Transcript Highlights:

• So the base that the tax rate is applied to increases, that would increase revenue to the point where
• rate.
• We collect the tax from the hospitals based on the tax base and the rate that's in statute, and then
• analysis, where we just take the base and apply the new rate.
• <02:10:01.239> and take the base and apply the new rate and take the base and apply the new

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee meeting began with an overview from the Legislative Budget Assistant Office on how Ways and Means will work with agencies and leadership during the budget and revenue-estimating process. Staff explained that the governor’s budget is still being developed, agencies are cautious about going on record early, and the committee will use worksheets and updated fiscal reports to track estimates. The presentation emphasized that the fiscal year 2025 budget status is a point-in-time snapshot and remains fluid because the annual comprehensive financial report has been delayed, which could change the beginning balances for both the general fund and education trust fund. The budget update highlighted that the general fund is currently stronger than originally assumed, while the education trust fund is weaker. The speaker said the general fund began FY25 with a much larger balance than expected, while the education trust fund came in lower due to higher-than-budgeted adequacy spending and weaker business tax performance. Revenue trends showed the general fund slightly ahead year to date, but the education trust fund down significantly. The committee also discussed unbudgeted appropriations, including attorney general litigation, legal settlements, abandoned property claims, adequacy true-ups, and education freedom accounts, as well as the role of lapses and off-budget items in the final balance. Members asked about the delayed liquor commission audit and whether it could affect revenue forecasts. Staff said the delay was mainly caused by the commission’s switch in point-of-sale systems and staffing losses, but did not expect major ongoing reporting issues. They also noted that liquor fund variances are more likely tied to Medicaid expansion costs than to commission operations. The governor’s office was said to be working on possible budget reductions, but no January request to the fiscal committee was expected. Commissioner Lindsay Stepp of the Department of Revenue Administration then presented an overview of state revenue sources, focusing first on the meals and rentals tax. She explained that DRA administers 14 taxes that account for most state revenue, and that meals and rentals tax growth has slowed after strong post-pandemic gains. She described factors affecting the tax, including employment, inflation, fuel and food prices, wages, and weather, and noted that online platforms like Airbnb have improved compliance by collecting and remitting tax on behalf of hosts. Members asked about short-term rental compliance and how DRA identifies unlicensed rentals; Stepp said referrals, anonymous tips, and platform data help enforcement.

Transcript Highlights:

• So a positive there, 9.17 is the effective tax rate there. So Mr.
• More of a volume-based tax than a value-based tax like we have on the oil side.
• And then we asked for base budgets to be submitted.
• about half of the mill rate in Fargo or Grand Forks County.
• rates, and that helps them do their budgeting.

Summary: The Budget Section approved the March 18 minutes and received an OMB update showing the general fund is still ahead of the budgeted starting point, but revenues through May are now about $76 million below the legislative forecast, driven mainly by individual income tax and sales tax shortfalls. OMB also reported the budget stabilization fund is above its cap, meaning a transfer to the general fund is expected, and reviewed oil price/production assumptions, noting continued volatility. Members asked about the income tax netting process, the sales tax decline, oil price discounts/premiums, natural gas taxation, and when the executive branch would present its revenue forecast. The committee then acted on several Emergency Commission requests. It approved, as a group, requests for federal mine reclamation funds for the Public Service Commission, an additional criminal investigator FTE and funding for the Attorney General’s office, and a DPI transfer for bridge software costs. It separately approved DPI request 2164 for $500,000 to support the food vendor program after debate over whether the program’s savings were known and whether the money was simply a pass-through. OMB also reported on federal grants, fiscal irregularities, tobacco settlement proceeds, budget guidelines for agencies, FTE pool usage, vacancy savings, and the DAPL settlement, noting the settlement funds had been deposited and that a deficiency appropriation may be needed later to cover remaining accrued interest. Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus presented on the primary residence credit program, saying participation has grown sharply and that the current biennium will likely need about $431 million, roughly $22 million above the appropriation. He explained how the credit interacts with homestead and disabled veteran benefits, how the 3% property tax cap works, and why county valuations and mill rates vary. The committee also received a Legacy Fund/Budget Stabilization Fund report showing strong returns, and DOT Director Ron Henke received approval for two Flex Fund highway projects on ND 49 and ND 31. Henke also explained remaining Highway 85 funding and said the department is exploring uses for leftover state dollars. Finally, the Department of Mineral Resources reported on abandoned well plugging and site restoration, noting North Dakota remains in relatively strong shape compared with other states, and DPI began a presentation on gap funding tied to the 3% levy cap, reporting 24 districts received $1.8 million in the first year and projecting higher future needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• . rates. rates.
• But uh rates.
• Now that leads us to the increase in the tax rate in 28, based on the average wholesale price in 27.
• <02:18:52.240> based<02:18:52.559> on in 28 the 28 for uh tax rates based on in 28
• the 28 for uh tax rates based on the<02:18:53.840> average<02:18:54.160> wholesale<02:18

