Transcript Highlights:

• management group that is creating rules for the cap management of the revenue share.
• landscape that we're in and then a cap landscape that we're in and then a cap Management<00:27:44.080
• management of the revenue for the cap management of the revenue share<00:27:48.279> the<00:27
• Uh, there is no cap, but this is going up if this passes this chamber and goes over the House.
• Uh, they could put a cap in over there if they chose to. Thank you all.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:01:04 Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:12 Senate Bill 3 (Sen. Wise): 00:05:28 Senate Bill 6 (Sen. Givens): 00:32:17 House Bill 241 (Rep. Truett): 00:52:18 Senate Bill 268 (Sen. Reed): 01:11:57 Adjournment: 01:24:48, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met and first handled introductions of guests and visitors from several school districts and education groups. The committee then took up Senate Bill 3, which relates to student athletes and includes an emergency clause. The bill sponsor and invited witnesses, including athletics directors from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, said the measure is intended to update Kentucky’s NIL laws in light of the House v. NCAA settlement and other national changes in college athletics. Supporters said SB 3 would let Kentucky universities directly compensate student athletes, help them secure third-party NIL deals, require reporting of deals over $600, and create guardrails and fair-market-value review to reduce pay-for-play concerns. They emphasized that the bill is meant to keep Kentucky institutions competitive, align with expected national standards, and prepare for changes expected around July 1, 2025. Witnesses also discussed the need for more uniform rules nationally, the role of the Power Four conferences in developing governance and clearinghouse systems, and the desire to preserve both athlete mobility and continuity in college sports. Several members raised concerns about the transfer portal, NIL incentives, and the broader effect on college athletics, with one senator saying NIL and the portal have damaged the sport but acknowledging Kentucky must compete. Witnesses responded that tighter portal windows and clearer national rules would help, while still preserving student-athlete transfer rights when needed. After discussion, the committee moved to a vote on SB 3; the roll call was taken, and the bill advanced out of committee, with at least one senator explaining a reluctant yes vote because of competitive pressures on the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• fees with tuition and fees being capped fees with tuition and fees being capped at<00:37:00.640>
• This would lower the cap from $19,000 roughly to $14,000 roughly.
• to lower the cap from $19,000 roughly to $14,000<01:10:09.920> roughly.
• In the past, it's kind of been the caps and caps.
• In the past, it's kind of been the caps and caps.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• local registration caps local registration caps um<00:07:53.200> to<00:07:53.320> ensure
• It does not expand the scope of cannabis activities or increase license caps.
• Does not expand the scope of cannabis activities or increase license caps.
• Clarifies the rounding up requirement for population-based caps.
• <00:58:52.520> on consistency around local caps on consistency around local caps on cannabis

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Take [clears throat] advantage of this low sum of district liability for cap cap. >> So that's how
• <01:11:29.199> cap.
• sum of district liability for cap cap. sum of district liability for cap cap.
• >> that's how much they pay in the cap >> that's how much they pay in the cap which<
• how much the districts paid for the cap how much the districts paid for the cap >> in<01:11

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its study of the cost of special education, with the chair emphasizing that the group needs to narrow its focus over the coming year toward specific cost drivers, including the IEP process, Medicaid, charter schools, and EFAs. Members reviewed a draft first report due November 1 and agreed it would be a brief synopsis of prior meetings, with minutes attached. The September 30, 2025 minutes were amended to correct the number of federally funded department staff from 234 to 23, and to revise language about Senator Sullivan’s comments so they reflected concerns about IEP advocates and fees charged to families rather than support for the concept. The amended minutes were then approved unanimously, with abstentions noted for members who were absent. The main presentation focused on how special education costs are handled for students attending charter schools. The DOE representative said there are 804 students with disabilities in charter schools across 88 of the state’s 176 districts, and that the district of residence remains responsible for all services and costs. She explained that students must meet IDEA criteria through district evaluation and parent consent, and that services are determined through individual IEP meetings rather than by a blanket charter-school decision. Members asked how those costs are tracked, whether any students are merely “monitored,” and whether districts separately identify charter-school special education expenses; the answer was that most districts fold those costs into their overall special education budget, though some may break them out as a line item. The discussion then turned to transportation and mileage costs for staff providing services at charter schools. Testimony indicated that districts may use their own staff, contract staff, or contract with a charter school for certified services, and that travel costs are often either built into contracts or absorbed as part of staff time rather than separately reimbursed. Members questioned whether mileage is reimbursed when staff travel to distant charter schools and whether those costs can be isolated in district budgets; the response was that practices vary by district and are not usually broken out by special education function. Several members argued this makes it difficult to determine the true cost of delivering special education, especially given New Hampshire’s model in which the district of residence pays regardless of where the charter school is located. The chair noted the complexity of the system and compared it to the state’s separate tuition and transportation approach for career and technical education centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• How about implementing a THC potency cap on concentrates, vapes, and flower?
• Some other states, such as Connecticut and Vermont, have THC potency caps.
• Both the American Medical Association and the Massachusetts Medical Society support THC potency caps
• And lastly, I think most importantly, has a bold caps: keep this product away from children.
• When I learned that Massachusetts has no cap on the potency of THC and concentrates, I literally was

