Transcript Highlights:

• Our bond rating is going to go down, which is going to cause our interest rates to go up.
• The maximum millage rate, or the maximum millage rate calculation, determines what millage rate can be
• The bill aligns the maximum millage rate with the rolled-back rate.
• As with the last bill, we do have three amendments: two timely filed and one late filed.
• So you start with the baseline of a rollback rate as opposed to a majority rate.

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes by lowering assessment caps on non-homestead property, expanding homestead exemptions over time, and allowing local governments to increase exemptions further. The sponsor argued the measure would provide broad property tax relief while requiring revenues to be directed to core services such as public safety, education, infrastructure, and natural resource projects, with a trust fund intended to help local governments transition. Senators raised concerns about the lack of a fiscal score, the effect on counties, cities, school districts, and special districts, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. Several amendments were debated. Senator Polsky’s amendment to explicitly authorize user fees and non-ad valorem assessments to offset lost property tax revenue failed. Senator Avila’s amendment broadening permissible uses of ad valorem revenue to include county constitutional officers and other expenditures approved by local governing bodies was adopted after debate over whether the bill would otherwise underfund essential functions. Senator Smith’s sunset amendment, which would have made the constitutional changes expire after five years, failed. Senator Smith’s amendment to allow tourism development tax revenue to support public safety and education also failed. Senator Graal’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund language was adopted, with supporters arguing the Constitution should not promise an unfunded account. Additional late-file amendments were considered. Senator Berman’s proposal to change the ballot title to more neutrally describe the measure as affecting property taxes and local community service reductions failed. Senator Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal was adopted, preserving school taxes. Senator Smith’s amendment narrowing the non-homestead assessment cap reduction to small businesses only failed. The committee then returned to the bill as amended and continued questioning the sponsor about eligibility, fiscal impacts, and whether the proposal could lead to local governments offsetting lost revenue through special assessments or other charges.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, except we’re going to take up Senator Kick’s bill, Senate File 9008.
• Um, we’re back from recess and we’re doing Senator Coop’s bill, Senate File 9008.
• Uh, Senate File 9008 is uh deals with the broadband.
• <00:20:00.400> 2360 like to move that Senate File 2360 like to move that Senate File 2360
• and re-refer Senate File and re-refer Senate File 2775,<00:20:42.799> which<00:20:43.120>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we pass PEPRA, our bond ratings in California almost When we pass PEPRA, our bond ratings in California
• Okay, we're not moving to a file item. Okay, we're not moving to a file item.
• We're going to move on to file item number nine. ...to file item number nine, AB 2129, and you may proceed
• We are going to just open up the roll on file item number nine, and that was... ...up the roll on file
• We are now moving to file item number two.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can't answer for who could have possibly filed it earlier or not filed it earlier, but we do very much
• possibly filed it earlier or not filed possibly filed it earlier or not filed it<00:08:40.440>
• I... rate payer interest when it comes to rate payer interest when it comes to rates<00:17:16.640>
• So does the SEC set those rates?
• So does the SEC set those rates?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They did this by applying a lower rate to a much larger base of economic activity.
• My bill, House File 4343, gives Minnesotans another option.
• ,<00:04:29.160> gives My bill, House File 4343, gives My bill, House File 4343, gives Minnesotans
• <00:10:16.200> 4343 authorizing House File 4343 authorizing House File 4343 43<00:10:19.000
• a tough path forward with House File a tough path forward with House File 4343,<00:14:38.000>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a press-style discussion in support of House File 4343, which would end Minnesota’s sales tax exemption for digital advertising services and physical advertising space such as billboards. Supporters said the bill would raise more than $300 million in revenue and allow the state sales tax rate to be reduced, while also modernizing the tax code to reflect a digital, service-based economy. Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota argued the current sales tax base is outdated, too narrow, and unfairly shifts burden onto Minnesota businesses, workers, and property taxpayers. Representative Lislegard said the bill would help fund schools, health care, infrastructure, child care, and local government, and framed it as a response to structural budget gaps and rising property taxes. She said large corporations are not paying their fair share and that the state should cut exemptions rather than reduce public services. Several speakers from labor, education, health care, and the arts backed the proposal, including a working parent who cited high child care costs, an AFSCME representative from Hennepin County Medical Center who said the revenue is needed to support the safety-net hospital, a musician who said streaming and ad-driven platforms profit from artists’ labor, and an educator who criticized social media companies’ impact on youth. The speakers repeatedly argued that major tech and advertising companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, TikTok, and Spotify should contribute more to public services, while ordinary Minnesotans already pay too much. Representative White closed by acknowledging the bill faces a difficult path but said supporters would keep fighting for it. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the portion provided, and the event ended with one question from the audience.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we're going to pass and retain on file items three through file item eight.
