Transcript Highlights:

• First off, who's setting the interest rate, and how are we charging ourselves interest?
• First off, who's setting the interest rate, and how are we charging ourselves interest?
• First off, who's setting the interest rate, and how are we charging ourselves interest?
• First off, who's setting the interest rate, and how are we charging ourselves interest?
• First off, who's setting the interest rate, and how are we charging ourselves interest?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met on January 29, 2025, to hear the Metropolitan Council’s presentation on the Governor’s proposed agency budget requests. The Council outlined three main budget items: authorization to advance funds to MnDOT to help coordinate a highway project with arterial bus rapid transit construction; a proposal to make free regular-route transit rides permanent for eligible Metro Mobility riders, after a successful pilot that produced nearly 75,000 rides; and a reduction in general fund support for rail operations, which the Council said it could absorb in the near term. The Council also noted it was seeking $15 million in the bonding bill for bus rapid transit, including support for the H Line, and described other capital requests for an infill/infiltration program and regional parks. Council leadership said the advance-funds proposal would let two projects move together more efficiently, reduce disruption, and potentially lower costs by avoiding repeated reconstruction and maintenance. On the Metro Mobility fare pilot, they said the lower fare increased rider freedom and spontaneity while saving state money because fixed-route service is cheaper than individual Metro Mobility trips. On the general fund reduction, they said the agency is expanding service, opening the Gold Line, B Line, and E Line, and can manage the cut because of its diversified revenue sources, though it could affect future expansion. Senator Nelson raised concerns about the proposal to expand the Right-of-Way Acquisition Loan Fund to include regional parks and trails, warning that the legislation should clearly avoid creating condemnation authority for park or trail projects, especially where they are adjacent to MnDOT projects. Council staff responded that the program would finance local acquisitions rather than give the Met Council condemnation power, and said they would take the concern under advisement and ensure the legislation is carefully drafted. Members also discussed federal funding uncertainty; Council officials said federal transit operating support is about $30 million and that a pause or cut could affect future capital projects and some existing awards, while the region’s diversified funding base would help cushion operations. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• HPIA has lowered rates.
• Can we get back to those rates? Stop having lava rates. It's a balance.
• Can we get back to those rates? Stop having lava rates.
• Can we get back to those rates? Stop having lava rates.
• <01:53:59.880> might<01:54:00.599> be rating the State's bond rating might be rating

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The broader issue about the disproportionality of tax rates is the subject of the Rand case.
• case.
• case.
• case.
• case.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But, ...changes in rates across three different age groups.
• I appreciate very much that the declines in conviction rates dropped across racial categories.
• I appreciate very much that the declines in conviction rates dropped across racial categories.
• So the disproportionality still exists, but the absolute rates are so low.
• So in this case, we have annual Medicaid claims data between 2012 through 2023.

