Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, as we're in a budget session, to be making a lot of extra payments here, there, and everywhere before
• here<01:28:56.960> there<01:28:57.199> and<01:28:57.440> everywhere payments
• here there and everywhere payments here there and everywhere before<01:28:58.560> we<01:28:58.880
• And this was asking for payment for one more. We haven't gone beyond that three yet.
• And this was asking for payment for one more. We haven't gone beyond that three yet.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other aspect of this bill is related to prompt payment.
• And then Section 9 is the piece related to prompt payment.
• And a lot of times you don't see those things split out. I'm the developer.
• I'm not splitting out the infrastructure and say, oh, no, that's separate.
• The Advlorum taxes went on to the payments, and the payments were low.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• payments of these contracts? payments of these contracts?
• lags in payment before.
• <01:49:43.440> and<01:49:43.679> I non-payments and the late payments and I non-payments
• payment if it's not. payment if it's not.
• Um, we have met all the payments. I mean, the payments are on track.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate tourism briefing focused on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract oversight, destination management action plans (DMAPs), and the impact of recent legislation and audit findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson said she accepted the temporary role to help address agency challenges, emphasized rebuilding trust, and said HTA is reviewing the state auditor’s concerns and posting its response publicly. She also described HTA’s mission and organizational structure under SB 1571, including reporting lines to the governor, the director, and the board, and outlined staff additions in finance, brand marketing, destination stewardship, and planning. A major topic was the permanent CEO search. HTA board chair Tata Po said the goal is to select a CEO within about four months, with the search firm still engaged, the position description being revised to reflect the new law and compensation changes, and approvals still needed before the job can be reposted. Members expressed frustration that the recruitment had been paused and questioned whether HTA has sufficient qualified leadership and staff during the interim period. Board leadership said the current staff is limited by vacancies but that they have confidence in the team and will add resources if needed. Members also pressed HTA on the role of the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana contract, asking how staff oversight works and whether staff members were effectively wearing multiple hats. HTA explained that the stewardship team provides direction to contractors and that the work is divided among specialists overseeing projects such as tour guide certification, technical assistance, community tourism collaboratives, and a destination app. The committee also discussed whether the board can still vote on budgets under the new structure; the Attorney General’s office was cited as confirming that the board may advise, but the department director retains budget authority. HTA said it is working with CNHA and HVCB on contract and budget timing, with a goal of shifting to a calendar-year process so recipients know funding earlier.

Transcript Highlights:

• In talking to the agency, I know they are splitting that funding between FY26 and FY27.
• That was OSI splitting that out between different providers and providing, depending on the provider,
• It's through fiscal year 2027, and so it could just be because they might be splitting it up: half 26
• And is there a minimum of payment that will be made? Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We knew coming into this session with an evenly split house.
• Reliability and environmental responsibility, and that result was a requirement that Excel make annual payments

Transcript Highlights:

• Lines 2.4 to 2.16 guarantee the school district payments.
• Lines 2.22 to 2.27 fix payments to specific cities, and lines 2.28 to 3.12 have that trust fund backfill
• This just adjusts per-ton contributions, creates some targeted payments for specific districts, which
• Lines 13.26 to 13.29 establishes fixed payments to cities.
• the Georgia Peach and maybe the Split the Georgia Peach and maybe the Split Rock<00:57:52.720>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're going to borrow $10 million annually and then have the general fund make the payments on that
• uh make the payments on that. If Mr. uh make the payments on that. If Mr.
• Out of that, we were able to get 42 projects funded again, split evenly among all those categories, to
• /c><01:09:28.560> evenly<01:09:29.040> amongst<01:09:29.440> all funded again split
• evenly amongst all funded again split evenly amongst all those<01:09:29.920> categories<01:09

Bills: HF4736, HF4737, HF3806, HF3352, HF4840, HF3748

Keywords: emergency shelter, grant program, homelessness, capital investment, Minnesota Statutes, appropriation bonds, public funding, housing, infrastructure bonds, funding, appropriation, Minnesota constitutional amendment, public debt, state bonds, general obligation bonds, information technology, IT infrastructure, software licenses, technology modernization, capital improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe is a statutory interpretation error uh that was made by the Minnesota Supreme Court in a split
• Supreme<00:01:20.600> Court<00:01:20.840> in<00:01:21.000> a<00:01:21.159> split
• <00:01:21.439> 4 the Minnesota Supreme Court in a split 4 the Minnesota Supreme Court in a
• split 4 to3<00:01:22.119> decision<00:01:23.119> um<00:01:23.479> with<00:01:23.840
• <01:14:44.560> Systems<01:14:45.159> across wrecking ball to Payment Systems across

