecurity and the juvenile information system, and cover rising lease costs. Members asked questions about staffing, compensation, detention and residential treatment needs, mental health and substance-use services, and the Broward project timeline. A nonprofit advocate then asked for better data collection on protection orders and related court actions to support funding for domestic violence and recovery services. The committee adjourned without taking any formal votes on the budget requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and so, at which point if the, if you guys deny the request for an for a rate increase.
• Yeah, you recently declined a 10% rate increase.
• So when you have an increased value of something, your rate in the premium that you pay is going to be
• And what you may be seeing is, you know, carriers are increasing their rates, but they're also making
• grown, the legislature has done that by increasing the contract rate, which over time has put the GR

Transcript Highlights:

• While most insurers will not take the full indication and rate, this is a substantial increase in the
• While most insurers will not take the full indication and rate, this is a substantial increase in the
• While most insurers will not take the full indication and rate, this is a substantial increase in the
• What is the rate on mechanics and what is the rate presently for body work?
• You know, Chris had mentioned earlier about increases between 10% and 40% in regard to the labor rate

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Financial Services Committee heard testimony on several insurance, transportation, and labor-related bills. Senator Edwards supported bills addressing app-based delivery workers, arguing that food-delivery drivers should be treated as employees with protections and mileage reimbursement, and that a small surcharge on app-based deliveries could raise revenue for the Commonwealth and localities. Kevin Brousseau of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also backed the delivery-worker bill, saying it would preserve employee status, add data transparency, and create a process for challenging deactivations. MAPC supported a bill to change transportation network company fees from a flat per-ride charge to a percentage-based assessment, saying the current fee is outdated and that a higher fee could raise more transportation revenue and help address congestion and emissions. A large portion of the hearing focused on auto insurance and collision repair issues. Insurance industry witnesses supported a bill to limit attorney’s fees in PIP cases by giving insurers 30 days after a complaint is served to pay amounts due without fee exposure, arguing that PIP litigation has surged, is clogging courts, and is being driven by out-of-state firms. They also opposed auto body labor-rate bills, saying the market is already adjusting and that a statutory floor is unnecessary. In contrast, auto body shop representatives and the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts urged favorable action on bills to raise and regularly update collision repair labor rates, saying current reimbursement levels are far below market, have not kept pace with inflation or vehicle technology, and are making it hard to retain workers and keep small shops open. One witness also supported a bill to limit insurance surcharge points for low-damage accidents or minor moving violations. Committee members asked questions about deactivation rights for delivery workers, the mechanics of the PIP litigation issue, and the gap between body-shop and mechanical labor rates. Testimony emphasized that current auto body reimbursement rates are around the mid-$40s per hour, while mechanical work can be reimbursed at much higher rates, and that advisory-board discussions have produced only limited progress. At the end of the hearing, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, then moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• local rate of 2% for a maximum combined state and local rate of 8.25%.
• That just seems like a lot. like a lot of people that have the ability to increase tax rates.
• The total appropriations increased by 2.8 billion dollars, which is a 0.8 percent increase. increase.
• The governor also mentioned requiring a supermajority for tax rate increases.
• In June of 2024, Austin ISD adopted a tax rate. that increased the average taxpayer's bill by $290.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Providing a defined contribution can make an employer less sensitive to rate increases.
• decline were inflated because I think those rate increases that we saw mirrored kind of the national
• But, you know, it just, I don't quite understand the rate increases and the significance of that.
• So it increases purchasing power, which is helping mitigate the impact of the rate increases for all
• The rate of drug price increases consistently exceeds the rate of inflation.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those three rate increases have been implemented via this rule.
• We're carrying the rate increase forward now, and we're working with CMS.
• So this is just the rate piece, doing the rate increase for those three populations.
• being used for this rate increase, it dropped the orthodontic rates from where we were previously.
• And so that's sort of the department's position on any rate increases or budgetary increases right now

