Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Workers' Compensation is also responsible for... for settling payment disputes between
• Shared savings incentive payments are applicable if the amount is under $50.
• This bill eliminates these hidden transaction fees, ensuring that providers receive the full payment
• Over the past few years, insurance payments have come as virtual card payments as the default instead
• in a. ...certain way, and that payment further reduces their reduced fee.

Bills: HB345 , HB721 , HB2580 , SB815 , HB3057 , HB4603 , HB3233 , SB495 , HB3863 , HB3914 , HB4570 , HB5099 , HB5173 , SB458

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you explain what kick payments are?
• What is a quick payment eyes? >> I've never heard of it before I came.
• But it's your monthly health insurance payment.
• We issue attorney kick payment, which is a separate payment outside of the competition of a process for
• whatever there's a delivery or payment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Issuers pay interest on the outstanding bonds, usually semi-annually, and the interest payments will
• come almost always. really from the same source of revenues as the principal payments come from.
• And that'll just soak up that capacity so that then you can use it on those payments.
• They’re accepting payments and making payments to the bondholders of the principal and interest as they
• They get the benefit if the IRS ever comes knocking to find out where all the bond payments went.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• they award grants and those type things, they do partial payments, 30-day payments, CDBG, ARC, USDA.
• payments, CDBG, ARC, USDA.
• ,</c><01:24:12.080><c> 30-day</c> uh they do partial payments, 30-day uh they do partial payments, 30
• ><c> USDA,</c> payments, uh CDBG, ARC, USDA, payments, uh CDBG, ARC, USDA, uh<01:24:17.440><c> even</
• Um so we're again the entire payment.

Summary: The Interim Committee on State Government met on July 29, established a quorum, approved the June 24 minutes unanimously, and heard an update from the State Board of Elections on voter list maintenance. Taylor Brown, the board’s general counsel, explained the federal NVRA requirements and Kentucky’s statutory process for maintaining voter rolls, including use of USPS change-of-address data, ERIC reports, and agreements with non-ERIC states. He said Kentucky has entered or discussed agreements with several states, and that the board sends postcards to voters believed to have moved; if a voter does not respond to an 8D2 postcard and does not vote over two federal election cycles, the registration may be removed. He also described other removal categories such as death, felony conviction, incompetency, duplicate registrations, and self-requested cancellations. Brown reported that between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, the board removed 284,381 registrations from the rolls, including 42,675 for death, 5,940 for felony conviction, 5,527 for registration in another state, 578 for incompetency, 223 based on jury questionnaires indicating non-citizenship, 746 self-removals, and 3,381 duplicates, along with 225,311 removals through the address-maintenance program. He said Kentucky’s total registrations decreased by roughly 169,000 over the year and are now below the Census Bureau’s estimate of the state’s voting-age population. Brown emphasized that receiving a postcard does not mean a voter has been purged and that failure to vote alone does not trigger removal. Members asked about the 223 non-citizen-related removals, the availability and effectiveness of alternatives to ERIC, the partisan criticism of ERIC, and how duplicate registrations are identified. Brown said the non-citizen jury questionnaire cases had been referred to the Attorney General for further review, that Kentucky currently has no organized alternative to ERIC but is pursuing reciprocal agreements with states such as Florida, and that ERIC recently changed bylaws to remove a postcard requirement that had been costly for member states. On duplicates, he said the board uses multiple data points, not just name and address, and noted that fuller Social Security data could improve accuracy. Committee leaders praised the board’s work and said they wanted to meet before session to discuss possible statutory changes to improve voter list maintenance.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe the MWA Watershed Pilot Program, there are two different payments.
• I believe one of them, the minimum payment is $50,000 a year.
• , with the payments for the lands around the Quabbin.
• It's an equitable solution that we need to provide payment for nature services.
• with the payments for the lands around the quabin.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming