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So leveraging technology that we already have today through things like our ProviderOne, our payment
• So leveraging technology that we already have today through things like our provider one, our payment
• We are working with, And state-directed payment provisions that are in H.R. 1.
• And again, just acknowledging that we do have some kind of payment-related provisions in statute.
• As it sees reductions in payment from reductions in enrollment in the Medicaid space.

Summary: The committee met to hear introductory briefings from the Department of Health and the Health Care Authority on agency priorities, federal changes, and implementation challenges. Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham said his department’s listening tour is focused on strengthening governmental public health, improving health care quality and access, and responding to federal funding disruptions and the shutdown’s effects on programs such as WIC. HCA Director Ryan Moran said the agency is prioritizing coverage preservation, oversight of major contracts, affordability, behavioral health integration, rural health transformation, and internal agency operations. Members asked about licensure delays; Worsham said the backlog had been reduced from about four months to six weeks and should be caught up by January 1, with possible further process changes if needed. A major portion of the meeting focused on H.R. 1 and its Medicaid-related implementation. Governor’s health policy advisor Caitlin Stafford, HCA staff, and interim Medicaid Director Trinity Wilson said the state is working with DSHS, the Health Benefit Exchange, tribes, and other partners to prepare for eligibility changes, work requirements, and six-month redeterminations. They said the state expects up to 30,000 Apple Health enrollees could lose coverage under the law’s non-citizen eligibility changes, and that the work requirement/redetermination provisions could affect about 620,000 adults, with roughly 80,000 also enrolled in SNAP. HCA said it hopes to automate most verification, but about 15% to 20% of cases may require manual review, with technology costs estimated at up to $30 million. Staff also said they are trying to keep H.R. 1 implementation mostly in budget language rather than statute, and that communication and navigator support will be important to minimize confusion and coverage loss. The committee also received an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program created in H.R. 1. HCA said Washington submitted its application to CMS on November 5 after extensive stakeholder engagement, including more than 310 written comments, webinars, and tribal consultation. The application centers on six initiatives: rural hospital innovation, community care and prevention, tribal investments, technology and data, workforce development, and rural behavioral health. HCA said the state is likely to receive less than the full $200 million annual amount assumed in the federal program, and that an advisory committee may be created to help guide spending over the five-year program. Members asked about palliative care, small business impacts, and communication with enrollees; HCA said it expects to share outreach toolkits and that no 2026 statutory changes are currently anticipated, though that could change. The final panels covered organ donation and transplant services. Department of Health staff explained the 2023 “Lights and Sirens” law for organ transport vehicles, including licensing, driver qualifications, insurance requirements, and use of emergency lanes and traffic preemption; the department said one company is currently licensed and there have been no complaints. LifeCenter Northwest described the organ procurement process, the legal framework under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, and the rarity and complexity of deceased donation, noting Washington has seen strong growth in donation and transplants over the past decade. University of Washington Medical Center staff then outlined its transplant programs for kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, and multi-organ transplants, describing the multidisciplinary evaluation and waitlist process and the coordination required with donor organizations and hospitals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plus there's benefits: they get insurance through Mayo Clinic and Social Security payments, all that
• So to say technically what you're—I feel like you're trying to split Mayo from other nonprofits.
• c><00:18:06.799> Mayo<00:18:07.240> from<00:18:07.480> other you're trying to split
• Mayo from other you're trying to split Mayo from other nonprofits<00:18:08.960> it<00:18:09.080
• The witness said that grant administration also includes financial services staff processing payments

