Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, our product is underwritten, so it depends on the specifics of the employer, and then the split
• It also delinks PBM compensation from drug prices in the Medicare Part D program.
• They're always looking at how I can increase the benefits to my employees and their dependents, but I
• What I found compensation for nonprofit hospital CEOs.
• , and they are setting compensation rewards to reward the CEO for increasing the profits and the bed

Summary: The Select Committee on Health Care Affordability met in an interim hearing focused on why Texas health care costs continue to rise and what policy changes might improve affordability. The chair opened by arguing that misaligned incentives, consolidation, lack of transparency, and weak consumer choice are driving costs faster than wages, and said the committee would hear from physicians, insurers, hospitals, pharmacy/PBM representatives, direct contracting models, and other experts. No bills were considered or voted on; witnesses testified neutrally as part of the committee’s information-gathering process. The first panel featured physicians and physician groups, including the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, along with a direct primary care representative. They emphasized that independent practices are under pressure from rising overhead, prior authorization, administrative burden, and payment disparities, which can push doctors into consolidation. They recommended improving competition, simplifying credentialing, reducing prior authorization, standardizing emergency care cost sharing, making price and quality data more usable, supporting care navigators, and strengthening primary care through per-member-per-month payment models. The direct primary care witness argued that DPC offers transparent monthly pricing, better access, and stronger physician-patient relationships, while the independent family physician stressed that small practices need a level playing field to survive. Members questioned the witnesses about corporate practice of medicine, physician autonomy, rural access, and whether direct primary care should be expanded without creating new gatekeepers or networks. There was discussion of site-neutral billing, cash-pay access, and whether the state should better protect patients from cost increases after practice acquisitions. One member also raised concerns about the accessibility and cost of the Texas All-Payer Claims Database for researchers and asked that the issue be reviewed. The second panel included health plan representatives from the Texas Association of Health Plans, Sidecar Health, and Curative. The insurer representative said most Texans get coverage through employers and argued that hospital and drug spending drive much of the cost growth, while consolidation, excessive mandates, and fraud/waste/abuse are key problems. He supported giving employers more flexible coverage options, limiting anti-competitive contracting, allowing patients access to cash prices, and addressing facility fees and AI-driven upcoding. Sidecar Health described a model built around upfront price transparency, no networks, and financial incentives for members to choose lower-cost care; Curative described a preventive-care-focused plan with no deductibles or copays for members who complete an early wellness visit, but said Texas’s licensing, network adequacy, and contracting rules make it difficult for new plans to compete.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, you know, we're a year out, and a lot of these people haven't been compensated, and we don't
• In fact, in the Permian Basin, depending on which geologic formation you're in, there's three to six
• When I heard this number, for every barrel of produced oil, we end up with, depending on what part of
• We have anywhere from 5 to 10 unit processes depending on On how we're treating the water.
• Those that end up treating, producing, or transferring need to compensate the surface owner.

