Transcript Highlights:

• This reflects an increase of 818.
• to increase customer service capability. for our Taxpayer Services Division and increase our ability
• rating agencies.
• The last few bullets there show the different rates of return, the investment rates of return if you
• That means from a maximum one-third contribution rate to use an actually determined contribution rate

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, our current seatbelt use rate is 79%.
• The highest use rate that we've ever had in the state is 84%.
• Right now, our current seatbelt use rate is 79%.
• To attain that use rate.
• increased our state employee rate slowly.

Summary: The ALC-Review Subcommittee reviewed seven methods of finance, including university projects at ASU Jonesboro and Mountain Home, Black River Technical College deferred maintenance, UA Batesville’s Farm Project Gateway Center, UAMS PET cyclotron equipment, a new allied health building at UAPB funded by a federal grant, and UCA’s multi-purpose arena design work. The committee also approved an alternative delivery construction project for UAPB’s Allied Health and Sciences Building, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members then approved discretionary grants from the Department of Health and DHS, including support for a heart attack center designation, community health worker training, homeless services funding corrections, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. In the contracts section, the committee reviewed RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and a large slate of out-of-state and in-state contracts covering topics such as seatbelt survey data collection, Medicaid and DHS systems, state hospital staffing and services, veterans’ services, education assessments, and state IT and procurement projects. Several contracts drew extended questioning. Senators and representatives pressed DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs about heavy reliance on contract nursing and staffing costs, and officials said they were using pay incentives and recruitment efforts to increase state employee staffing. Members also questioned AEDC’s lithium supply chain study and the Department of Education’s security contract, with concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments. The committee held three in-state contracts—Department of Education security services and two DHS staffing contracts—until Friday, then adopted the remaining contracts and received informational reports on contract amendments, executed contracts, and emergency procurements before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• IDC rate that we get, as well as our increased fundraising and other revenues, we've been able to hold
• that we get as well as by great IDC rate that we get as well as by our<01:08:06.240> increased
• Increases just don't stop.
• When we increase enrollment, we increase costs also.
• Increasing enrollment actually increases costs.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have also seen accommodation rates increase, which is impacting visitor spending in other areas, impacting
• have also seen accommodation rates have also seen accommodation rates increase<00:27:04.039>
• There's a government rate, you know, there's a rack rate.
• There's a government rate, you know, there's a rack rate.
• <01:33:03.000> those<01:33:03.360> that increase the passage rate for those that increase

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the House Committees on Tourism and Water and Land was held on March 20, 2025, on SB 1396 SD3 HD1, which would raise transient accommodations tax revenues beginning in 2027, impose a $20 per-night tax on stays booked through loyalty or rewards points, and dedicate funds to DLNR for natural resource protection, management, and restoration. The Office of the Governor, DLNR, DBEDT, the Hawaii State Energy Office, Tax Department, Hawaiian Home Lands, HI-EMA, the Climate Advisory Team, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HCDA, the Hawaii Ocean Legislative Task Force, Resource Legacy Fund, KUA, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority all testified in support or with comments, generally emphasizing the need for dedicated funding for environmental stewardship, resilience, wildfire and climate preparedness, and community-based projects. Several supporters cited polling showing broad visitor willingness to pay additional fees to protect Hawaiʻi’s resources, and DLNR and the Attorney General noted the bill aligns with broader state land-management and fire-safety priorities. Opposition came from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi and the Maui Chamber of Commerce, which argued the bill unnecessarily raises the TAT, places more burden on visitors and visitor-dependent businesses, and could harm Maui’s still-recovering economy. The Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaiʻi initially marked opposition but then said it had misunderstood the bill’s relationship to another measure and asked to resend testimony. Expedia Group did not oppose the TAT increase itself but raised operational concerns about the new tax on loyalty-point redemptions, calling it novel and difficult to administer. The American Hotel Lodging Association and Hawaiʻi Hotel Alliance were listed as having no comments present. Testifiers also suggested amendments, including dedicating the revenues to a special fund, ensuring community grants, and clarifying administrative provisions. One testifier urged the bill be used to fund hurricane shelters and stronger building standards, while another emphasized that the measure should support people and disaster resilience as well as environmental protection. During questions, members asked for the polling methodology and for a breakdown of current TAT allocations; staff indicated they could share the survey memo and began identifying existing statutory remittances. No vote or final committee action was taken during the excerpted portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• needed to provide the um the rate needed to provide the um the rate increases<01:29:16.639> and
• for the rate increase from 1% to 2%.
• Uh, Madam Chair and Senator Miller, um, the rate increase for the provider tax would increase revenue
• Uh, Madam Chair and Senator Miller, um, the rate increase for the provider tax would increase revenue
• The rate increase for the provider tax would increase revenue by 401.3 million.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• U electric rate that we establish. U electric rate that we establish.
• So that might not always mean that our rates are lower than the utility rates.
• aggregation program unless our rates aggregation program unless our rates beat<00:18:06.480>
• > rates.
• rates are significantly higher than what they're going to be for this upcoming rate period.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We saw a death increase from 22 to 23 for Americans who are aged 55 and older after seeing an increase
• Congress should remove these burdens and increase Medicaid rates to change this equation.
• For instance, and you were actually suggesting maybe increasing the rates to be able to try to get more
• The frequency of overdose deaths in senior homes has likewise increased.
• The Medicare SUD bundled payments provisions could be increased.

