Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, as many of you are aware, the Department of Revenue stopped gathering our debt last April,
• c> Department</c><00:10:17.440><c> of</c><00:10:17.680><c> Revenue</c><00:10:18.640><c> uh</c><00:10:
• 18.880><c> stopped</c> the the Department of Revenue uh stopped the the Department of Revenue uh stopped
• I know that work Department of Revenue.
• Yesterday there was a media report that said the Department of Sociology, that DEI is still there at

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum and postponed approval of the minutes. The committee first heard from Northern Kentucky University President Katie Short Thompson, who highlighted NKU’s enrollment growth, student success metrics, national recognition for value, lower student debt, and new programs tied to regional workforce needs, including AI, cybersecurity, supply chain analytics, cardiovascular perfusion, and the Norse Network Hub for employer access. She asked for a $5 million recurring base funding adjustment to align NKU’s general fund support with peer institutions, along with support for tuition waivers with FAFSA requirements, continued debt collection authority through the Department of Revenue, inclusion of fire and tornado insurance premiums in base funding, inflation and performance-funding support, and increased asset preservation funding. She also outlined capital priorities for the Hail College of Business building, Nunn Hall, and the MEP building, and requested $5.4 million to match private support for the Young Scholars Academy, a dual-credit program serving first-generation and low-income students. Representative Tipton questioned NKU about the number of older students using tuition waivers and whether the university could continue the program without a statutory age-based mandate. Thompson said the number of students over 65 using the waiver was small, that some students pursue degrees while others audit classes, and that external fundraising could potentially support the program if state funding changed. Tipton also confirmed NKU’s requested priorities and the $5.4 million match for the Young Scholars Academy. The committee then heard from University of Kentucky representative Dr. Cavallo, who framed UK’s request around accountability, workforce development, research, and health care impact. He described a patient story to illustrate UK’s medical mission, cited growth in enrollment, degrees awarded, hospital patients treated, and research grant revenue, and emphasized UK’s role in extension services and disaster response. He said UK is consolidating services for efficiency and is focusing on future workforce needs, especially artificial intelligence, noting the launch of the state’s first AI bachelor’s degree and a partnership with Microsoft to expand AI tools and training across campus and the Advancing Kentucky Together network. He also discussed demographic challenges, the need to retain graduates in Kentucky, and the importance of aligning programs and funding with long-term state needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first one is with the Department of Commerce, State Insurance Department, with UAMS.
• Wayne Ruth, Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Stevie Smith, CFO, Department of Veterans
• Department of Education.
• Courtney Sallis, for the Department of Education. Greg Rogers, Department of Education.
• Number 20, Department of Public Safety. Department of Public Safety.

Committee: All ALC-REVIEW

Summary: The subcommittee reviewed multiple methods of finance and construction items, including projects for Arkansas State University, Black River Technical College, UAMS, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and UCA. The UAPB Allied Health and Sciences Building appeared both as a method of finance and as an alternative delivery construction project, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members approved the methods of finance, the alternative delivery project, and several discretionary grants, including Department of Health grants for a heart attack center designation and community health worker training, and DHS grants related to homeless services, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. The committee then reviewed service contracts, including RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and a large number of out-of-state and in-state contracts. Testimony focused heavily on DHS staffing and state hospital contracts, the Arkansas State Police seatbelt survey, AEDC’s lithium supply chain analysis, and Shared Administrative Services’ new SuccessFactors performance-management contract. Members asked detailed questions about contract nursing costs, turnover, hiring timelines, and whether some contracts were being renewed or amended beyond their original projected costs. DHS and Veterans Affairs officials explained staffing shortages, retention incentives, and the use of contract labor as a supplement to state employees. Several contracts drew scrutiny and were held for further review. Representative Wardlaw raised concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments on the Department of Education security contract and on DHS staffing contracts, arguing that some had exceeded their original projected totals. The committee voted to hold contracts 5, 7, and 8 until Friday, while adopting the remaining contracts. The meeting ended after informational reports on service contract amendments without material change, executed contracts, and emergency procurements were presented, with no further business before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• to lack of insurance coverage.
• Without infertility insurance, families may pay out of pocket for care that insurers can negotiate at
• </c><00:56:34.520><c> anybody's</c><00:56:35.120><c> insurance</c> not an issue of anybody's insurance
• not an issue of anybody's insurance it<00:56:37.120><c> increasing.
• Um, I just like a little explanation of, you know, does the Department of Commerce just make up their

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There's the definition of co-insurance. Right now, medical providers are eating that cost.
• It would only apply to about half of insurance companies.
• So we cannot dictate that those types of insurance plans pay any of the tax.
• And the co-insurance would be part of that, so it would all be sunsetted at 2031.
• to 2031. of 20 to 8, and this bill extends it to 2031, and the co-insurance would be part of that.

