Video & Transcript : 'surplus hardware' :
Page 58 of 168
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
October 8, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- WELL, WE'VE EMBARKED ON LOOKING AT PROJECTING HOW MUCH OF A SURPLUS DO WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT
- THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT OKAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN WE SERVE USING THAT SURPLUS RECURRING MONEY.
- GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE WHERE IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING HAVE MONEY REMAINING, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SURPLUS
- YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN A DEFICIT WITH A SURPLUS, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU USE THAT MONEY TO PROVIDE THE
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee (09/29/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- LRCP25-042 from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development, two memorandums regarding surplus
- Development. two Resources and Development. two memorandums<00:26:40.559><c> regarding</c><00:26:41.120><c> surplus
- </c><00:26:41.600><c> land</c> memorandums regarding surplus land memorandums regarding surplus land
Summary:
The Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee met and first approved the June 30, 2025 meeting minutes. The committee then took up a series of Department of Transportation property actions, including authorization to grant an access point in Exeter, sell two small tracts in Keene, amend a prior Guilford disposal based on a revised survey and appraisal, sell 0.42 acres in Lincoln, list and sell 9.77 acres in Chesterfield, sell 0.54 acres in Fremont, and approve a permanent access easement in Belmont. The committee also approved a utility easement in Albany and a permanent access easement on Route 153 for the Bickfords. Most of these items involved direct sales or listings, administrative fees of $1,100, and conditions requiring surveys and local/state approvals; several were approved unanimously after brief or no questions.
Representative Faulkner declared a conflict of interest on the Chesterfield item, and Representative Newman sat in for that matter; later, Faulkner was recused from the Belmont item as well. The committee also approved a Department of Administrative Services request to grant a perpetual utility line easement to Public Service Company of New Hampshire for a facility under construction at the Hampstead hospital property, with the administrative fee waived because the grant was in exchange for utility service. During discussion of informational item LRCP25-038, staff explained that no committee action was needed because the item was only to notify members that a parcel’s fair market value had been reduced due to a change in access.
The committee received additional informational materials from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development, including minutes from its May 8 meeting and memorandums on surplus land review for Meredith and Hampstead. The next meeting was set for December 9 at 9:30 a.m. at Granite Place, Room 228, and the chair noted the meeting would be on a Tuesday because of building scheduling. The committee then adjourned.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Republican Press Conference 2/26/25
Transcript Highlights:
- I think expensive is a little bit subjective, seeing as we had a $185 billion surplus.
- had<00:08:58.399><c> an</c><00:08:58.440><c> $185</c><00:08:59.079><c> billion</c><00:08:59.640><c> Surplus
- c><00:09:00.120><c> we</c><00:09:00.240><c> had</c><00:09:00.360><c> that</c> had an $185 billion Surplus
- we had that had an $185 billion Surplus we had that 10<00:09:00.760><c> a.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Feb 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- In the purple line, you can see what was called at the time the year-end enacted surplus or deficit,
- The name of the new account is the Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account—long name.
- s pointing out the obscene surplus that led to, that was a significant contributor to Prop. 13.
- It's a surplus holding account.
- We have a separate issue of what to do with revenue surges to the surplus holding account.
Summary:
The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee held an informational hearing on California’s Budget Stabilization Account, or Rainy Day Fund, with opening remarks focused on the state’s long history of revenue volatility and the role reserves play in smoothing downturns. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained that California’s personal income tax base is highly volatile because high-income earners’ income is tied to capital gains and other fluctuating sources, and that Proposition 2’s current reserve rules set aside 1.5% of General Fund revenues plus a share of excess capital gains, but cap constitutional deposits at 10% of General Fund taxes. The LAO said its analysis evaluates reserve policy over decades and found the current system would cover about 30% of funding shortfalls in a 90th-percentile downturn scenario over 50 years, which is an improvement over no reserve but still inadequate.