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a hearing on a broad set of cannabis and hemp bills, with the chairs opening by emphasizing unfinished work on equity, public health, safety, and market stability. The committee heard testimony on House Bill 146, which would create more efficient cannabis testing standards by increasing batch sizes, reducing or eliminating some environmental testing, standardizing lab reporting, and requiring annual scientific review and public data reporting. Industry witnesses, including a representative of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, cultivators, and a testing lab owner, said current testing rules are overly burdensome, costly, and inconsistent, and argued the bill would lower compliance costs while preserving consumer safety. A testing lab witness also said some operators switch labs to obtain higher THC results or pass contaminated batches, and urged greater transparency and better sampling protocols. A major portion of the hearing focused on intoxicating hemp and related bills that would bring hemp-derived intoxicating products under a stronger regulatory framework. Legislators and industry witnesses described products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as often untested, not age-gated, and sometimes mislabeled or far above the federal hemp THC threshold. Testimony from attorneys and cannabis business leaders said states can regulate these products more strictly under the Farm Bill’s non-preemption language, and pointed to New Jersey and other states as possible models. Some witnesses and committee members stressed that any new rules should avoid harming non-intoxicating CBD businesses or lawful hemp farmers, while others argued that the products are effectively cannabis and should be regulated like cannabis for licensing, testing, age limits, and taxation. The committee also heard extensive public-health testimony in support of bills S. 95, S. 96, S. 97 and their House counterparts H. 191, H. 192, and H. 193. Parents, advocates, and public health professionals urged stronger warning labels, THC potency caps, and improved data collection on cannabis-related harms, citing cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and youth exposure to high-potency products. Several witnesses said Massachusetts has not done enough to track health outcomes or warn consumers, and referenced other jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado, Canada, and Quebec as examples of stronger limits or warnings. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• am here on behalf of Assemblywoman Johnson to present AB 2568, which addresses an outdated statutory cap
• was largely established in 1989, members of the governing boards of water districts are generally capped
• West Valley Water District frequently reached their compensation cap by the middle of the month.
• It addresses an outdated cap in the state statute that limits water board members to be compensated for
• to ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable water service, but they often push us beyond the 10-day cap

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• disappointed that I can't give you the exact date, but um that's when it started and it had a very low cap
• Um so then fast forward into the early 2010s, um they started pushing for higher caps.
• I think it was a very low cap on it.
• 01.680> got<00:05:02.000> up<00:05:02.160> to<00:05:02.320> the higher caps
• Um and that got up to the higher caps.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We took out the cap of $1,500 initially; that's gone simply because when you present your rate sheet
• c><00:15:40.160> initially<00:15:41.160> uh<00:15:41.440> the<00:15:41.680> cap
• <00:15:42.399> of<00:15:42.759> $1,500 out uh initially uh the cap of $1,500 out uh
• /c><00:15:56.279> out<00:15:57.120> also<00:15:57.720> uh was fair to take the cap
• out also uh was fair to take the cap out also uh bringing<00:15:58.240> to<00:15:58.440> the