Summary: The committee heard a work session on earthquake insurance, beginning with background from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. OIC staff explained that earthquake and earth movement are generally excluded from standard property policies, that earthquake coverage is usually purchased through endorsements or standalone policies with high deductibles and relatively high premiums, and that surplus lines are a limited backstop market not covered by the state guarantee fund. They also described parametric insurance and captive insurance as more specialized products generally suited to commercial or governmental buyers rather than ordinary consumers. A second panel of insurance and banking experts focused on commercial earthquake exposure, especially for older buildings, collateralized loans, and potential knock-on effects to banks and consumers if a major quake caused widespread damage. Members asked about consumer impacts, mitigation incentives, inventories of vulnerable buildings, and whether legislation such as prior work on unreinforced masonry could help reduce risk. The Washington Bankers Association said earthquake insurance is expensive and that affordability is a major concern, while also noting banks participate in disaster-recovery planning and would be affected by major regional losses. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on its cannabis and Initiative 502 research. WSIPP staff described the agency as a nonpartisan research institute that conducts legislative-directed studies and explained that its long-term I-502 assignment includes periodic reports leading to a final benefit-cost evaluation in 2032. Staff summarized findings from a 2023 report showing that cannabis possession convictions fell sharply after legalization, though some racial disproportionalities persisted, and that closer retail access was associated with higher reported adult cannabis use, more fatal traffic crashes involving drivers from nearby areas, and higher rates of cannabis use disorder diagnoses among Medicaid enrollees. A 2023 youth-focused report found that students attending schools near retailers were more likely to report cannabis use, had more unexcused absences, and were less likely to graduate on time. In the newest 2025 Medicaid study, staff said retail access was associated with higher probabilities of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, related hospitalizations, inpatient treatment, and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, with event-study analysis suggesting the increases appeared after retailers opened rather than before. Members asked about racial disproportionality, the meaning of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, THC and impairment, whether the findings reflected medical versus recreational use, and how the results should be interpreted in light of broader trends and data limitations. No formal committee action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This past summer, UNATIL was due for a rate case filing.
• So when you hear about a rate case, it's often talking about what's going to happen with rates as a result
• A UNATIL was due for a rate case filing.
• <04:50:16.400> talking<04:50:16.718> about rate case, it's often talking about rate
• this was re the most recently filed rate this was re the most recently filed rate case<04:54:59.440

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I forget the person's name that this is a case-by-case basis.
• I forget the person's name that this is a case-by-case basis.
• I forget the person's name that this is a case-by-case basis.
• So, I'm going to go it's a case-by-case basis.
• I forget the person's name that this is a case-by-case basis.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These are some of the cases that we have handled in the last year.
• In 2021 cases, in fiscal year 2025 to date, that's been reduced to 9%. 9.1 cases that improves both the
• Also unique in APS is. is that the same case worker is with the case for the life of the case.
• So, this was formerly called rate modernization.
• packages and rates to serve them.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's proposing cutting Medi-Cal dental reimbursement rates by 43%.
• 1898 case.
• 1898 case.
• We don't just have low homeownership rates.
• We don't just have low homeownership rates.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long Daily File with several guest introductions and floor speeches. Members recognized visiting student leaders, championship football teams from Tuolumne County, Alpha Kappa Alpha members at their Capitol day, and later a descendant of Wong Kim Ark. The chamber also adopted a procedural motion allowing certain members to host guests in the rear of the chamber. Among the major policy items, AB 578 on food delivery platform refund practices passed 47-2, AB 344 on successor beer manufacturer definitions passed 61-0, AB 454 to make California’s migratory bird protections permanent passed 55-12 on the urgency clause, AB 482 updating the Table Grape Commission passed 64-1, AB 1237 to support transit access for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders passed 56-15 on the urgency clause, AB 738 on wildfire rebuild solar exemptions passed 42-2, AB 1460 on 340B pharmacy access for clinics passed 41-5, AB 750 on homeless shelter oversight passed 49-1, AB 1061 on housing in historic districts passed 41-13, AB 1523 on expanding mandatory mediation thresholds passed 65-0, and AB 316 on AI-related civil liability passed 56-0. AB 761 authorizing the Monterey-Salinas Transit District to seek a sales tax ballot measure passed 47-12. The chamber also adopted several resolutions. AJR 3 urging protection of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid passed 53-2 after extensive debate that included criticism of federal cuts and counterarguments focused on state Medi-Cal policy and budget decisions. ACR 65 proclaiming California Tourism Month was adopted by voice vote after coauthors were added, and ACR 62 recognizing California Nonprofits Day was also adopted by voice vote with 65 coauthors. AJR 5 affirming birthright citizenship and opposing efforts to end it passed 58-1 after a lengthy, highly partisan debate centered on the 14th Amendment and the Wong Kim Ark precedent. The session also included passage of AB 571, a CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, which was presented as a long-running bipartisan effort to create a final resting place for Orange County veterans.

