Transcript Highlights:

• Um, private pay will reimburse or pay these ambulance providers $950.80.
• Medicare will pay an average of $57,624, and Medicaid will pay an average of $28,067.
• But per trip we pay a certain price, and we also pay mileage.
• what Medicare pays.
• pay for EMS?

Bills: HB0004

Keywords: medical assistance, birthing centers, healthcare, Medicaid, Wyoming, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . paying to occupy.
• Is that the same kind of double paying or is that a different? kind of double paying?
• You don't pay for use of the right-of-way.
• I refused to pay it again.
• Do they pay their property owners association? or do they pay their excessive water fee?

Bills: SB264, SB542, SB924, SB1008, SB1029, SB1036, SB1057, SB1058, SB1185, SB1202, SB1358, SB1364, SB1376, SB1569, SB1664, SB1697, SJR50

Keywords: SB 264, Texas Workers' Compensation Act, group self-insurance, self-insured groups, workers' compensation, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, certificate of approval, guaranty fund, trust fund, wind down, dissolution, labor code, insurance regulation, employer coverage, risk pool, business and commerce, trade workforce economic development, property owners' association, water conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• remitted to pay the actual water bill. remitted to pay the actual water bill.
• something with the money and not paying something with the money and not paying the<00:09:24.959
• using it to pay for something different. using it to pay for something different.
• that tenant pays for utilities. Correct? that tenant pays for utilities. Correct?
• and then they don't pay. and then they don't pay.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 25 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 611, which would require the Mississippi Board of Law Enforcement Standards and Training to provide discovery to an officer facing suspension of certification. Representative Burch said officers currently may receive only a brief notice of alleged misconduct without access to the underlying information, and the bill would give them the materials related to the infraction. There were no questions, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The next measure, House Bill 1142, would modernize notice requirements for judgment nisi and bench warrants by allowing clerks to notify bail agents electronically or by personal notice instead of certified mail. Representative Owen said the change would reduce county costs, align bail-agent notice with the electronic notice already used for attorneys, and had support from the clerks’ association. Senators asked whether notice would still appear on MEC, and Owen said attorneys already receive notice there and bail agents could receive it electronically as well. The committee then adopted the motion by voice vote. The committee then heard House Bill 1404, sponsored by Representative Yates, creating the crime of fraudulent utility conversion. Yates explained the bill was aimed at apartment complexes and other landlords that collect utility payments from tenants as part of rent but fail to remit those funds to the utility provider, citing large unpaid water bills and similar legislation in Louisiana. Senators raised concerns about intent, possible criminal liability for landlords or LLCs when utility bills are delayed, faulty, or disputed, and the severity of penalties, which could reach 20 years in prison for higher amounts. Yates said she was open to adding intentional-conduct language and clarified the bill targets those who collect tenant utility money and do not remit it, not tenants themselves. Members discussed possible amendments, including adding mens rea language and a defense for disputed bills, but no final action on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The teacher pay allotment, which we call the teacher pay and retention allotment, will be reflected in
• And do they pay you a fee to help them implement it? They do not pay us a dime.
• So, all of our pay scales are always being reviewed.
• A lot of teachers pay a lot of money.
• Performance-Based Pay Structures Superintendents have voiced concerns about the negative impact of pay-for-performance

Bills: SB26, SB 26

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish

Transcript Highlights:

• to pay for your tax liability. to pay for your tax liability.
• worker pay ratios. worker pay ratios.
• ability to pay. ability to pay.
• the other taxes that they pay. the other taxes that they pay.
• exorbitant CEO pay. exorbitant CEO pay.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm going to pay this woman less. I'm going to pay this person less.
• The work is steady, and everyone earns fair pay and benefits.
• the laws that require safe working conditions and fair pay.
• so that cheating contractors can save money and pay less.
• Massachusetts already pays a premium for public construction.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several labor-related bills, especially proposals to give legislative employees the right to organize and collectively bargain, close a prevailing wage loophole for off-site prefabrication work, and strengthen enforcement against wage theft. Committee chairs opened the hearing by explaining the hybrid format and asking witnesses to keep testimony brief. Multiple legislators testified in support of the legislative staff union bill, saying staff deserve the same bargaining rights as other public employees and that unionization would improve pay, benefits, retention, and workplace dignity. Witnesses also discussed how the bill would likely be structured, with separate House and Senate bargaining arrangements or locals, and emphasized that it would only create the option to unionize, not require it. A second major topic was the prevailing wage bill addressing off-site fabrication and prefabrication in construction. Union leaders, contractors, and workers described how more work is being shifted from job sites into shops, especially in sheet metal, HVAC, electrical, and pipefitting work, and argued that the law should treat that work the same as on-site construction when it is part of a public project. They said the current loophole lets some contractors underbid by paying lower wages off-site, while responsible contractors already pay prevailing wages in their shops. Supporters argued the bill would protect workers, preserve apprenticeship and training standards, improve safety and quality, and make enforcement easier through certified payroll and clearer definitions. The committee also heard testimony on wage theft legislation. Representative Dan Donahue, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, AFL-CIO representatives, and carpenters’ union witnesses described wage theft, misclassification, labor brokers, and tax fraud as widespread problems that hurt workers, honest contractors, and public revenues. They supported giving the Attorney General stronger enforcement tools, adding contractor accountability up the subcontracting chain, and protecting workers from retaliation and from delays that can cause claims to expire. A separate witness supported a bill to extend the statute of limitations for Wage Act cases while AG investigations are pending, and another supported changes to help hospital workers enforce timely payment rights. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:09.520> to<00:26:09.840> produce pay to produce pay to produce food<00:26:12.399
• Pay cash? Like total poor-person fumble. You would never pay cash when you could get a mortgage.
• What this is... about like how could you possibly pay a about like how could you possibly pay a couple
• he just was like are you kidding pay he just was like are you kidding pay cash<00:31:53.080>
• liquidate $300,000 of his stocks pay liquidate $300,000 of his stocks pay capital<00:32:08.360><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If companies that start fires pay less, everyone else is forced to pay more.
• If companies that start fires pay less, everyone else is forced to pay more.
• I say, okay, I'm paying $50 a month You're going to pay $50 a month.
• Is that like a fast pay, do you mean fast pay program? What is that?
• You would pay premiums. You would have to retain a deductible and co-pay.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the California Earthquake Authority’s SB 254 report and possible reforms to California’s utility wildfire recovery system. The chair framed the discussion around the Palisades and Eaton fires, the high and growing wildfire-related costs on utility bills, and the need to weigh tradeoffs among survivors, ratepayers, utilities, insurers, and taxpayers. The chair emphasized that the SB 254 report is an inventory of policy pathways rather than recommendations, and that the Legislature’s role is to evaluate the options publicly. The first panel featured wildfire survivors William Abrams and Joy Chen, who described severe ongoing displacement, housing insecurity, delayed compensation, and frustration with what they characterized as opaque and unfair compensation structures. They argued for greater transparency, clearer accountability for utilities, stronger oversight of wildfire mitigation spending, and incentives tied to safety performance. They also urged faster survivor payments, but only if they are full, fair, and not financed by shifting more costs to taxpayers or ratepayers. Committee members asked about gaps in the SB 254 report, the meaning of “full” compensation, and how a fast-pay facility might work. The second panel included the California Earthquake Authority, RAND, PG&E, LADWP, Consumer Attorneys of California, and the Public Advocates Office. Tom Welsh of CEA explained the report’s process and the current wildfire fund structure, including that utilities remain liable, the fund reimburses eligible claims, and prudency reviews can require reimbursement to the fund. RAND’s Lloyd Dixon outlined how roughly $38 billion has been paid to survivors, insurers, and public entities since 2017, and noted substantial litigation costs and cost-shifting among stakeholders. Utility representatives supported reforms that preserve financial stability and reduce risk, while consumer and public-interest advocates opposed shifting more costs to ratepayers and stressed accountability, audits, and safety-linked recovery. No votes or formal actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• If companies that start fires pay less, everyone else is forced to pay more.
• If companies that start fires pay less, everyone else is forced to pay more.
• Once it becomes a covered wildfire, they pay the first billion dollars out of their own claim-paying
• I say, okay, I'm paying $50 a month... You're going to pay $50 a month.
• You would pay premiums. You would have to retain a deductible and co-pay.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the California Earthquake Authority’s SB 254 report and broader options for reforming California’s utility wildfire recovery system. The chair framed the discussion around the Palisades and Eaton fires, the scale of wildfire-related costs on utility bills, and the need to weigh trade-offs among survivors, ratepayers, utilities, insurers, and taxpayers. The first panel featured wildfire survivors William Abrams and Joy Chen, who described long delays in compensation, housing insecurity, and what they viewed as a system that protects utility shareholders more than victims. They urged greater transparency, clearer accountability for utility spending and safety performance, faster and fuller compensation for survivors, and reforms such as independent audits and better alignment of utility incentives with wildfire prevention and restitution. The second panel began with Tom Welsh of the California Earthquake Authority, who explained that the SB 254 report was intended as a broad inventory of policy pathways rather than recommendations. He described the report’s process, including stakeholder submissions, workstreams, and a convergence process, and outlined the current wildfire fund structure: utilities remain liable, the fund reimburses eligible claims after a covered wildfire, and the CPUC later determines prudency and possible reimbursement back