Bills: HB48 , HB49 , HB 1169 , HB1971 , HB2584 , HB2663 , HB2890 , HB48 , HB49

Committee: House Energy Resources

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• Seek compensation without going to court if the restriction remains. That is the amendment.
• Isn't it taxpayers who pay that compensation back? Thank you. Senator Martin. Thank you.
• And we don't take property from people and not give them the compensation for the value that we took.
• We can't do that without giving them compensation.
• You've got to compensate them for it. That's what the Fifth Amendment says.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions, then moved to House messages and special order business. The chamber concurred in amendments and passed Senate Bill 628 on transportation facility designations, CS/CS/HB 1389 on the Live Local affordable housing package, and CS/CS/HB 1451 on utility services. The utility bill’s House amendment shortened the phase-out of certain surcharges tied to bond covenants and advanced reporting deadlines for municipal utilities. The Senate also passed CS/CS/HB 1279, the education bill, after substituting it for SB 7038 and adopting an amendment that combined agreed-upon provisions on student health and safety, early learning, math, virtual instruction, career and technical education, school choice, university accountability, tuition protections, and financial aid. Several other bills were temporarily postponed, including SB 7036, SB 208, SB 1260, and SB 7034. A major portion of the meeting focused on CS/CS/HB 484, the data centers bill. Senators discussed the House amendment’s changes to ratepayer protections, the removal of the Senate’s nondisclosure-agreement prohibition, the 12-month confidentiality period, and a required OPAGA study. Supporters emphasized stronger language preventing data center costs from being shifted to residential and commercial ratepayers, while opponents raised concerns about transparency, local notice, and the possibility that communities could be kept unaware of projects for up to a year. After debate, the Senate concurred in the House amendment and passed the bill. The chamber then took up CS/CS/HB 399 on land use and development regulations, where debate centered on a proposed Fontainebleau Hotel water park project in Miami Beach and a series of amendments. One amendment to remove the project-specific language failed, while other amendments were adopted, including a sunset provision and a change related to compost facility permitting. A broader amendment dealing with Miami-Dade’s urban development boundary was also adopted, preserving the existing supermajority threshold for changes. The most contentious proposal was an amendment by Senator Martin creating a process for property owners to challenge rural boundary designations and seek compensation or removal from the designation without going to court; senators debated property rights, local planning, and the impact on Orange and Seminole counties, and the discussion included sharp exchanges before the transcript ended during debate on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• testify on Senate Bill 210, which is, uh, creating a special commission on additional regular compensation
• time discussing research done by five women who interned in my office last summer and explored compensation
• in the line of duty and provide her with an annual retirement amount equivalent to her regular compensation
• When she reaches retirement age, she will then receive a pension amounting to 80% of her compensation
• If we are visiting someone who is dependent on supportive or medical equipment, they need assistance

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several retirement and workforce-related bills. House Bill 2980 would place county correctional nurses and certain medical staff into Group 4 retirement. Representative Trino, Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and nurse manager Leanne Cameron argued that correctional nurses work in dangerous, high-stress settings with frequent contact with incarcerated people, high rates of mental illness and substance use in the jail population, and significant workplace violence, and that the change would help recruitment and retention with limited statewide fiscal impact. The committee also heard Senate Bill 210, which would create a commission to study additional regular compensation and annual expenses for members of the General Court. Senator John Keenan said Massachusetts has high leadership stipends compared with other states and argued the current structure can affect independence and public trust. Representative O'Day testified on House Bill 2928 to extend Group 2 retirement to additional Department of Children and Families social workers, and SEIU 509 witnesses described frequent transport of children, crisis response, threats, assaults, and other high-risk duties that they said match Group 2 work. Additional testimony supported House Bill 2943 for DDS service coordinators and supervisors, with witnesses describing home visits in unsafe conditions, transport of vulnerable individuals, direct care during staffing crises, and exposure to violence. House Bill 2899 drew support from the Association of Social Work Boards for social work field placement grants, incentives for supervisors, and expanded retirement benefits for DCF social workers. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2613, a local retirement bill for Salem police officer Kathleen Roachville, who described a severe line-of-duty injury during an arrest involving a combative person in a mental health crisis. Finally, Susan Smith Campbell testified for reclassifying certain DYS administrative officers into Group 2 because of their direct involvement in restraints, assaults, and crisis management. After testimony concluded, the committee adjourned without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that number does kind of vary a little bit per PAP depending if they had a large expenditure one year
• </c> of vary a little bit per PAP depending of vary a little bit per PAP depending if<00:20:52.080><c
• throat] It's depending upon [clears throat] It's depending upon where<00:49:15.359><c> your</c><00:49
• </c><01:10:14.320><c> on</c> possibly even tomorrow, depending on possibly even tomorrow, depending on
• Chairman, um, the Sherwood amendment did appropriate those compensation funds out of the general fund

Bills: SF0032 , SF0010 , SF0001 , HB0001

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Consultants or advisors who receive compensation related to PBM procurement activities between 2016 and
• So anyway, we all pay within a certain amount depending on our mix and our volume, right, between brands
• We can try to negotiate, find the best deal, depending on what our mix is.
• state rules that are already there, and these are the guidelines: this is what you're getting paid, depending
• are putting all the time, money, and effort into researching and testing these drugs are fairly compensated

