Transcript Highlights:

• We keep talking about fees, moving fees around, charging this fee, charging that fee.
• We keep talking about fees, moving fees around, charging this fee, charging that fee.
• We keep talking about fees, moving fees around, charging this fee, charging that fee.
• We keep talking about fees, moving fees around, charging this fee, charging that fee.
• assessing a fee. assessing a fee.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and heard several announcements and tributes, including recognition of American Red Cross Day and reminders about committee meetings. Members also marked St. Patrick’s Day with light remarks and a limerick before moving into floor business. Committee reports were read, including a recommendation to refer House Joint Resolution 1021 on farmers markets to the House for final action and to postpone House Bill 1270 indefinitely, along with favorable reports on other bills. The chamber then took up House Joint Resolution 1021, which supports Colorado farmers markets, local food access, Double Up Food Bucks, and the partnership between the Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Farmers Market Association. The sponsor and other members spoke in favor, emphasizing the value of farmers markets to local economies, small producers, and access to fresh food. The House suspended the rules for immediate consideration, then adopted the resolution unanimously, 58-0, with seven excused. The House next moved through third-reading votes on several bills. Senate Bill 74, concerning penalties in public construction performance bond disputes, passed 59-0; House Bill 1252, updating state entities responding to emergencies, passed 52-7; Senate Bill 16, prohibiting discharge of pre-production plastic materials, passed 41-0; Senate Bill 37, allowing local elected judicial officers to set weekend bonds, passed 59-0; and House Bill 1253, on disconnection of property from a statutory municipality, passed 48-11. The body also set House Bill 1299 and House Bill 1102 as special orders. The House then began special-order consideration of House Bill 1299, a school administrative-relief measure aimed at reducing reporting burdens. Sponsors described provisions modernizing missing-children reporting, repealing outdated paper-and-pencil assessment policy requirements, aligning statute with State Board rules on unified improvement plans for smaller districts, and clarifying mandatory versus voluntary reporting. Members discussed an amendment to strike “or charter school collaborative,” with concerns that collaborative schools may need separate improvement plans if their programs differ. The amendment and the committee report were both adopted, and debate on the bill continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 2 is generating new revenue by increasing our vehicle registration fees That hasn't been done
• It was the last time I believe we increased vehicle registration fees.
• The second Is increasing vehicle registration fees by 25 percent. Am I right? Great. Thank you.
• But increasing the registration fee, some people could have some heartburn with that on all vehicles.
• to the vehicle registration fee and to The weight distance tax that increase, that percentage increase

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have a PBM 938, and it's a different way of looking at how we regulate PBMs between administration fee
• , dispensing fee, reimbursements, what the department can do in reverse auction.
• There's no reason for us to keep those fees.
• , then we're going to have a data fee, then we're going to have a market access fee, and before you know
• Do you think they're going to increase the prices of their drugs?

Summary: The Senate Insurance Committee met on May 13, 2026, adopted the May 6 minutes, and then took up several bills dealing with pharmacy benefit managers, prescription access, behavioral health coverage, and Citizens Property Insurance. HB 938, as amended, was the main PBM reform measure. After the committee adopted a large amendment set that narrowed the bill, members heard extensive testimony in support from Mark Bloom, Justin Joseph of Capital Rx, and Kathy Ue of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, all emphasizing transparency, pass-through pricing, reverse auctions, and patient access. Supporters described savings from reverse auctions and administrative models, while the cancer center testified that PBM-owned specialty pharmacy requirements can delay cancer medications and create financial hardship. The committee reported HB 938 favorably with amendments. The committee also heard HB 1154, which prohibits prior authorization for certain generic medications prescribed by qualified physicians, with a $250 cap discussed as a safeguard against higher-cost generics. The bill was supported by representatives from Ochsner Health and the Louisiana State Medical Society and was reported favorably. HB 909, which requires commercial coverage for behavioral health crisis services, was amended to clarify the insurers covered and then reported favorably with support from the Office of Behavioral Health and several outside groups. Testimony on HB 909 focused on reducing emergency room and law enforcement burdens and expanding crisis response capacity across the state. HB 1187, dealing with excess emergency assessment funds from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, was explained by the Insurance Commissioner as a way to transfer remaining Katrina-era assessment funds to the Fortified Roof Program. The committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, SB 511 and SB 512 were deferred and converted into a study resolution approach because there was not yet consensus on the underlying issue. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, so, uh, clarify for me, uh, are we doing annual increases, performance increases, or?
• generated through the collection of registration of test fees and test fees.
• fees to meet expenditures.
• We're also asking for an increase in court reporter fees.
• And then finally we are also requesting a 6% increase in salary, the judiciary-wide increase.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've heard the sewer, water increases, or the utility increases, or the trash increase, or the property
• We've heard the sewer, water increases, or the utility increases, or the trash increase, or the property
• <01:22:20.280> or increases or the utility increases or increases or the utility increases
• the increase after that increase the increase after that increase the subsequent<01:28:22.080>
• increase in costs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for performance increase, promotional increase, and reclassification adjustment, temporary increase,
• The other fees associated with this were, with their lawyer fee, $1,250.85.
• The other fees associated with this was, with our lawyer fee, was $1,250.85.
• It says the tournament fees or buy-in would be increased from $300 to $1,500.
• It says the tournament fees or buy-in would be increased from $300 to $1,500.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and also boater safety certification fees.
• This is a 107% increase from fiscal year 2020.
• This is a 107% increase from fiscal year 2020.
• It's in the tax and fee unit within the finance division.
• How do the fees DOH collects from program operators compare to its costs, and how does its fee model