Keywords: Roll Call 00:23 Roll Call Approval of Minutes 00:57 HB 664 Discussion 01:26 HB 664 Vote 08:25 HB 682 Discussion 10:46 HB 682 Vote 12:12 HB 493 Discussion 13:00 HB 493 Vote 20:20 HJR 5 Discussion 21:14 HJR 5 Vote 25:08 Kavis and Sherriff’s Inspection Discussion 27:40 Admin. Reg Consideration 35:40, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up several transportation-related measures. House Bill 664, concerning work zone safety, was amended by the committee to clarify that a peace officer may issue a citation based on images from an automated speed enforcement device. Representative John Blanton said the bill was prompted by the 2019 death of Jared Lee Helton in a work zone and is intended to slow drivers, protect workers, and improve safety. The bill would allow automated devices to transmit speed and rear license plate images to an officer, require active worker presence and warning signage with flashing lights, keep the $500 fine, and direct fines to the work zone safety fund. After questions about whether citations would be mailed and whether a worker must be present, the committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 664 favorably with expressions of opinion that it should pass. House Bill 682, sponsored by Representative Ken Upchurch, was also amended by a committee substitute and reported favorably. The bill gives cable operators and broadband providers the same reimbursement treatment as other public utilities when their facilities must be relocated for construction projects. House Bill 493, sponsored by Representative Steve Pollock, was taken up next and, after a committee substitute was adopted, was reported favorably. Pollock described the bill as a transparency measure for towing and storage, creating a certification process through the Transportation Cabinet, requiring public rate sheets, and setting rates to be reasonable and customary in Kentucky. The substitute removed an initial $1,500 cap, extended notice timing to up to five days in some cases, and clarified fees related to investigations and fatalities. Senators asked about regional differences in towing rates, and Pollock said the cabinet would consider different situations and that posted rates would govern. House Joint Resolution 5, designating honorary road and bridge names, was amended by both a committee substitute and committee amendment and then reported favorably. Representative Josh Branscum said the resolution honors various Kentuckians and is especially in memory of Russell County Deputy Joshua Fipps, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2024. The committee approved the resolution and a title amendment. Later in the meeting, Senator Armstrong asked to be recorded as voting aye on HB 664, HB 682, and HB 493. The committee also received an update from Transportation Cabinet IT Director Heather Stout on the CAVIS system, including improved performance, upcoming integration with KY ELT, centralized lien management, online boat renewals, permanent fleet plates, rolling replating changes, temporary tag printing, insurance modernization, and an electronic sheriff’s inspection system expected to reduce fraud and streamline transfers. No vote was taken on the CAVIS update, and the committee also began consideration of a referred administrative regulation on hazardous materials endorsement requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, actually not one is to, I guess, repeal the limit, the cap on fees, and the other would be a more
• guess uh take repeal the limit the cap guess uh take repeal the limit the cap on<00:25:53.919>
• We’re also concerned about removing the cap on fees and costs, because what this tells us is that it’
• <00:31:09.360> about<00:31:09.960> removing<00:31:10.440> the<00:31:10.600> cap
• about removing the cap on fees and<00:31:12.039> costs<00:31:13.039> uh<00:31:13.440><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology heard testimony on several measures. Senate Bill 327, relating to internships, drew broad support from the Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Hawaiʻi, DBEDT, P20, HFIA, Hawaiʻi Electric, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and the Chamber of Commerce, with suggested amendments to clarify the internship purpose, limit some responsibilities to the state executive branch, and address staffing and reporting details. The committee later recommended passing SB 327 with amendments, including changes to the internship language, private-sector references, work-hour limits, reporting requirements, and a deferred effective date for further discussion. Senate Bill 716, relating to the Hawaii Employment Security Law, received support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations as a step toward modernizing unemployment insurance, and the committee recommended passage with housekeeping and technical amendments. Senate Bill 717, relating to collective bargaining, would allow certain exempt employees to grieve suspensions or discharges. The City and County of Honolulu and the Department of Human Resources Development said the issue should remain a collective bargaining matter, while HGEA and United Public Workers supported the bill. DHRD opposed changing the statute and pointed to existing internal complaint procedures. The committee nevertheless recommended passing SB 717 with amendments and deferred the date for further discussion. Senate Bill 742, relating to data sharing, would create a data sharing and governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and include appropriations. OETS, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi, DOE, Hawaiʻi Kids Can, Hawaiʻi P-20, and others supported the measure, with OETS estimating a total cost of about $2.64 million, including software, consulting, and six FTE. The committee recommended passage with amendments and a deferred effective date, and noted the budget request in the committee report. The final measure, Senate Bill 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, would shift the program from opt-in to opt-out and appropriate startup funds; former Senator Brian Taniguchi and AARP supported it, while Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi and the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi opposed it over costs and burdens on small businesses and concerns about adding mandates before the program is implemented. The committee recessed briefly on a proposed AARP amendment, then returned and indicated support for the opt-out language before taking the bill up for decision-making.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the bill expands protections for consumers who purchase cars by increasing the warranty cap .
• ..increasing the warranty cap from 125,000 miles to 200,000 miles.
• Expanding the warranty cap provides needed protection for these high-mileage cars.
• First, with respect to increasing the mileage caps on statutory warranties for used vehicle sales, our
• Increasing the mileage cap would have provided these consumers with protections.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard testimony on a wide range of bills involving consumer protection, auto regulation, alcohol licenses, and professional licensure. A major focus was legislation to require a one-hour domestic violence awareness training for salon and cosmetology licensees (H.323/S.200), supported by District Attorney Marion Ryan, law enforcement, and a salon industry witness who described the program’s value in identifying and helping victims. The committee also heard strong support from the Attorney General’s office for auto consumer protection legislation (S.228/H.379) that would expand used-car warranty protections, extend the Lemon Law return period to seven days after receipt of the vehicle, raise the mileage cap to 200,000 miles, and increase dealer surety bonds to $50,000. Independent dealers opposed those changes, arguing they would burden small businesses and that dealer education, not expanded liability, was the better solution. The committee also took testimony on bills related to vehicle financial products and repair information. A trade association supported GAP waiver legislation (H.4188/S.281), saying it would create clear consumer protections and standard disclosures. On right-to-repair and heavy-duty vehicle service information (S.266), engine and truck manufacturers supported an exemption for commercial vehicles, while others argued that releasing service data to the general public could create safety, cybersecurity, and emissions risks. The committee then heard extensive testimony on auto dealer franchise and warranty reimbursement legislation (S.201/H.406), with dealer groups supporting changes to warranty labor reimbursement and manufacturer groups opposing them as costly and unnecessary. Manufacturers from GM, Volvo, Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, and others said their current time-study and appeals processes already compensate dealers fairly and that the bill would raise costs for consumers. In addition, the committee heard testimony on H.333, which would move auto damage appraiser licensing from the Division of Insurance to the Division of Occupational Licensure. Collision repair advocates supported the change, saying the current board structure leads to repeated dismissals of complaints and lacks accountability, while emphasizing that the bill is intended to protect consumers and ensure proper repair reimbursement. The hearing also included testimony in support of a local alcohol license petition for Westwood and a separate local alcohol measure for a town grant license. At the end of the hearing, the chairs announced that all docketed bills had been heard, noted that a joint poll would be held on H.4184, and the committee voted to adjourn by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• a removal of the long title for halfway program removal regarding the spending policies and the FMR cap
• policies<00:10:37.160> and<00:10:37.320> the<00:10:37.440> FMR<00:10:37.960> cap
• , the spending policies and the FMR cap, the spending policies and the FMR cap, which<00:10:38.520
• the PMTF spending policy, the common school permanent land fund spending policy, the FMR secondary cap
• The PMTF spending policy, the common school permanent land fund spending policy, the FMR secondary cap