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• DCFS to see if there are any late child support payments.
• That does not have a civil liability for failing to make the payment.
• It's a court fee that is added on to the payments when they pay through the court.
• Arrears just means non-payment, right?
• So payments are consistent, measurable, and tied to real data.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance met on May 6, 2026, and first reported HB 1241 favorably. That bill, by Chairman Furman, requires insurers to check with DCFS before paying certain insurance settlements to determine whether the recipient owes delinquent child support, and to withhold and remit arrears if found. DCFS explained that Louisiana already has intercepts and other collection tools, but no current mechanism for insurance settlements. Senators raised concerns about notice to obligors and about liability if insurers fail to withhold, but the bill was advanced without objection. The committee then heard HB 870, which would require health insurers and PBMs to cover lower-cost generic or biosimilar drugs when available and to use utilization management no more restrictively on those drugs. Supporters said the bill would improve access and lower patient costs by using wholesale acquisition cost as the comparison point. Opponents, including Louisiana Blue and the AFL-CIO, argued that WAC ignores rebates and net cost, could force plans to cover higher-cost biosimilars first, and could increase premiums and disrupt ERISA and fully insured plan design. The committee adopted a technical amendment set and then a second amendment set that added notice and reporting requirements tied to net cost calculations, and HB 870 was reported favorably as amended. Several other bills were moved with little or no opposition. HB 1176, concerning Medicare Advantage coverage for integrative cancer treatments such as cold cap therapy, cryotherapy, and acupuncture, was amended to change the effective date and then reported favorably. HB 1196, dealing with colorectal cancer screening follow-up colonoscopies, was also amended and reported favorably. HB 1162, a consumer protection bill requiring DOI to verify that a contractor named on a first-party property damage check is licensed in Louisiana, was amended and reported favorably. HB 826, which modernizes insurance referral rules to allow referrals by email or website address, was reported favorably. The committee also heard HB 1151 on insurer investment limits and solvency protections, and HB 1236 on pharmacy reimbursement and copay maximizer programs; both drew substantial testimony and concern, especially over retroactivity, PBM cost allocation, and whether copay maximizers shift costs to patients, but the transcript cuts off before final action on HB 1236.

Transcript Highlights:

• The language left members of our committee questioning what incentive payments includes.
• um any of the you know split um any of the you know distribution<00:32:20.200> charges<00:32:
• in excess given the timing of payments in excess given the timing of payments over<00:37:12.160>
• Alternative compliance payments are the most expensive way to comply with the RPS program.
• <01:06:15.319> so mentioned here is incentive payments so mentioned here is incentive payments

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 224, which would redirect most money from New Hampshire’s renewable energy fund back to electric ratepayers. The bill sponsor argued the measure would lower energy costs, noting recent utility rate increases and estimating annual savings of roughly $2.5 million to $7.3 million for ratepayers. Supporters said the fund has accumulated money that should be returned to customers rather than used for subsidies, and they emphasized that the state has already rebated similar funds from RGGI for years. Opponents, including Rep. Kat McGee, argued the renewable energy fund is a successful, nonlapsing dedicated fund that supports local clean-energy projects, energy resilience, emissions reductions, and private investment. McGee said the fiscal note overstated the benefit of rebates and understated the loss of investment, claiming the average annual rebate would amount to less than $10 per customer while the program has helped leverage significant private dollars and nearly 10,000 projects. She urged the committee to reject the bill as a poor deal for the state and ratepayers. Committee members questioned the fiscal note, the size of the rebate, whether the bill would set a precedent for other dedicated funds, and whether the program’s incentives amount to picking winners and losers. The Department of Energy testified neutrally, explaining how the renewable energy fund works, including renewable energy credits, alternative compliance payments, and the fund’s use for renewable energy initiatives. No vote was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• developers to apply for concurrent review of projects that involve specific streamlined projects and lot splits
• Allowing concurrent review of parcel map splits and these housing projects can create efficiency in the
• Imagine paying your HOA dues on time, only to find out later your HOA quietly changed payment vendors
• , Dues on time, only to find out later your HOA quietly changed payment vendors, never properly notified