Summary: The meeting began with JLARC’s biennial executive committee elections. After confirming a quorum, members unanimously elected Representative Pollet as chair, Senator Wagoner as vice chair, Representative Orcutt as secretary, and Senator Solomon as assistant secretary for the 2025-27 biennium. The committee also approved the May 14 meeting minutes unanimously. Chair Pollet then outlined a commitment to more member input on audit scope and coordination with the State Auditor’s Office. Staff presented a preliminary report on Washington State recreation boating programs. They reported that six agencies administer boating-related activities, that the state collected about $108 million in boating-related revenue in 2021-23, and that $86 million was spent, mostly on infrastructure and water access, environmental protection, boater safety, and marine law enforcement. Staff said Washington’s boating laws and programs are broadly similar to other states and noted that the final report is expected in September. JLARC then reviewed several tax preferences. For natural gas used as a transportation fuel, staff said the preferences reduce fuel costs but did not meet emissions-reduction targets because fewer vessels and vehicles converted to natural gas than expected; staff recommended continuing some exemptions and modifying reporting requirements. For travel agents and tour operators, staff said the preference continues to provide tax relief, but large beneficiaries’ savings are rising while small beneficiaries’ use is declining, leading to recommendations to continue the small-business rate and add or revise performance metrics. Staff also reviewed a nonprofit low-income housing property tax exemption, concluding it helps developers build homes as intended but that the performance metric should better reflect housing outcomes; they recommended the legislature decide whether to continue or modify it. Other reviews covered multipurpose senior citizen centers, disabled veteran adapted housing, trade convention attendance, agricultural fertilizer and seed wholesaling, hazardous substance tax treatment for pesticides, and silicon smelter energy preferences, with recommendations ranging from continuation to expiration depending on whether the stated objectives were met. The committee then adopted the final cannabis market study for distribution. Staff reported that Washington businesses produced two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023, and that inaccurate and incomplete reporting limits the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s ability to regulate the market. The board said it concurs with the recommendations, including developing a plan for a new data system and considering broader social equity options. Finally, staff presented the proposed final report on Department of Health oversight of hospital data reporting, inspections, and complaints. Staff said DOH was late on most acute-care hospital inspections, had not fully verified third-party inspection standards, and did not adequately review adverse event correction plans or assess language access barriers in its complaint system. DOH said it concurs with all six recommendations and has already made some transparency improvements, including a public dashboard for adverse event reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, we have reduced fees, waived fees, and even gotten fee eliminations going to the legislature
• in fact we have reduced fees we fees in fact we have reduced fees we have<02:05:31.639> waved
• It's 100% funded by patient application fees and ATC licensing fees. And ATC licensing fees.
• <02:09:59.079> for fees um uh to application fees for fees um uh to application fees for certain
• those fees and in fact that was the fee those fees and in fact that was the fee that<02:11:16.880

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill was laid those increases most.
• we we don't have a lot of the extra fees we we don't have a lot of the extra fees that<00:20:56.760
• And increase in our real estate taxes.
• increase of costs. increase of costs.
• bring these costs of these fees down. bring these costs of these fees down.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We propose that we would index this fee annually using the percent increase in the non-seasonally adjusted
• um annually using the index this fee um annually using the percent<00:48:30.079> increase<00:
• fee annually using the percent increase fee annually using the percent increase in<00:48:39.440>
• we're going to on the other fee? we're going to on the other fee?
• asking me for 7500 for the closing fees. asking me for 7500 for the closing fees.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:08 Discussion of Indiana Residential Infrastructure Fund 00:01:27 Discussion of Affordable Housing Trust Fund 00:33:30 Discussion of Urban Infill 01:12:37 Approval of Minutes from July Meeting 01:39:00 Adjournment 01:39:42, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households. Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable. Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• These two fees apply to employers. Alabama.
• fees to Alabama employers, insurers, and consumers.
• These new fees will go... consumers.
• These dispensing fees will be passed down immediately by PBMs.
• These bills impose a $10.64 fee on every prescription filled. $10.64 fee on every prescription filled

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The proposed $493 licensing fee for speech language pathology assistants, or SLPAs, is more than double
• the supervision requirements while also seeking a cost estimate to reduce the assistant licensing fees
• Expanding entry to midwifery can help increase access to more maternal health providers, and maternal
• Expanding entry to midwifery can help increase access to more maternal health providers, and maternal
• Expanding entry to midwifery can help increase access to more maternal health providers, and maternal

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that, that cost increase worth the trade-off? So let me give you an example.
• fees to do that mandate by the providers.
• OK, well, I'm worried about the administrative fee.
• administrative fee you're talking about.
• Well, we're not talking about, I'm not talking about administrative fees.

