Transcript Highlights:

• Victoria touched on adequate rates. Victoria touched on adequate rates.
• We talked about the rates a lot.
• to get our rate increase through.
• It shows the inadequate rate. I mean, the last rate increase was in 2021.
• It shows the inadequate rate. I mean, the last rate increased 2021.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focused on the plan’s rapid growth, its financial stability after the January Southern California wildfires, and its role as the insurer of last resort. Fair Plan officials explained that the plan was created in 1968, is a not-for-profit involuntary association of licensed property insurers, and is intended to be a temporary safety net until policyholders can return to the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan is not a state agency or taxpayer-funded, but is regulated by the Department of Insurance and supported by member-company assessments if claims exceed available funds. Victoria Roach and Armand Feliciano said the Fair Plan has grown sharply since 2018 and especially after market pullbacks by major insurers, reaching about 575,000 policies and roughly $600 billion in exposure by spring 2025. They noted that growth is increasingly occurring in lower wildfire-risk areas, where the plan can sometimes be cheaper than the voluntary market, and said this undermines depopulation back into the private market. They also discussed recent policy expansions, including coverage for farms, higher residential and commercial limits, and pending or proposed changes such as AB 290, SB 525, and AB 226, which would add tools like a line of credit and bond access. A major portion of the hearing addressed the January wildfire losses and the plan’s financial response. Fair Plan officials said they assessed member insurers for $1 billion after determining claims and cash flow would exceed available resources, and that the process was approved quickly and paid smoothly, with more than 80% of the assessment collected within 10 days. They also described the reinsurance tower, the plan’s limited surplus, and the need for actuarially sound rates to reduce future reliance on assessments. On claims handling, they said the plan has received over 5,500 claims from the fires, has paid more than $2.9 billion so far, expects total payments near $4 billion, and has focused on advancing payments quickly for total losses and other urgent needs. Members questioned the plan’s solvency, the growth in non-wildfire areas, claim denials, smoke-loss coverage, and how depopulation works. Roach said most closed claims without payment were duplicates rather than denials, and that smoke claims require direct physical loss under the policy, with coverage determined case by case. Public commenters from the California Building Industry Association and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California said the Fair Plan’s growth reflects a weak voluntary market, inadequate rates, and insurer fear of future assessments, and urged support for rate increases and AB 226. The hearing concluded with no vote, but with a commitment from Fair Plan officials to follow up on unanswered questions and continue providing more transparency through public data and website disclosures.

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of rate reform implementation, a new job development service and corresponding rate has been
• and update rate models, and we already know that there are a number of issues with rate model...
• for the rate.
• Back in 2008, when we had rate cuts and rate freezes, it took us 17 years, to January 1 of this year,
• before we got back to a point where rates are meant to be sustainable and paid at a sustainable rate

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on developmental services, rehabilitation, and related supports, with no votes taken. The first major topic was the Master Plan for Developmental Services. Administration officials described a year-long, community-driven process that included a steering committee, work groups, and statewide engagement sessions, and said the final draft would be released that Friday with about 170 recommendations. The Department of Developmental Services said the plan would inform future work, but did not offer a detailed implementation roadmap. The LAO said the plan contains significant policy and budget implications, may require statutory changes, and needs further analysis to turn recommendations into actionable proposals. Advocates and regional center representatives urged the Legislature and administration to avoid letting the plan sit on a shelf, called for prioritization and ongoing stakeholder oversight, and emphasized the need to address equity, workforce, service coordination, and cross-system collaboration. The chair said he wanted to work with the LAO on trailer bill language and future reporting to create a clearer path forward. The second topic was the Office of Employment First and competitive integrated employment. Administration witnesses said California has ended subminimum wage under SB 639, but that moving people into competitive integrated employment remains a major priority. They described existing efforts such as DDS’s coordinated career pathways pilot, paid internships, job development services, benefits counseling, and DOR’s career counseling and referral services, along with pilot projects in San Diego and Orange County. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities and advocates argued that employment outcomes have remained stuck at roughly 15% and that a dedicated Employment First Office is needed to coordinate across agencies, align goals, and improve outcomes. The LAO recommended regular legislative oversight on people transitioning out of subminimum wage and asked for technical assistance on coordinated career pathways. The chair criticized the administration’s decision to effectively eliminate funding for the office, requested a detailed implementation timeline and quarterly transition reports, and said the committee would continue pressing for the office to be implemented. The final issue was respite services, utilization trends, and access. DDS reported that in-home respite use and spending have risen sharply over several years, with about 150,000 people using respite in 2023-24 and expenditures reaching about $1 billion. Officials said access depends on families knowing the service exists, service coordinators identifying need, and having enough providers, especially in rural and linguistically diverse communities. The San Diego Regional Center said utilization generally mirrors statewide trends, but access is stronger in some areas, such as Imperial County, where families often prefer family-directed or agency-supported models that allow them to hire trusted workers. Committee members emphasized the importance of respite for family health and caregiver well-being, asked whether service coordinators are asking practical questions about sleep and stress, and discussed the need for better identification of complex behavioral and medical needs. DDS said a standardized family support tool and updated IPP process are intended to improve consistency, transparency, and person-centered assessment for respite and related services.