Keywords: opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion

Summary: The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commerce was seeing double-digit rate increases and requests from plans to cap the number of enrollees
• commerce was seen double digit rate commerce was seen double digit rate increases<00:02:31.599><
• <00:02:45.319> from average premium saw 155% increase from average premium saw 155% increase
• <00:03:25.239> was<00:03:25.360> reduced<00:03:25.680> to rate was reduced to rate
• the cost, and you're going to increase the rates.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a reinsurance overview from Deputy Commissioner Julia Dryer of the Minnesota Department of Commerce on the Minnesota Premium Security Plan. She explained that reinsurance helps stabilize premiums in the individual market by reimbursing insurers for high-cost claims, and said Minnesota’s program has lowered premiums, preserved carrier participation, and helped maintain consumer choice. She warned that without continued funding, the program would be depleted and individual-market premiums could rise by about 25%, with potential losses in coverage and access to care. She also described the program’s structure under a federal 1332 waiver, the role of MCHA in administering the program, and the state’s receipt of more than $650 million in federal pass-through funds to date. Dryer said the current program is funded through the end of 2025, though the federal waiver authority runs through 2027. The governor’s proposal would create a new assessment on insurers, estimated at roughly 2% to 3%, to fund the state share of the program and avoid another full waiver submission. She noted that the proposal assumes MinnesotaCare funding would be held harmless and that the program would be reduced if federal basic health plan funding were negatively affected. She also said projected costs changed because individual-market enrollment has grown and enhanced federal subsidies were removed from the estimate. Members raised concerns about the proposal’s impact on premiums and the history of the fund. Senator Rasmusson argued the new assessment amounts to a large tax increase on health insurance and questioned who would be assessed and whether the surcharge would be capped. Dryer responded that the assessment would be based on annual claims experience and market conditions, with final amounts determined at the end of each year, not monthly. Senator Duckworth and Senator Frentz supported reinsurance as a way to keep premiums lower, while also questioning how the program should be financed. Senator Green asked about the mechanics of the assessment and the role of the department in setting it, and Senator H questioned why the fiscal note assumed 12% annual growth for program costs when general premium growth was lower. No vote or formal action was taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicare's cutting rates.
• You know, we talked about the high rates.
• A major hospital in South Florida, and I want to carry this, took a 73% increase in their rates year
• The answer would be things like increasing reimbursement, bill, the answer would be things like increasing
• reimbursement rates.

Summary: The Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee considered one bill, HB 603, which would repeal section 768.21(8), the Florida medical negligence wrongful death exception often referred to by supporters as the “Free Kill” law. The sponsor argued the current statute unfairly bars certain families—especially adult children or parents of unmarried adults without minor children—from recovering non-economic damages when a loved one dies from medical negligence, while such damages are available in other wrongful death cases. Supporters, including family members, AARP, and some legal advocates, testified that the law is discriminatory and denies equal access to justice for grieving families and vulnerable adults. Opponents, including physicians, hospital and insurer representatives, and business groups, argued that repeal would increase malpractice exposure, raise premiums, worsen access to care, and accelerate physician retirements or departures from Florida. Several urged that if the bill moves forward, it should be paired with caps on non-economic damages to balance the impact on the health care system. Supporters countered that negligence must still be proven, that the law creates unequal treatment, and that existing tort reforms have not lowered premiums. The sponsor closed by rejecting claims that the bill is “jackpot justice” and emphasizing that families deserve court access and accountability. After debate, the committee voted on HB 603 and passed it 16-2. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's increased prenatal services that can include benefits such as an increased number of prenatal
• And here we also measure the preterm delivery rate.
• Do we have any data on our success rate? You're recognized.
• So our rates compared to other states of our size and demographics, the monthly participation rates seem
• below the Healthy People 2030 rate.