The LAO recommended raising the reserve cap substantially, ultimately to 50% by 2055, with an immediate increase to 20% and gradual increases thereafter. It also suggested either replacing Proposition 2’s deposit formulas with broader rules that capture volatility across all tax revenues or, alternatively, depositing all excess capital gains rather than only a share. The Department of Finance said the Governor’s prior proposal similarly sought to raise the cap from 10% to 20% and exclude reserve deposits and withdrawals from the state appropriations limit, arguing those two constraints limited the state’s ability to save during recent revenue surges.
Other panelists and members discussed whether reserves should be paired with broader structural changes, including unemployment insurance reform, safety-net funding, infrastructure reserves, and the projected surplus temporary holding account. The California Budget and Policy Center supported reserve reform but emphasized balancing savings with current needs and noted other tools such as revenue increases, borrowing from special funds, and the new surplus-holding account. Members debated the causes and effects of Proposition 13, the appropriations limit, business departures, and whether reserve policy should be more directly tied to protecting Californians’ access to health care, food assistance, child care, and other core services. No votes or formal actions were taken, as the hearing was informational only.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Feb 18th, 2026
Budget and Fiscal Review
Transcript Highlights:
- In the purple line, you can see what was called at the time the year-end enacted surplus or deficit,
- The name of the new account is the Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account—long name.
- s pointing out the obscene surplus that led to, that was a significant contributor to Prop 13.
- It's a surplus holding account.
- We have a separate issue of what to do with revenue surges to the surplus holding account.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The surplus. For many, this sounds like the solution to our budget problems.
- The surplus was, and never is, a pile of money that we can just take from until it's depleted.
- Much of our surplus was spent last session, or the session before, when we made budget promises to the
- Another part of that $24 billion surplus balance included $6.6 billion in federal COVID relief dollars
- This funds, instead of returning the $24 billion surplus to the overtaxed, hard-working men and women
Bills:
SB1637, SB1, HB300, SB2601, SB37, HB2011, HB3595, HB3071, SB12, HB3372, SB457, HB2067, SB2337, SB447, SB1506, SB1566, SB763, HB3556, SB13, SB2018, SB331, SB379, HB145, SB441, SB2878, HB2885, HB2017, HB5246, SB8, SB2308, SB1540, HB 119, SB1405, SB3059, SB15, SB568
Keywords:
SB 1637, deadly conduct, Texas Penal Code, Section 22.05, firearm, gun, pointing a gun, recklessness presumption, peace officer, law enforcement, police, officer-involved shooting, use of force, justification, self-defense, defense of others, Chapter 9, criminal prosecution, Penal Code amendment, appropriations
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Actuatorily defines that the county road maintenance should be done, and the surplus funds dispersed
- My primary focus is on the distribution of the surplus funds.
- surplus funds, it's not being done according to the amount of county roads.
- The surplus of the surplus funds—that's what the bill is really about.
- Don't you believe they should be equally dispersed, the surplus?
Keywords:
commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- of you are very familiar with, but it's going to go retroactive so that we can utilize some of the surplus
- In fact, we're operating with a surplus right now, and what this is projected to do is absorb some of
- that surplus that we're operating with.
Summary:
The Senate Revenue and Tax Committee met to consider Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Jonathan Dismang, which continues the state’s long-running effort to reduce Arkansas income tax rates. Dismang said the bill would lower the personal income tax rate retroactive to January 1, 2026 and delay the corporate income tax change until the following January, bringing the rate down from 7% to 3.7%. He also said the bill would use existing surplus funds and estimated that a person making $65,000 would see their effective tax burden reduced by about 45% compared with earlier rates.
The committee heard several witnesses in opposition, including a United Methodist pastor/social worker, a parent describing her son’s disability and need for supported living services, representatives from Arkansas Appleseed and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and a Marshallese community advocate. They argued that Arkansas should preserve revenue for public schools, health care, food assistance, housing, rural hospitals, early childhood education, and disability services, and said the tax cuts would disproportionately benefit higher-income taxpayers while providing little relief to working families. Several speakers cited low state spending relative to national averages and warned that further cuts would worsen existing service gaps.