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee reviewed a series of Medicaid and health-related administrative rules, most of them tied to 2025 acts. Early items covered presumptive eligibility end dates, adding a definition of fictive kin for foster children, and updating ABLE account disability onset age. The committee also reviewed rules on continuous glucose monitors, RSV vaccine administration fees, ET3 telemedicine exemptions for ambulance services, dental rate increases, physical and occupational therapy access, and the Healthy Moms Healthy Babies and lactation consultant provisions. Most rules were reviewed without objection, though several members asked for fiscal and implementation details, especially on the CGM rule and the dental rate rule. The most extended discussion centered on the dental rate increase under Act 1025. DHS said the rule applies only to oral surgeons’ dental services as written, while the Arkansas State Dental Association and legislative sponsors argued the intent was to raise rates for a broader set of dentists performing the same procedures, especially for adults with special needs. Members discussed the statutory language, CMS constraints, bifurcated rates, and the estimated additional cost of about $1.5 million annually if general dentists were included. The committee ultimately reviewed the rule, but the chair noted the testimony and lawmakers indicated they would work on a fix next session. Another major exchange involved the CGM rule. Members questioned the reported $3 million two-year fiscal impact, the prior authorization process, and whether DME providers would be forced into a pharmacy-based system. DHS explained that the same vendor would handle prior authorizations and that the billing system changes were already live, but one member moved to expunge the earlier review vote and then said he would hold the rule pending further clarification. The committee also reviewed rules on adverse decisions appeals, CNA training, substance abuse and mental health network-status disclosures, new certification rules for doulas and community health workers, cosmetology/body art, massage therapy, lead-based paint, radiation control, radiologic technology licensure, and mobile home/RV park standards. The meeting ended with all remaining items reviewed and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the last major rate increase in the Medi-Cal program.
• And when do we expect to then see the rate increases?
• Each of these rate increases will be different.
• They haven't had a rate increase in 40 years.
• Lastly rate increases often take a long time to reach physicians.

Summary: The committee heard a budget oversight hearing on the Department of Health Care Services, focusing first on the overall Medi-Cal budget and a March General Fund loan to cover a current-year shortfall. DHCS said the 2025-26 budget proposal totals $193.4 billion, with Medi-Cal projected at $188.1 billion total funds and $42.1 billion General Fund, driven by higher enrollment, pharmacy costs, managed care growth, and costs tied to eligibility expansions and the COVID-era redetermination unwinding. The department said the $3.44 billion loan was needed to manage cash flow and ensure timely payments to providers and plans, while the LAO noted Medi-Cal’s cash-basis budgeting creates volatility and that more detailed estimates would come with the May Revision. Members discussed federal Medicaid threats, the need for transparency on cost drivers, and the impact of pharmacy spending, long-term care, and immigration-related coverage expansions. The second major topic was family health programs, including California Children’s Services, the continuous coverage unwinding, and opioid settlement fund spending. DHCS described CCS funding methodology changes, ongoing county stakeholder work, and a delayed rollout of CCS monitoring and oversight until July 1, 2025, while county representatives and advocates argued the program is underfunded and asked for more technical assistance and a delay in implementation. On the unwinding, the department explained that federal redetermination flexibilities helped maintain coverage after the pandemic, but the Governor’s budget proposes ending them at the end of June 2025; advocates urged making the flexibilities permanent to avoid coverage losses. For opioid settlement funds, DHCS and Finance said the budget increases funding for naloxone distribution while reducing other harm-reduction spending based on updated settlement revenues, prompting criticism from members and public commenters who argued the change would weaken effective harm-reduction programs. The hearing also included an update on Proposition 35 implementation. DHCS said the voter-approved measure continuously appropriates MCO tax revenues beginning in 2025, with up to $4.6 billion annually available for specified Medi-Cal and provider investments in 2025 and 2026, but implementation depends on consultation with the required stakeholder advisory committee. The department and LAO noted uncertainty about future federal rules affecting the MCO tax after 2026. Public testimony largely supported maintaining Medi-Cal expansions, protecting immigrant coverage, preserving harm-reduction funding, and increasing support for community health workers, pediatric dental care, and CCS county administration. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when can people expect to get these rate increases?
• When do we expect to see the rate increases?
• Each of these rate increases will be different.
• The other portion is used for augmentations like rate increases or other health program increases.
• However, they haven't had a rate increase in 40 years.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have increased rates.
• So we did do a rate increase in FY25.
• The last rate increase was in FY25.
• So in 25, we increased the rates based on the prior rate study that was done by the Department of Health
• So there was a rate study. We did increase the rates in FY25.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Act 634, we have increased that administration rate to match the Vaccines for Children rate
• However, with the rate increase, we received several comments.
• However, with the rate increase, we received several comments.
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• So there are three categories of rates that are increasing.