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on reaching consensus on official Kentucky revenue estimates for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, using updated S&P Global economic forecasts compared with the September presentation. Staff explained that the updated forecast relied partly on alternative data because of the federal government shutdown, and they walked through changes in national and Kentucky economic assumptions across control, optimistic, and pessimistic scenarios. The control forecast was described as slightly more optimistic in the near term but more cautious in fiscal 2027 and 2028, with GDP growth revised up for the current year and down somewhat in the outer years. The pessimistic scenario now assumed a two-quarter recession beginning in the current quarter, while the optimistic scenario was given a higher probability weight than before. The presenters highlighted several Kentucky-relevant variables that changed since September, including weaker manufacturing employment, weaker housing starts, weaker consumer sentiment, and lower expected non-farm employment in fiscal 2026. At the same time, wage and salary disbursements were revised upward in fiscal 2027, reflecting higher disposable income from tax changes, and real consumer spending was expected to be stronger in the near term. They also discussed assumptions about tariffs, business profits, the Federal Reserve, unemployment, oil prices, retail sales, vehicle sales, exports, and consumer sentiment, noting that some indicators were little changed while others shifted materially. Consumer sentiment was attributed to affordability concerns, tariff impacts, and a general sense of malaise, but was expected to improve in later years from a low base. Members asked follow-up questions about why the forecast worsened in later years and about the consumer sentiment assumptions. Staff responded that the forecast assumed larger take-home pay and refunds from tax withholding changes, along with some easing of tariff effects, which they believed would help offset a negative wealth effect from stock market declines. They also noted that S&P Global’s December forecast, which had already been published, was essentially consistent with the presentation and that the firm believed its earlier assumptions had tracked recent data well. No vote or final action was recorded in the portion provided, but the discussion was aimed at settling the revenue estimates that will underpin the upcoming branch budget bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• rates?
• Texas birth rates peaked in 2007, and we've been aware of the declining birth rate for years.
• rate problem or challenge.
• There are dropout recovery schools that are not rated. And what... Schools that are not rated.
• Percent of our tax base.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:57.120> It's flat rate applied evenly across.
• It's flat rate applied evenly across.
• Faced with these tax increases is rate.
• if they develop their base, speak to motive.
• Well, property tax base speak to motive.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:12.120> at state level I employment rate at state level I employment rate at 3%<00:
• 30-year mortgage rates, and the spread between the mortgage rate and the bond rate has been abnormally
• :21.720> has<00:57:21.839> been mortgage rate and the bond rate has been mortgage rate
• 2025 budget base.
• <01:45:30.360> a<01:45:31.000> big based upon the fy2 budget base a big based upon