• We're going to pass and retain on file item number 23. Brings us to file item.
• Pass temporarily on file item 31, pass and retain on file items 32 and 33.
• We're going to pass and retain on file item 60, 61, 62, that gets us to file item 63.
• We're going to pass and retain on file items 82, 83, that gets us to file item.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of you and what was filed.
• The maximum millage rate calculation, or the maximum millage rate, determines what millage rate can be
• The bill aligns the maximum millage rate with the rolled-back rate.
• to the rollback rate.
• So you start with the baseline of a rollback rate as opposed to a majority rate.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mendez and Senator Feeney for filing the bill.
• This is alarming, as eviction filing rates have steadily risen in Massachusetts since the federal eviction
• This is alarming as eviction filing rates have steadily risen in the state of Massachusetts since the
• Here are some facts about SHARP: We have a 2% recidivism rate, making our recidivism rate 92% lower than
• We have a 2% recidivism rate, making our recidivism rate 92% lower than the Commonwealth's at large.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of housing and homelessness bills. Chairs Rich Haggerty and Julian Cyr opened by noting the committee’s focus on EOHLC programs such as RAFT, MRVP, and HomeBASE, and several members and advocates emphasized the urgency of the state’s homelessness crisis, including rising family homelessness and the need for earlier intervention, more stable subsidies, and stronger long-term housing tools. A major theme was homelessness prevention and rehousing. Multiple witnesses supported bills to codify and strengthen RAFT and HomeBASE, arguing that assistance should be available earlier in a crisis rather than only after a notice to quit or imminent loss of housing. Testimony from legal services, homelessness coalitions, social workers, municipal housing staff, and tenant advocates said the programs help families avoid eviction and shelter, but need more flexibility, higher benefit caps, and permanent statutory protection. Several speakers also urged support for codifying the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), describing it as a critical long-term subsidy for low-income households and older adults, and warning that codification would protect the program from future budget or policy changes. The committee also heard testimony on housing stability for older adults, affordable homes for people with disabilities, supportive housing, housing cooperatives, home sharing, local preference, and reentry housing for returning citizens. Advocates for older adults described a Somerville bridge subsidy pilot that helped stabilize seniors while they waited for permanent housing, and urged statewide expansion. Supporters of supportive housing called for an interagency board to streamline funding and development, while cooperative housing proponents backed creation of a Massachusetts Center for Housing Cooperatives and a dedicated funding reserve. A bill to secure housing for returning citizens drew support from reentry providers and Senator Adam Gomez, who said stable housing is essential to successful reintegration. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses generally asked the committee to report the bills favorably, and some members asked follow-up questions on data and program details.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our first bill on the agenda is Senate File 2128. Senate File 2128.
• <00:05:04.479> of closely aligned with market rates of closely aligned with market rates of
• Senate File 2128 is laid over. And next, Senator Seabberger, you have Senate File 1688.
• rates for ambulance services.
• have for your consideration Senate File have for your consideration Senate File 1326,<00:37:20.880

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate the time to present House File 2435.
• So my amendment takes care of that by channeling all these extra costs back into the rates to raise rates
• because the underlying law does bring the rates back to the fee-for-service rates, and that is a concern
• But if the rates don't get established in law in two more years, then the rates are at the fee-for-service
• rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law requires title insurers and underwritten title companies to file rate schedules with the
• Title insurers file title rates, while underwritten title companies file escrow rates.
• Recently, confusion has arisen about whether underwritten title companies must also file title rates.
• AB 2198 codifies long-standing practice and clarifies who is responsible for filing which rates.
• AB 2198 codifies long-standing practice and clarifies who is responsible for filing which rates.