to the fund. RAND’s Lloyd Dixon summarized compensation data, saying utilities paid about $38 billion between 2017 and 2024, with major shares going to injured parties, insurers, and public entities, while litigation costs and survivors’ own losses remain substantial. He noted that legal fees and delays reduce the amount survivors ultimately receive. Utility and public-interest witnesses offered differing views on the report’s pathways. PG&E’s Tyson Smith said the report shows inaction is the worst outcome and argued for community wildfire risk reduction, equitable allocation of catastrophe costs, and state-led resilience tools. LADWP’s Fernando Valero emphasized the vulnerability of municipal utilities and cities, and supported inverse condemnation reform, a state-sponsored liability insurance framework, damages and subrogation limits, and stronger insurance access. Consumer Attorneys of California’s John Fisk argued that IOU-caused fires are not natural disasters but the result of negligence and sometimes criminal conduct, and opposed reducing utility liability while supporting stronger oversight and audits. The Public Advocates Office’s Nathaniel Skinner focused on affordability, saying ratepayers already bear large and growing wildfire costs and warning against shifting more costs onto bills without measurable risk reduction and tighter accountability. Committee members then began questioning witnesses about what counts as measurable mitigation, how to define full and fair compensation, and how any fast-pay process should work.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's to pay claims to victims of crime.
• pay plan.
• pay plan.
• The new pay plan significantly increased what we pay CNAs and RNs and LPNs.
• We’re already paying for a pharmacy there. We’re already paying for security.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law exempts them from paying the swept. Instead, they pay the utility property tax.
• The generators are paying that and so they'll just continue to pay that. Thank you.
• continue to pay that. Thank you. continue to pay that. Thank you.
• paying that rate?
• let's pay attention to what's going on. let's pay attention to what's going on.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 302, which would allow the state treasurer to invest public funds in precious metals and digital assets. The sponsor was not present, so Representative Urs introduced the bill briefly and said he did not know much about it. No one from the Treasury Department testified, and members repeatedly noted the treasurer’s absence. Susan Elme testified against the bill, arguing that these investments are highly volatile and contrary to the treasury’s duty to remain stable and liquid. She said the bill should be killed. In questioning, she estimated the 5% cap in the bill would amount to roughly $10 million, depending on available funds, and said such investing would be more appropriate for an individual day trader than for the state treasury. Members also discussed prior legislative experience with Bitcoin-related proposals and raised concerns about whether the treasury had the staff expertise to manage commodity or digital asset investing. The committee did not take a final vote; instead, it agreed to hold a work session and seek additional information from the treasurer, with a plan to revisit the bill on April 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• I pay a monthly fee for my garbage pickup. They can pay for their pollution.
• I pay a monthly fee for my garbage pickup. They can pay for their pollution.
• I pay a monthly fee for my garbage pickup. They can pay for their pollution.
• I pay a monthly fee for my garbage pickup. They can pay for their pollution.
• I pay a monthly fee for my garbage pickup. They can pay for their pollution.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's to pay claims to victims of crime.
• But getting to my question, with the pay plan, prior to the pay plan, we had a differential pay plan
• "A differential pay plan.
• The new pay plan significantly increased what we pay CNAs and RNs and LPNs.
• We're already paying for a pharmacy there. We're already paying for security.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, fund transfer, and reserve requests across multiple agencies. Section B temporary appropriations included funding for state technology upgrades, personnel management staffing and IT skills assessment, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, and higher education workforce grants and credentialing pathways. Additional items covered an ARPA grant for the University of Arkansas Fort Smith LPN program, an IIJA grant for the Oil and Gas Commission’s critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for State Police vehicle purchases, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, and cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission’s AV system and HVAC work. Most of these items were approved by voice vote. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands drew extended questioning and was ultimately not approved. Members questioned the $250,000 transfer to operating expenses tied to the purchase of a West Little Rock office building, the ongoing lease costs at the prior location, and whether the agency had adequately planned for building-related expenses. After discussion, the motion failed, and members told the agency to tighten spending and return if needed. The committee then took up 15 pay plan appropriation requests totaling $25.7 million and approved them after discussion with DFA, DHS, Corrections, and the State Board of Election Commissioners. Members focused heavily on DHS staffing shortages at human development centers, where officials said vacancies and turnover were driven by overtime and burnout rather than pay alone; one member asked DHS to submit a written plan to address the issue. Corrections reported the pay plan had improved hiring and retention. The committee also approved overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. Reports on reserve funds, the Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, tobacco settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust, IIJA, and revenue transfer activity were received. The Medicaid Trust Fund report prompted significant concern about February’s $90 million draw; DHS said the month was unusually high because of cash-flow timing and that the fund should end the year with a balance between $150 million and $200 million, while lawmakers noted a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The final discussion centered on DHS’s state hospital damage claim and reconstruction funding, where members expressed disappointment that insurance reimbursement would likely return only about $1.8 million now and possibly about $97,000 more later, far less than the roughly $5 million initially expected. DHS explained the policy was based on actual cash value and depreciation for old buildings, and said the work would proceed on Unit 3 for secured restoration because it was the most cost-effective option.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meaning that the people who truly can't pay more don't pay more, and the people who currently are paying
• money to pay less. money to pay less.
• increase meaning that they pay no more. increase meaning that they pay no more.
• <00:18:10.080> on you pay on income and what you pay on you pay on income and what you pay
• that's what pays into the pilot fund. that's what pays into the pilot fund.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So Medicare Advantage, instead of paying fee for service, they're paying a capitated rate up front to
• Now we're paying $200. And the sicker... Patrick: ...we used to pay $2. Now we're paying $200.
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• And so there was a portion where a member would pay a deductible and then they would pay 25% up until

