Transcript Highlights:

• Should there be a claim? Thank you, Chair.
• Certainly, there's still a claims bill process.
• Well, how would the state be responsible then for a claim?
• this act, the limitations of liability in effect on the date the claim accrues shall apply to the claim
• If a child is harmed and the claims bill process is the solution, Child is harmed and the claims bill

Summary: The committee took up a series of bills and reported several of them favorably, often after brief sponsor presentations, supportive public testimony, and unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Early measures included PCS for CSHB 1069 on background screenings for athletic coaches and qualified entities, CS/HB 365 on law enforcement interactions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, and CS/HB 269 plus its linked public-records bill CS/SB 298 on domestic violence and dating violence. The domestic violence package focused on using NG-911 technology for discreet help-seeking, expanding protections to dating violence victims, and preserving confidentiality for participants in related programs. The committee also approved HB 6507, a claims bill for injuries involving DCF negligence, after limited discussion. Members then considered PCS for CSHB 1159, which increases penalties and updates terminology for sexual offenses involving minors, child sexual abuse material, and related crimes. The bill was amended to replace “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” and to address childlike sex dolls, and it passed unanimously. The committee also heard CS/HB 529 on community-based care lead agency and subcontractor liability insurance. That bill would remove a statutory liability-insurance requirement for certain child welfare providers amid an insurance market crisis; it drew extensive debate, with supporters saying it would prevent agencies from shutting down and opponents warning it would reduce accountability and leave children vulnerable. It passed 15-4 as amended. The committee next approved PCS for CSHB 277 on domestic violence and protective injunctions. The bill creates a Pinellas County pilot for electronic monitoring with victim notification, raises the victim relocation allowance, strengthens penalties for repeat injunction violations, and adds protections involving military orders and pets. Testimony was strongly supportive, including from survivors, and the bill passed 18-0 as amended. CS/HB 1009 on government publication of advertisements and public notices also passed, after an amendment requiring notices to remain publicly accessible; newspapers and press groups opposed it, arguing it would fragment access to notices, while the sponsor said it modernizes outdated posting rules. Finally, the committee heard PCS for CSHB 1471 on systems of law and terrorist organizations, which would create a state process for designating domestic terrorist organizations and bar public support for them; the bill drew sharp constitutional objections from civil liberties, press, labor, and advocacy groups over due process, free speech, and viewpoint discrimination concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no opt-out provision for a victim of a tort claim.
• I had to adapt and adjust, as I still do to this day.
• They just go because of claims of, you know, lots of...
• claims.
• The liability claim… we were subsequently sued for a million dollars on this claim.

Bills: HB4806

Keywords: civil action, damages, health care services, noneconomic damages, negligence, legal standards, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, may I please claim my vote? Thank you. Mr. Chair, may I please claim my vote? Thank you.
• The device is designed so the intensity of the light can be adjusted.
• It claims to protect children while actually inviting harassment or worse.
• It claims to protect children while actually inviting harassment or worse.
• Now, if somebody claims that a biological male is so-and-so, so, Now, if somebody claims that a biological

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills on taxes, public health, veterans’ benefits, public notices, HOA rules, and school policy. SB 1045, which would bar local governments from taxing or feeing blockchain use in residences, passed 4-3 after brief discussion; supporters framed it as a tax-preemption measure, while opponents argued it would reduce local revenue. SB 1019, which would prohibit adding fluoride to public water systems, drew extensive testimony. The sponsor argued fluoride should be topical rather than systemic and cited emerging research on possible health risks, while dental and public health advocates strongly opposed the bill, citing decades of evidence that fluoridation reduces tooth decay and saves money. The committee voted 4-3 to advance the bill, with members on both sides explaining their votes at length. The committee also advanced SB 1050, granting free lifetime state park passes to Arizona veterans, after Arizona State Parks said it was neutral but warned of possible revenue losses; the bill passed 4-3. SB 1078, clarifying that court review of public-records denials is de novo, passed unanimously 7-0 with support from the Goldwater Institute and no opposition testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And after applying all other adjustment factors, Cal OSHA... ...ultimately imposed a fine of about $21,000
• In 14 of the 20 violations we reviewed, Cal OSHA did not document or explain at least one fine adjustment
• So it would say that a serious starts off at $18,000, and then there are other adjustment factors that
• allow— And then there are other adjustment factors that allow the division to look at and to consider
• A claim that wasn't perfected, and therefore we wouldn't need to look at it in the audit, or something