Summary: The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, then completed the prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, journal motions, and a long series of procedural actions, including suspending rules to move bills and approve a large Appropriations Committee hearing list. Members also made several guest introductions, including Shannon Lee, district staff from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez’s office, and later guests tied to agritourism and education recognitions. The floor debate centered heavily on AJR 31, a resolution urging Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Supporters argued that recent Supreme Court decisions and redistricting efforts in other states were weakening Black and other minority representation and that California should take a clear stand for voting rights. Opponents argued the measure promoted racial division, conflicted with equal protection principles, and that districts should be drawn based on place or communities of interest rather than race. After a contentious debate with repeated parliamentary warnings over decorum, the Assembly suspended the rules to take up the resolution, added coauthors, and passed AJR 31 by a vote of 58-8. The Assembly then moved through a series of bills and resolutions, generally approving them with little or no opposition. These included AB 2341 clarifying emergency language translation rules for local agencies; AB 1816 extending court supervision for certain sex-offender rehabilitation programs; AB 2561 protecting consumer privacy settings on phones and digital devices; ACR 167 recognizing World Agritourism Day; ACR 190 recognizing California Day of the Teacher; AB 1581 improving identification of Native American students in public schools; AB 1586 requiring opioid overdose prevention training for school resource officers and safety planning; AB 1665 requiring mental health training for school coaches; AB 1693 streamlining retail tenant-improvement permitting; AB 1768 authorizing a local tax measure related to health funding; AB 1712 facilitating a water-system sale for Santa Fe Springs; AB 1792 addressing sexually exploitive AI imagery in health education; and AB 1822 prioritizing school projects that address extreme heat. Most measures passed overwhelmingly, several unanimously, and the resolution on agritourism and the teacher day were adopted by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• . 688,000 of those were circuit court filings, and 2.9 million were county court filings.
• fewer of the cases that... ...use filings.
• The pent-up demand was waning, and so all the cases that didn't get filed in 2020, they got filed in
• Those are, again, cases that are filed that we do not receive any sort of filing fee for.
• We don't receive the $400 filing fee for that divorce because they've filed as indigent, and that is

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026. Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity. The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management. In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• rates they offer.
• of the two rates.
• With a safe harbor rate set at 25% of the federal funds target rate, the lowest safe harbor rate in the
• of the two rates.
• With a safe harbor rate set at 25% of the federal funds target rate, the lowest safe harbor rate in the

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and considered several bills. SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults would allow service of process on scammers through the same nontraditional communication methods they use; it passed 8-0. CS/SB 280 on candidate qualification would create an enforceable party-affiliation requirement and a private right of action to disqualify noncompliant candidates; it passed unanimously. CS/SB 948 on flood disclosures was amended to extend disclosure requirements to residential leases, condo developer leases, and mobile homes, with tenant remedies if disclosures are not provided and flooding causes major losses; it passed 8-0. The committee also advanced CS/SB 498 on IOTA interest rates after a lengthy debate over legal aid funding and bank regulation. Supporters argued the bill would restore sustainability and fairness to the program by setting alternative interest-rate benchmarks, while opponents said it would cut funding for civil legal aid and that banks participate voluntarily. After testimony from legal aid leaders and bankers, the bill passed 7-2. SB 774, requiring clerks to electronically transmit certain mental health, substance abuse, and risk protection orders to sheriffs within six hours, was presented in response to a fatal Volusia County incident and passed 11-0. CS/SB 752 on defamation and online publication was amended to require removal from a website rather than the internet, then passed 8-2 after testimony from the media, a private attorney, and supporters who said it would help people harmed by false online reports. The committee also heard SB 832 on former phosphate mining lands, which would create a narrow defense against strict liability claims if notice and gamma radiation survey requirements are met. The bill was amended to clarify notice provisions and received support from industry and technical witnesses describing radiation surveys and reclamation practices. The transcript cuts off before the final vote on SB 832, so no committee action on that bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've done a study to establish a new rate and to...
• because they are billed at the top rate.
• The rate schedule includes three tiers of rates.
• on par with the rate paid by a single-family home... ...bringing their effective rate more closely on
• According to a document filed by Liberty as part of its general rate case, the combined implant value