Summary: The committee’s final day focused first on a historical overview of New Mexico tax packages by Pam Stokes of Legislative Council Services. She described how tax packages have alternated over the decades between tax relief, revenue raising, and tax reform, with examples ranging from the creation of the gross receipts tax in 1966 to major packages in 1981, 1986, 1991, 1994, 2005, 2019, 2022, 2024, and the vetoed 2025 package. Members discussed how tax policy often tracks revenue conditions, how packages can combine increases and decreases, and how local government gross receipts taxes and hold-harmless distributions have affected communities differently. Several members reflected on past packages, especially the 2004 food tax repeal and the 2013 film tax and manufacturing changes, and noted that tax policy can have major economic and political effects even when it is not “sexy” legislation. The committee then heard a proposal to expand the health care practitioner gross receipts tax deduction to include co-insurance, and to extend the sunset date. Sponsor Senator Figueroa said the bill was intended to help recruit and retain medical providers and build on prior deductions for co-pays and deductibles. Testimony explained that co-insurance is the patient’s share after the deductible, that providers currently absorb the gross receipts tax on those payments, and that the proposal would cost about $30 million to the state plus about $20 million to municipalities and counties, with the exact fiscal impact likely to be updated. Members raised concerns about the effect on local governments, whether insurers could be required to reimburse providers, whether the bill would actually attract doctors, and whether better evaluation measures and sunsets should be added. The sponsor said the bill was part of a broader set of efforts to address provider shortages and that the discussion would continue. Representative McQueen then presented a bill to update the Land Conservation Incentives Act. He and conservation partners said the program has protected more than 500,000 acres but has not kept pace with rising land values, especially for irrigated agricultural land in the Middle Rio Grande. The proposal would increase the percentage of conservation value eligible for the credit, raise the per-transaction cap from $250,000 to $2 million, and make the credit refundable rather than only transferable. Testimony emphasized that the program is voluntary, keeps land in private ownership and production, and helps land-rich, cash-poor landowners preserve farmland and water rights. Members asked about average credit amounts, how easements work, whether landowners could effectively buy land and then use the credit, and whether there should be inflation indexing or a statewide cap. The discussion also touched on water rights, fencing, and the role of conservation easements in protecting agricultural land and compact water deliveries. Finally, Senator Sharer previewed his 2% tax proposal with a historical presentation on New Mexico tax law, using props to illustrate the evolution from early territorial tax codes to the modern tax system. He argued that the state’s current tax structure is overly complex and that recent federal changes have disrupted the personal income tax base. The committee did not take any votes on the day’s presentations; the meeting was primarily informational, with members offering feedback and raising policy concerns for future sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then for those individuals that do not have insurance, they have to pay those out of pocket.
• Representative, of experts, because it would be interesting to see which insurance covers, which don't
• The bill requires the Department of Public Safety to compile and submit an annual report of the number
• And I think also the Department of Public Safety is required to... ...certify eligibility of these.
• And I think also the Department of Public Safety that required to certify eligibility of these.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 306, which would prohibit facility fees on certain routine health care services, including preventive care, vaccinations, and telehealth, while preserving fees in inpatient, emergency, and some rural hospital settings. The sponsor and Health Care Authority said the bill is meant to reduce surprise billing, improve transparency, and lower costs for patients and premiums. The Hospital Association opposed the measure as a potential threat to hospital operations, while insurers, consumer advocates, and a private citizen supported it. Members asked about rural exemptions, which hospitals would be affected, uninsured patients, and whether premiums might fall. The committee approved HB 306 on a 5-0 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 166, which would create statewide standards for battery-charged electric fences with alarm systems for commercial properties. Supporters said the bill would reduce permitting delays, provide uniform rules, and help businesses deter property crime. There was little opposition, and members focused mainly on signage requirements and the bill’s limited application to commercial, not residential, fencing. HB 166 was passed on a 4-0 vote. Next, the committee took up a proposed tax credit for gun safes tied to safe storage of firearms. Supporters argued it would encourage compliance with safe-storage laws and help people afford secure storage, but members raised concerns about the size of the credit, possible administrative complications, and whether it should be handled in tax committee instead. The sponsor agreed to roll the bill and work with stakeholders rather than move it forward immediately. The committee also heard Senate Bill 100, a committee substitute clarifying the definition of “dwelling” for burglary and aggravated burglary after a Supreme Court case involving a portal/porch area. Supporters, including law enforcement, business, and property-rights groups, said the bill would provide clarity and better reflect privacy expectations around enclosed spaces. The Public Defender and Criminal Defense Lawyers Association opposed it, arguing the law already distinguishes between trespass, attempted burglary, and burglary, and that the case was correctly handled under existing law. The committee passed SB 100 on a 6-0 vote. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 196 and House Bill 197, both governor’s bills increasing penalties for firearm-related offenses. HB 196 would raise the penalty for receiving a stolen firearm from a fourth-degree to a third-degree felony, and HB 197 would do the same for larceny of a firearm. Opponents argued higher penalties would not deter crime and could increase incarceration, while supporters from state police and the Chamber of Commerce said the bills target stolen guns that fuel violent crime. HB 196 was tabled on a 3-2 vote after debate over deterrence and the narrow scope of the offense. HB 197 was then heard separately, with no opposition testimony, and members discussed how the higher penalty would work in practice; the transcript ends before a final vote on HB 197 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Agriculture would provide food banks with some of those high-value, high-demand items—food
• To this country insured for the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution.
• Page six, regarding the regulation of licensure. Department.
• This, the Regulation of License Department. Was this also part of their request?
• Thousands of extra dollars in cost for insurance would be a huge burden for that family of four that

