Transcript Highlights:

• My wife owns and operates a small business, and I know what it takes to make payroll.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card heard extensive testimony from credit union, banking, retail, restaurant, and payments-industry representatives about proposals to limit interchange fees, especially on the tax and tip portions of transactions. Several witnesses opposed state-level restrictions, arguing they would create a patchwork of rules, burden state-chartered institutions, raise compliance complexity, and ultimately reduce resources for fraud prevention, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit. Others, including retail and merchant advocates, said swipe fees are a significant and growing cost for small businesses and that states should consider reforms such as limiting fees on taxes and tips, allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs more closely. Witnesses also discussed recent legal and regulatory developments, including Illinois’s interchange-fee law, OCC and NCUA interim rules, and the ongoing Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement. Industry representatives said the Illinois law has been delayed and is likely preempted for most transactions, while merchant advocates argued the state efforts and court rulings show that networks and banks do not set fees competitively. The proposed antitrust settlement was described by some as a meaningful but limited merchant victory, with temporary fee reductions and expanded surcharge/steering rights, while others said it still falls short of structural reform. The commission members pressed witnesses on the practical effects of fees, the cost of cash, whether merchants can pass costs through, and whether small businesses are actually seeing benefits from the current system. Members repeatedly emphasized the need for a fair middle ground that protects both small businesses and the payment system. No substantive votes or policy actions were taken beyond accepting testimony, and the meeting ended with adjournment after all scheduled witnesses had spoken.

Transcript Highlights:

• financial audits, performance evaluations, process and procedures to be analyzed, modified, implemented, payroll

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and first approved the consent calendar, including SB 1187 and SB 1388. The committee then heard SB 983, which would authorize the Port of San Diego to use job order contracting for smaller repair and maintenance work; supporters said it would speed up routine repairs and reduce costs, while opponents raised concerns about construction language and project labor agreement effects. The bill was moved to the floor but initially remained on call after a split vote, along with several other measures heard later in the day. The committee also heard SB 1256, aimed at limiting repeated litigation against a San Diego County housing project, with supporters arguing it would curb duplicative lawsuits and opponents warning it could weaken wildfire safety review. SB 992, which would make permanent and expand a financial oversight option for very small special districts, drew support from county auditors and special districts and passed unanimously. SB 1115, addressing governance failures at the Tulare County Public Cemetery District by allowing supervisors to remove individual trustees under specified conditions, also passed unanimously after testimony about district dysfunction and insurance concerns. Later, the committee considered SB 1193, which would impose transparency requirements on Alameda County discretionary funding; supporters said it would add guardrails against conflicts of interest, while the county argued its current process is already transparent and the bill is overly restrictive. SB 1383, clarifying that local labor standards cannot be waived through density bonus concessions, passed on a divided vote after labor groups supported it and no opposition testified. SB 1361, intended to prevent local governments from undermining transit projects to avoid SB 79 housing requirements, also passed on a split vote. Finally, SB 1272, the CASH Act, would give homeowners more time to cure certain non-safety code violations; county and code enforcement groups opposed the introduced version but said they were working on amendments, and the bill passed unanimously as amended. The committee adjourned after reporting several bills out, with some measures remaining on call until later votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• and talked to me specifically about the hospitals you represent, some of whom have trouble making payroll

Keywords: 1204, all

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• other than from their own investors and they they've all got campuses you know they all have to pay payroll

Keywords: 914, all

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• Payroll, which is basically the money that we're putting out to those retirees, grew by $56 million.

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• The Workers' Compensation Administration gets its revenue from a payroll tax.

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• real quick example: I've been in Florida all my life, and the kids are gone now; they're off the payroll

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the 2026 session and took up impact fees, with an opening overview from Eric Poole of the Florida Association of Counties. Poole explained that impact fees are one-time charges on new development used only for new infrastructure capacity, not existing deficiencies or maintenance, and must satisfy the dual rational nexus test. He traced their history in Florida and described how comprehensive plans, concurrency, and later mobility fees relate to local infrastructure funding. He argued that impact fees are restricted, tied to capital improvements, and are one tool for paying for growth. Panelists representing counties, cities, builders, and community developers largely agreed that growth creates real infrastructure costs but differed on how those costs should be allocated. County and city representatives said impact fees are a necessary, targeted way to fund roads, water, sewer, fire, schools, and parks without spreading costs across all taxpayers. They pointed to long periods without fee updates, rising construction costs, and examples of large increases justified by studies. Builder and developer representatives argued that fees are often unpredictable, can be doubled or tripled, and contribute to housing affordability problems; they also said the system can be inconsistent across jurisdictions and may encourage sprawl. Several witnesses emphasized that fees must be transparent, proportional, and tied to actual benefits, and some suggested a statewide framework or mobility-fee model with more consistency and peer review. Members asked about how long local governments can hold fee revenue, whether fees can generate profit, what they can be spent on, and whether they can pay for police stations, fire stations, or other public safety facilities. Witnesses said the funds must be used for capital projects and cannot be used for salaries or unrelated purchases, and that refunds may be required if money is not spent within the local ordinance’s timeframe. The discussion also covered examples of local fee increases, the use of impact fees versus direct construction or “pipelining” of infrastructure, and concerns about level-of-service changes and extraordinary-circumstance increases. No votes were taken; the meeting ended after the panel discussion and member questions, with the chair noting the conversation would continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Appreciate the protections for IHSS providers over time and avoiding disruptions in payroll.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and while fair wages are essential, many small businesses are struggling to keep up with rising payrolls