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held its first informational briefing for 2025, beginning with member introductions and then hearing an economic outlook presentation from Dr. Eugene Tian of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Dr. Tian said Hawaii’s economy was in relatively good shape in several areas, especially construction, which he described as at a historical high, with construction employment above 40,000 monthly and building permit values and contracting tax base both up sharply. He also noted real estate sales had rebounded in 2024, the labor market had stabilized with unemployment around 2.9%, and initial unemployment claims were below 2019 levels. At the same time, he highlighted challenges including inflation running above the national rate, a shrinking labor force, lower employment compared with 2023, and continued weakness in visitor spending and arrivals. He said future growth would likely come from health care, professional services, construction, tourism recovery, and diversified sectors such as renewable energy, aquaculture, creative industries, and technology. Dr. Tian also discussed Hawaii’s economic structure and recovery, saying the state remains more concentrated in a few industries than the U.S. overall, with government and hospitality making up larger shares of the economy. He said non-tourism sectors had recovered, but tourism-related jobs and output were still below pre-pandemic levels, with Maui and the visitor industry still affected by the wildfire and COVID-19 impacts. He projected tourism and non-agricultural wage and salary jobs would not fully recover until 2027, and said population trends remain a concern because of aging, the likelihood of deaths outpacing births in coming years, and reliance on in-migration. After his presentation, the chair said questions would be taken later and the committee took a short break. After the break, Dr. Carano of the Hawaii Executive Director’s office presented a second outlook, saying Hawaii’s economy in 2025 looked better than 2024 overall, though he emphasized substantial uncertainty tied to the incoming federal administration. He said possible changes to tariffs, tax policy, immigration, and federal spending could raise inflation and keep interest rates higher than previously expected, which would affect housing, consumer debt, the dollar, and Hawaii’s visitor industry. He noted that U.S. visitors account for roughly three-quarters of visitor spending in the state, making federal policy especially important. He also said deregulation could be a long-term positive but would not likely have much effect in 2025 or 2026. As an additional risk, he pointed to bird flu and its effect on livestock, poultry, and egg prices. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether their base charges are on a meter size or a flat rate, they base their consumption off of different
• They're based off of a rate study. We've performed those.
• When we looked at that, it's looking like $75 to $85 on our base rate.
• When you say over 100, that's base rate? Base rate, yes. Sorry, I'm forgetting to acknowledge you.
• Does he have a base rate then? Yes, 34. Okay. So you're charging $34 for a base rate and $8.05.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pull things out of rates and rate recovery, we can adjust the rate of return for utilities, but there
• pull things out of rates and rate recovery, we can adjust the rate of return for utilities, but there
• pull things out of rates and rate recovery, we can adjust the rate of return for utilities, but there
• pull things out of rates and rate recovery, we can adjust the rate of return for utilities, but there
• pull things out of rates and rate recovery, we can adjust the rate of return for utilities, but there

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of credit for, but the rating a lot of credit for, but the rating agencies<00:04:53.520>
• do with the rating agencies. do with the rating agencies.
• , or are we using a different rate?
• And so we then determine the rate based upon an estimate of payroll.
• reductions in the retirement rates reductions in the retirement rates >> but<00:08:21.280>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Executive Budget 00:00:50, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations. Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities. He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• They instead are reimbursed through an encounter rate based on cost reporting.
• rate based on cost through an encounter rate based on cost reporting.<00:01:56.159> Currently,
• for more accurate reimbursement rates for more accurate reimbursement rates that<00:04:04.959>
• locations in Wisconsin where a rate locations in Wisconsin where a rate review<00:04:54.560>
• insurance ratings in Minnesota. insurance ratings in Minnesota.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > determined<00:18:40.880> by typically the rates are determined by typically the rates
• It protects evidence-based medicine.
• rates be actuarily sound.
• <01:12:22.880> Not risk doesn't match the rates. Not risk doesn't match the rates.
• Thank you, Chair. or rate increases that are not based on or rate increases that are not based on sound