Summary: The Arkansas Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a large set of agency rules and reports. Early items were routine filings: emergency-rule reports, subcommittee review reports, and administrative directive reports were filed without objection. One rule from the Department of Agriculture on maternal health providers and remote monitoring was noted as pulled by the agency and not considered. The committee then reviewed and approved several Agriculture rules, including repeal of equine ID-chip rules after Act 703 of 2025, updates to finance rules adding a new water and sewer treatment facilities grant and consolidating revolving-fund rules, and a pesticide rule creating a Class J pesticide category for feral hog toxicant use. It also approved a Commerce/Insurance rule removing duplicative workers’ compensation plan provisions, and a Corrections rule creating a unified visitation rule for correctional facilities and community correction centers. A member asked about prison visitation hours during COVID, and staff said they would check on that. The committee next approved multiple Department of Human Services rules. These included marketing rules for provider-led organizations under Act 301 of 2025, a comprehensive revision of the DCFS policy manual, changes to Medicaid eligibility to include fictive kin placements and to expand ABLE account eligibility under Act 875, presumptive eligibility changes for pregnant women to align with federal rules, and a follow-up SNAP/TEA/Work Pays rule with updated work requirements, mandatory employment and training, alien eligibility changes, and job-search requirements for certain applicants. DHS also presented a rule implementing federal coverage for certain incarcerated youth before and after release, and the committee approved it. Another DHS rule updated nurse aide training requirements to match federal CNA hour standards and moved criminal-records-check procedures to the agency website. The most extended discussion involved DHS Division of Medical Services’ dental rate rule under Act 1025. The agency explained that it was increasing pediatric dental rates and certain oral-surgery-related rates, but not orthodontic rates or a broader special-needs benefit limit because CMS would not approve a diagnosis-based limit. Members debated whether the statutory language was intended to cover general dentists performing oral surgery procedures, with legislators, the Dental Association, and DHS discussing legislative intent, fiscal impact, and whether a future fix or emergency rule might be needed. Despite the disagreement, the committee approved the rule. The committee also approved other DHS medical rules: adverse-decision appeal changes and prior-authorization posting requirements, an increased RSV administration fee for children, expanded emergency treat/triage/transport ambulance authority, and clinic-based physical and occupational therapy coverage. Later, the committee approved permanent rules for the new state insurance program under Shared Administrative Services, procurement rule revisions recommended after an ACASO review, and commodity-management rule updates including a new revenue distribution model. Under Act 595 of 2021, the committee granted two Department of Commerce/Insurance requests to be excluded from rulemaking requirements: one for Act 772 on forced organ harvesting, and one for restorative reproductive medicine, with the department saying it would promulgate rules later when clinical guidelines are available. Finally, the committee accepted a recommendation to keep and extend the Department of Education, Division of Career and Technical Education rules, filed outstanding rulemaking updates, and adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• increases.
• their rates.
• rate under the tiered rate structure. be a tier one, two, three, and three plus.
• This is both represents increases to the eligibility workers. workers rate and also to funding applications
• So the need is increasing.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Act 634, we have increased that administration rate to match the Vaccines for Children rate
• However, with the rate increase, we received several comments, one of which was that we increased the
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• So there are three categories of rates that are increasing.

Summary: The Arkansas Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a large slate of agency rules and related reports. The chair announced that several items were stricken from the agenda and that the maternal health providers and remote monitoring rules were pulled by the agency. The committee filed reports on emergency rules, ALC subcommittee rule reviews, and administrative directives, then moved through agency rules from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce/Insurance, Department of Corrections, and multiple divisions of the Department of Human Services. Most rules were explained as technical updates or implementations of 2025 legislation and were approved without objection. Examples included repeal of obsolete equine ID-chip rules, updates to agriculture financing and pesticide rules, removal of duplicative workers’ compensation plan language, a unified visitation rule for correctional facilities, DHS marketing rules for PASS programs, a comprehensive DCFS policy manual revision, Medicaid-related changes for fictive kin, ABLE accounts, presumptive eligibility for pregnant women, SNAP work requirements and alien eligibility, coverage for certain incarcerated youth, nurse aide training updates, and permanent rules for state employee insurance and procurement. The committee also approved requests to exclude the Insurance Department from rulemaking requirements for Act 772 on forced organ harvesting and for restorative reproductive medicine, with the department saying it would issue rules later when more guidance is available. The most extended discussion concerned DHS’s dental Medicaid rate rule under Act 1025. Members and witnesses debated whether the statute’s language covered only oral surgeons or also general dentists performing oral surgery procedures, and whether the rate increase should apply more broadly to the services rather than the provider title. DHS said it was following the black-letter language of the law and could not confirm a broader interpretation without further approvals and funding, while legislators and a Dental Association representative said the intent was to increase payment for the services, especially in rural areas. Members also discussed the possibility of fixing the language in a future session or through a new rule if approvals and CMS review allow. Despite the concerns, the committee approved the rule. The meeting ended with approval of rule review reports and monthly updates, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Based on that analysis, we believe we need to increase our pay rates for contract examiners to $175 per
• So we are seeking $7.2 million in fiscal year 2026-27 to increase the hourly pay rate from $136 to $175
• Based on that analysis, we believe we need to increase our pay rates for contract examiners to $175 per
• So we are seeking $7.2 million in fiscal year 2026-27 to increase the hourly pay rate from $136 to $175
• Based on that analysis, we believe we need to increase our pay rates for contract examiners to $175 per