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• state, any department or agency of this state, or of any county, municipality, school district, or other
• Department or agency of this state or of any county, municipality, school district, or other political
• about insurance and about how all of your benefits are maintained.
• So I'm aware of fire departments that work 48/96-hour schedules.
• The majority of fire departments, professional fire departments in the state of Missouri, work 24-hour

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bills 2940 and 3083, both aimed at expanding military leave protections for public employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserves. The sponsors said current Missouri law’s 120-hour paid military leave cap works for typical 8-to-5 employees but falls short for firefighters, police, EMS, and other shift workers, especially those on 24-hour schedules. The bills would raise the cap to 38 working days and clarify that employees returning from service keep their job, seniority, and benefits; a companion Senate bill was noted as already heard in committee. Members asked about whether the bills applied to private employers, emergency activations, and how the 38-day figure was calculated, and the sponsors explained the measure is intended mainly for routine drill and annual training, not emergency call-ups. Some members raised concerns about fiscal impact and whether the bill could create extra compensation or make military personnel less attractive to hire, while others said the change was a fair way to protect public servants from having to use personal leave for required military duty. Support testimony came from the Missouri State Council of Firefighters, whose secretary-treasurer said the bill would help recruitment and retention and better align military service with public safety careers. He described firefighters’ varied schedules and said many departments already value military experience because it translates well to stress management, discipline, and commitment. Committee members also discussed how the bill would affect firefighters, police, EMS, county employees, and other shift workers, and the sponsors emphasized that the measure is meant to help employees keep their personal leave for personal use while still meeting military obligations. After the bill hearing, the committee heard an informational presentation on Camp Hope, a Farmington-area nonprofit founded in 2007 to serve wounded veterans at no cost. The presenters described the camp’s hunting, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor programs, its volunteer and donor-based funding, and its role in helping veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other injuries through camaraderie and peer support. Members asked about the camp’s budget, veteran capacity, caregiver participation, and location, and the presenters invited the committee and public to visit the camp’s open house and help spread the word. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• for local emergency response departments, and conservation of habitat for sensitive species.
• Ultimately, in 2024, after careful negotiations with the Department of Justice, EPA, Cal/OSHA, DIR, and
• This bill will require that the Department of Health Care Services publish the names of large employers
• to register with the Department of Industrial Relations, but we are opposed to creating a scheme that
• In my experience, especially as a board member of a workers' compensation insurance company, fraud mostly