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• These adjustments would protect seniors with pre-existing conditions while preserving the bill's aim.
• These adjustments would protect seniors with pre-existing conditions while preserving the bill's aim.
• These adjustments would protect seniors with pre-existing conditions while preserving the bill's aim.
• These adjustments would protect seniors with pre-existing conditions while preserving the bill's aim.
• These adjustments would protect seniors with pre-existing conditions while preserving the bill's aim.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• certain eligibility requirements and have a household income at or below 60% state median income, adjusted
• who has been approved for subsidy attends at least one day in the calendar month, the provider may claim
• DCYF must adopt rules that allow child care providers to accept state subsidy payment to claim a full
• The PERS 1 and TRS 1 were created without regular cost-of-living adjustments, and while there was an
• My homeowners insurance, 228% without a claim. Car insurance, 196%, and medical premium, 77%.

Bills: HB2689, SB5832, SB5922, SB5944, SB5988, SB6151

Keywords: Working Connections Child Care, child care subsidy, subsidized child care, Washington DCYF, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, low-income families, child care providers, licensed child care centers, family child care, market rate survey, subsidy rates, income eligibility, state median income, SNAP, Basic Food, collective bargaining, provider reimbursement, daily payment, half-day care, partial-day care

Transcript Highlights:

• is the budget bill Junior and makes changes to various 2025 Budget Act items, including several adjustments
• is the budget bill Senior and makes changes to various 2025 Budget Act items, including several adjustments
• for represented and non-represented child care providers, as well as a one-time cost-of-living adjustment
• And so these we have more claim to these dollars, and maybe other claim to the dollars.
• In AB 156 and section 4, we appreciate the adjustments to the displaced firefighter list.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oz went on to say this annual adjustment isn't meant to penalize states. Dr.
• Oz went on to say this annual adjustment<00:05:12.320><c> isn't</c><00:05:12.560><c> meant</c><00:05:
• 12.800><c> to</c><00:05:12.880><c> penalize</c> adjustment isn't meant to penalize adjustment isn't meant
• There is a difference between a formalized operation to claim that there's public... ...operation to
• claim that there's public input and, in fact, a de facto outreach to people.

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 4 June, 2026; 2:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They would send it to us, and then we'd apply a 100% tax through a tax order or tax adjustment.
• </c><00:05:17.320><c> The</c><00:05:17.400><c> penalty</c> tax order or tax adjustment.
• The penalty tax order or tax adjustment.
• When a lien is filed for a claim for any type of tax, there is a priority set in statute.
• Bears said that, in general, restitution would likely be collected first, and then their claim would