Summary: The committee held a hearing on natural and working lands, carbon sequestration, and related provisions in Governor Healey’s $3 billion Mass Ready Act. EEA officials described the bill’s investments in flooding, land protection, tree planting, wetlands restoration, biodiversity, dams, seawalls, and coastal resilience, along with permitting reforms intended to speed ecological restoration projects. They also outlined current programs on resilient lands, healthy soils, forest climate solutions, forest reserves, and urban tree planting, and said the administration expects natural and working lands to offset up to 7 million metric tons of residual emissions by 2050, while acknowledging that additional strategies will be needed to close the gap to the state’s 10-million-ton offset target. Committee members pressed EEA on the cost of reaching the 30% conservation-by-2030 goal, the loss of a federal USDA grant of about $22 million, the adequacy of current sequestration estimates, and whether the state should consider regional approaches or statutory changes. EEA said current state conservation spending has been about $35 million to $40 million annually, that the Mass Ready Act is intended to help double the pace of conservation, and that federal funding remains uncertain. Senators also raised concerns about PILOT payments for state-owned land, the management of state forests, and the proposed Chapter 91 general license for restoration projects. EEA said the bill’s forest reserve language is meant to create a more durable designation process while still allowing limited active management. Advocates from The Nature Conservancy and Mass Audubon supported stronger investment in land conservation and restoration, saying natural and working lands are a cost-effective climate strategy that also provides biodiversity, water quality, and public health benefits. They urged passage of legislation to increase funding, improve PILOT equity, and strengthen land-use planning and mitigation requirements. They also backed removing Chapter 91 licensing requirements for ecological restoration, arguing that the current process adds cost and delay. In a later panel, a forest scientist and an urban forestry advocate emphasized the carbon and cooling benefits of mature trees, called for greater protection of older forests, and supported bills to expand municipal reforestation and modernize public shade tree law. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm mandated by law to pay out their lump-sum payments.
• I'm mandated by law to pay out their lump sum payments.
• All right, with that, we're going to move to issue number three, which is the lump sum payments that
• My colleague can speak to the lump sum payments issue if you wish, but in terms of the LAO's comments
• And again, we're happy to address the lump sum payment issue as well. Thank you. Mr. Gaiman? Sure.

Transcript Highlights:

• They did stop payment, only to be later directed to resume the payments and reimbursements, and sustain
• only to be later directed to resume the payments and reimbursements it sustain legal and a harassment
• employee who attempted to do any do the thing that everybody is expecting and asking them to stop payment
• ve done a lot of work to try and clarify where state employees can refuse to remit certain grant payments
• When you use that example and you talked about payments were cut and then payments were reinstated, I

Bills: HF3489 , HF3990 , HF3825 , HF3826 , HF3827 , HF3822

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, for the capitation payments for the MCOs for behavioral health, that was another rubbing point;
• We really, I mean, we were very focused on the payment error rate. That's good.
• We really, I mean, we were very focused on the payment error rate, to be honest.
• We know many of the drivers for the payment error...
• We know many of the drivers for the payment error rate.

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have real-time access to payment information to the point that we can run queries on...
• It wouldn't give us identical access, particularly if it doesn't cover payment information that would
• May be probable cause for fraud so that they could, in fact, stop payment.
• Ultimately, the determination of whether to stop payments or not rests with the state agency.
• payments when, in fact, there's been a search warrant that's been issued.

Bills: HF3043 , HF2891

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 6103 relates to payments for rural emergency hospitals.
• SB 6103 relates to payments for rural emergency hospitals.
• Under federal regulations, rural emergency hospitals are paid at 105% of the outpatient prospective payment
• system rate for Medicare patients, but payments for Medicaid clients are up to the state.
• Senate Bill 6103 makes payments for medical assistance program services by a rural hospital designated