Bills: HB138

Keywords: voter registration, application rejection, transparency, election integrity, state law

Transcript Highlights:

• A&E fees are architectural and engineering fees.
• So as the construction price increases, so do those fees.
• And then in 2023, it increased to 50,000.
• So my question is, The case filing fee is still $400.
• We have not gotten into raising the filing fees.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Our fees increase across the state. Our fees increase across the state.
• the fees on the on a seafood increase the fees on the on a seafood increase the fees on the on a seafood
• that that to increase that that to increase that that um that licensing fee, have one license, um that
• We're just doing uh increasing the licensing fee that uh increasing the licensing fee that uh increasing
• we're increasing why this board is increasing the why this board is increasing the why this board is

Bills: HJR 4, HJR 6, HB 195, HB 13, HB 143, HB 135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• increase profits.
• apartment without paying a fee." apartment without paying a fee."
• increase profits. increase profits.
• They just accept the application<03:10:18.960> fee. Application fee. Application fee.
• What would be the legitimate reason to have increased rent or fees or anything that's non-refundable

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, youth fines and fees increase the likelihood of recidivism.
• or not to assess fees.
• Second, youth fines and fees<01:00:36.480> increase<01:00:36.720> the<01:00:36.880>
• likelihood<01:00:37.280> of fees increase the likelihood of fees increase the likelihood of
• or or not to discretion to assess fees or or not to assess<01:02:13.839> fees.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from the schools, the tuition and fees from the schools, the tuition and fees which<00:10:12.080
• because things like tuition and fees because things like tuition and fees have<00:13:56.240>
• responsibility as well as to increase responsibility as well as to increase the<00:14:48.480>
• The 4-year tuition and fee cap was capped at a 2% increase for each fiscal year 26 and 27.
• tuition and fee cap was capped<00:17:49.120> at<00:17:49.360> 2%<00:17:50.240> increase

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's supported by utility fees. And B8 is the last letter.
• It's supported by license and application fees.
• It's supported by license and application fees.
• This is just going to cover us for any unexpected fees.
• fee or an ICF provider fee, but then not transfer it out to be matched.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, over three fiscal years, we saw a 506% increase in veterinarians and a 427% increase in
• Set by, I think the fees are set by statute or rule, but they have not been increased in quite some time
• I think the fees are set by statute or rule, and they have not been increased in quite some time.
• They don't necessarily get waivers of impact fees. They don't get waivers of permit fees.
• Oh, I mean, we're talking about impact fees. We're talking about the impact fees on top of that.

Summary: The subcommittee heard and approved four bills focused on reducing or modernizing professional regulation. HB 6015, by Rep. Oliver, repeals the word “reusable” from the wine keg statute to allow businesses more flexibility in container materials; members joked about the possibility of a Home Depot bucket, and the bill passed 16-0. HB 339, by Rep. Abbott, creates an alternative temporary licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers based on employer recommendation and exam passage, but members raised concerns about qualifications, liability, and oversight; Abbott said he was open to amendments, and the bill passed 14-1 with Rep. Overdorf dissenting. HB 139, by Rep. Lopez, allows pawnbrokers to use digital transaction forms instead of only printed forms; a technical amendment added readability and placement requirements for digital forms, and the bill passed unanimously. HB 195, by Rep. Chambliss, lets the Department of Corrections coordinate with DBPR boards so inmates who complete licensure-related classes can receive credit toward professional licensure; supporters framed it as a second-chance and workforce bill, an amendment clarified that DBPR handles professions without boards, and the bill passed favorably 15-0. The committee then received a presentation from DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin on the department’s role overseeing more than 1.7 million businesses and professionals across over 30 fields. She highlighted enforcement and complaint data, including more than 24,000 inspections and complaints handled in the last fiscal year, a preference for education and voluntary compliance over formal discipline, and the department’s alternative dispute resolution program, which returned $2.7 million to consumers and saved $270,000 in costs. Griffin also reviewed recent deregulatory and efficiency efforts, including endorsement/reciprocity reforms, fee waivers, reduced processing times, and shorter call wait times, and said DBPR is continuing to look for ways to cut red tape while protecting public safety. Members questioned Griffin about permitting, continuing education, complaint processing, board vacancies, fraud in cosmetology and construction, coordination with other agencies, and whether schools can block students from taking state exams over unpaid tuition. DBPR staff said complaints are generally processed within 60 days, schools cannot bar graduates from taking the exam because of tuition debt, and the department works with other agencies when issues cross jurisdictional lines. The panel discussion that followed featured industry representatives from landscape architecture, building/code administration, pools, roofing, construction, HVAC/electrical, and hospitality, who generally supported reducing local permitting burdens, standardizing requirements, improving reciprocity and training pathways, and using technology and clearer scopes of work to make licensure and inspections more efficient.