Transcript Highlights:

• increases on those rates. increases on those rates.
• ,<00:31:34.880> their scheme of Xcel Energy's rates, their scheme of Xcel Energy's rates,
• It's the rate payers in Colorado.
• bill, and Xcel Energy also rates bill, and Xcel Energy also rates operates<00:34:06.280> in
• <00:35:00.120> So, we would be saving rate payers. So, we would be saving rate payers.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House debated a motion to suspend the rules so House File 76 could be recalled from committee, given second and third readings, and brought to final passage. The bill, carried by Representative Greenman, would limit the amount of investor-owned utility executive compensation that can be charged back to Minnesota ratepayers, with the cap tied to the governor’s salary. Supporters argued that utility customers should pay for service, not lavish CEO pay, and cited Xcel Energy’s recent CEO raise, high utility bills, and growing energy affordability burdens on Minnesota households. They said shareholders, not ratepayers, should bear executive compensation costs and pointed to similar action in Colorado as evidence the policy could work without driving executives away. Several members questioned the bill’s practical impact and cost estimates. Representative Swedzinski asked how much the measure would affect individual ratepayers and suggested the amount was relatively small, while also arguing that the state should focus on larger reforms and other available funds. Representative Greenman responded that the exact per-customer impact was not before the body but emphasized that millions of dollars in executive compensation were being passed through to customers. Representative Acomb and Representative Craft supported the bill, describing investor-owned utilities as monopolies that already earn strong returns and saying the proposal would shift costs from ratepayers to shareholders. Opponents argued the bill was not serious policy and would not meaningfully lower bills, warning it could discourage talent and comparing it to broader state spending and governance issues. Representative Niska said the proposal amounted to “class warfare,” argued utilities need to pay competitively to attract competent leadership, and urged a no vote. The debate also included repeated points of order after members criticized one another personally; the presiding officer reminded members to confine remarks to the motion. A roll call and a call of the house were requested during the debate, but the transcript provided does not include the final vote result.

Transcript Highlights:

• 2026 rates. 2026 rates.
• continues things at its existing rate, uh, which are not the pandemic rates, but the prepandemic rates
• So, they're not in these rates. rates. rates. >> Senator<00:18:35.039> Nelson.
• > and the rating and how plans can rate and the rating and how plans can rate and again<00:39:
• ." rates." rates."