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first addressed an unintended consequence in the Joint Conference Committee report involving dual and concurrent enrollment funding. Staff explained that a dollar-for-dollar reduction tied to Senate File 81 would have fully funded public school dual/concurrent enrollment while leaving no funds for non-public school students. Senator Salazar moved to strike that provision, the motion was seconded, and it carried. Budget and Fiscal Administrator Don Richards then walked through the conference committee report and the major adopted amendments. He reviewed Senate and House amendments affecting items such as sign language interpreters, rural veterinary education, predator management authorization, petroglyphs and pictographs, senior services, community college funding, school district entitlement payments, the School Foundation Program reserve transfer, a tourism-related rodeo museum change, archaeological work on human remains, a jet airplane reduction, abortion-related language, livestock ear tags, provider rates for developmental disabilities, student-athlete endorsement restrictions, a forensic audit for the Wyoming Business Council, and the Yellowstone tree inscription. He also described several deleted sections and policy changes, including removal of spending-policy provisions, flex authority language, and other budget sections. Richards further summarized new or revised appropriations and conditions, including funding for local cybersecurity, stormwater fees, the Wyoming Natural Resource Trust Fund, lab services, IT modernization, Wyoming Public Television, matching funds, cloud services, and restored governor FTE requests. He noted a compromise on the outdoor trails matching program, a conditional $10 million University of Wyoming operational review appropriation tied to future cost savings, and a stablecoin appropriation. He also explained that the report retained the base-bill reversion language, discussed the remaining general fund balance and statutory reserve, and said the committee would circulate the amendment and signatures for floor action later that day. The meeting then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you feel like the cap... ...that we're talking about and how it affects non-power five universities
• Is it fair that the cap works as it's intended? Yeah, it's just that it's a cap.
• With the cap itself... Of the $20.5 million cap for all universities, regardless of... Affiliation.
• The non-power five universities, they can make strategic investments below the cap that can still yield