In closing, Dismang and other supporters said the state can be both compassionate and competitive, that no essential services would be cut by the bill, and that Arkansas has continued to grow revenue despite prior tax reductions. Members emphasized balancing service funding with economic competitiveness and noted the legislature’s focus on lower-income tax brackets in earlier reforms. The committee then voted to do pass SB1, and the bill was approved.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- of you are very familiar with, but it's going to go retroactive so that we can utilize some of the surplus
- In fact, we're operating with a surplus right now, and what this is projected to do is absorb some of
- that surplus that we're operating with.
Summary:
The Senate Revenue and Tax Committee considered Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Jonathan Dismang, which would continue Arkansas’s phased income tax reductions, lowering the personal income tax rate to 3.7% and delaying the corporate income tax change until the following January. Dismang said the bill was part of a long-running effort begun in 2013 to reduce rates using conservative budgeting and surplus revenue, and he estimated the change would reduce the effective tax burden for a person making $65,000 by about 45%. Committee members supporting the bill emphasized that the measure would not cut state services and argued Arkansas should balance competitiveness with funding essential programs.
Several speakers opposed the bill, including a clergy member/social worker, a parent advocating for disability services, representatives from Arkansas Appleseed and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and a community advocate from the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese. They argued the state should preserve revenue for public schools, health care, housing, food assistance, early childhood education, and supported living services, citing underfunded schools, a waitlist for pre-K, hospital and child care pressures, and the needs of low-income and vulnerable residents. Some speakers said the tax cuts would disproportionately benefit higher-income taxpayers while providing little relief to working families.
In closing, Dismang said Arkansas could be both compassionate and competitive and that no essential services would be cut because the state is operating with a surplus. After discussion, Senator Dismang moved do pass, Senator Petty seconded, and the committee approved SB 1 by voice vote. The committee then adjourned.
AR
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Ways and Means (05/20/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- So you added the full surplus statement.
- Will the VT then be in the surplus statement?
- So that's um in the surplus statement?
- But when we do a surplus is right now.
- 04:02:17.120><c> too,</c> within the surplus statement too, within the surplus statement too, there'll
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 110, as amended by the Senate, which would establish fees for alteration-of-terrain applications and direct the Department of Environmental Services to adopt rules for a permit-by-notification process for certain projects. Trisha Milo introduced the bill for Senator Lang and noted that the department had worked on the amended language. Matt Mayberry of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association said the industry strongly supported the bill, describing it as a public-private partnership that would speed review for developers without affecting local control, with builders paying the costs rather than taxpayers.
Members focused heavily on how the bill’s fee structure and permit thresholds would work, especially for projects near shoreland, wetlands, and protected water bodies. Representative Opel raised concerns about whether the bill reduced review of habitat and shoreland impacts or shifted costs unfairly; Philip Trobridge of DES explained that the bill does not eliminate those reviews and that shoreland projects still receive greater scrutiny. He said the bill creates different tiers, with the permit-by-notification process applying to certain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet that are not in protected shoreland, while larger or shoreland-affected projects remain under the standard review process. He also said the proposed fees were based on sustaining the program, covering added habitat and species review responsibilities, and keeping reviews efficient.