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of late-file energy bills, with much of the discussion focused on battery storage siting, gas system expansion, propane consumer protections, gas workforce safety, and a Taunton home-rule petition on water rates for manufactured housing communities. Representative Sweeney urged support for H. 4689 and H. 4690, which would impose a moratorium and setback requirements for lithium battery storage facilities, citing fire risk, proximity to homes, and environmental concerns. Several local officials and residents from Oakham, Tewksbury, and other communities described proposed battery projects near homes, schools, wetlands, and conservation land, while industry and clean-energy advocates argued the bills would effectively block storage development and conflict with state energy goals and existing fire-safety standards. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2290/H. 3547, a bill to prevent gas expansion near environmental justice communities, from environmental justice advocates, municipal officials, and clean-energy groups. Testimony emphasized rising gas bills, the cost of new pipelines, methane and health impacts, and the need to avoid locking in long-term gas infrastructure costs. Witnesses also discussed related bills on gas workforce safety, gas shut-off valves, and gas meter replacement plans, with labor representatives supporting safety-focused measures and opposing changes they said would weaken inspections, while consumer and environmental advocates argued that some utility replacement practices are unnecessarily expensive and should be reined in to reduce ratepayer costs. Other testimony included support for H. 3518 on propane gas ratepayer protections, with the witness arguing for clearer contract terms and website price disclosure, and support for S. 2652, which would authorize Taunton to create a separate water billing rate for manufactured housing communities because residents there are effectively paying higher water costs through rent due to a single master meter. No committee votes or final actions were taken during the hearing, and members mostly asked brief clarifying questions or made no comment after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Secretary, please call the roll on file item number two. File item number two, SB 991.
• Madam Secretary, please call the roll on file item number nine. File item nine, SB 1345.
• Measures on the consent calendar: File Item 1, SB 534 (Padilla); File Item 10, SB 1410 (Limon); File
• So let's go with File Item Number Two, SB 991, Benjavar. File Item Two, SB 991.
• File Item Five, SB 1190. The motion is due pass to the Assembly. File Item 5, SB 1190.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Home care rates, Just one example here, home care rates in particular are, you know, run and developed
• through the Consumer Direct rate-setting board.
• The Consumer Direct rate is a straight labor and administration.
• The Consumer Direct rate is a straight labor and administrative rate.
• best rating because then the consumer will choose the one that's got the best rating because, again,