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a guaranteed rate of return.
• And they'd be willing to do it even for a lower rate of return.
• And they'd be willing to do it even for a lower rate of return.
• Regulatory certainty informs a big portion of our credit ratings.
• Yes, we want everybody to pay in rates.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:37.920> of play out against that assumed rate of play out against that assumed rate
• As far as the assumed rate of return, but as those assumed rates of return go down, there's a couple
• assumed rate of return of 8%. assumed rate of return of 8%.
• of return, um, but as those assumed rate of return, um, but as those assumed rates<00:26:43.600>
• It's kind of this rate of return.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 01:02 Approval of Minutes: 02:03 Annual Investment Review: 04:10 Adjournment: 37:34, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, welcomed new staff member Sean Parks, and announced that it would not meet in November. The next meeting was scheduled for December 8 at 10:00 a.m., with the chair noting that pension bills would be heard then and emphasizing that all pension bills must go through the full process and include actuarial analysis. Brad Gross of the Public Pension Oversight Board presented a detailed review of Kentucky retirement systems’ investments and funding. He said fiscal year 2025 ended with about $50.5 billion in pension assets and $12.52 billion in retiree health assets, both up from the prior year. He reported strong investment performance across the systems, with all Kentucky public pension funds exceeding their policy benchmarks and the median peer return of 10.4%. He also discussed long-term return trends, asset allocation differences among the systems, fee levels, and cash flow, noting that cash flow remains a key monitoring issue and that supplemental appropriations have improved the cash position of some funds, especially the Kentucky State Police and TRS systems. Gross also explained that assumed rates of return have generally fallen over time, which increases unfunded liabilities and required contributions, and said the systems’ current assumptions range from 5.25% to 7.1%. He noted that the committee’s materials included peer comparisons and historical charts, and that all asset classes were within target ranges. In response to a question from Senator Funky From, Gross was asked about pension spiking and whether supplemental general fund contributions could create a false sense of security in cash flow analysis; the question was raised but not resolved in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• pay rate because of the change in the cap.
• structure, the tiered rate structure.
• rate under the tiered rate structure. be a tier one, two, three, and three plus.
• Now in the implementation of rate reform, providers who had rates historically that were higher than
• Developmental services has been very willing to engage on challenges with existing rates and rate models

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Act 634, we have increased that administration rate to match the Vaccines for Children rate
• I can't remember, the NDAS document that we used to set the rates, the orthodontic rates actually dropped
• I can't remember, the NDAS document that we used to set the rates, the orthodontic rates actually dropped
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• And those rates all will go up.

Summary: The Arkansas Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a large set of agency rules and reports. Early items were routine filings: emergency-rule reports, subcommittee review reports, and administrative directive reports were filed without objection. One rule from the Department of Agriculture on maternal health providers and remote monitoring was noted as pulled by the agency and not considered. The committee then reviewed and approved several Agriculture rules, including repeal of equine ID-chip rules after Act 703 of 2025, updates to finance rules adding a new water and sewer treatment facilities grant and consolidating revolving-fund rules, and a pesticide rule creating a Class J pesticide category for feral hog toxicant use. It also approved a Commerce/Insurance rule removing duplicative workers’ compensation plan provisions, and a Corrections rule creating a unified visitation rule for correctional facilities and community correction centers. A member asked about prison visitation hours during COVID, and staff said they would check on that. The committee next approved multiple Department of Human Services rules. These included marketing rules for provider-led organizations under Act 301 of 2025, a comprehensive revision of the DCFS policy manual, changes to Medicaid eligibility to include fictive kin placements and to expand ABLE account eligibility under Act 875, presumptive eligibility changes for pregnant women to align with federal rules, and a follow-up SNAP/TEA/Work Pays rule with updated work requirements, mandatory employment and training, alien eligibility changes, and job-search requirements for certain applicants. DHS also presented a rule implementing federal coverage for certain incarcerated youth before and after release, and the committee approved it. Another DHS rule updated nurse aide training requirements to match federal CNA hour standards and moved criminal-records-check procedures to the agency website. The most extended discussion involved DHS Division of Medical Services’ dental rate rule under Act 1025. The agency explained that it was increasing pediatric dental rates and certain oral-surgery-related rates, but not orthodontic rates or a broader special-needs benefit limit because CMS would not approve a diagnosis-based limit. Members debated whether the statutory language was intended to cover general dentists performing oral surgery procedures, with legislators, the Dental Association, and DHS discussing legislative intent, fiscal impact, and whether a future fix or emergency rule might be needed. Despite the disagreement, the committee approved the rule. The committee also approved other DHS medical rules: adverse-decision appeal changes and prior-authorization posting requirements, an increased RSV administration fee for children, expanded emergency treat/triage/transport ambulance authority, and clinic-based physical and occupational therapy coverage. Later, the committee approved permanent rules for the new state insurance program under Shared Administrative Services, procurement rule revisions recommended after an ACASO review, and commodity-management rule updates including a new revenue distribution model. Under Act 595 of 2021, the committee granted two Department of Commerce/Insurance requests to be excluded from rulemaking requirements: one for Act 772 on forced organ harvesting, and one for restorative reproductive medicine, with the department saying it would promulgate rules later when clinical guidelines are available. Finally, the committee accepted a recommendation to keep and extend the Department of Education, Division of Career and Technical Education rules, filed outstanding rulemaking updates, and adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• I urge you to move more rapidly to bring down interest rates, beginning with a meaningful rate cut next
• related to the Fed's rate.
• If we lower rates and kind of rates return to a lower level, mortgage rates will come down.
• So a lot of things go into long rates, and one of them is the expected future short rate of Fed policy
• rates.