Bills: HB322, HB126, HB3062, HB1481, HB2310, HB2674, HB121, HB2243, HB3627, HB1178, HB367, HB5515, HB126, HB121

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, higher education, mental health resources, substance abuse education, student policy, communication devices, school regulations, disciplinary measures

Transcript Highlights:

• There needs to be a uniform action by Congress if there is to be a cap or a decision on whether or not
• there should be a cap; it really needs to come from the federal government.
• In the European Union, they have imposed caps on the interchange fees that can be set by these networks
• So, the UK and Australia have capped interchange fees.
• In Australia, the federal government conducted a study once they capped interchange fees, and not only

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That have that cap are those who have already had a program prior to 1996, when the cap was put in.
• There is great opportunity for hospitals that don't have a cap, and most of the rural hospitals and most
• Cap.
• There used to be a misperception that the federal government sets the cap.
• It's only a funding cap from CMS, so any other funding...

Bills: HB42, HB 125, HB 1233, HB2853, HB3148, HB3326, HB3701, HB4066, HB4361, HB4762, HB4909, HB4912, HB42, HB125

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Transcript Highlights:

• , or this $5 million cap, every year.
• , or this $5 million cap, every year.
• We urge the Legislature to adopt progressive revenue solutions such as the Governor's cap corporate tax
• To adopt progressive revenue solutions such as the Governor's cap corporate tax credit proposal, the
• We have a cap of 250,000 per the statute.

Summary: The committee opened with the State Controller’s Office May Revision requests, including funding for Fiscal book-of-record stabilization, a Broadcom IDMS licensing adjustment, the California State Payroll System, ACFR reporting automation, and $3 million for unclaimed property outreach. Testimony emphasized progress on Fiscal becoming the state’s accounting book of record in July, faster ACFR publication, and the move to electronic unclaimed property claims. Members asked about the size of the unclaimed property fund and how quickly money is transferred to the General Fund; the Controller’s office said about $15 billion is held, with most excess transferred regularly, and the LAO noted the fund is the General Fund’s fourth-largest revenue source. No concerns were raised by Finance or the LAO, and the item was closed after no public comment. The committee then heard the administration’s proposal to tax prewritten digital software and software-as-a-service, with Finance saying it would modernize sales tax treatment and raise an estimated $450 million General Fund and $560 million local revenue in 2026-27. The LAO supported modernizing the tax but suggested broader digital goods coverage and a business-use exemption; industry and taxpayer groups opposed the proposal, warning of higher costs for consumers and businesses. Members also heard CDTFA’s administrative request tied to the proposal, plus a separate CDTFA budget reduction reflecting lower operational needs; that reduction was presented as a savings item and drew positive reactions. Next, the committee considered federal conformity for “Trump accounts,” which would align California tax treatment with federal rules for tax-deferred children’s accounts and avoid tracking burdens for families. The LAO recommended approval, and the item drew no opposition. The committee also heard a proposal to cut the first-year $800 annual business tax to $400 for LLCs, LPs, and LLPs; Finance argued it would lower startup costs and encourage new business formation, while the LAO said the benefit was not well targeted and could subsidize entities that would form anyway. Members discussed the policy tradeoff, and public commenters split between support for small business relief and concern about revenue loss. The final major revenue item was a permanent business tax credit limitation, capping credits at the greater of $5 million per corporation or 50% of pre-credit liability, while excluding the low-income housing tax credit and personal income tax credits. Finance said it would raise significant revenue from large profitable corporations, and the LAO said it was a reasonable option but noted it would mainly affect the R&D credit and could have future implications for programs like California Competes. Public testimony was sharply divided, with business groups opposing the cap and anti-poverty advocates supporting it as a way to recapture revenue. The committee also heard FTB’s CalFile realignment request, which would return most of the direct-file-related resources to the General Fund while retaining a smaller staff to improve CalFile, and the California Arts Council’s request to reauthorize the Keep Arts in Schools voluntary contribution fund, which members and advocates supported despite relatively modest annual donations. The hearing continued with GoBiz proposals on civic media funding, CA RISE reappropriation, and a semiconductor facility reversion, with the LAO supporting the latter two and members raising questions about the civic media program’s scope, outreach, and inclusion of broadcast and ethnic media.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, there is a cap.
• And the rest is capped at $225.
• are there caps on it? are there caps on it?
• Yeah, there is a cap. So, we >> Fees. Yeah, there is a cap.
• So, the most you rest is capped at $225.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:35 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:55 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:56 Deferred Compensation Authority Update: 00:03:12 Retiree Health Update - TRS: 00:15:58 Retiree Health Update - KPPA: 00:56:13 Adjournment: 01:08:10, 958, all