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6103, which would make Medicaid payments for services provided by rural emergency hospitals subject to appropriation. Committee staff explained that rural emergency hospitals are a federal Medicare provider type created in 2020, that they may provide emergency and limited outpatient services but not general inpatient care, and that Washington currently has no designated rural emergency hospitals. The bill would update state law so these facilities can be recognized in the Medicaid statute; staff said the fiscal note showed no fiscal impact. Public testimony was entirely in support. Lisa Thatcher of the Washington State Hospital Association said the bill is needed to align state law with the federal designation, allow cost-based reimbursement similar to critical access hospitals, and preserve eligibility for SNAP-related payment treatment. Todd Nida, CEO of East Adams Rural Health Care, said his facility is seeking to become the first rural emergency hospital in Washington and warned that without the bill, conversion would reduce reimbursement and threaten financial viability. No opposition was presented, and the chair closed the public hearing on SB 6103. The committee then announced upcoming budget release, hearing, amendment, and executive action dates, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, this or another task force should explore the method of tracking cash payments as it's
• And then finally, this or another task force should explore the method of tracking cash payments as it's
• L&I is directed under the Wage Payment Act to investigate every complaint that a worker files.
• The third is to update the penalty structure under the Wage Payment Act.
• income threshold, and the payments will be limited themselves.

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Summary: The committee heard a report from Labor and Industries on the Underground Economy Task Force in the construction industry. L&I said the task force, created by a 2024 budget proviso, studied underreporting, worker misclassification, unpaid taxes and premiums, and other underground-economy activity. L&I described consensus recommendations including defining and regulating construction labor providers, improving interagency information sharing, increasing penalties for repeat offenders, giving L&I more authority over successor accountability, reviewing agency penalties and policies, and exploring ways to track cash payments. Majority-but-not-consensus recommendations included posting subcontractor notices at job sites, setting a threshold for independent contractor use that would trigger review, holding direct contractors liable for unpaid wages owed by subcontractors, and reviewing reporting requirements. Testifiers from labor, business, and the Attorney General’s Office generally supported stronger enforcement and transparency, while business representatives cautioned against overregulation, preserving lawful cash payments, and protecting legitimate independent contractors and small businesses. L&I said the final report would be issued by December 31 and that the underground economy committee would be reconvened. The committee then heard the wage recovery work group report. L&I explained current wage-complaint law and the work group’s consensus recommendations to let the department prioritize wage complaints strategically, aggregate related complaints, raise the minimum penalty for willful violations from $1,000 to $1,500 and use a penalty matrix, improve employer awareness, and create a wage recovery fund. Under the proposal, penalties would be deposited into a new fund account, and after the fund is sufficiently built up, limited early payments could be made to eligible low-income workers facing immediate hardship, with a five-year review built in. Business and labor representatives both supported the general framework, though business raised concern about safeguards to recover funds if a claim later proved invalid or fraudulent. The committee also received an overview of Washington’s apprenticeship system and the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council. L&I described Washington as a state apprenticeship agency with higher standards than the federal system, and said registered apprenticeship combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. L&I reported more than 15,500 active apprentices, 4,800 new registrations, 2,500 completions, and 206 active sponsors. Members asked about the difference between state and federal apprenticeship pathways, the role of program sponsors and training agents, and the objection process for new programs. L&I said objections do not stop approval but can delay recognition, and noted ongoing internal work to improve the process. The presentation also highlighted strong post-apprenticeship earnings and return on investment. Finally, the committee heard updates on wildland firefighter respiratory protection, the impacts of federal cuts to NIOSH, and ESD’s unemployment insurance and workforce systems. L&I and SHARP said wildland firefighters face significant smoke exposure and cancer risk, but current respirator options are limited by remote conditions, communication needs, fit, and heat; no NIOSH-approved commercial respirator currently meets the relevant NFPA standard. L&I said Washington’s firefighter rules do not currently require respiratory protection for wildland firefighting. On NIOSH, the presenter warned that federal cuts and grant disruptions could reduce training, surveillance, firefighter cancer research, agricultural safety work, and exposure-assessment programs, including work relevant to Hanford and mining safety. ESD reported rising UI claims, a stable unemployment rate, federal funding uncertainty, and pressure on the trust fund, but also described technology and process changes that have reduced call-center bottlenecks and improved claim processing. ESD said a 90-day pilot that compresses phone hours has increased calls answered and work completed while improving timeliness of first payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be kind of an ongoing set payment.
• corrections performance growth payment.
• It's a 2011 realignment payment.
• This won't change the payment a whole lot at a statewide level, but it could have some impact on some
• This won't change the payment a whole lot.