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on labor standards, worker safety, and public transparency. SB 954 by Senator Blakespear would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by adding worker protections such as prevailing wage, a skilled and trained workforce, high-road employment standards, and environmental guardrails. Supporters from labor, environmental justice, and conservation groups said the bill restores promised safeguards after SB 131, while business groups argued the added requirements would undermine the exemption and discourage investment. The committee voted 5-0 to do pass and re-refer SB 954 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open for absent members. The committee then considered SB 966 by Senator Gonzalez, which would codify refinery worker participation and safety protections adopted in 2017 after the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire. Supporters, including United Steelworkers and a former refinery worker, said the bill would preserve workers’ ability to report hazards, select representatives, and stop unsafe work, preventing future disasters. The Western States Petroleum Association opposed the bill, arguing it could be preempted by federal labor law and would add regulatory uncertainty. The committee passed SB 966 3-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations, with the roll left open. Next, SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas sought to modernize private security guard training, expand de-escalation instruction, strengthen accountability, and create a clearer professional pathway for the industry. The author and many security workers testified that guards are often first responders in volatile situations and need more practical training and better standards; opponents from industry and business groups warned the bill would raise costs, worsen staffing shortages, and create implementation problems, especially around third-party training and a new wage order. The committee voted 4-1 to do pass and re-refer SB 1203 to Public Safety, with one no vote and the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 1284 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a transparency bill requiring DHCS to publish the names of large employers with workers enrolled in Medi-Cal and the estimated taxpayer cost. Supporters said the measure would show how low wages and unaffordable coverage shift health costs to the public, while opponents argued Medi-Cal enrollment depends on many factors and that naming employers would be misleading and amount to public shaming. After discussion, the committee voted 4-2 to do pass and re-refer SB 1284 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open. The transcript then began discussion of SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which would improve workforce data collection and sharing to better evaluate job-training pathways, but the excerpt cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Nicole Blissenbach, and I'm the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• of the Minnesota Department commissioner of the Minnesota Department of<00:03:25.599><c> Labor</c><00
• of Health's website Minnesota Department of Health's website indicating<00:05:02.039><c> that</c><00
• but because of unemployment insurance but because of earn<00:13:17.399><c> sick</c><00:13:17.600><c>
• I'm the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

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

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• drafting of this bill.
• Employers and insurers may still challenge claims, but the burden of proof shifts away from the officer
• . ...or insurers to try to challenge claims, but the burden of proof shifts away from the officer.
• This was a labor of love. A lot of us came together to work on the language as amended.
• So one of my questions was... ...perhaps answer one part of it.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up its only bill, House Bill 132, which would create workers’ compensation presumptions for police officers for certain conditions, including noise-induced hearing loss/tinnitus, PTSD, and heart injury or stroke occurring within 24 hours of responding to or returning from a call or emergency. The sponsor described the bill as a bipartisan effort developed with input from workers’ compensation officials, PERA, and the Albuquerque Police Department, aimed at easing the burden on officers to prove causation while still allowing employers to rebut claims. An amendment was adopted first, refining definitions and adding language that preserves an officer’s ability to prove causation even when the presumption does not apply, and tying the heart/stroke presumption to the existence of a physical training program and medical screening requirements. Supporters included representatives of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, the Workers’ Compensation Administration, New Mexico State Police, AFSCME/NMFL, and a workers’ compensation attorney. They argued the bill recognizes the cumulative physical and psychological toll of law enforcement, could improve treatment and retention, and would reduce disputes over causation while remaining balanced. One supporter asked the sponsor to consider changing the 20-year requirement tied to PTSD coverage so officers in smaller departments could access benefits earlier. Committee discussion focused on the amendment’s physical training and medical screening condition for the heart/stroke presumption, with questions about whether all departments have such programs and whether the language could limit coverage. Workers’ compensation staff testified that, from 2016 through 2025, there were 75 statewide claims potentially covered by the bill’s provisions before amendment, including about 20 hearing-loss claims, 11 heart-related claims, and about 44 mental-injury claims. A medical witness said research supports a correlation between law enforcement work and these conditions, though no New Mexico-specific study was available yet. After discussion, the committee voted to give House Bill 132, as amended, a do-pass recommendation, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• from the Department of Health to the agency for Healthcare Administration.
• Career officials at the Department of Children and Families unilaterally and arbitrarily excluded.
• Doesn't that kind of defeats the purpose of the process of having the city make their own decision?
• them on the 2 of them have implemented out of the 40.
• But I was fortunate enough because I have insurance and I can afford to come up with the out of pocket