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 5040, the “Take It Back Act,” presented by Representative Anderson. The bill, as amended by the DE1 amendment, would impose a 100% tax on amounts a person is convicted of stealing through fraud against Minnesota public programs, with the stated goal of recovering taxpayer dollars. Anderson said the measure is bipartisan, has many co-authors, and was developed with the Department of Revenue to ensure it could be administered without undue burden. Joanna Bears of the Department of Revenue testified in support of the bill’s administration and thanked the authors for working with the department. She explained that the bill has two parts: a conviction-based tax that would be assessed after a fraud conviction, and a penalty piece tied to fraud identified through the department’s existing review and tip processes. In response to member questions, Bears said the department already receives tips and information from other agencies, reviews them carefully, and would use the bill as another tool to address public fund fraud. Members also asked about timing, restitution, and whether the bill could be misused by bad-faith tips; Anderson and Bears said the conviction-based portion is not tip-driven and that the bill is intended to be administered legally and efficiently. Representative Smith asked about the relationship to the Fraud Restitution Fund and whether the bill would apply to private-sector tax fraud. Bears said restitution would likely be collected first depending on statutory priority, and clarified that the new 100% penalty would apply only to public fund fraud, not general tax fraud, and only to the fraudulent public-fund amount. Representative Witty and others expressed support for the bill as a tool to combat fraud. At the end of the hearing, Representative Anderson renewed her motion to lay over House File 5040, as amended, for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill, and the chair indicated that was the plan.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's to pay claims to victims of crime.
• request $25.7 million in appropriation for salaries, match, and extra help, all cite the salary adjustments
• The state insurance adjuster calculated the cash value to be $1.82 million.
• This was one of the old claims that got moved forward.” “I understand.
• I mean, the early amount, even from the insurance adjuster at that point was, I believe, lesser.”

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, well, I'll just tell you, I'm sure I've never brought an unfair trade practice claim in my
• Placed on such a claim by the Unfair Practices Act.
• An individual can bring that claim in the absence of the Attorney General.
• So if you're for a $10,000 claim and taking attorney's fees and so forth, I don't think it's going to
• We're going to adjust it. We're going to probably...

Transcript Highlights:

• Per current law, the school district may also submit claims for reimbursement by the legislature under
• The claims shall be subject to verification by the Department of Enterprise Services.
• Altogether, this bill is a modest and cost-effective adjustment that recognizes the sacrifices of our
• Altogether, this bill is a modest and cost-effective adjustment that recognizes the sacrifices of our
• It directs the Office of Financial Management to review and adjust compensation amounts at least every

Bills: SB6052, SB6051, SB5907, SB5860, SB5574

Keywords: digital transcript, transcript sharing, student records, education data exchange, K-12, higher education, community colleges, universities, school districts, charter schools, state-tribal education compact schools, educational service districts, data interoperability, secure platform, student consent, FERPA, privacy, education technology, records management, transcript standard

Transcript Highlights:

• state match for its administrative expenses in the SNAP program, $28.8 million to LDH for the MCO adjustment
• , and $24.4 million to DCFS for technology. ...MCO adjustment, $24.4 million to DCFS for technology upgrades
• These amendments make adjustments to the governor's executive budget, make means-of-finance substitutions
• Hyundai Steel Training Center; $3 million to the Louisiana National Guard for disability benefit claims
• Okay, so it would be adjusted at that time? Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. Yes, ma'am.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 13, 2026, and considered the main budget bills for fiscal year 2026-27. Members heard a broad overview of House Bill 1, the general appropriations bill, including the governor’s proposed budget, major funding items for education, workforce, corrections, health, and economic development, and a plan to use surplus funds to pay down LASERS’ unfunded liability. The committee discussed a 29-page amendment set that shifted savings from retirement and other areas into one-time expenditures, including FEMA Katrina debt, LSU, firefighter pay raises, crime victim reparations, rehabilitation services, and additional school choice support. Questions focused on the MFP per-pupil adjustment, the crime victim reparations shortfall, LSU funding, waiver slots, and whether the bill remained at a standstill overall. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 1 favorably as amended, making it Special Order No. 1 for April 16. The committee then took up House Bill 312, the supplemental appropriations bill, which also redirected the full $144.3 million surplus payment to LASERS and used savings from MFP, Medicaid forecast changes, and other reductions to fund statewide initiatives. Those included LED, corrections, DOTD road projects, public safety, IT modernization, school safety, firefighting equipment, community and technical college workforce programs, and DCFS shortfalls. Members raised questions about mental health funding and the retirement payment strategy; the amendments were adopted and HB 312 was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 4. House Bill 313, the funds bill, was amended to make additional deposits into the State Emergency and Response Fund, Voting Technology Fund, oil and gas regulatory funds, geological storage, reading enrichment, Imagination Library, and conservation accounts; it was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 5. House Bill 314, the revenue sharing distribution bill, received amendments inserting fiscal year 2027 distribution numbers and was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 7. The committee also advanced House Bill 383, the ancillary expenses bill, which covers self-generated, dedicated, and federal funds for agencies such as Group Benefits, Risk Management, Prison Enterprises, and Technology Services; a technical amendment updated accounting-standard references, and the bill was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 6. House Bill 983, the judiciary budget, was amended with a technical date correction and reported favorably as amended; members discussed funding for judges, staff pay, FINS, and whether pending legislation affecting Orleans Parish judges would later change the budget. House Bill 1126, the legislative branch budget, was reported favorably without amendment after brief questions about the Law Institute increase, and HCR 3, the hospital stabilization formula resolution tied to Medicaid hospital reimbursements, was reported favorably and set as Special Order No. 8. The committee also made HB 983 Special Order No. 9 and HB 1126 Special Order No. 10 for April 16, authorized technical corrections on adopted amendments, and adjourned after the chair thanked members and staff for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• state match for its administrative expenses in the SNAP program, $28.8 million to LDH for the MCO adjustment
• , and $24.4 million to DCFS for technology... ...MCO adjustment, $24.4 million to DCFS for technology
• These amendments make adjustments to the governor's executive budget, make means-of-finance substitutions
• Hyundai Steel Training Center; $3 million to the Louisiana National Guard for disability benefit claims
• Okay, so it would be adjusted at that time. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. Yes, ma'am.

