Transcript Highlights:

• Since 2013, the surcharge for the assigned risk rate was at 60% of the voluntary rate.
• You mentioned your rating bureau. So are you rating— is that a performance-based rating?
• Are you rating employers? Are you rating insurance providers? Tell me a little bit about that. Mr.
• So our rating bureau is developing rates and loss costs for individual states.
• So those recommendations as far as rates, premium rates, is that industry-wide? Is it per carrier?

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've run into a little bit of a snafu with setting the tax rate for this year.
• Well, in this previous year's rate.
• And this bill is just rates are set.
• </c> fixing that problem for when tax rates fixing that problem for when tax rates can<00:05:43.520><
• </c><00:06:52.639><c> on</c> district and equalize that tax rate on district and equalize that tax rate

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> rates for graduate and online tuition. rates for graduate and online tuition.
• . rates. rates.
• . rates. rates.
• </c> mandatory fee rates? mandatory fee rates?
• </c> And they have approved those rates. And they have approved those rates.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in this case, theoretically, the tax-exempt rate would be 80% of the taxable rate.
• are 60 to 80% of a locable exempt rates are 60 to 80% of a locable taxable<00:56:20.920><c> rates</c
• On a taxable basis, it was a... the tax exempt rate should be the tax exempt rate should be 4%<00:58:
• the credit rating, the lower the interest rate that you're going to be charged.
• is 5% for a AAA-rated general obligation issuance, the tax-exempt rate theoretically should be 4%.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• rate with a 10% floor.
• It also changed the homestead-specific interest rate to the greater of 5% or 2% plus the prime rate.
• Non-homestead property CJ rates remained at the prime rate with a 10% floor.
• rate with a 10% rate which was the prime rate with a 10% floor<00:32:34.799><c> in</c><00:32:34.960>
• 03.840><c> coj</c><00:33:04.399><c> rates</c> rate non Homestead Property coj rates rate non Homestead

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

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:

• </c><00:15:37.920><c> of</c> 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
• </c> 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><c>
• 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:

• 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:

• You know, there's a 5 to 7% error rate. And I'm not defending that error rate.
• And just one quick comment on the error rate that is not related to the administrative rate.
• Uh, just a really quick comment on error rate: error rate is not an indication of fraud.
• Um, the error rate last year bianium. Um, the error rate last year was<00:56:27.839><c> 7.57%.
• </c> talking the uh the January rates here. talking the uh the January rates here.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So those are what we call them legislative rates. So they're very good rates.
• I would say that it would lean towards the opportunity to increase those rates. Rates.
• Rate.
• We pay based on the rates established in the General Appropriations Act. But multiple rates.
• Currently, we are operating at 87% capacity, leaving us with a 13% vacancy rate. vacancy rate.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from high school, higher rates of homelessness, higher rates of incarceration, extraordinary challenges
• The tiered rates are an investment.
• So right now, the STRTP rate is a bundled rate that's only paid when the child's within that STRTP rate
• But if you have the care and supervision rate at the levels that the tiered rate structure allows so
• But the TRS rate structure is based on assumptions of our current LOC rate structure that already has

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard an informational hearing on child welfare, foster care, community care licensing, child support, and related budget issues. CDSS described the Governor’s proposed child and family services budget, emphasized a family-centered and kin-first approach, and reported that foster care entries and congregate care placements have declined over the past decade. Witnesses also highlighted the importance of extended foster care to age 21, while noting persistent racial disparities for Native American and Black children and the need for stronger prevention, family finding, and community-based supports. A major focus was the proposed tiered rate structure (TRS), which CDSS said would shift funding from placement-based rates to child-centered supports, including care and supervision, strength-building dollars, and immediate needs funding paired with high-fidelity wraparound services. CDSS and county representatives said implementation is on track, with foundational policy guidance expected by the end of the year, CANS/CFT timeliness targeted by year-end, and the CWS CARES system nearing go-live in October 2026. Counties and providers raised concerns about whether the rate model and wraparound capacity will be sufficient, especially for higher-acuity youth, and asked for more data, clearer guidance, and continued collaboration. County Welfare Directors Association representatives also requested continued emergency response funding and an extension of flexible family supports, arguing both are needed to stabilize front-end child welfare work and bridge to TRS. Providers from FFAs and STRTPs warned that insurance costs, provider closures, and the transition to TRS could threaten service capacity unless the state addresses long-term insurance and reimbursement issues. LAO noted the Governor’s budget contains no new child welfare augmentations and said the main General Fund change reflects the expiration of one-time funding. No votes were taken; members instead asked for follow-up data, technical assistance, and possible future legislative or trailer bill solutions, including on insurance and implementation timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is just the rate piece, doing the rate increase for those three populations.
• and the other the lower rate.
• They get 80% of the physician rate; that's just their rate.
• rates.
• We did not change the rates.

