Transcript Highlights:

• So I assume that's the right, because you're using the free, you know, effective cost structure of the

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and first took up several pending and uncontested bills. It favorably reported SB 1405, SB 1762, SB 1977, SB 2077, SB 2148, and SB 1968, and also moved SB 2321 to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard SB 819, which would change how the Public Utility Commission reviews proposed utility-scale solar and related interconnection projects. The committee substitute would shift the default so interconnection is allowed unless the PUC affirmatively prohibits it within 180 days, limit denial to cases where harm substantially outweighs benefits, remove public meeting requirements, retain setback and financial assurance provisions, add optional application materials such as national security and environmental information, and restore local control over county tax abatements. The substitute was adopted and SB 819 was favorably reported to the full Senate on a 7-3 vote. The committee then took up SB 231, focused on CenterPoint’s use of large emergency generators after Hurricane Beryl. Senator King explained that the original bill was intended to prevent customers from being charged for non-mobile generators that were leased at great cost and did not match the bill’s emergency-response purpose. CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan apologized for the company’s communication failures and said the company would make customers whole through a combination of rate reductions, foregone storm-cost recovery, and a donation of the 15 large generators to ERCOT for about two years to address a San Antonio-area reliability issue, with the company absorbing the associated costs. PUC Executive Director Connie Corona said the commission could enforce the agreement through its contested-case process. Public testimony included consumer and reliability advocates, one of whom argued utility-scale microgrids should be preserved as a policy option. SB 231 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 986, which would create an alternative process for routine Public Information Act requests so local governments can make initial redactions without sending every routine exception to the Attorney General, while preserving an appeal path and training requirements. Supporters said it would reduce backlog and speed access to records; opponents argued it would shift the burden to requesters and encourage delay. The AG’s office testified that the process could improve efficiency and still fit within current timelines if used promptly. SB 986 was left pending. Finally, SB 584 was briefly laid out to require consumer reporting agencies that buy data from others to ensure the information complies with Texas law on excluded items such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens, and SB 600 was heard on heir property. SB 600’s substitute would strengthen notice, require an attorney ad litem, add an heir’s bill of rights, allow settlement conferences, and require fair-market-value sales protections; supporters said it would curb predatory partition practices, while opponents warned some provisions could burden or diminish minority heirs’ property rights. SB 584 and SB 600 were left pending after testimony.

Bills: SB23, SB71, SB105, SB109, SB115, SB131, SB148, SB165

Keywords: law enforcement, taser, restrained individuals, police procedures, civil rights, income tax, tax exemption, Alabama tax code, Section 40-18-3, civilian employees, Department of Defense, DoD, Armed Forces, military pay, combat zone, deployment, National Guard, Reserve components, emergency response, federal employees

Bills: HB145, SB29, SB37, SB64, HB279, HB292, SB35, SB40, SB43, SB48, SB96, SB143, HB132, SB20, SB21, SB101, SJR1, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM59, HM30, HM52, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB2, SB264, SB241

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, SB29, math requirements for teaching license, teacher licensure, teacher endorsement, mathematics methods, elementary education, secondary education, special education, early childhood education, reciprocity, Public Education Department, Mathematics and Science Education Act, mathematics instructional leadership framework, professional learning plan, K-3 screening

Transcript Highlights:

• No matter the methodology, companies compare past premiums, losses, and expenses to projected premiums
• At the top of our funding structure, going back to page 6, you can see the breakdown of premiums and
• **Speaker:** No, that's premiums; yes, premiums were $1.8 billion, and coverage was the $1.5 billion
• This funding structure, I know St.
• One point—that's premiums though, that's not coverage. No, that is premiums.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• lines premiums?
• lines premiums?
• Are you talking about premiums?
• Are you talking about premiums?
• Are you talking about premiums? HHF—are you talking about premiums? That's upward to eight?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , structure matters because structure<00:24:23.760> drives<00:24:24.159> behavior.
• structure drives behavior. structure drives behavior.
• structure or affiliate relationships. structure or affiliate relationships.
• The premiums went up. Okay.
• The premiums went up. Okay. The premiums went up. Okay.