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met to discuss maternal and infant health, beginning with a presentation from New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MiHA). Pamela Taylor described New Jersey’s statewide effort to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities through the Nurture New Jersey campaign, a strategic plan with more than 80 recommendations, universal home visiting, Medicaid-covered doula care, hospital report cards, limits on non-medically indicated early elective C-sections, and a new maternal and infant health innovation center. Senators asked about doula certification, funding, home visiting, and how New Jersey coordinates across agencies; Taylor said the authority uses quarterly stakeholder meetings, annual summits, and a tracker for recommendations, and that community input helped shape its programs. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer then outlined Florida Medicaid’s maternal coverage and managed care structure. He reviewed eligibility and services for pregnant women, labor and delivery, postpartum coverage, newborn coverage, and family planning, noting 12 months of postpartum coverage, expanded benefits in managed care plans, and new contracts launching February 1 with more maternal-health-focused benefits, quality measures, and a new quality withhold incentive structure. Senators questioned doula certification and duplication with Healthy Start, provider access and network adequacy, kick payments, quality reporting, and whether Florida should consider broader eligibility standards; Meyer said many details are still plan-driven, that quality metrics are public, and that the agency is working on maternal-health work groups and incentives. Department of Health Division Director Shea Holloway followed with an overview of Florida’s maternal and child health programs and data. She cited Florida CHARTS data showing pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal morbidity, and infant mortality trends, and described the Title V block grant, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the electronic prenatal risk screen, Healthy Babies, BH Impact for perinatal mental health, Healthy Start, WIC, family planning, telehealth maternity care, and the Pregnancy Care Network. Senators asked about delays in mortality review reporting, preterm birth, substance use disorder in pregnancy, WIC participation, cesarean rates, and the impact of the abortion ban; Holloway said the department is continuing to monitor outcomes, expand screening and telehealth, and use data and hospital partnerships to improve care. The committee then adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Case filings continue to increase. Increase.
• We appreciate the LFC recommendation that does fund interpreter rate increases.
• What was that increase caused by? Increase—what caused that increase?
• Chair, those three things—the rates and insurance, the WIP, and the remaining HB 141 salary increases—all
• The HB 141, judge increase rates, and others in hopes that they could make that up with the vacancy savings

Transcript Highlights:

• One was increase rates to taxpayers or increase rates to everyone served by this facility.
• One was increase rates to taxpayers or increase rates to everyone served by this facility.
• One was increase rates to taxpayers or increase rates to everyone served by this facility.
• One was increase rates to taxpayers or increase rates to everyone served by this facility.
• One was increase rates to taxpayers or increase rates to everyone served by this facility.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We engaged in intensive negotiations with each carrier during the rate review process to minimize rate
• increases while ensuring that rates remain actually justified and solvency was not compromised.
• But in the group market, the average rate increase was lower.
• increases.
• Did you increase on an average for the individual plan? 35.7% increase.

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought about adding a slide here with all the headlines about utility rate increases. ...about adding
• a slide here with all the headlines about utility rate increases.
• units, and even their rate structures differ from flat rates to descending rates.
• our rate.
• Okay, the current rate that you have now, will that be increased with a new tie-in to take care of the

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Arizona families feel it through increased tuition and increased property taxes.
• However, I believe that the funding has not been increased for inflation rates.
• Provider rate increases. Through the chair. Oh, sorry, Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
• Provider rate increases have definitely been something that have been requested.
• What was the inflation rate? What was the inflation rate? Mr.

Bills: HB4154, HB4155, HB4156, HB4157, HB4158, HB4159, HB4160, HB4161, HB4162, HB4163, HB4164, HB4165, HB4166, HB4167, HB4168, HB4169, SB1847, SB1848, SB1849, SB1850, SB1851, SB1852, SB1853, SB1854, SB1855, SB1856, SB1857, SB1858, SB1859, SB1860, SB1861, SB1862

Keywords: general appropriations act, state budget, biennial budget, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, fiscal year 2027, budget bill, spending authority, state spending, agency funding, public funds, executive budget, education funding, health and human services, public safety, transportation funding, legislative appropriations, budget resolution, state finance, government operations

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill seeks to increase transparency in rates charged to consumers by allowing the office to provide
• information to the public related to statewide rate changes and provide a functional rating example
• Four, rate filings.
• The lien provision likewise increases costs as lenders would want to increase the interest rate.
• Likewise increases costs as lenders would want to increase the interest rate.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several insurance, financial regulation, and public safety bills. The most extensive discussion centered on SB 1656, a major Office of Insurance Regulation bill covering reciprocal insurers, rate transparency, data calls, cybersecurity notification, and stronger oversight of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). The sponsor and OIR described the bill as aimed at transparency and preventing insolvencies, especially after recent CCRC failures. CCRC residents and industry representatives testified both in support and in opposition, with supporters emphasizing resident protection and opponents warning about liens, reserve requirements, management-company regulation, and higher costs. After debate and assurances that problematic provisions would be refined, the committee adopted a delete-all amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee also passed SB 1658, which creates a public records framework for the uniform mitigation verification of inspection form database while protecting policyholders’ personal information; a clarifying amendment was adopted before the bill was reported favorably. SB 1612 on financial institutions was approved after a substitute amendment restored current limits on credit union investments and kept only reimbursement, not salary, authority for certain board members and officers. SB 1740, an insurance bill intended to reduce premiums and insurer insolvency risk, was amended to prioritize rate-decrease filings and prohibit claim denials based solely on AI, then reported favorably. Two public-safety bills also moved forward. SB 1212 on firefighter health and safety would update OSHA-related protections, address toxic exposure in gear, encourage safer replacement equipment, and support best practices and mental health resources; an amendment refined terminology and added related provisions, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1184 on residual market insurers was amended to preserve existing consumer protections and disclosure rules for excess and surplus lines and to clarify Citizens-related appointment requirements before being reported favorably. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly noted ongoing stakeholder negotiations and intent to refine several bills further in later committee stops.