Transcript Highlights:

• information that come with that rate case.
• You're also in need of access to the past rate case and maybe the rate case before that.
• It's it's all a rate case though, right?
• You're also in need of access rate case.
• <00:40:30.880> rate to the past rate case and maybe the rate to the past rate case and maybe

Bills: SF0082

Keywords: registered agents, corporate governance, entity ownership, business regulations, transparency, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of us have cold case units or unresolved cases.
• That's not the case.
• That's where the cases are.
• That's where the cases are.
• Thank you. 100 cases and 88% of those cases close. We field eviction matters.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s H-2 budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard first from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who outlined a $1.72 billion budget, up $69.8 million from FY26. She said the proposal emphasizes core operations, readiness, and partnerships with municipalities, and highlighted work on firearms-law implementation, State Police reform, DOC reentry efforts, hate-crimes prevention, emergency response, and planning for major events including the World Cup. Members also raised concerns about DNA backlog reporting, State Police academy boxing and training standards, ICE communication, disaster relief funding, crime lab staffing, EMS placement, and diversity in public safety leadership. Several exchanges focused on specific operational issues. Secretary Kwan and her team said the State Police are tracking the influx of forensic work from local sheriffs, that the boxing program remains suspended pending an IACP review and likely will not return in its prior form, and that EOPS has no direct communication with ICE but supports law-enforcement coordination where appropriate. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, though members urged a more permanent funding source. On the crime lab, staff said the roughly $4.5 million increase is intended to cover core operations and a structural funding gap rather than expand services. The secretary also said EOPS is not ready to absorb OEMS from DPH at this time, though she would keep an open mind. The committee then heard from district attorneys, led by Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden, who said the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association is seeking a 10% increase in operating budgets, including about $16.7 million for staffing salaries, to recruit and retain prosecutors, advocates, and support staff. He said the request reflects rising workload and the need to keep the criminal justice system functioning efficiently and fairly. The hearing was recessed briefly after the district attorneys’ opening remarks, with additional testimony expected to continue afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• That has increased mortgage delinquency rates.
• What's the interest rate of those loans? Mr.
• How do I get a 0% rate versus, you know, the 3% or 4%? Mr.
• it's ready to go, the Public School Capital Outlay Council is taking those into consideration on a case-by-case
• I mean, in this case, in capital outlay's case, it may be one of the only large injections of dollars

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a rate in um the rates so providers got a rate in um the bium<00:30:49.360> that<00:30:49.480>
• The DCF is overseeing the cases.
• for daily rates for the beds um I rates for daily rates for the beds um I believe<03:30:55.880> we
• We talked about the provider rates and whether there was an increase for the rates, and the rates were
• <05:09:03.600> were<05:09:04.400> not rates um and so the um rates were not rates um

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee’s Division 3 held a public work session on the Behavioral Health budget on February 27, 2025. The chair opened by explaining the schedule, materials, and deadlines for the budget process, and noted there would be no motions or votes in the division that day. Division of Behavioral Health Director Ktia Fox and DHHS CFO Nathan White then walked the committee through the division’s mission, structure, and budget materials, describing the division’s four bureaus: Mental Health Services, Children’s Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homeless Services, along with the policy unit. They emphasized the division’s role in oversight, technical assistance, quality assurance, contracting, and the continuum of care from prevention and early intervention through crisis and residential services. Much of the discussion focused on major programs and funding lines, including the 988 Lifeline contract with Headrest, a technical assistance contract with UNH, Medicaid pass-through payments to New Hampshire Hospital and Glencliff, crisis response services, cold-weather homeless responses, housing supports, and the children’s system of care. Members asked about the UNH contract, the 988 program, crisis stabilization centers, and the peer certification program; Fox explained that the peer certification is a training-and-credentialing pathway for people with lived experience to enter community-based behavioral health work, not a volunteer program. The committee also discussed the “Choose Love” program, which Fox said was created after the Sandy Hook tragedy to build resilience and strength-based emotional regulation in schools and communities. On the children’s side, Fox described the system of care account as the place where many contracted services are budgeted, including community mental health centers, care management entities, rapid response services, and residential programs. Members asked about temporary staffing, and Fox said roughly $500,000 in temporary staff costs shown in the current year would not be spent next year because the money came from a nonlapsing appropriation in HB 1573 for oversight of children’s residential services. She also said provider rate increases were a prioritized need but were not funded in the governor’s current budget, and that the Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center was not funded, resulting in about a $1 million reduction. The session ended while the division was still moving through the children’s behavioral health slides, including questions about the Fast Forward high-fidelity wraparound program and medication management.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:46:01.920> statewide cases statewide cases statewide um<00:46:04.240> many<00:46:04.560
• At the same time, humanitarian cases.
• what would happen in those cases?
• Back in 20 2023, marginal rate system.
• It has a higher rate for second homes and investment properties, and it has a lower rate for owner-occupied