Bills: HB55, SB15, SB247

Keywords: fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama, regulations, sex offenders, employment restrictions, first responders, public safety, juvenile offenders, local laws, registration requirements, picketing, protesting, residential protest, noise amplification, amplified sound, residential picketing, harassment

Transcript Highlights:

• So then, or the premium? So what's the average premium for the teachers then?
• Premium trend—everybody went through the premium trend—and here...
• Premium trend, everybody went through the premium trend, you know, the average family premiums.
• Texas small employer premiums, 15% to 20% premium increases annually.
• Premiums matter.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their premiums really didn't change much.
• It's Thomas for the premium based on the company's private prior your premium.
• So the tele matter reimbursement premium for premium is received by the fine can change each year.
• also be including the costs and to the premium.
• And then any premium that we expect to see through the end And then any premium that we expect to see

Transcript Highlights:

• And you'll see that premium increases, those annual premium increases have accelerated pretty significantly
• Is the annual premium increases that NMSA had projected before the session.
• premium cost shares, and the most obvious as I'm looking at page 5 is the jolt in premiums between level
• So The more you reflect on it, the more you realize that the current structure of insurance premiums
• Employees, uh, premiums.

Transcript Highlights:

• With over $290 billion in premiums, Texas is the nation's second largest insurer. market.
• Today I will provide an overview of Tuiya's purpose, history, and and structure.
• The first 500 million of public securities are backed by TWA policyholder premiums.
• They're calculated based on the cost of replacing structures. in those particular counties or what?
• When we talk about what you collect in terms of premiums...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The average admitted market homeowners pretty premium is $2,755.
• collective, which is the total collection of premium in the state.
• premium rate for short period of time.
• And I'm going to show premium level and a couple of slides.
• We pay or premiums to you. And I can say, you know what?

Transcript Highlights:

• With over $290 billion in premiums, Texas is the nation's second largest insurance market.
• Today, I will provide an overview of Tua's purpose, history, and structure.
• Our funding structure relies too much on debt.
• So 50 to 60 cents out of every premium dollar from our policyholders will go towards reinsurance.
• Tua premiums are a significant expense for many property owners living on the coast.

Transcript Highlights:

• Subsequently, a at a reduced premium.
• <00:04:44.800> and reinsurance program structure and reinsurance program structure and marketing
• lines premiums?
• [Music] Uh, the low-cost premium—these are all actuarially developed premiums.
• And I know the premiums are years.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Without action, premiums Without action, premiums will rise for families purchasing insurance on the
• Redemption prior to maturity, with or without a premium.
• for the premium wrap, including the effects of that structure on total savings for the enterprise and
• If the amount of premium taxes, or the sum of all premium taxes filed by all insurance companies on any
• In 2019, estimated cost to premiums, $34 million.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that have driven a lot of premiums that have driven a lot of premiums upward<01:21:38.040> are
• There's a premium tax that varies from 1.25% to 2% of gross premium that is paid before that insurance
• <01:28:56.639> tax then it they they pay the premium tax then it they they pay the premium
• as a denominator the the total premium as a denominator the the total premium in<01:31:57.440>
• is is the individual companies premium is is the individual companies premium in<01:32:02.639>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first reviewed its schedule, noting that 13 bills were being executed the next day and that additional subcommittee work would be scheduled around Town Meeting Day and the following session days. The chair explained that the committee would not meet on Town Meeting Day, would handle the remaining bills on the next available subcommittee day, and would continue any unfinished items later in the month. The committee then took up House Bill 774, which concerned Medicare-related coverage issues. Members discussed the bill’s purpose and the differences between Medicare standard and Medicare Advantage, with one member saying the proposal was informative but did not offer a workable solution. The committee also moved to inexpedient to legislate on House Bill 185, and the motion passed on a 6-0 vote. House Bill 241, relating to alternatives to opioids, was retained for further work. Members said the bill raised concerns about insurers effectively practicing medicine and about the lack of evidence on the efficacy of some alternative treatments, while also noting that chiropractic coverage mandates already exist in statute. The committee voted to retain the bill, with the motion passing 6-0. The most extended discussion was on House Bill 648, which would expand insurance coverage for glucose monitoring. Testimony and committee comments focused on whether coverage should be tied to insulin use or instead to a physician’s medical judgment, the role of continuous glucose monitoring for people with type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin, and the potential cost impact. An insurance department fiscal analyst said the original $22-per-member estimate was based on the unamended bill and that the amended version would require updated analysis; members agreed to retain the bill to narrow the eligible population and revisit the language later.