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• So some necessary interventions, you know, increasing investments into direct care compensation, including
• but long-term increasing reimbursement rates and conditioning increases to improve direct care compensation
• And that labor rate, all of it is spent on direct care worker compensation, wages, and benefits.
• So still some limitations and kind of dependent on some of these back-end tools that make the information
• Still some limitations and kind of dependent on some of these back-end tools that make the information

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Summary: The committee held a work session on the long-term care workforce, hearing first from DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector and then from representatives of Washington Health Care Association, SEIU 775, and Behavioral Health Solutions. Presenters described rapid growth in the 85-and-older population, increasing demand for home- and community-based services, and persistent shortages in direct care, nursing, and behavioral health staff. They cited low wages, unstable hours, benefits, certification and testing delays, immigration-related workforce concerns, and burnout as major barriers to recruitment and retention. DSHS highlighted recruitment and retention initiatives funded with federal dollars, including high school training programs, a retention toolkit, transportation support, workforce navigators, tribal partnerships, and remote caregiving pilots. Industry and labor witnesses urged higher reimbursement and compensation, better training pathways, and more worker voice; they also noted that Washington ranks highly nationally on some workforce measures but still faces shortages and turnover. Behavioral Health Solutions added that credentialing delays and mental health staffing gaps are affecting nursing home behavioral care, and that its programs aim to reduce hospital transfers and improve resident outcomes. No votes were taken. The committee then received an overview from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner on the palliative care benefit work group created by 2024 legislation. OIC explained that the work group, with actuarial analysis from Milliman and input from multiple stakeholder organizations, studied a proposed palliative care benefit for commercial plans, Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. The report concluded that a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about 28 cents per member per month overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. OIC said the evidence was insufficient to conclude that palliative care would produce offsetting savings, though several provider members disagreed and submitted response letters. Members asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said the issue remains unsettled and that additional data may emerge as other states implement similar benefits. Finally, the Health Care Authority provided a broad overview of health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Staff described federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, consumer-facing price and quality tools, prescription drug price transparency reporting, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, and the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. They emphasized that these tools provide useful but incomplete information because of data lags, proprietary restrictions, limited self-insured employer participation, and the complexity of machine-readable files. The committee also discussed the role of AI in making transparency data more usable and the limits of current tools in helping consumers afford care. No formal action or vote was taken on any item.

Transcript Highlights:

• So some necessary interventions, you know, increasing investments into direct care compensation, including
• but long-term increasing reimbursement rates and conditioning increases to improve direct care compensation
• And that labor rate, all of it is spent on direct care worker compensation, wages, and benefits.
• So still some limitations and kind of dependent on some of these back-end tools that make the information
• Still some limitations and kind of dependent on some of these back-end tools that make the information