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1768, which would prohibit state and county law enforcement agencies and officials from entering into federal immigration-enforcement agreements under 8 U.S.C. 1357(g) and from assisting in certain immigration enforcement actions except in limited circumstances. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and the ACLU of Hawaiʻi all testified in strong support, arguing the bill would protect due process, reduce fear in immigrant communities, preserve trust in local police, and keep local resources focused on public safety. Testifiers said cooperation with immigration enforcement can chill court attendance, crime reporting, and cooperation with police, and they emphasized that the bill would not stop federal enforcement or affect other deputization agreements for environmental or other criminal matters. Committee members asked whether any 287(g) agreements currently exist in Hawaiʻi; testifiers said they were unaware of any and believed the bill would maintain the status quo. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up House Bill 1548, which would reduce the maximum sentence for misdemeanors from one year to 364 days and allow people previously sentenced to one year to seek sentence modification. The Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the ACLU of Hawaiʻi, and the William S. Richardson School of Law immigration clinic all supported the measure, saying the one-day change could prevent severe immigration consequences such as detention, removal, and bars to relief that can be triggered by a sentence of 365 days or more. Testifiers stressed that the bill would not change criminal liability or public safety, but would align Hawaiʻi law with similar reforms adopted in other states. Members questioned whether the change would affect citizens or create an automatic immigration process; witnesses responded that the issue is the federal immigration consequence tied to the maximum sentence, not actual time served, and that citizens would not face that consequence. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HB 1548, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• developers a lower rate of interest. developers a lower rate of interest.
• higher interest rates or lower interest<01:02:39.520> rates?
• interest rates? interest rates?
• How would you decide in this case versus this case?
• cite an area of law. um for case law. cite an area of law. um for case law.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Housing Committee opened with a public hearing on HB 196, which would repeal the Housing Champion program. Representative Matt Drew, the prime sponsor, argued the program is an unnecessary and poorly targeted subsidy, saying it rewards municipalities after projects are completed and may not be limited to new housing production. He questioned the transparency of the program, cited difficulty finding required annual reports, and noted a fiscal note suggesting the state could recover up to $3 million if obligations are terminated. Committee members and witnesses debated whether the program’s criteria amount to political favoritism or a standard grant process; supporters said the rubric is specific and that municipalities are evaluated against objective requirements. Representative Priest, Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire, and Karen Benfield of Stay Work Play New Hampshire all opposed repeal, saying the program encourages local zoning and regulatory changes, helps smaller communities participate, and supports housing supply and young people’s ability to stay in the state. The hearing on HB 196 was then closed. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 1405, a bill establishing an affordable housing guarantee program within the Housing Finance Authority. Prime sponsor Representative Chris Muns said the bill would reduce lender risk by guaranteeing up to 80% of principal on qualifying loans for affordable housing, with a cap of $30 million per lender per year and $300 million outstanding at any time. He described the measure as a low-cost public-private partnership backed by the full faith and credit of the state, and said it was identical to a prior Senate bill that had received unanimous bipartisan committee support before dying later in the process. He framed the bill as one part of a broader housing package aimed at financing, infrastructure, workforce, zoning reform, and other housing-related issues. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided. The only formal actions were opening and closing the public hearing on HB 196 and opening the public hearing on HB 1405, with testimony continuing on HB 1405 at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2022, the coinsurance rate was reduced down to 60% for budgetary reasons.
• States have different coinsurance rates and caps, and may in some cases pair their reinsurance programs
• and caps and May in inssurance rates and caps and May in some<00:09:59.880> cases<00:10:00.240
• They're more at the market rate of reimbursement, is that correct? Chair, yes.
• They're more at the market rate of reimbursement, is that correct? Chair, yes.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They quit at much more frequent rates. Thank you, Chairman.
• rating on any district for the last two years.
• We would have to evaluate each... one of these on a case-by-case basis.
• The facts of these cases are very specific.
• But we do know that the existence. of a public rating system that as a tiered performance rating system