Transcript Highlights:

• premiums.
• Dollar premiums for this population.
• We're opposed to Medi-Cal, and we're also opposed to the premiums, the discriminatory premiums for undocumented
• We're opposed to the premiums, the discriminatory premiums for undocumented immigrants 19 and over, and
• We're opposed to the premiums, the discriminatory premiums for undocumented immigrants 19 and over, and

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held the first of several hearings on the Governor’s May Revision for health care, with opening remarks focused on the state’s projected $12 billion deficit, looming federal Medicaid changes, and the potential impact on Medi-Cal, public health, reproductive health, and safety-net providers. Several members criticized the proposal as balancing the budget on vulnerable Californians, while others defended the need for cost containment and questioned the administration’s assumptions. The chair set ground rules for respectful, focused questioning and outlined three topics: the Medi-Cal proposals, Proposition 35, and Proposition 56. DHCS Director Michelle Baas presented the May Revision’s Medi-Cal package, saying the department’s budget totals $200.6 billion overall, including $45.2 billion General Fund, and that the proposals are intended to address rising caseloads, pharmacy costs, and managed care spending. She described proposed changes for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status, including a freeze on new full-scope enrollment for those 19 and older, $100 monthly premiums beginning in 2027, elimination of adult dental and long-term care coverage, removal of PPS/RAP payments to FQHCs and rural health clinics for that population, and a pharmacy rebate aggregator. Other proposals included eliminating certain OTC drug classes, removing GLP-1 coverage for weight loss, prior authorization and step therapy changes, reinstating the Medi-Cal asset test, eliminating acupuncture as an optional benefit, allowing utilization management for hospice, raising the managed care minimum medical loss ratio to 90%, reducing PACE capitation rates toward the midpoint of the actuarial range, eliminating the skilled nursing facility workforce and quality incentive program, and suspending the SNF backup power requirement. The LAO said the revised Medi-Cal spending estimate is about $2.5 billion higher than the Governor’s Budget in the budget year, and that the increase appears driven more by higher per-enrollee costs than by caseload alone. The LAO said the budget solutions are concentrated in a few areas, are largely ongoing, and should be considered in light of federal uncertainty, but suggested the Legislature could explore alternatives such as more targeted income thresholds for the undocumented expansion and simpler asset-test rules. Department of Finance officials said the proposals are difficult but necessary to address a third consecutive deficit and rising Medi-Cal costs. Members then pressed the administration on the methodology and impacts of the proposals, especially the enrollment freeze, premiums, asset test, hospice controls, PACE reductions, and the elimination of benefits and provider payments. No votes or formal actions were taken at this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• premium.
• I would like to see premiums collected as well as reductions in costs for nonpayment of premiums.
• premiums for the undocumented population.
• We reject any discriminatory health premiums. Thank you.
• As well as the imposition of costly premiums. Thank you.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, exploring ways to reduce our fiscal kind of liability within that legal structure.
• And that's simply by just not paying their January 2026 premium invoice.
• We're pretty sure to do the silver loading or the premium alignment again in '27.
• We're pretty sure to do the silver loading or the premium alignment again in 27.
• One is Cascade Care Savings, your state premium assistance program, is really helpful.