Summary: The Public Pension Oversight Board met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and heard updates from the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority and the Teachers Retirement System. The deferred compensation update highlighted continued growth in assets to about $4.787 billion and roughly 88,000 participants, strong retention from auto-enrollment, a marketing campaign tied to pay raises that generated additional participation, and a new self-directed brokerage account expected to launch July 1 of the coming year for participants with at least a $40,000 balance, allowing up to 25% of their account to be moved into the brokerage window. The director also described the free financial planning service, which has been used by about 3,500 participants with a high return rate, and said the plan is currently in a fee holiday; if fees are charged, they are capped at $237 per year for most participants. Members asked questions about who provides the CFP service, the fee structure, and the brokerage eligibility threshold. The director said the CFP service is provided through the authority’s service bundle with Nationwide, not as a separate paid service, and explained that the fee cap and current fee holiday are intended to keep the program low-cost. Board members praised the deferred compensation program’s performance and asked for a copy of the legislation referenced in the presentation. TRS then presented on retired teachers’ health insurance. Barnes first clarified how declining federal contributions for federally funded school positions affect the retirement annuity trust, explaining that if those federal dollars fall, the amounts would need to be covered through the SEEK formula and that the projection for those contributions is about $80 million over the next three years. He then reviewed TRS retiree health coverage, distinguishing between KEHP for retirees under 65 or not Medicare-eligible and MEHP for Medicare-eligible retirees, and explained that TRS recently completed RFPs for both prescription drug and medical coverage. TRS will keep Express Scripts for prescription drugs, but will move the Medicare Advantage medical plan from UnitedHealthcare to Humana on January 1, 2026, while keeping the plan design, provider access, and out-of-pocket structure largely unchanged, with a new hearing-aid benefit of $500 per ear. Barnes also reported the 2026 premium and contribution changes: the maximum TRS contribution toward KEHP will rise to $1,144.96 from $930.76, an 18% increase that he said will require roughly $15 million to $16 million more in the state budget, while the MEHP premium will drop to $200 per month from $210. He said the TRS board has statutory authority to set these amounts and that the changes will have mixed actuarial effects, with the KEHP increase being negative overall and the MEHP decrease positive.

Transcript Highlights:

• California has a cap.
• California has a cap.
• California has a cap.
• California has a cap.
• California has a cap.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard testimony on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and Minnesota’s efforts to build a SAF industry. Andrea Veble of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture said the Walz administration strongly supports SAF because it could benefit agriculture, forestry, clean energy, and rural economies. She highlighted the 2023 state SAF tax credit and sales tax exemption for facility construction, describing the credit as a nation-leading incentive designed to stack with federal IRA credits and attract producers and blenders to Minnesota. Jeff Davidman of Delta Airlines said aviation is difficult to decarbonize and that SAF is the airline industry’s best available tool to reach net-zero goals by 2050. He explained that SAF is a certified drop-in fuel that can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used in existing aircraft and infrastructure, and he cited growing global demand and limited supply. He said Minnesota has many potential feedstocks, including used cooking oil, corn, soybeans, and camelina, and praised the state’s SAF tax credit and the Minnesota SAF Hub as important steps toward making Minnesota a leader in the sector. Peter Fros of Greater MSP described the Minnesota SAF Hub as a public-private partnership aimed at building an industrial-scale SAF value chain in Minnesota. He said the state has key advantages, including airport demand, corporate partners, research institutions, and agricultural inputs, and estimated that three SAF biorefineries could create tens of thousands of jobs and significant emissions reductions. He also said the Hub is working on blending infrastructure, private demand commitments, a winter camelina expansion study, and efforts to secure additional refineries before 2030. Members raised questions about how sustainability is measured, and Fros said the Hub relies on the federal GREET model but wants a clearer, transparent, and standardized national method that also accounts for issues like water quality and biodiversity. Amanda Bellik of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association said corn-based ethanol is a strong fit for SAF production through the alcohol-to-jet pathway because it is abundant, affordable, and supported by existing infrastructure. She said SAF development could create a new value-added market for corn without requiring new acres, but emphasized the need for significant capital investment, stable tax policy, and efficient permitting. She also said the group has worked with a consultant on third-party sustainability assessments of corn production practices to help fill data gaps and support the carbon-intensity requirements tied to SAF incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill would adjust the loan cap amounts from 50,000 to 75,000 for no match and 150,000 to 200,000
• The bill would adjust the loan cap amounts from 50,000 to 75,000 for no match and 150,000 to 200,000
• The bill would adjust the loan cap amounts from 50,000 to 75,000 for no match and 150,000 to 200,000
• First, we are seeking to cap the loan amounts and a reduction in the match for the higher loans.
• Is the $21 the starting wage, and is there a cap at $24?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But also, you kind of added something here that says they can't disclose the cost of things like the cap-and-tax
• They can't disclose the cost of things like the cap-and-tax program in New York State that's going to
• actually asked them if we can increase their dollars higher than they've asked, and they've given us a cap
• actually asked them if we can increase their dollars higher than they've asked, and they've given us a cap

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Agriculture Committee met for its first 2026 meeting and took up a full agenda of bills focused on food safety, agricultural programs, consumer transparency, and farm-related policy. Early measures included S.592 on a youth and agriculture entrepreneurship summer employment program, which was reported to finance without opposition, and S.1239E, the Food Safety and Technical Disclosure Act, which would require disclosure of certain food ingredients to the state and public and also ban three substances outright. Senator Kavanaugh described the bill as closing a loophole in federal food safety law; Senator Borrello opposed it as a state-by-state approach that could raise costs and disrupt the supply chain, while Senator O’Rourke supported it as a science-based measure with available substitutes. The bill was reported back to the board with one no vote and one without recommendation. The committee also advanced S.1783A on liquefied petroleum/propane fee disclosures, with supporters saying it would prevent consumers from being charged for improper or hidden fees and opponents arguing it should not single out state-related charges; the bill moved to the board. S.4041, creating a sanitary retail food store grant program, was reported to finance. S.4162, relating to the Fresh Connect program and local produce purchases, prompted discussion about whether state resources should instead be concentrated on the Double Up Food Bucks program; sponsors said both programs are needed and that Double Up has capacity limits, and the bill was moved to finance. Later, the committee advanced S.6286A, establishing an agricultural tax viability pilot program tied to agrivoltaics; supporters said it would address a need raised in recent hearings and work with farm groups, while Senator Borrello voted no. The final bill, S.7618 on food safety and quality date label requirements, drew debate over whether New York should act without a federal standard and whether the bill could create confusion or unintended costs, especially for dairy and other perishables. Supporters said the bill would reduce food waste and simplify the many existing date labels without forcing new labeling on those who do not already use it; members also discussed refrigeration references in the bill, and the sponsor said the language could be adjusted. The committee then adjourned and announced that future meetings will be held on the third floor in the new location.

Transcript Highlights:

• that out lightly, but we would have a long way to go before we would ever come close to hitting that cap
• And the reason that we put that cap, I should point out for The non-attorneys in the room, whenever you
• these contracts are written in a Way that gives us some protection that we've got a million dollar cap
• But I didn't want to know how much of this has been applied to the $1 million cap or are we starting

Keywords: 914, all