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we need to make, is it not workable in that case?
• other cases, maybe not all of them.
• And provide a rate increase, actually more than that.
• In this case, we talked about graduation rates being, um, the best they've been in 15 years, but also
• The recidivism rates on those two are.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in most cases, the insurance companies comply.
• a tier of accuracy within actuarially sound rates.
• Supreme Court case that has been granted cert.
• In my case, the original estimates totaled over $350,000.
• We didn't allow people to raise rates, and so they left, right?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• contempt case 15 days 14 days. contempt case 15 days 14 days.
• And that is to case-by-case basis.
• <01:15:55.080> So in certain cases. So in certain cases.
• type of case management that's going on. type of case management that's going on.
• vacancy rate in my community? vacancy rate in my community?

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Each time a rate reduction...
• <00:20:55.120> uh clawbacks y'all deal with a rates uh clawbacks y'all deal with a rates uh
• <00:42:57.440> by death rate by death rate by 50%<00:42:59.280> and<00:42:59.400>
• How are the rates set currently for the drug pricing?
• <01:33:35.880> and buy a drug at a at a lower rate and buy a drug at a at a lower rate and

Keywords: 00:00:00 Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:19 Discussion of 25RS HB 785 00:30:25 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 785 00:32:15 Discussion of 25RS HB 61 00:36:42 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 61 00:38:07 Discussion of 25RS HB 788 00:51:01 Discussion of 25RS SB 14 01:11:09 Discussion of 25RS HB 685 01:44:57 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and took up House Bill 785, as amended by a committee substitute that combined language from HB 785 and HB 787. The bill was described as addressing Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) audits, provider contract notice and amendment procedures, mental health parity compliance, and related transparency requirements. Supporters said the measure would tighten notice to providers, limit repeated contract amendments and rate reductions, require more standardized audit procedures, and add reporting on Medicaid claims, appeals, and grievances. It also includes a provision requiring coverage of at least two evaluation-and-management billable services per physician per recipient per date of service, and a section addressing narcotic/opioid treatment program licensing and reimbursement language. Testimony in support came from Representative Kim Moore, John Inman of BrightView Health, Michelle Sandborne of the Children’s Alliance, and Kelly Cormic of RYSE. They argued that MCOs often use audits and recoupments in ways that are burdensome, opaque, and financially damaging to providers, especially smaller and rural ones. They cited examples of multiple audit requests in short timeframes, large record requests with short deadlines, delayed or absent feedback, and recoupments taken before appeals are resolved. They also said parity laws are not being consistently enforced and that the bill would give the Department of Insurance authority to suspend or revoke an MCO certificate of authority for willful or repeated parity violations. Committee members generally expressed support for provider protections and transparency, while asking for clarification on the narcotic treatment and E/M billing provisions. Tom Stevens of the Kentucky Association of Health Plans testified in opposition, saying the bill is complex to implement and should be handled through the broader Medicaid oversight work of House Bill 9, the MOAB. He said the issues raised were better suited for that bipartisan stakeholder process and noted the committee substitute had not yet been fully reviewed by his group. After discussion, the committee adopted the committee substitute and then moved to a vote on the bill; the roll call began, with several members recorded as voting yes, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote result is shown.