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• DCFS to see if there are any late child support payments.
• That does not have a civil liability for failing to make the payment.
• It's a court fee that is added on to the payments when they pay through the court.
• Arrears just means non-payment, right?
• So payments are consistent, measurable, and tied to real data.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance met on May 6, 2026, and first reported HB 1241 favorably. That bill, by Chairman Furman, requires insurers to check with DCFS before paying certain insurance settlements to determine whether the recipient owes delinquent child support, and to withhold and remit arrears if found. DCFS explained that Louisiana already has intercepts and other collection tools, but no current mechanism for insurance settlements. Senators raised concerns about notice to obligors and about liability if insurers fail to withhold, but the bill was advanced without objection. The committee then heard HB 870, which would require health insurers and PBMs to cover lower-cost generic or biosimilar drugs when available and to use utilization management no more restrictively on those drugs. Supporters said the bill would improve access and lower patient costs by using wholesale acquisition cost as the comparison point. Opponents, including Louisiana Blue and the AFL-CIO, argued that WAC ignores rebates and net cost, could force plans to cover higher-cost biosimilars first, and could increase premiums and disrupt ERISA and fully insured plan design. The committee adopted a technical amendment set and then a second amendment set that added notice and reporting requirements tied to net cost calculations, and HB 870 was reported favorably as amended. Several other bills were moved with little or no opposition. HB 1176, concerning Medicare Advantage coverage for integrative cancer treatments such as cold cap therapy, cryotherapy, and acupuncture, was amended to change the effective date and then reported favorably. HB 1196, dealing with colorectal cancer screening follow-up colonoscopies, was also amended and reported favorably. HB 1162, a consumer protection bill requiring DOI to verify that a contractor named on a first-party property damage check is licensed in Louisiana, was amended and reported favorably. HB 826, which modernizes insurance referral rules to allow referrals by email or website address, was reported favorably. The committee also heard HB 1151 on insurer investment limits and solvency protections, and HB 1236 on pharmacy reimbursement and copay maximizer programs; both drew substantial testimony and concern, especially over retroactivity, PBM cost allocation, and whether copay maximizers shift costs to patients, but the transcript cuts off before final action on HB 1236.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows the existence of an investigation by the OIG or withholding of payment by the commissioner
• It also prohibits appeals of withholding of payments.
• It also prohibits appeals of payments.
• It also prohibits appeals of withholding<00:26:38.559><c> of</c><00:26:38.720><c> payments.
• Um section 16 withholding of payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Payment of the 2025-26 amount has been effectively deferred to 2027-28.
• the deferral payments.
• There is a technicality on the explanation of the two-year payment.
• So in 26-27, they will get one payment.
• What does it look like if those payments don't come?

Transcript Highlights:

• And they have control of the federal government payment systems.
• Min: He's gained control of the Treasury's payment system, used to make all payments by the federal government
• a tax refund or government payment.
• MIN: HE'S GAINED CONTROL OF THE TREASURY'S PAYMENT SYSTEM, USED TO MAKE ALL PAYMENTS BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
• A TAX FUND OR GOVERNMENT PAYMENT.

Bills: HR776 , HR43 , HR226 , HR42 , HR835

Keywords: Coptic Christians, human rights, Egypt, religious freedom, US-Egypt relations, minority rights, violence prevention, inauguration, Congress, House attendance, ceremony, legislative session, inaugural ceremony, House of Representatives, President, Vice President, adjournment, aviation, transportation, centennial

Transcript Highlights:

• But, what we're seeing over payment.
• </c> establish a comprehensive pre-payment establish a comprehensive pre-payment pre-payment<00:34:46.520
• </c><00:35:00.120><c> review,</c><00:35:00.560><c> post-payment</c> inform pre-payment review, post-payment
• inform pre-payment review, post-payment review,<00:35:01.760><c> our</c><00:35:01.920><c> program</c
• </c> payment of services for the FEP model. payment of services for the FEP model.