Trobridge said the new fee structure would generate about $1.2 million in additional revenue and help fund additional staff and related program costs. He stated that the department had worked with the regulated community and believed the fees were fair and reasonable, though he acknowledged the bill’s wording was confusing and that the threshold could be revisited later if the new process works well. Members also discussed how the state process interacts with local approvals, and Trobridge said both state and local approvals are required before a project can begin. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- It repeals the section that deals with the disposal of surplus state administrative property and returns
- the funds only—so let me even back up a step further—so long as the property has not been declared surplus
- And so long as the property has not been declared surplus, the funds related to any disposal of the building
Summary:
The House State Affairs Committee approved the minutes from March 13, 2026, then heard several bills related to elections, procurement, state property disposal, insurance claims, and transparency. House Bill 873, a cleanup elections bill, would align soil and water conservation district supervisor elections with other local offices, restore mail-ballot timing to 45 days, and standardize canvassing deadlines; it was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 889 proposed a broad update to state purchasing and procurement law, adding definitions and procedures for best and final offers, multiple-award contracts, scoring criteria, prior performance standards, federal approval timing, confidentiality of vendor information, debarment, a one-year cooling-off period for certain officials and employees, protest bonds, and reporting of procurement-related expenditures over $50; it also received a due pass recommendation. House Bill 890 would repeal a vague surplus property disposal section and return the process to existing code with clearer deadlines and notice requirements; it too was advanced with a due pass recommendation.
The committee also considered House Bill 900, which would create a clearer process for state property damage or insurance claims of $100,000 or more, including a confidential report, possible separate appraisal, agreement between the Department of Administration and the affected agency, Board of Examiners review if needed, and a public meeting if the claim leads to a change in operations or sale of property. Members asked about where insurance proceeds would go, and the sponsor said they would generally return to the affected agency or dedicated fund for repairs unless the property had been declared surplus. The bill was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, Senate Bill 1321 would strengthen enforcement of existing transparency requirements for agency agreements, MOUs, and contracts by requiring written notice from the state controller, a 30-day cure period with a possible 60-day extension, and reporting noncompliant agencies to the legislature; it was also advanced with a due pass recommendation. No testimony was offered on the bills, and all motions passed without opposition.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- investment allowance at 10% of an insurer's total assets and remove the restrictive limit of 75% of surplus
- No other state that we can identify has a similar surplus note reference.
- But if they had, let's say, $80 million in surplus, then their investments could only be $60 million.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum present, approved the prior journal, received committee reports, and heard several House messages and first- and second-reading referrals. During the prayer and pledge, the chaplain offered remarks about “swimming upstream” toward doing what is right. The chamber also paused for introductions of guests and later moved through the day’s calendar after announcing some schedule changes.
On third reading, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1255, which amends Idaho’s involuntary commitment law to allow tribal health care facilities to hold individuals in mental health crisis and to treat tribal police as peace officers for that purpose. Senators said the bill was prompted by coordination problems on reservations and would help tribal members receive timely evaluations without changing the underlying commitment process. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1256, a cleanup bill for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Senate Bill 1262, which revises insurer miscellaneous investment limits; Senate Bill 1265, which updates obsolete provisions in the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act; and Senate Bill 1266, which expands expedited foster-care placement to kin and family-like caregivers while keeping safety and licensing standards in place.
The Senate also passed House Bill 504, which defines terms and makes technical corrections to the Idaho Lottery law. Supporters said it was intended to curb out-of-state bulk purchasing of lottery tickets that can exploit remaining large prizes and undermine fairness, while opponents raised concerns enough to produce four no votes. The roll calls on the other bills were overwhelmingly in favor, with each passing by wide margins. Senate Bill 1254 and Senate Bill 1264 were held on the calendar for one legislative day.
In miscellaneous business, senators congratulated Bear Lake and Pocatello girls basketball teams on state championships, noted upcoming caucuses, and indicated amendments should be submitted for a possible move into the 14th order later in the week. The Senate then adjourned until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
February 3, 2026 - 02:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- continue to allow those policies on the commercial side to be shifted over to the private market through surplus
- So, to the extent that there wasn't a sufficient number of surplus lines carriers that wanted to participate
- The surplus lines market is one way that we're going to do that.
Summary:
The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee met with a quorum present and heard four bills. HB 1231, relating to final disposition, funeral, and cemetery services, was presented as a consumer protection and workforce modernization measure. After questions about hospice/funeral provider exclusivity, direct disposal licensing, causes of action, and funeral director/embalmer licensure, the bill was amended by strike-all to remove some provisions and add authorization and regulation of natural organic reduction. Support came from funeral industry representatives, and the bill was reported favorably with the committee substitute.