Bills: SB2936, SB2850, SB2851, SB2521

Keywords: accessible parking, disability, kupuna, public accommodations, small business exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, parking permit, blind, deaf, accessibility, deafness, traffic safety, law enforcement, vehicle registration, communication, emergency services, commercial driver's license, first responders, public safety, authorized emergency vehicle

Summary: The joint hearing covered House Bill 251, which would require hospitals to report costs associated with Medicare and uninsured patients, and House Bill 1875, which would expand protections for gender-affirming health care services. On HB 251, the Department of Health said it supported the intent but described the bill as complicated and potentially impractical as drafted because the department lacks the expertise to produce the required analyses without outside help. Hawaii Health Systems Corporation echoed those concerns, while the Queen’s Health System said it was willing to work with the department to provide the information. In committee discussion, officials explained that hospital support in Hawaii includes public hospital appropriations and the provider tax program, which uses hospital and nursing home contributions to draw federal matching funds; a department witness estimated the net benefit at about $150 million for hospitals and $20 million for nursing facilities, though exact figures would be provided later. On HB 1875, the Insurance Division testified with concerns that the bill’s language on prohibited actions by malpractice insurers was broad and vague, and that a rate-increase prohibition could conflict with actuarially based insurance pricing. The division also noted it was not the primary enforcement agency for the statute. In contrast, many testifiers strongly supported the bill, including the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, PFLAG Oahu, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, the Hawaii County Democratic Party, and others. Supporters argued that gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and protected by privacy and bodily autonomy principles, and that the bill would protect patients and providers from outside political interference. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Miranda, are these rates strictly residential, the residential commercial— Rates strictly residential
• The most common ones are meeting household income, water rates, water system size, unemployment rates
• , and poverty rates.
• Average rate increases...
• That to raise it, based on the elevation grade rate as you choose.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met to receive interim status updates on several water-related studies and Department of Water Resources projects. The committee approved the March 26, 2026 minutes, observed a moment of silence for the late Representative Conmy, and then heard updates on the watershed management study and the stormwater/wastewater study. Staff reported that the committee had already received the testimony contemplated in the study plans, including input from state agencies, local governments, and out-of-state entities, and that any further action would be at the committee’s discretion. The Department of Water Resources then provided project and budget updates on NAWS and the Southwest Pipeline Project. Reese reported NAWS is expected to serve about 81,000 users, with a total projected cost of about $571 million and about $96 million remaining, while the Southwest Pipeline Project is estimated at $1.06 billion total with about $409 million remaining. Members asked about funding sources, capacity needs, and whether current and future construction is being designed for increased demand; department staff said current work is designed for ultimate capacity, but some future components may need redesign based on new requests. The committee also discussed local cost shares, Minot’s role in NAWS funding, and whether the system is adequate for peak demand. A major portion of the meeting focused on the department’s cash management, carryover, and long-term water funding outlook. The department said Resources Trust Fund revenues are tied to oil extraction taxes and are affected by stripper well exemptions and future oil price declines. Members expressed concern about large carryover balances and whether the state is obligating more money than can realistically be spent in a biennium. The department reported about $340.6 million in remaining carryover and said it is trying to reduce that through a two-tier pre-construction/construction process and closer project vetting. The department also summarized the Deloitte studies on regional governance and finance and on cost-share policy. Stakeholders generally favored keeping the current governance structures for NAWS and Southwest with improvements, while Red River stakeholders leaned toward a different option; the department said it will bring an implementation plan back in September. On cost share, Deloitte’s recommendations would reduce some percentages, prioritize projects differently, and use other measures to close a projected long-term funding gap. Members debated affordability, local burden, deferred maintenance, and whether statutory changes may be needed to allow the commission more flexibility in prioritizing and funding projects. No formal votes or final actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Should we look at poverty rate requirements and expanding it and open up... ...reimbursement rates.
• are center-based and 193 are home-based.