Transcript Highlights:

• rates begin to get compressed.
• or increase from 2010 era.
• I mean, there's some states that have been increasing spending at a higher rate.
• Some states have been increasing spending at a lower rate.
• That increase would actually be able to also increase salaries would be required.

Transcript Highlights:

• isn't counted when they come in for an interim rate increase.
• isn't counted when they come in for an interim rate increase.
• isn't counted when they come in for an interim rate increase.
• Each one of these proceedings is almost always a rate increase for customers.
• So these six proceedings, the purpose of them is to allow the utility to increase their rates faster.

Bills: HB 106, HB144, HB145, HB252, HB1732, HB2221, HB2467, HB2468, HB2517, HB2518, HB2963, HB3016, HB3689, HB3960, HB4386, HB4490, HB4751, HB5247, HJR175, HB2213

Keywords: HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund, production safety, leasehold operations, electric utility, distribution poles, inspection

Summary: The committee first handled pending business, including reconsidering SB 715 and then voting out several measures. The committee substitute for SB 1978 was reported favorably, and HB 431, HB 1522, HB 1922, HB 3228, HB 3229, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 4219, HB 4238, HB 434, HB 1584, and HB 4739 were all reported favorably, many with objections sent to the local and uncontested calendar. HB 1522 and HB 4238 were adopted as committee substitutes before passage. The committee then moved into public testimony on HB 2963, a right-to-repair bill for consumer electronics. Supporters argued it would reduce waste, lower costs, and help independent repair shops by requiring manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and information on fair terms, while opponents said the bill was too broad and the automotive MOU exemption was problematic. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 2467, which would align State Fire Marshal Office investigators’ pay with other commissioned peace officers at TDI; testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the office’s arson-investigation role, and the bill was left pending. HB 252, a bill allowing certain state agencies flexibility to pay Schedule A employees twice monthly, was laid out and left pending after limited testimony. HB 2468, dealing with public improvement district notice in real estate transactions, would let buyers terminate within seven days if required PID notice was not provided before contract execution; it drew no public testimony and was left pending. HB 4386, an annuity exchange and surrender process bill, was presented as a consumer-protection measure with deadlines and penalties for insurer delays; it received support from industry witnesses and was left pending. The committee then heard HB 4751, creating the Texas Quantum Initiative within the Governor’s Office to coordinate quantum research, workforce, industry partnerships, and possible future grant funding. Witnesses from universities and industry supported the bill, while several senators questioned whether a new state structure was necessary; the bill was left pending. HJR 175 proposed a constitutional amendment protecting Texans’ right to use mutually agreed forms of exchange, including cash, bullion, digital currency, or private script, and was discussed at length in the context of central bank digital currency and barter; it was left pending after testimony. HB 2221, updating insurance anti-rebating laws to allow wellness and value-added services, drew supportive testimony from the insurance industry and discussion about incentives versus monitoring; it was also left pending. Finally, the committee heard a series of utility wildfire and infrastructure bills: HB 106, requiring oil and gas operators to maintain certain electrical infrastructure near well sites; HB 144, requiring electric utilities to submit pole inspection and management plans to the PUC; and HB 145, requiring wildfire mitigation plans and allowing self-insurance under certain conditions. Utility, insurance, and cooperative witnesses generally supported the wildfire-related bills while asking for clarifications and less burdensome reporting, and the bills were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are requesting an increased rate to support what the group homes have voiced is really necessities
• I wanted to ask if there was a desire for our detention provider reimbursement rate increase.
• Number two is the school for the Blind graduation rate, and 3 is the school for the deaf graduation rate
• We're hoping to continue that rate moving into 27.
• So, we increased by 3 and not by 5.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the taxable value rate, at 8.3% compared to 9.5%, which is the current rate.
• assessment rate to 8.3%. assessment rate to 8.3%.
• interest rates.
• increase.
• Some counties had huge increases, others had modest increases or very small increases.

Keywords: 916, all