Summary: The committee received an update from Grant Wallace on the state employee Medicare Advantage group plan and the ongoing rebid with UnitedHealthcare. Wallace said the agency is exploring “decoupling” the medical and pharmacy portions of the plan, and that preliminary estimates suggested potential savings of about $100 to $200 per participant per month. He said the final CMS rate-setting process would conclude in April, with a revised contract amendment likely to come before the committee in May or June after review by the EBD Advisory Commission and State Board of Finance. He also clarified that the plan covers post-65 teacher and state employee retirees, including retirees from state agencies and K-12 public schools. Representatives from Segal Consulting then gave a broader presentation on Medicare Advantage and Part D market trends, reviewing Arkansas’s prior decision to adopt a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan and the savings generated since the 2023 RFP. They explained that the Inflation Reduction Act significantly changed Part D financing by shifting more federal support into a direct subsidy tied to risk scores, which makes accurate risk adjustment more important and creates a larger difference between Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and standalone Part D plans. They said this has led to a growing divergence in funding, especially for standalone Part D, and is the main reason decoupling medical and pharmacy coverage is being considered. Committee members asked about how the risk-score changes affect costs and members. Segal said the new structure has reduced member out-of-pocket costs, with the annual cap now at $2,000 and many members reaching it after roughly $600 to $800 in spending, but that the plan absorbs more of the cost. They also said the market appears to be adjusting through annual bids, and that a decoupled structure could allow the state to capture more favorable funding on the Part D side. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after being told to expect further information once the April rate notice and renewal proposal are available.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're currently paying 46,942.
• I'm not paying enough, and my employers are not paying enough to fund our unfunded liabilities, which
• We pay for it, but we don't pay enough, unfortunately.
• pay into the fund.
• This would be tax exempt for their military retirement pay. Their military retirement pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• 15% of the cost and the local would pay 15% and the state would pay the 85%.
• <00:12:40.000> 15% they would have to pay 15% they would have to pay 15% of<00:12:42.720><
• 15% and the state the local will pay 15% and the state would<00:12:49.200> pay<00:12:49.360><
• would pay the 85%. would pay the 85%. it<00:12:51.920> in<00:12:52.079> in<00:12:52.560
• forced to use their co-pays as well. forced to use their co-pays as well.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we're paying that staff, paying for the equipment, paying for the upkeep of the material of the units
• <00:12:20.720> equipment,<00:12:21.440> paying staff, paying for the equipment, paying
• <00:22:55.600> for and make them pay for and make them pay for it
• would should pay to pay their fair cost. would should pay to pay their fair cost.
• You have to pay people have to pay more.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our pay is still a burning issue, both how much we are getting paid and the transparency.
• Our pay is still a burning issue, both how much we are getting paid and the transparency.
• Like, have you seen your pay increase? Do you know the impacts of that legislation?
• It's about the fair pay that they are supposed to get. I mean, there is enough work out there.
• It's about the fair pay that they are supposed to get. I mean, there is enough work out there.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pay.
• pay.
• pay.
• pay.
• pay.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all