• where we're leaving out our home-based and center-based programs. ...point where we're leaving out our
• And what the difference is between school-based and center-based and home-based?
• So we actually have more providers now with the new rates than we did under the old rates.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee met in a workshop-style discussion with Arkansas Department of Education early childhood officials to review the state’s early learning programs, especially ABC and SRA/CCDF, and to consider long-term sustainability, access, and quality. Officials said ABC funding was flat at $11 million from 2009-2010 until a $3 million increase in 2018, while CCDF/SRA funding is about $137 million. They reported ABC serves about 23,000 children, SRA about 14,871, and the SRA wait list has grown to 2,971 children, with breakdowns by age provided during the meeting. They also said the current ABC per-child cost is about $5,105, compared with roughly $8,000 in K-12, and that a new market-rate/cost-of-care study is due because the last one was about three years ago. Members raised concerns about rural and urban access, provider deserts, school-based versus community-based slots, and whether the state should expand or rebalance funding to better support infant-toddler care and mixed delivery. Officials said they are working on identifying gaps, moving slots where possible, and using local leads and quality measures such as CLASS observations to improve kindergarten readiness. They also discussed the transition of federal pre-K funding ending at the end of June, with children either moving into ABC or requalifying for SRA, but without grandfathering beyond bypassing the wait list if already enrolled. A major topic was the impact of new co-pays and funding reductions on families and providers. Officials said the state had to make changes to preserve the programs, and that paying based on enrollment rather than allocated slots saved about $576,000. They also said eight providers cited funding as the reason for closing, while 26 new providers were added under the new rates. Members questioned dual enrollment in home visiting/HIPPY and ABC, and officials said about 1,200 children are dually enrolled, with a possible savings of about $2.4 million if that practice were limited, though members cautioned about unintended consequences for children with developmental needs. The meeting ended with agreement to continue regular updates and further work on simplifying and stabilizing the early childhood system.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the rates of service-based salary increases — those are the pay increases due to things like promotions
• So based on these take...
• None of the rates on the prior slides reflect any minimum rate levels.
• You know, minimum rate legislation is designed to create stability in the rates.
• The rates being prepared under employer contribution rate slide. Don Schwab, go ahead. I knew that.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This many will be successful given the past rates. You're just using it based on that, right?
• But if you look at their turnover rates, they're dealing with... with 30-plus percent turnover rates
• So based on.
• That was based upon the fact that we actually had increases in the GSA rate that occurred after the initial
• With a 90.7% success rate. completion rate.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• had anticipated based on originally had anticipated based on previous<00:20:51.760> Trends<00
• The disability waiver rate system is based on average costs, and the way the system works is if a provider
• rate add-on.
• parameters to make sure those rate parameters to make sure those rate exceptions<00:30:22.760>
• components that add into a rate.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This rate can't be tolerated. It keeps increasing as well.
• have a lower risk benefit from... affordable rates.
• less premium now are going to see rate increases, and that will essentially pay for the rate decreases
• that people with poor insurance-based credit experience.
• Accident rates and on premiums, Madam Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• If everybody else in the United States is going with claims-based and we're somehow forcing this occurrence-based
• So just to clarify, it is within the OSI's purview to switch from occurrence-based and maybe add claims-based
• So, I'm just going back to this differentiation between the claims-based and occurrence-based policies
• So, one thing I want to clarify: we're talking about this occurrence-based versus claims-based regulation
• I don't think they understand this difference between claims-based and occurrence-based coverage, because

Transcript Highlights:

• It's over on the left side, on the base of the mic over there.
• That's reflected in the clearance rates.
• Additionally, small claims statewide clearance rates are significantly higher.
• rate after the enactment of this law.
• rates that they were showing ahead of time.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That are actually rendered reflect what the rate is based on.
• And that if the service isn't within 90% of what the rate is based on, then the rate would be reduced
• Currently, rates are set based on hours entered into the rate framework.
• methodologies and recommend new rate methods for market-based rates.
• methodologies and recommend new rate methods for market-based rates.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all