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee heard a presentation from State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba on the Minnesota judicial branch’s 2026-27 budget request. He outlined the courts’ structure and workload, noting 322 judges, about 2,800 staff, roughly 1 million district court cases annually, and a current budget of about $479 million. Shorba emphasized the courts’ constitutional role, the fact that court fines and fees are deposited into the general fund rather than retained by the branch, and recent legislative investments that helped reduce pandemic-era backlogs, improve technology, sustain treatment courts, and raise interpreter and examiner pay. The budget request focused on several areas: a 6% judicial salary increase to address recruitment and retention problems, including a 15% rise in turnover and a 27% drop in applicants since 2020; funding for health care and office lease cost increases; digital accessibility compliance work required by new federal ADA rules; a modernized justice partner access system for court records; higher pay for forensic psychological examiners, whose workload has risen sharply; increased juror compensation from $20 to $100 per day and mileage adjustments; and ongoing funding for interpreters, jury services, and cybersecurity. Shorba said the total request would be a 12% increase over the FY 2026-27 base budget. Members asked follow-up questions about funding for newly launched treatment courts and how those courts are financed after federal grants expire. Shorba said he would provide more detail later and noted the branch generally starts treatment courts with federal funding before seeking state support. Representative Ric also asked about labor negotiations, and Shorba explained that the judicial branch negotiates its own contracts rather than using the executive branch, with three unions involved and many unrepresented employees. No votes or formal actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• state and local rate of 8.25%.
• Seems like a lot of people that that have the ability to increase, uh, tax rates.
• Um, the governor also mentioned requiring a supermajority for tax rate increases, um, that, that makes
• can automatically increase.
• In June of 2024, Austin ISD adopted a tax rate that increased the average taxpayer's bill by $290.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, in 2015 cannot get an increase. Um, in 2015 rates<00:31:19.600> decreased.
• for the EPSDT rate so that we do not lose value against our current cost of labor, increasing rent,
• would go away, but then the standard state plan Medicaid rate would be increased and uh that was the
• would go away, but then the standard state plan Medicaid rate would be increased and uh that was the
• c> and<00:46:28.640> uh Medicaid rate would be increased and uh Medicaid rate would be increased

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services heard Senate Bill 18, a bill described by the sponsor and podiatry witnesses as a modernization of Kentucky’s podiatry laws. The bill would recognize and regulate podiatric assistants, podiatric residents, and supervising podiatrists; allow podiatrists to supervise physician assistants in podiatry practices with approval from the relevant licensing boards; require new podiatrists licensed after January 1, 2027 to complete at least two years of residency; and extend disciplinary authority to the new categories. Witnesses said the measure would improve access to foot and ankle care, especially in rural areas, without expanding scope of practice. The Kentucky Medical Association was said to be neutral after working on the language with the sponsors. Committee members raised concerns about the meaning of “supervision,” whether it required direct or indirect oversight, and whether the bill could broaden billing or coding privileges. Dr. Roberts said supervision could mean direct supervision or indirect supervision, including being available by telephone, and noted the bill mirrors language used in allopathic PA supervision. He also said the bill would not change office staff billing roles and that podiatric assistants would not bill separately. Several senators said they supported moving the bill forward but remained concerned about workforce, cost, and scope creep. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then voted on the bill. The motion passed unanimously with favorable expression. After the vote, the committee moved on to a presentation on outpatient pediatric therapies, where providers described Medicaid reimbursement pressures, workforce turnover, and long waiting lists for children’s therapy services, but no action was taken on that presentation in the portion provided.