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer, pledge, and several procedural motions. Members approved a motion to re-refer AB 2690 and AB 1863 to Appropriations by roll call vote, 41-17. The body then adopted HR 92, recognizing Cinco de Mayo Week and launching the 2026 Latino Spirit Awards, with broad support from multiple caucuses. The resolution passed on a voice vote after 60 coauthors were added. The chamber then recognized the 2026 Latino Spirit Award honorees, including leaders in higher education, philanthropy, immigrant advocacy, health and science, advocacy, business, environmental justice, human rights, journalism, culinary arts, and music. After the ceremony, members resumed floor business and passed a series of bills, including AB 1657 on domestic violence restraining order procedures (64-0), AB 2042 on civil process and default judgments (66-0), AB 1660 on probate enforcement for public guardians (45-10), AB 1917 on reinstating dismissed criminal charges by motion (43-15), AB 2148 clarifying public school employees are human beings (69-0), AB 1647 protecting juvenile transfer-hearing statements (63-0), AB 1555 expanding community college access in Siskiyou County (66-0), AB 1608 on high-speed rail inspector general transparency and confidentiality rules (45-18), AB 1803 adding anti-hate speech training to workplace harassment prevention training (50-9), and AB 2128 protecting tenants in subsidized housing from certain work requirements and time limits (44-16). Several items were passed and retained or continued without debate. The Assembly also adopted ACR 159, declaring the importance of indigent defense and public defenders, with 59 coauthors added before a voice vote. Later, ACR 179 designated May 1 as Wildland Urban Interface Preparedness and Resilience Day and passed with 65 coauthors, and ACR 183 proclaimed Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, with members speaking about racial health disparities and the need for investment and accountability. Throughout the day, members also introduced guests from their districts and organizations, including public defenders, union leaders, agricultural advocates, students, and civic groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the methods the agency chose to utilize those funds for was to increase basically the payment
• they're entitled to $200, and we only confirmed them for $150, well then, $50 dollars, 25% of that payment
• The first is the state's share, the maintenance of effort payment, which is around $20 million.
• say that was federal funding that's no longer available because they shifted the burden of the 50/50 split
• And what happens if we're at 10.87% right now and we're perhaps at 7.89% payment error rate.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to split this up a little bit because Deputy Veble talks faster than I do, and we've got
• some uh programs we're going to split some uh programs we're going to split this<00:12:12.200>
• Our down payment assistance program is also a fairly or relatively new program as well.
• <00:21:41.679> assistance month our down payment assistance month our down payment assistance
• The first two rounds funded a little over $1 million in down payment assistance, and the third round

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you haven't really analyzed it with a $22 and a $5 million shortfall in the first year of payments
• have to pay for so if you're split have to pay for so if you're split benefit<00:59:06.480> your
• they must provide a memo of payment they must provide a memo of payment stating<04:00:27.640>
• How is the payment determined? What the level is?
• The question is whether the payment to an individual shall not exceed $125,000 and how the payment is

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2 provisions affecting the New Hampshire Retirement System, focusing on Group 2/Tier B retirement changes in pages 25 through 39 of the bill. NHRS Executive Director Jan Goodwin and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions and to HB 727, with the main difference being that the 2025 version does not include the earlier increase in the maximum benefit. They also said the fiscal note for HB 2 is based on earlier actuarial work and that an updated valuation was expected later in the week. A major topic was whether the bill accidentally removed an anti-spiking or special-duty compensation limit. NHRS said the omission appears to be a scrivener’s error caused by moving language between Group 1 and Group 2 definitions, and they planned to flag it in the fiscal note. Members also reviewed the bill’s intent to restore Tier B members to pre-2011 benefit rules, including changes to earnable compensation, average final compensation, and the comp-over-base rule. Some members questioned whether restoring those older rules was appropriate, arguing the 2011 changes were meant to curb pension spiking and that undoing them could be problematic. The committee also discussed the bill’s cost and funding assumptions. NHRS said the 2025 bill would reduce unfunded actuarial liability by about $98.2 million and would have a more favorable effect than the 2023 version, while employer contribution impacts would remain relatively small. Members noted the bill assumes annual appropriations of $27.5 million for 10 years, but House Bill 1 currently provides only $5 million in the first year, and NHRS had not yet analyzed the effect of that shortfall. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill’s language, intent, and fiscal impact.