HB 943 would require Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to create a commercial lines clearinghouse by January 1, 2027, to move certain commercial residential and other commercial risks into the private market while maintaining current eligibility rules. The sponsor and members discussed Citizens’ remaining commercial exposure, surplus lines participation, and carrier financial-strength guardrails. A strike-all amendment conforming to the Senate version and making technical corrections was adopted, and the bill passed favorably with the committee substitute after supportive debate from members.
HB 1221, a Department of Financial Services bill, was described as streamlining DFS processes, improving licensing, updating the My Safe Florida Home Program, strengthening public adjuster protections, and modernizing unclaimed property rules. Three amendments were adopted: notice before a My Safe Florida Home application is deemed abandoned, removal of a misdemeanor disclosure requirement for certain licensure applicants, and a provision allowing public officials to appoint or promote relatives to firefighter positions through a competitive process in a collective bargaining agreement. Testimony was generally supportive, including from firefighters and unclaimed-property claimants’ representatives, and the bill was reported favorably with a committee substitute.
HB 99, concerning reinsurance intermediary managers, would exempt certain underwriting managers handling limited facultative reinsurance business from the intermediary manager statute and instead require an agency license. With no public testimony or debate, the bill was reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Economic Development and Tourism Committee Apr 29th, 2025
Tourism
Transcript Highlights:
- It directs surplus funds from the Alabama 21st Century Fund toward energy infrastructure and economic
- Any amount above those payments must be transferred to SIDA. the use of these surplus funds.
- The bill transfers accumulated surplus funds from the 21st Century Fund in the following amount: $50
Keywords:
electric transmission, public highways, permit processing, economic growth, infrastructure, rural development, condemnation actions, state regulations, community development district, CDD, annexation, municipal annexation, wet municipality, dry county, wet county, Sunday alcohol sales, ABC Board, alcohol licensing, on-premises consumption, golf course
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - Part 2 - 04/17/26
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- to sell it owner that and then they were to sell it that<00:48:23.280><c> any</c><00:48:23.520><c> surplus
- funds would be returned that any surplus funds would be returned to<00:48:27.000><c> the</c><00:48:27.120
- And then the surplus must be returned to the former resident within 30 days.
- And<00:58:08.200><c> then</c> And then And then uh uh uh the<00:58:11.040><c> surplus</c><00:58:11.600
- ><c> must</c> the surplus must the surplus must be<00:58:13.320><c> returned</c><00:58:13.760><c> to<
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
WV Senate Finance Committee in Session Jan 15th, 2026 at 03:02 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- But even though we were 3.3% below prior year, we were 4.8% above estimate at a $254 million surplus.
- We were 4.8% above estimate at a $254 million surplus.
- The two biggest sources of surplus are personal income tax and sales and use tax.
- wanted to have a good sign that the economy is doing fine, it would be those two sources to show for surplus
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the January 15 morning meeting. The main agenda item was the Department of Revenue’s budget and revenue presentation from Secretary Eric Nelson, Deputy Secretary Peter Shirley, and Deputy Secretary Mark Mucco. Nelson said the state remains double-A rated with a positive outlook, the budget includes a 5% personal income tax reduction, and the 2027 general revenue estimate is $5.493 billion, up $170 million from the prior year. Shirley gave an economic overview, saying West Virginia is forecast to see continued but slowing employment growth, continued wage growth, gains in private education/health services and business services, declines in some sectors, improving labor force participation relative to the nation, and strong recent net in-migration. He also noted continued growth in natural gas production and a modest rebound in coal production, though coal faces longer-term demand pressure.