Summary: The committee began with an extended work session on the long-term care workforce. DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector described the new Home and Community Living Administration and outlined major workforce pressures: Washington had about 126,000 long-term care workers in 2022, with demand expected to outpace supply as the 85-plus population and dementia prevalence rise sharply. She emphasized that direct care workers are largely women, people of color, and immigrants, and that family caregivers are also a major part of the system. She highlighted recruitment and retention efforts funded through federal Money Follows the Person dollars, including high school training partnerships, a retention toolkit, transportation support, caregiver newsletters, tribal workforce navigators, and a remote caregiving pilot. Committee members asked about career pathways, technology use, and turnover drivers; Rector said wages, benefits, unstable hours, and workplace support are key issues and promised follow-up data. Aidan Swain of the Washington Health Care Association said skilled nursing and assisted living facilities face acute RN vacancies, wage pressures, and Medicaid reimbursement that does not cover costs, and urged modernization of training, better reimbursement, and continued support for facility-based care. Maddie Fouch of SEIU 775, representing about 55,000 caregivers, said low wages, weak benefits, lack of voice, and certification delays are driving turnover and shortages, and argued for higher compensation, better worker protections, and more transparent reimbursement. Catherine Smith of Behavioral Health Solutions described growing behavioral health needs in nursing homes, the role of expanded behavioral supports programs, and credentialing delays that slow hiring. No votes were taken; the panel was informational only. The second agenda item was an overview of the palliative care benefit work group report required by 2024 legislation. Nico Jansen of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner explained that the work group, convened with the Health Care Authority, studied a potential palliative care benefit for fully insured commercial plans and also Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. He said palliative care is a philosophy of care focused on symptom management, coordination, and support for serious illness, and is distinct from hospice because it can be provided alongside curative treatment. The actuarial analysis concluded that creating a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about a 28-cent per member per month increase overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. Jansen said the consultants did not find sufficient evidence to assume savings from avoided hospitalizations or long-term care, though several work group members disagreed and submitted response letters. Senators asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said some states, including Hawaii, are moving ahead with Medicaid palliative care benefits, Medicare covers some related services but not in the same way, and further evidence may emerge over time. OIC did not take a position on whether the Legislature should create the benefit. The final presentation covered health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Evan Klein and HCA Chief Data Officer Vishal Chaudry reviewed federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, prescription drug price transparency, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and other reporting systems. They explained that the APCD contains claims from fully insured commercial plans, Medicaid, and public employee programs, but not self-insured employer data except for limited voluntary submissions. They also described how machine-readable files, consumer price tools, and aggregated dashboards are used, and noted that data limitations, delays, and complexity remain significant. Senators asked about voluntary self-insured participation, the role of AI in making data more usable, and whether transparency can really help consumers given access barriers and medical debt. HCA said AI is increasingly used by private entities to mine large transparency datasets, but state agencies still face limits in data access and analytic capacity. The committee did not take action; the session was informational and ended with a discussion of how transparency data might better inform policy and purchasing decisions in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't necessarily know of all our personnel compensation increases at this time.
• We have some travel costs associated, and it might even include hotel stays, depending on their path
• It would depend on the lease agreement on who’s responsible.
• As we continue to maintain a larger, properly compensated workforce, this increase is necessary to support
• It just depends on the complexity of the investigation and the number of people to be interviewed.

Bills: HF2432

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• And just as your parents are, depending on you as you age and you are depending on your children as you
• age, I was depending on camera and as I age, Mr, Parent pass the straight bill.
• The people of Florida are depending on you and I need to know why my son is dead.
• She was my dependent. She helped me guide me through this world.
• Compensation rates in court ordered non binding arbitration.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and likeness activities for compensation and likeness activities for compensation as<01:02:09.040
• </c> a set compensation a set compensation when<03:24:39.880><c> um</c> when um when um doing<03:24:41.840
• </c> so they can negotiate compensation so they can negotiate compensation packages, packages, packages
• </c><03:26:54.240><c> on</c> state department, depend on state department, depend on well-staffed,<03
• </c><05:48:17.680><c> care</c> credit, and household and dependent care credit, and household and dependent

Transcript Highlights:

• I do know, and it depends. So as far as the flat fees, they have been modified over the years.
• I do know, and it depends. So as far as the flat fees, they have been modified over the years.
• It depends on the case type. The flat fee for capital cases is $25,000.
• And in addition, we are the first line of defense in dependency cases.
• So it depends on the youth and what they are seeing we match them up with the right therapy.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met for an interim appropriations presentation hearing focused on justice administration agencies. Members heard budget requests from the State Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders, the Justice Administrative Commission, Regional Conflict Counsel, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Guardian ad Litem Office, followed by a presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice and a brief public comment from a nonprofit advocate. The chair noted that presentations from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Commission on Offender Review would be moved to a later meeting. The state attorney requested funding to true up underfunded circuits under the existing formula, staff 14 new criminal judgeships, replace declining VOCA victim-services funding with general revenue, and cover a projected due process shortfall. The public defender asked for a higher starting salary for assistant public defenders, funding to restore balance in circuits where public defenders lag behind state attorneys, and staffing for new criminal judgeships. Regional conflict counsel and capital collateral regional counsel also sought salary adjustments, additional attorneys and case costs, and competitive area differential funding to address recruitment and retention issues. The Justice Administrative Commission requested funding for Florida PALM readiness and implementation and for IT hardware and software replacement; it also relayed a clerks’ request for reimbursement related to injunctions for protection, Baker Act, Marchman Act, and sexually violent predator cases. The Guardian ad Litem Office said it now has a guardian ad litem for every child in Florida and requested salary increases for senior and managing attorneys to reduce turnover. The Department of Juvenile Justice presented a much larger budget request to expand residential and detention capacity, increase per diem rates, renovate and replace aging facilities, fund the Broward detention center rebuild, improve cybersecurity and the juvenile information system, and cover rising lease costs. Members asked questions about staffing, compensation, detention and residential treatment needs, mental health and substance-use services, and the Broward project timeline. A nonprofit advocate then asked for better data collection on protection orders and related court actions to support funding for domestic violence and recovery services. The committee adjourned without taking any formal votes on the budget requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• Depends on the type of solution that is selected for replacing RTS.
• I understand that TxDOT has a hybrid policy depending on the nature. of the work.
• Well, it oftentimes depends upon when, you know, the time starts.
• Okay, so turning to the reimbursement to the unemployment compensation benefits account also known as
• It depends on the type of fraud, quite honestly.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, provide jurors with clear definitions and instructions they need to award fair compensation for
• The bill does not set medical billing rates or prevent a plaintiff from recovering the compensation.
• These concerns are not real in the sense that it goes to the heart of redefining a compensation base,
• Alternatively, I've been told it would be tied to 150% of workers' compensation. Either way...
• It also admits workers' compensation treatment guidelines and drug formularies, which have nothing to

Bills: SB30 , SB517 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1316 , SB1541 , SB1698 , SB1845 , SB1860 , SB2420 , SB2429 , SB 30

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• tax. act with a new Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax Act.
• So The recently reduced gross receipts and compensated tax rates were increased back up to 3.75.
• In SB1 that year, the grocery seating compensating taxes, the tax rates were yet again increased from
• From that session, SB 10 increased the gross receipts tax rate by one-eighth and the compensating rate
• July 1, 2021, local gross receipts and compensating taxes to internet sales, also known as remote sales

Committee: Joint Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• benefits, and the compensation of certain income benefits under workers' compensation.
• benefits, and the compensation of certain income benefits under workers' compensation.
• The remainder of the amendment And the compensation of certain income benefits under workers' compensation
• Workers' compensation system is a complex one. We know that.
• But we depend on your execution of the laws.

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 408 by Senator Myers, a workers’ compensation overhaul creating an all-claims medical database, requiring electronic reporting and billing, and setting up confidentiality, rulemaking, and penalties. Senator Myers said the bill was meant to modernize a paper-based system, speed injured workers back to care and work, reduce disputes through a more predictable fee schedule, address outliers and abuse, and generate reliable data for future fee-schedule decisions. Representative Melarine then offered a large amendment package combining portions of House Bills 780 and 1101 into SB 408, adding preliminary-determination procedures, changes to benefit durations, fraud language, and a deadline for the department to establish a fee schedule if no agreement is reached. Supporters said the package would create a more complete reform; opponents argued the additions were rushed, not germane, and would harm injured workers, especially those without lawyers, by adding technical filing burdens and stricter fraud consequences. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment package, then adopted a follow-up amendment removing the word “potential” from a fines provision and deleting the fraud section, and finally reported SB 408 with amendments on a divided vote. Testimony on SB 408 was sharply split. Proponents, including Alton Ashy and Trey Mustian, argued the bill’s transparency and data-collection provisions were the most important part, that the system needs a modern fee schedule, and that the added reforms would help control costs and speed payment. Opponents, including Shannon Lindsay and another injured-worker advocate, said the original bill was a good compromise but the added provisions changed its character and would disadvantage pro se claimants, remove materiality from fraud law, and reduce benefits for seriously injured workers. Committee members also questioned the timeline for the database and fee schedule, the effect of historical data gaps, and whether the reforms would help employers and injured workers alike. The committee ultimately agreed the bill still contained its core goals of faster care, predictable fees, anti-abuse measures, and modernization. The committee then moved to House Bill 585 by Representative Chasson, a workplace-violence/safety measure for small-box discount retailers. Chasson explained that the bill had been narrowed to require retailers to submit an existing written workforce safety plan, or develop one if they do not already have one, with no penalties attached. The committee adopted a substitute bill incorporating prior amendments. Representative Glorioso noted continuing concerns about civil-liability implications and the duty to protect against third-party criminal acts, but the bill was advanced from committee after the substitute was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so because we are dependent on local planners to populate the APRs, they're... far less prevalent
• And so because we are dependent on local planners to populate the APRs, they're And so, because we are
• I'd also say, going back to the first panel, this education, it appears to me, depending on the city,
• the developer, the nonprofit, or even for-profit, that it really depends on how invested they are in
• So basically, hourly compensation in this country is about the same as it was 45 or 50 years ago.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Transcript Highlights:

• It's based on the increase in their compensation.
• So if the veteran does not get an increase in their compensation, there is no fee. Full stop.
• And it should not be this difficult for them to get the services and the compensation they so rightly
• And it should not be this difficult for them to get the services and the compensation they so rightly
• My father was. the compensation they so rightly deserve.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's based on the increase in their compensation.
• So if the veteran does not get an increase in their compensation, there is no fee. Full stop.
• And it should not be this difficult for them to get the services and the compensation they so rightly
• My father was the compensation they so rightly deserve.
• And I just wanted to note that ensuring that wages include all forms of compensation really does close

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 29, which would extend a sunset on California’s survival-action pain and suffering remedy and require additional reporting on settlements and cases. Senator Laird and supporters, including a family member describing a medical malpractice death and labor/building trades representatives, argued the bill protects victims whose claims would otherwise die with them and that there has been no demonstrated increase in malpractice rates. Opponents from the health care, hospital, and business sectors said the measure would increase costs, create a third category of damages, and could harm access to care, especially for clinics and rural providers. After extensive discussion about the sunset and data collection, the committee passed SB 29 to Appropriations on a divided vote. The committee then approved SB 294, which requires employers to notify workers about rights if they are arrested or detained and directs the Labor Commissioner to create an annual notice template. Supporters said the bill is needed because workers often do not know their rights amid weakened federal enforcement and workplace intimidation; there was no opposition on file after amendments removed prior concerns. SB 697, which updates stream adjudication procedures to allow the State Water Board to use modern technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations, also passed without opposition after stakeholders worked out concerns. Later, the committee took up SB 37 on attorney advertising, which would strengthen rules against misleading ads and allow consumer lawsuits. Consumer attorneys and supporters said the State Bar’s current enforcement is too weak, while joint-advertising businesses said they support the goal but want amendments to protect their model. The bill passed to Appropriations as negotiations continue. SB 645, dealing with peremptory challenges in civil cases and extending anti-bias procedures to certain discrimination-related matters, also advanced after supporters described it as a compromise and opponents said they were still working toward agreement. SB 303, narrowing protections for bias-mitigation trainings so good-faith admissions in those trainings are not treated as FEHA discrimination, passed after several groups moved to neutral. SB 464, requiring specified state workers to be included in annual pay-data reporting to better track racial pay gaps and promotion disparities, was presented as a reparations-related transparency measure and was heard with support from civil rights advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:04:02.799><c> executive</c> producer board member executive producer board member executive compensation
• evidence</c><00:04:04.720><c> of</c><00:04:05.040><c> compliance</c><00:04:05.840><c> with</c> compensation
• evidence of compliance with compensation evidence of compliance with environmental<00:04:06.799><c>
• the Capitol, but we have the propane association out there today at Industry Day that agriculture depends
• on dates and and might be depending on dates and and other<00:38:31.839><c> factors</c><00:38:32.240

Bills: HF858 , HF2577 , HF2576

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: bioincentive payments, agriculture, job creation, environmental compliance, financial reporting, waste handling, sewage sludge, PFAS regulation, environment, record retention, fertilizer disposal, pesticide disposal, environmental impact, safety regulations, burning prohibition