Transcript Highlights:

• We just want to make a couple of comments quickly on some of the things that Governor Walz has been saying
• It has been revealed that the Department of Budget and Management has been using training programs for
• </c> the department of budget and management the department of budget and management has<00:01:30.159
• He hasn't shared it with us, I know. insurance and making health insurance insurance and making health
• and all of that as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Department of Administration is doing.
• the Department of Admin or is it all the Department of Admin or is it all state<00:20:19.039><c> agencies
• Minscu the department of Minnesota Minscu the department of administration<00:24:40.640><c> this</c>
• ><c> Administration</c> gives the Department of Administration gives the Department of Administration
• </c> feasibility of forming a self- insurance feasibility of forming a self- insurance pool<00:30:36.559

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• amount of $800.
• It has one simple strikeout and talks about the definition in the Department of Insurance.
• He said there was really nothing in this bill that required the Department of Insurance to do anything
• He said this was one of his favorite pieces of legislation this year.
• And a lot of so.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I pledge of allegiance to the. flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it
• It's due to a lot of our fluctuating workloads and resource constraints at local building departments
• Department of Housing and Community Development determined that Los Angeles County should add 812,000
• The membership of their board of directors.
• The 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Michelle Boss, Director of the Department of Health Care Services.”
• Finance, Department of Finance, $20 billion or $35 billion.
• I'm the director of the Department of Health Services within Sacramento County.
• I'm Devin Drake, Director of the Department of Social Services for the County of San Luis Obispo.
• I'm Devin Drake, Director of the Department of Social Services for the County of San Luis Obispo.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And those of us that have employer-provided insurance or private insurance would realize that there's
• And those of us that have employer-provided insurance or private insurance would realize that there's
• And those of us that have employer-provided insurance or private insurance would realize that there's
• </c><00:20:59.440><c> of</c> audit report for the um Department of audit report for the um Department
• It is the Department of Human Services.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republican leaders held a press event to roll out a package of anti-fraud proposals focused on state welfare and human services programs. Mark Johnson opened by citing recent fraud scandals, including a shuttered housing program and reports of vulnerable adults being left without care while providers billed for full services, and said Republicans want top-down reform, stronger accountability, new technology, and tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars. Michael Kreun said Republicans support an independent Office of Inspector General and argued the Senate-passed bill should not be weakened in the House; he also said the Senate should restore its role in confirming agency commissioners, especially at DHS, which he described as central to the fraud problem. Jordan Rasmusson outlined a plan to stop “blank checks” for DHS and DCYF services by requiring legislative audit review when a program exceeds budget by 5 percent and legislative approval for additional spending at 10 percent over budget. He also said DHS should adopt basic integrity tools such as electronic visit verification and client sign-off. Steve Drazkowski described two bills: a statewide “do-not-pay” list to block payments to ineligible people or entities, and an “I’m Not a Robot” proposal for Medicaid managed care that would require enrollee verification forms, with a 2 percent payment withhold used to encourage compliance and potentially fund county system upgrades. Mark Krueger said the state should improve technology and data use for eligibility determinations, citing other states’ rapid fraud-fighting systems, and proposed penalties for false reporting to the Legislative Auditor after a DHS audit found falsified site-visit records. Steve Gruenhagen said his bill would require DHS and DCYF to resume annual fraud-prevention and oversight reports to the legislature, which he said had stopped after 2017 despite rising fraud cases. Michael Holmstrom proposed unannounced site visits for all DHS and DCYF providers before enrollment, reenrollment, and revalidation, funded through provider service fees, and cited a recent case involving a woman with autism who was billed for far more care than she received. In the Q&A, Kreun said House Democrats’ delete-everything amendment to the inspector general bill removed the law enforcement division and stripped the bill of its “teeth,” and he suggested the governor’s office may have been involved in efforts to replace the bill with a weaker coordination council model. No votes were taken in the press conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a fix to life insurance lapse notices. This should take care of it.
• Essentially, we're changing a few little things here that the Department of Insurance is in favor of.
• A couple insurance companies I've worked with are in favor of.
• Essentially, we're changing a few little things here that the Department of Insurance is in favor of.
• A couple insurance companies I've worked with are in favor of.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee approved the minutes from March 2, March 4, and March 6, then considered a series of RS introductions. Representative Furness presented RS 33665 to clarify that firefighter differential pay bonuses go to the intended frontline workers, and the committee voted to introduce it. Representative Barbieri presented RS 33624C1, a revised version addressing committee work-product accessibility and allowing the committee to determine otherwise by unanimous vote; Representative Rubel opposed it, but the motion to introduce passed with Rubel recorded as nay. Representative Schurz introduced RS 33680, a pared-down industrial hemp regulation measure incorporating prior feedback, and it was introduced. Representative Green presented RS 33631 to update Idaho’s electric-assisted bicycle classifications for road safety, and it was introduced. Representative Furman presented RS 33692, a fix to life insurance lapse notices supported by the Department of Insurance and insurers, and it was introduced. Representative Pickett presented RS 33681, a county waste and trash framework intended to protect county investments, increase transparency, regulate waste streams, and reduce liability; it was introduced. Speaker Moyle presented RS 33678, a concurrent resolution concerning the Bear River Basin and Idaho water use. He said it was not tied to Utah fuel-tax issues, and explained that it would create two reports: an early June snapshot on available water and current use, and a September report to the Natural Resources Committee on future opportunities and projects. Representative Monks said she would prefer a hearing in the Resources Committee, but the committee voted to introduce the resolution. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This also be documented in attested to by the savings institution to the Department of Financial Services
• in support of personal insurance Federation of Florida showing no other public testimony on the amendment
• Scott Maddie out waving support personal Insurance Federation of Florida and Matthew pause gay. >> Tnc
• Insurance of the Florida Justice Association. You're recognized, sir. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• If they're found at fault, they're all accountable regardless of how much insurance they have.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott Madiow, waiving in support, Personal Insurance Federation of Florida.
• Scott Maddial, waiving support, Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, and Matthew Posgay, TNC insurance—oh
• Scott Maddial, waiving support, personal insurance federation of Florida.
• Madiow, Waving Support Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, and Matthew Posgay, TNC insurance, oh
• Regardless of how much insurance they have—billions and billions and billions of dollars of assets—and