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in Paramount as part of its “Pocketbook Tour,” focused on affordability, cost pressures, and household impacts in Los Angeles County. The first panel centered on workers and learners, with testimony from the UCLA Labor Center and the Southeast Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board. Speakers described how rising living costs, tuition, and low wages force many students to work long hours, often in unrelated, low-wage jobs, while struggling with food, rent, bills, anxiety, and limited financial aid. Recommendations included expanding state-funded work study, creating a statewide internship tax credit for small businesses, improving financial aid formulas to reflect regional cost of living, increasing flexibility for students, and strengthening worker-rights education and career pathways. The second panel focused on microbusinesses and small business affordability. Testimony from microenterprise advocates, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network, and local business owners described rising commercial rents, labor costs, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, insurance, utilities, and disaster-related pressures as major threats to small businesses. Witnesses emphasized that small businesses are central to local economies and asked the state to expand technical assistance, low-interest financing, disaster support, supply-chain development, and community-based outreach. They also urged more intentional support for microbusinesses and home-based entrepreneurs, including networks that connect them to resources and help them build collective buying power. Committee members asked about possible state actions, including tax credits for hiring local workers or interns, support for trades and apprenticeships, and ways to partner more closely with SBDCs and chambers of commerce. Public comment echoed the hearing themes, with speakers highlighting student hardship, nonprofit mental health funding, renewable energy jobs and internships, and the need for state support for clean-energy incentives. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks and adjournment at 11:05 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Michelle Hill; Assistant Journal Clerk, Jill Teresa; Director of Media Services, Michelle Fultz; Payroll

Bills: SB27, SB8, SB15, SB30, SB268, SB568, SB650, SB1405, SB1540, SB1610, SB1637, SB1660, SB2024, SB2217, SB2308, SB2753, SB2878, SB2900, SB2972, SB3059, HB4, HB40, HB46, HB119, HB145, HB493, HB705, HB1545, HB2017, HB2516, HB2885, HB2963, HB2974, HB3642, HB3909, HB5138, HB5246, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SCR12, SCR39, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB507, SB1434, SB1772, SB2016, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB1200, SB1845, SB2458, SB801, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB2797, SB2076, SB2876, SB1640, SB1449, SB1181, SB1234, SB2926, SB2841, SB1528, SB1854, SB317, SB1250, SB2082, SB1237, SB2819, SB629, SB2608, SB1602, SB2009, SB867, SB640, SB1698, SB2680, SB913, SB1071, SB1086, SB1087, SB1483, SB1444, SB1553, SB1556, SB1703, SB2133, SB2297, SB2298, SB2622, SB2955, SB2334, SB1367, SB2044, SB2363, SB2565, SB1888, SB3036, SB3057, SB3043, SB3063, SB3035, SB203, SB2688, SB2522, SB2459, SB2655, SB2251, SB1884, SB2928, SB2566, SB2549, SB2553, SB2919, SB1944, SB1232, SB1798, SB2603, SB2607, SB2683, SB1319, SB3045, SB3071, HB796, HB1523, HB5294, HB748, HB3395, HB180, HB3171, HB146, HB5596, HB5694, HB1135, HB3225, HB186, HB1449, HB3793, HB112, HB104, HB3336, HB3520, HB3320, HB5663, HB2399, HB111, HB3483, HB4580, HB3748, HB632, HB4730, HB5690, HB5689, HB3385, HB4359, HB5381, HB123, HB5606, HB1057, HB3664, HCR141, HCR40, HCR59

Keywords: immigration enforcement, ICE agreements, sheriff grants, law enforcement, county jail, federal immigration law, SB 15, Texas Local Government Code, zoning preemption, housing affordability, small lots, lot size, lot density, single-family zoning, residential subdivision, municipal land use, local control, state preemption, parking requirements, setbacks

Transcript Highlights:

• Return Strong as a policy advocate, and now I'm also working for a construction company part-time as a payroll

Keywords: 909, all

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• They bring money into our state, and importantly, their employees pay payroll taxes into the state treasury

Keywords: 988, house, all

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• Calculated as a level percentage of payroll. What does that mean?

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• This is funded through payroll contributions. and eligible workers can receive up to 52 weeks of disability

Keywords: 988, house, all

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• Houston, Clifford Hall, a father, was jailed for 13 days due to a clerical error in his employer's payroll

Transcript Highlights:

• Houston, Clifford Hall, a father, was jailed for 13 days due to a clerical error in his employer's payroll

Bills: HB557, HB732, HB1892, HB1954, HB2301, HB3180, HB3405, HB3650, HB3758, HB4035, HB4621, HB4795, HB4870, HB5069, HB5137, HB5149

Keywords: child support, arrears, court enforcement, contempt, legal protections, healthcare, insurance, cost reduction, accessibility, regulations, impotency, marriage annulment, Family Code, Texas law, family law, Texas legislation, dissolution of marriage, annulment, marriage, child custody

Transcript Highlights:

• However, due to a lack of market for Texas grapes, our payroll has dropped, forcing some of our children

Transcript Highlights:

• However, due to a lack of market for Texas grapes, our payroll... ...has dropped, forcing some of our

Bills: HB589, HB705, HB1842, HB1874, HB2349, HB2614, HB2827, HB3012, HB3214, HB3308, HB3385, HB3529

Keywords: cosmetology, licensure, interstate compact, state regulations, public safety, workforce mobility, charitable raffles, nonprofit, wildlife conservation, ticket sales, fundraising, master electrician, electrical work, occupational licensing, work scope, Texas law, Texas Real Estate Commission, TREC, real estate broker, sales agent

Transcript Highlights:

• We're about a million dollar in revenue is business. 8 million dollars of that goes to our payroll.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because the residency requirements have gone down, that means that Texas payroll is also less.

Bills: SB22, SB 22

Keywords: Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation, economic development, youth camp, summer camp, camp safety, emergency operations plan, emergency preparedness, evacuation drill, camp staff training, volunteer training, camper safety, lost camper, natural disaster, fire safety, mass casualty