Mucco reviewed revenue trends and said 2025 collections were about $5.5 billion, below the prior year but above estimate, with personal income tax and sales tax driving the surplus. He explained that the forecast incorporates the 5% PIT cut and annual conformity to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including changes such as Section 179 expensing, bonus depreciation, R&D expensing, business interest deductions, and a new manufacturing facility expensing provision. He also discussed the effects of tax credits, severance tax volatility, declining tobacco revenues, and health care provider tax changes tied to federal Medicaid rules. He said road fund revenues are largely flat absent policy changes, and county commission revenues are growing faster than state revenues.
Members asked about when new economic development projects like NewCore would appear in the projections, how much 20,000 new jobs would matter, whether the department had a calculator for job-growth impacts, the status of recent tax cuts, road fund growth, tobacco/vape taxation, and whether migration data could be broken down by county. The witnesses said major projects are not yet in the S&P-based forecast but would likely add jobs, wages, and tax revenue over time; they estimated 20,000 jobs would be a significant increase. They also said the state is unlikely to hit the current personal income tax trigger in the near term. No substantive votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee adjourned after a motion carried by voice vote.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Republican Media Availability 5/19/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- As you remember, $18 billion of surplus over the last two years was absolutely spent and raised another
- remember<00:03:52.159><c> $18</c><00:03:52.560><c> billion</c><00:03:53.200><c> of</c><00:03:53.440><c> surplus
- </c><00:03:53.920><c> over</c><00:03:54.159><c> the</c> remember $18 billion of surplus over the remember
- $18 billion of surplus over the last<00:03:54.560><c> two</c><00:03:54.720><c> years</c><00:03:55.200
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Gov. Tim Walz delivers his State of the State address before Minnesota Legislature 4/23/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We'd have a surplus after this year. The wave won't crash this year, but it will crash.
- We'd have a surplus<00:19:19.440><c> after</c><00:19:19.760><c> this</c><00:19:20.000><c> year.
- </c><00:19:20.880><c> The</c><00:19:21.120><c> wave</c><00:19:21.360><c> won't</c> surplus after this
- The wave won't surplus after this year.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 21st, 2025 at 12:30 pm
North Dakota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- civil remedy actions against property insurance insurers, notice of property insurance claims, and surplus
- transactions, exceptions for large commercial risks and fire property and casualty insurance rates, surplus
- of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an exemption from search requirements for licensed surplus
- of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an exemption from search requirements for licensed surplus
Summary:
The Senate reconvened and handled several House messages and conference committee appointments before taking up a series of bills. It appointed conference committees on Senate Bill 2265 and House Bills 1454, 1448, and 1524. The chamber also adopted a Senate amendment to House Bill 1216, delaying its effective date for the copay accumulator prescription drug bill to January 1, 2026, with later renewal timing for non-PERS plans.
House Bill 1216 then came up for final passage. Senators debated whether allowing copay accumulator programs to count manufacturer coupons toward deductibles would help patients with expensive drugs or unfairly shift costs to insurers and other policyholders. Supporters said it would help people afford life-saving medications and that the coupon payments go to pharmacies, not insurers; opponents argued it could raise premiums and create perverse incentives for drug pricing. The bill passed 29-18. The Senate also concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 2160, which changes health insurance benefits under the Uniform Group Insurance Program to move from a grandfathered to a non-grandfathered plan, with supporters emphasizing added benefits and flexibility and opponents warning of higher costs and irreversible changes. That bill passed concurrence 33-14 and final passage 39-8.
The Senate next concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 2339, the wildfire mitigation bill, which requires utility mitigation plans to be updated every two years, incorporate national electric standards, and creates a rebuttable presumption of reasonable care if the plan is followed. The bill then passed final passage 46-1. The chamber also adopted conference committee reports and passed House Bill 1460 on adult foster care and monitoring devices, House Bill 1440 on cigar lounge tobacco use, and Senate Bill 2374 on insurance-related provisions including property insurance arbitration, managed repair programs, and surplus lines issues; SB 2374 also added a study on towing and recovery coverage. The session ended with announcements of upcoming conference committee meetings and adjournment until April 22, 2025.