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The committee heard several bills and amendments, beginning with CS/SB 498 on trust fund interest for IOTA accounts. The sponsor said a 2023 Florida Supreme Court rule sharply increased interest paid into legal aid funding, creating a windfall and making participation difficult for banks. An amendment was adopted requiring savings institutions to pay the higher of 0.25% or the highest comparable rate offered on certain non-IOTA accounts, and the bill then passed favorably after testimony from banks, legal aid representatives, and other stakeholders both supporting and opposing the measure. The committee also approved CS/SB 232, which clarifies Florida’s consumer collection law applies only to phone calls during restricted hours and not emails or text messages, after a delete-all amendment and supportive testimony from industry groups. It then approved SB 132, as amended, to designate gold and silver as legal tender and set rules for custody, audits, electronic transfer, and government acceptance of payments; supporters called it a sound-money measure, while the banking association said it still had unresolved technical concerns. Later, the committee passed SB 1466 to create a trust fund for the My Safe Florida Home Program, with an amendment funding it from 20% of collected insurance premium tax revenue. It also considered SB 1206 on transportation network company insurance, reducing coverage during the “dead-leg” period before a rider is picked up from $1 million to lower limits; the bill drew sharp opposition from trial lawyers and support from insurers and some business groups, and the committee adopted a clarifying amendment before reporting the bill favorably. Finally, CS/SB 924 on fertility preservation for cancer patients was amended several times to narrow scope and clarify coverage rules, then passed favorably after debate over cost, preauthorization, and post-treatment storage obligations. The committee adjourned after allowing technical and conforming changes to implement the adopted amendments.