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state standards, did not consistently require proof of those inspections, did not review adverse health event corrective plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. JLARC also raised a possible language-access barrier in the complaint system. Members asked about complaint filing by staff, the meaning of adverse health events, inspection outcomes, and whether the audit compared DOH to other agencies. JLARC said it had not reviewed inspection results or cross-agency comparisons, but noted inspectors were dedicated and working long hours. DOH later said it concurred with the recommendations and outlined a strategic plan with target dates for improving timeliness, verifying accreditation standards, expanding language access, reviewing adverse event laws, and improving public data access, with annual reporting to the Legislature expected. The committee then heard a Department of Health presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current certificate of need process, which reviews need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility changes and new services, and said the program has not been modernized since the 1980s. DOH proposed 10 statutory modernization recommendations, including clarifying the program’s purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, updating access-to-care standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, strengthening long-term funding, and using better data systems. Members asked about oversight of freestanding urgent care and EDs, funding sources, and whether the process could be streamlined or made more responsive to complaints or other triggers. A third panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care. Lucy O’Rourke of the Coalition for Health AI described CHAI’s work on responsible AI principles, technical standards, model cards or “nutrition labels,” testing and governance tools, and educational resources for providers. She said the group is focused on trust, transparency, fairness, safety, security, and privacy, and noted Washington’s AI-related policy work as among the more progressive in the country. No questions were asked. The final portion focused on the financial impact of federal and state health care policy changes. The Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals are facing low or negative operating margins, service reductions, layoffs, and closures, and that state cuts and taxes enacted in 2025, combined with federal HR1 changes, will significantly worsen finances. Providence Swedish leaders described staffing reductions, service cuts, delayed capital investments, and pressure from denials, tariffs, and reimbursement changes, while emphasizing that frontline staffing cuts are tied to service reductions rather than nurse-to-patient ratio changes. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange then began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits, state Cascade Care Savings assistance, and eligibility changes affecting lawfully present non-citizens, with examples showing large premium increases for customers if federal subsidies expire.

Transcript Highlights:

• A key point is premium. Premium rates reflect health insurance costs; they don't drive them.
• I mean, if they... ...premium at all?
• The incentive is to have higher premiums, Insurance companies, the incentive is to have higher premiums
• Cost areas for premiums and fairly consistently get lower premium increases.
• Premium. Of the total?

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:36:25.359> Premiums mortgage approval process. Premiums mortgage approval process.
• Chair. that uh drive the cost of premiums and that uh drive the cost of premiums and insurance<00:45:
• achieve specific premium savings. achieve specific premium savings. probably<00:47:39.680> the
• <00:48:32.240> any homeowner uh insurance premiums any homeowner uh insurance premiums any
• don't get credit for it on your premium don't get credit for it on your premium um um um and<01:

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The task force met on October 22, 2025, with a quorum present and several members participating remotely. Members approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Michelle Urick of the Legislative Coordinating Commission then gave an administrative update on proxy voting and the task force’s operating procedures. She said the enabling statute only authorizes the officially appointed member to act and vote, so proxy voting is not allowed, and votes must be cast in person at the meeting where the item is considered. She also said members may submit written positions, but not vote before or after a meeting. In response to concerns about attendance for future votes, the chair said the January meetings would be rescheduled if possible using a Doodle poll so more members could be present in person. The group also agreed to treat the revised document as operating procedures rather than a formal charter, with no separate adoption action needed at that time. The task force then moved into testimony on homeowners and commercial property insurance. Paul Edgar of Minnesota Realtors said rising insurance costs are adding to housing affordability pressures, citing an increase in the monthly principal, interest, taxes, and insurance payment on a median-priced Minnesota home from $1,622 in 2021 to $2,642 in September 2025. He said higher insurance costs and limited coverage can affect buyers’ financing, especially for condominiums and townhomes, and urged continued work on liability and insurance-related laws that may discourage condo development. He also referenced prior bipartisan reforms to Minnesota’s condominium construction defects law and said his organization supports further improvements to encourage more condo production. Keenan Ravery of the Minnesota Mortgage Association focused on how insurance requirements affect mortgage lending. He explained that lenders require insurance both at origination and throughout the life of the loan, with standards aimed at protecting collateral rather than providing full homeowners coverage. He said replacement-cost coverage has long been the norm, but recent issues with roofs, deductibles, HO-6 policies, and force-placed insurance have become pain points for consumers and lenders. He said his association is working with national trade groups on reforms that could allow more flexibility in coverage types and deductibles, and he expressed hope that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency may announce policy changes in the coming months or by early 2026. No votes or substantive policy actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and agreeing to pursue scheduling adjustments for January.