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• And and New Hampshire's had a payments.
• Um, and New Hampshire's payment rate.
• </c> be a 30% increase in benefit payments. be a 30% increase in benefit payments.
• And we'd be sending you the payment, and you'd keep that payment.
• you'd keep that you the payment and you'd keep that payment.<01:18:39.440><c> You'd</c><01:18:39.679>

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The speaker said they have no incentive to deny any payment.
• , like we get paid a percentage payments, like we get paid a percentage of<00:33:47.880><c> that.
• </c><00:34:12.679><c> Uh</c> incentive to to to deny any payment.
• Uh incentive to to to deny any payment.
• payment payment because<00:34:17.760><c> the</c><00:34:17.879><c> physician</c><00:34:18.280><c> dispensers

Bills: HCR92 , HCR46 , HCR172 , HCR147 , HCR112 , HCR100 , HR84 , HR42 , HR139 , HR104 , HR92

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: automated external defibrillator, AED, cardiac arrest, state buildings, health education, public health, lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, Hawaii, workers' compensation, auditor, procurement audit, compliance, Department of Human Resources Development, transparency, accountability, medical care

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 1.6 exempted any payment programs for University Hospitals.
• </c><00:20:34.840><c> programs</c><00:20:35.200><c> for</c> um Exempted uh any payment programs for um
• Exempted uh any payment programs for University University University Hospitals<00:20:37.840><c> section
• :36.720><c> you</c><00:27:36.880><c> all</c><00:27:37.039><c> are</c><00:27:37.200><c> going</c> payments
• We hadn't had a substantive payment change in 14 years. I've spoken to my peers across the nation.

Summary: The Appropriations and Revenue Committee took up several House bills and committee substitutes. House Bill 2, as amended by Senate Committee Substitute 1, was described by Rep. T.J. Roberts as restoring a tax exemption enacted in 2024 by providing refunds with interest to those improperly taxed and creating a cause of action; the substitute also aligned state filing deadlines for certain flood-disaster counties with the federal November 15 deadline. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the bill with favorable expression. The committee also adopted a title amendment for House Bill 544, which Rep. Jason Petrie said was part of the state’s flood-relief discussion and would allow the guard cap to be used over the biennium rather than annually, effectively increasing the cap from $50 million per year to $100 million over two years; the measure passed with favorable expression. House Bill 552, handled by Rep. Josh Bray after Rep. Kim King’s absence, was described as simplifying tourist commission appointments. The committee substitute added creation of the Kentucky-Ireland Trade Commission and changed marina licensing agreements by exempting private contractors from the model procurement code. The committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 605, sponsored by Rep. Kim King, clarified which grants qualify for a grant program and allowed cities or counties to apply on behalf of water districts or other entities not directly affiliated with them; Rebecca Hearts of Grant Ready Kentucky said the program had matched $103 million of the $200 million allocation, generating about $469.98 million in total project value. The committee adopted the title amendment and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 606, by Rep. Wade Williams, added a capital-oversight reporting requirement for school district general obligation bonds that had been omitted from prior legislation. The committee substitute also made several budget and program adjustments, including moving Regional Training Center funds, accelerating funding for the Grand Lyric Theater, correcting water funding language, removing Odyssey Inc. language from a treatment-related item, fixing a double appropriation to LifeWorks Transition Academy, clarifying carry-forward language, allowing SRO reimbursements for public and non-public schools, and authorizing an additional $10 million in agency bonds for Western Kentucky University athletic facilities. The committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and passed the bill with favorable expression. The committee then spent the most time on House Bill 695, a Medicaid-related bill. Rep. Adam Bowling said the bill was intended to stabilize Medicaid, create oversight and advisory mechanisms, and address growth in the program. Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander and Medicaid CFO Steve Beckle said they were generally supportive of the transparency and reporting changes but flagged risks, including federal compliance concerns, budget growth from changing the drug rebate treatment, administrative costs tied to MCO rebidding and a managed long-term services study, and some data-collection challenges. Representatives from the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities opposed the section calling for a managed long-term care reimbursement study, arguing it would be costly, duplicative, and likely ineffective, and they warned against managed care models for long-term care. Despite the concerns, the committee adopted the committee substitute by voice vote and moved the bill forward with favorable expression.