Summary: The committee began with an extended work session on the long-term care workforce. DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector described the new Home and Community Living Administration and outlined major workforce pressures: Washington had about 126,000 long-term care workers in 2022, with demand expected to outpace supply as the 85-plus population and dementia prevalence rise sharply. She emphasized that direct care workers are largely women, people of color, and immigrants, and that family caregivers are also a major part of the system. She highlighted recruitment and retention efforts funded through federal Money Follows the Person dollars, including high school training partnerships, a retention toolkit, transportation support, caregiver newsletters, tribal workforce navigators, and a remote caregiving pilot. Committee members asked about career pathways, technology use, and turnover drivers; Rector said wages, benefits, unstable hours, and workplace support are key issues and promised follow-up data. Aidan Swain of the Washington Health Care Association said skilled nursing and assisted living facilities face acute RN vacancies, wage pressures, and Medicaid reimbursement that does not cover costs, and urged modernization of training, better reimbursement, and continued support for facility-based care. Maddie Fouch of SEIU 775, representing about 55,000 caregivers, said low wages, weak benefits, lack of voice, and certification delays are driving turnover and shortages, and argued for higher compensation, better worker protections, and more transparent reimbursement. Catherine Smith of Behavioral Health Solutions described growing behavioral health needs in nursing homes, the role of expanded behavioral supports programs, and credentialing delays that slow hiring. No votes were taken; the panel was informational only. The second agenda item was an overview of the palliative care benefit work group report required by 2024 legislation. Nico Jansen of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner explained that the work group, convened with the Health Care Authority, studied a potential palliative care benefit for fully insured commercial plans and also Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. He said palliative care is a philosophy of care focused on symptom management, coordination, and support for serious illness, and is distinct from hospice because it can be provided alongside curative treatment. The actuarial analysis concluded that creating a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about a 28-cent per member per month increase overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. Jansen said the consultants did not find sufficient evidence to assume savings from avoided hospitalizations or long-term care, though several work group members disagreed and submitted response letters. Senators asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said some states, including Hawaii, are moving ahead with Medicaid palliative care benefits, Medicare covers some related services but not in the same way, and further evidence may emerge over time. OIC did not take a position on whether the Legislature should create the benefit. The final presentation covered health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Evan Klein and HCA Chief Data Officer Vishal Chaudry reviewed federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, prescription drug price transparency, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and other reporting systems. They explained that the APCD contains claims from fully insured commercial plans, Medicaid, and public employee programs, but not self-insured employer data except for limited voluntary submissions. They also described how machine-readable files, consumer price tools, and aggregated dashboards are used, and noted that data limitations, delays, and complexity remain significant. Senators asked about voluntary self-insured participation, the role of AI in making data more usable, and whether transparency can really help consumers given access barriers and medical debt. HCA said AI is increasingly used by private entities to mine large transparency datasets, but state agencies still face limits in data access and analytic capacity. The committee did not take action; the session was informational and ended with a discussion of how transparency data might better inform policy and purchasing decisions in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, next on deck is House File 36.
• zesa car members with that house file zesa car members with that house file 337<00:40:54.560>
• <00:47:57.000> 93 um next on the agenda is house file 93 um next on the agenda is house file
• Next up, members, is House File 94.
• house file house file 715<01:15:38.159> representative<01:15:38.719> backer<01:15:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 42.
• <00:27:17.279> of<00:27:17.440> pre-term highest rates of pre-term highest rates of
• Senate file Senate file 1113 1113 1113 sf113<01:11:40.320> to<01:11:40.560> support
• Senate File 1167 is very simple.
• <01:41:48.199> um<01:41:48.400> Senate<01:41:48.760> file file um Senate file file

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• File 121. File 121.
• Um, one is that our error rate, so keeping in mind that our error rate and the fraud rate are completely
• and fraud rate.
• > rate<01:31:45.199> are the error rate and the fraud rate are the error rate and the fraud
• Caldwell on Senate file<01:42:26.960> 106. file 106. file 106.

Bills: SF0122, SJ0006, SF0121, SF0106

Keywords: medical necessity, insurance, healthcare policy, independent review, claim processing, shared parenting, family law, joint custody, child well-being, parental rights, pharmacy, collaborative care, healthcare, prescriptions, patient safety, Wyoming Pharmacy Act, welfare, Medicaid, employment, eligibility verification

Transcript Highlights:

• The next bill before us is House File 2143.
• > for<00:02:59.920> for the reimbursement rates for for the reimbursement rates for for
• <00:08:46.480> of onset and results in high rates of onset and results in high rates of disability
• We urge you and the committee to support House File 2143.
• to support House File to support House File 2143.<00:15:12.160> Appreciate<00:15:12.639><

Keywords: 1183, house