Transcript Highlights:

• , that payment must go to the state and the state redistributes it?
• , that payment must go to the state and the state redistributes it?
• , that payment must go to the state and the state redistributes it?
• , that payment must go to the state and the state redistributes it?
• Where the system is set up so that every parent who's ordered to make a child support payment, that payment

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a Division 3 budget work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Economic Stability. Karen Hebert, the division director, and Nathan White, DHHS chief financial officer, walked members through the governor’s operating budget pages and a briefing book, explaining that the division was consolidated in 2018 and serves programs aimed at financial stability, poverty reduction, child care access, and related supports. Members repeatedly asked for clearer breakdowns of general fund spending, historical growth since consolidation, and how the division’s broad mission areas map onto specific budget lines. A major portion of the discussion centered on the Bureau of Child Development and Head Start collaboration and the child care subsidy program. Hebert said the child care scholarship/subsidy helps low- and moderate-income families access daycare so parents can work, attend school, or receive treatment, and that eligibility is based on state median income up to 85%. She reported a 45% increase in utilization, 4,032 children receiving daycare support as of the end of January, and about 15% of eligible children being served. She also described the quality improvement system “Granite Steps for Quality,” with 160 providers enrolled out of 717 licensed programs, and noted that 1,200 child care professionals added credentials in the last year. Members pressed for cost-benefit information, asking for data on how much the state pays, how many providers and children are served, and whether the department could quantify unmet need. The witnesses said some projects were funded with short-term ARPA child care dollars and that detailed cost data for specific examples, such as the Gorm Community Learning Center expansion, would need to be looked up. They also explained that the child care fund is a federal block grant with required spending set-asides of 9% for quality, 3% for infants and toddlers, and up to 5% for administration, and that unused funds remain available. The committee also reviewed slide 10’s accounting units, including that the Child Care Workforce Fund is 100% general funds and was created as a priority item under HB 2 from the 2024 session, while some other child care-related units are 100% federal funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's to the Teacher Loan Payment Fund.
• We got federal approval to do the first round of payments late last year.
• Payments late last year, so as long as things go alright, the first set of those payments will go up
• Yes, so we split it into different groups for better reporting purposes.
• Payments can be made on an ongoing basis, which is necessary for running a state.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm maybe splitting hairs here, and no, you just need to tweak it a little bit more for us to comprehend
• You're not going to tell the dealership, "I want to keep making a payment on my old loan to take care
• of my negative equity, and then I want to make my new car payment on the new loan."
• Payment on the new loan is absorbed.
• We split it into three phases. I've been here eight years, and we've done two of them.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So since the split with DCYF and the formation of that agency, our tort profile... ...split with DCYF
• The graphic shows that these are dates of payment between January 1, 2010, and March 13, 2025, so going
• happens today, they have to wait until the next legislative session for the legislature to authorize payment
• happens today, they have to wait to the next legislative session for the legislature to authorize payment

Summary: The committee held a work session on tort liability and parole, with the chair explaining that the topics were linked because criminal justice reform and state liability often intersect, especially in cases involving child welfare and corrections. Staff first outlined Washington’s tort liability framework, including the state’s broad waiver of sovereign immunity, statutes governing mandatory reporting and investigation of abuse, the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations, and the lack of caps on non-economic damages. Staff and presenters also compared Washington to other states and noted that Washington remains among the broadest states for state liability and childhood sexual abuse claims. Presenters from the Attorney General’s office, Washington State Association for Justice, DCYF, DSHS, and DOC discussed how tort exposure has grown, especially in claims involving DCYF, historical child abuse, juvenile rehabilitation, vulnerable adults, employment discrimination, medical negligence, and negligent supervision. DCYF and AG staff said claims and payouts are rising, with many claims tied to older abuse and new theories of liability, while defense counsel emphasized the human harm behind the claims and argued that tort cases have historically driven accountability and reform. Agency witnesses said they face large volumes of old claims with limited records, rising verdicts and settlements, and staffing and systems challenges, and they highlighted efforts such as early resolution programs, electronic health records, medication-assisted treatment, and improved incident review processes. The committee then shifted to parole. Sentencing experts reviewed Washington’s move from indeterminate sentencing to the current determinate sentencing system under the Sentencing Reform Act, and explained how parole could be integrated with sentencing guidelines through different models used in other states. They also summarized Criminal Sentencing Task Force recommendations related to a determinate-plus approach for three-strikes and persistent offender laws and a second-chance review process, noting there was no consensus on those ideas. Judges from the Minority and Justice Commission and the Superior Court Judges Association said a parole system could support rehabilitation and reduce disparities if it includes data collection, fairness, transparency, due process, and meaningful judicial review; they also pointed to research suggesting parole and structured reentry can reduce recidivism and costs, while warning that access and outcomes can vary by geography and other factors.