Bills: SB257

Keywords: supply chain resilience, critical supply chains, critical goods, manufacturing, domestic manufacturing, reshoring, nearshoring, supply chain security, supply chain shock, supply chain disruption, critical infrastructure, emerging technologies, semiconductors, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, advanced manufacturing, blockchain, cybersecurity

Transcript Highlights:

• Error rate, we are all in on our FY26 error rate.
• rating.
• And so I think by and large, the before we do anything on rates We probably need a new rate study because
• And so the DHS subsidy rate may not be all of the rate that a childcare center is being paid.
• So, one clarifying question: you mentioned that the subsidy reimbursement rate is well below market rate

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a change from the average commercial rate which was a previous cap.
• Are we looking at actually funding that billion dollars on a annual rate?
• But yeah, we're going to have to pay billions and rate because of the rate.
• Yes, thank you because I'm looking at. >> How do we get an error rate of 15%?
• The proper rates are not and why so much. And it doesn't affect our services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rates, and it's killing us. So far, the LFC recommendation is unfunding rates by $5 million.
• and DO IT rates last year.
• We've experienced an... ...8% increase in our DO IT rates from FY 25 to 26, and our GSD rates are even
• That didn't leave a lot of room for GSD risk rates and, you know, DO IT premium draft published rates
• An interest rate buy down.

Bills: SB48, SB64, SB100

Keywords: State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance, special education, office of special education, deputy secretary, public education department, IEP

Transcript Highlights:

• Used in the actuarial process to set rates.
• Fair and equitable rates for these consumers. I'll be glad to address any questions.
• And the insurance provider was going to adjust rates because of that?
• If a wife passes, the widowed husband's insurance rates typically do not change.
• It's one of those rating factors.

Bills: HB712, HB722, HB946, HB1687, HB1809, HB1899, HB2528, HB2583, HB2741, HB2750, HB3021, HB3150, HB3265, HB3658, HB3812, HB3960, HB4392, HB4432

Keywords: prostate cancer, health benefit plans, insurance coverage, cost sharing, preventive health care, auto insurance, total loss evaluation, disclosure, insurance materials, vehicle appraisal, HB 946, Texas Insurance Code, automobile insurance claims, oral release, written release, settlement agreement, claim release, property damage, bodily injury, psychological injury

Transcript Highlights:

• would do is lower that tax rate. would do is lower that tax rate.
• The highest tax rate is not going to be the optimal tax rate. It's just not.
• . rate. rate.
• rate. Uh it's a has to be coupled with rate.
• What is the tax base rate? What is the tax base rate?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , high interest rates and buyers' expectations that interest rates will decline if they wait.
• , high interest rates and buyers' expectations that interest rates will decline if they wait.
• , high interest rates and buyers' expectations that interest rates will decline if they wait.
• , high interest rates and buyers' expectations that interest rates will decline if they wait.
• , high interest rates and buyers' expectations that interest rates will decline if they wait.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:01 Discussion of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 01:11:13 Adjournment 01:40:27, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Housing Task Force met and heard first from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented findings from a housing study done with the Home Builders Association. The chamber said housing is now a major economic-development issue, citing survey results that 90% of community leaders said their region could not absorb a major job announcement and 66% said housing is holding back Kentucky’s economy. The chamber described Kentucky’s housing shortage, rising home prices, declining permits since 2008, and the need for more production to support growth. It urged policy changes including zoning and land-use reform, tax incentives, regional approaches, and especially a residential infrastructure fund modeled on Indiana’s low-interest loan program to help communities finance roads and other infrastructure needed for new housing. Members asked about the severity of the problem, workforce shortages in permitting and construction, the loan interest rate, repayment, and whether Kentucky could replicate Indiana’s results; the witness said the issue is a crisis and that the program would be a revolving public-private partnership, likely around 3% interest, with implementation details still to be worked out. The Kentucky Bankers Association then testified that the housing gap is especially acute for households at 80% of area median income and below, which it said represents about 70% of Kentucky’s housing need. It emphasized that the shortage affects both urban and rural counties and pointed to examples such as Rowan County, where workers at major employers must commute long distances because local housing is unavailable or unaffordable. The bankers said high interest rates remain a major barrier and proposed a $20 million bank commitment for a revolving fund tied to tax credits to finance new housing, not refinances. They cited Hope of the Midwest as an example of a successful tax-credit housing model with a long track record and no defaults, and said the proposal would leverage public-private partnerships to create new units. Committee members questioned how the proposed fund would compare with industrial revenue bonds and whether it could be structured like Kentucky’s tobacco settlement fund, with seed money, a review board, scoring criteria, and possible population thresholds to ensure smaller communities benefit. The bankers said the proposal would be another tool for cities and counties, specifically tied to residential infrastructure, and that larger cities should not be able to capture all of the resources. No formal votes or actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know bond ratings are not glamorous, Mr.
• that our state's bond rating that our state's bond rating is<00:20:46.080> critical<00:20
• A significant portion of that rated AAA.
• I know bond ratings are not funds. I know bond ratings are not glamorous,<00:21:01.560> Mr.
• uh which then gets passed on to the rate uh which then gets passed on to the rate payers<00:36:41.520

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• cost share based on higher error rates cost share based on higher error rates in<00:02:32.160>
• <00:02:44.959> uh history, why is our error rate uh history, why is our error rate uh higher
• <00:03:37.519> And get lower than that 6% error rate.
• And get lower than that 6% error rate.
• should get to that 6% air rate or less. should get to that 6% air rate or less.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So market rate survey— Market rate survey looks at an overall picture of the health and expense of child
• Can you tell us what the current rate, the current market rate is?
• So we said, We set our school readiness assistance rates at 75% of the market rate survey. Right.
• of care versus market rates?
• What is the rate of pay?

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met for an update from the Office of Early Childhood within the Department of Education. Members heard that the office’s goals under the LEARNS Act are to improve kindergarten readiness, support families, ensure quality providers, and expand affordable, accessible child care. Staff reviewed the local lead system, licensing, quality efforts such as CLASS and QRIS, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federal CCDF-funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of a little over 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 21,000 children with authority recently increased to 24,000 slots. A major topic was the difference between market rate surveys and cost analysis studies. Officials said the department is procuring both through an RFP, hoping to begin by August and have results by late in the year. Members pressed for current reimbursement levels, the gap between ABC and SRA funding, and whether ABC funding should be increased to better match costs. Staff explained that SRA rates are set at 75% of the market rate, while ABC per-child funding is much lower, and that ABC slots are limited by the overall allocation. They also explained that some ABC slots were increased by moving children from a discontinued federal pre-K arrangement into ABC to preserve continuity of care. Committee members raised concerns about rural access, infant and toddler shortages, provider stability, workforce pay, and communication with families and providers. Officials said local leads are now helping identify underserved areas, that no county with absolutely no care is known, and that the department is trying to get a truer statewide count of children and providers. They also described efforts to improve communication through monthly provider calls, website postings, and direct case contacts with families. Members discussed possible funding increases, including ideas to reduce the SRA wait list and raise ABC funding, but no formal vote or action was taken beyond approving prior meeting minutes and receiving the update.

Transcript Highlights:

• , so many of those rates don't have Medicare equivalents.
• Professional rates—there wasn't a hit to professional rates. All right.
• However, it is still short of the U.S. rate of 86%.
• At 15%, that is nearly twice the national rate.
• Mentioned mostly because of the lack of ratings.

Transcript Highlights:

• rates rates wages retention employment rates rates wages retention and<00:13:24.600> turnover<
• <00:47:54.920> automatic of the model rates with annual automatic of the model rates with
• SUD reimbursement rates have only been increased by $39 per day, or 15.7%, while labor rates during
• support this bill including rate support this bill including rate increases<00:51:41.280> for
• We rely almost entirely on the rates established by the legislature, and when those rates lag behind,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all