Summary: The committee reviewed a series of Arkansas Medicaid and Department of Health rules, many implementing 2025 acts. Early items covered presumptive eligibility and Medicaid policy updates, including adding a definition of fictive kin for foster children and changing the disability onset age for ABLE accounts from 26 to 46. Another rule clarified that continuous glucose monitors may be billed by both pharmacies and durable medical equipment providers, with committee members questioning prior authorization timing, system lag, and a fiscal impact estimate of about $3 million over two years; the rule was reviewed, but members requested additional cost breakdowns. Other Medicaid-related rules addressed an RSV vaccine administration fee increase, an ET3 telemedicine exemption for ambulance treat-triage-transport services, a dental rate increase under Act 1025, expanded physical therapy access, and the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies package covering doulas, lactation consultants, remote monitoring, and expanded prenatal testing. Most were reviewed without objection after brief discussion or no questions.

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.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

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:

• , and grades 9 through 12, which is 2.6% of the base rate.
• This compares the base LCFF rate with the per-student This compares the base LCFF rate with the per-student
• The number one factor in enrollment decline is lower birth rates.
• Which has everybody gets the same rate per ADA per grade.
• That's been the rate in recent years.

Summary: The committee heard opening public comment and then took up several K-12 budget items in the Governor’s January proposal. On LCFF and necessary small schools, the Department of Finance described a 2.41% COLA, a roughly $2.2 billion increase for districts and charters, and a $30.7 million ongoing augmentation to raise necessary small schools funding by 20%. The LAO supported funding the COLA and said the small schools proposal had merit, but questioned the 20% figure and warned about a sharp funding cliff around the enrollment thresholds. Members and witnesses repeatedly raised declining enrollment, attendance, and the need to align funding with outcomes and local cost pressures. The chair and several members also asked whether consolidation, shared administration, or alternative formulas could better address small district costs, and the issue was left open for further discussion. The panel then discussed special education equalization. Finance proposed $509 million ongoing Proposition 98 funding to raise the statewide special education base rate to $999 per ADA, which would fully equalize SELPA base rates; the LAO said the same target could likely be reached with less money under current assumptions. CDE strongly supported equalization as an equity issue and said about 15% of students are identified with disabilities, with identification rising by roughly 20,000 to 25,000 students per year. Members raised concerns about staffing shortages, high caseloads, and the need to use any additional funds for inclusive practices, alternative diploma pathways, and the extraordinary cost pool. The committee also discussed whether the budget language should reflect the $509 million amount or the $999 rate, and the item was held open. For the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring $757.3 million one-time to complete the program, while the LAO recommended approval because learning loss remains unresolved and districts have generally used the funds for tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other academic supports. CDE explained that LEAs must revisit their needs assessments and that many districts are using the funds alongside other support systems, but members pressed for clearer accountability and better data on how much money actually goes to tutoring or other direct services. The committee then reviewed the Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant, with Finance proposing $2.8 billion one-time and the LAO saying discretionary funding can help districts address local priorities but should be paired with fiscal oversight and possibly more targeted priorities. Members split between supporting flexibility for local needs and worrying that the grant could be used to cover ongoing structural deficits without clear evidence of student-outcome gains; the issue was also held open. Finally, the committee heard a high-level overview of school facilities funding under Proposition 2, with Finance proposing to continue $1.5 billion in bond spending in 2026-27. OPSC said that at the current pace all Prop 2 K-12 funds would likely be exhausted around 2029-30, and that demand is shifting toward modernization as enrollment declines in many areas. Members asked about school closures, reuse of unused sites, and the new small school district facilities program, which OPSC said is moving toward proposed regulations and would begin accepting modernization applications in November 2026 and new construction applications in January 2027. The committee also briefly noted community college facilities funding and asked for more information later in the process.

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

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

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:

• 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:

• rate.
• rate.
• Looking at graduation rates, the most recent checkpoint for graduation rates was in 2022, and for both
• anything specific in that ESSA plan to do with graduation rates, or withdrawal rates, excuse me.
• We'll start with school ratings.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The program started out at a 0.4% premium rate, and the most current rate, which just started in January
• The program has a three-step formula to calculate the annual rate, and if the calculated rate exceeds
• a rate necessary to maintain a three-month reserve at the end of the following rate collection year,
• the rate must be set at the rate for the three-month reserve, but there is also a 1.2% cap.
• And third, beginning in 2030, the actuarial report must provide for a rate to close the rate collection

Bills: SB6014 , SB5972 , SB5869 , SB5874

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: pregnancy accommodations, pregnant workers, workplace accommodations, reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, lactation, breastfeeding, express milk, maternity leave, childbirth, pregnancy discrimination, employment law, labor and industries, L&I, confidential records, public records exemption, health care certification, workplace standards, employee rights, employer obligations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 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. &gt;&gt; Senator<00:18:35.039><c> Nelson.
• ><c> and</c> 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