Bills: HB1, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• This establishes enhanced prepayment review for fee-for-service MA claims.
• </c> MA claims. MA claims.
• um and cost reports and other claims um and cost reports and other billings.
• </c><00:14:10.560><c> from</c><00:14:11.000><c> managed</c><00:14:11.440><c> care</c> specified claims
• from managed care specified claims from managed care plans. plans. plans.

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• So there currently aren't any claims, but should a claim arise, they need to be there to wind it up and
• pay the claim.
• are claims where they're no longer offering...
• Six additional carriers have residual claims.
• year window where a claim might be filed.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The third item is our DI program admin and benefit adjustments.
• There is a large current-year adjustment and a somewhat larger budget-year adjustment, just north of
• We reviewed the two salary adjustments, find no issues with those two.
• So this is with regards to the unfair labor practices adjustment.
• adjustment, which is one of CDCR's biannual population adjustments.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the committee substitute for House Bill 4623 aligns the bill with other tort claims, aims at caps,
• The recovery of attorney's fees, if a claim is without merit, making the recovery of fees two-way.
• So this reflects stakeholder input and mirrors the language more closely to the Tort Claims Act.
• We don't want to create a lot of new claims.
• The committee substitute also adjusts the implementation date from spring to fall. twenty twenty-six,

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, it establishes court requirements for an expedited judicial review of a malicious delay claim
• from a class one misdemeanor to a classified felony for an individual who knowingly submits a false claim
• from a class one misdemeanor to a classified felony for an individual who knowingly submits a false claim
• At the request of the new owner, access is required to continue processing claims and issuing payments
• This bill, as you heard, requires AHCCCS to notify providers within 72 hours of receiving a claim.

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and memorials, mostly on consent calendars, covering housing, elections, health care, public safety, land use, transportation, and water. Several measures focused on housing and local government regulation, including limits on municipal interference with home design standards, restrictions on alleged “malicious delays” in permitting, and rules on exactions. Election-related bills addressed internet access for voting equipment, timekeeping requirements for election systems, primary election timing, precinct committeeman vacancies, and other election administration changes. Other topics included liquor law updates, assisted living facility rules, deed and title fraud prevention, a Freedom of Speech Monument committee, renaming public spaces, and a bill restricting gender transition procedures for minors. Health and human services bills drew discussion on behavioral health technician definitions and AHCCCS/DHS coordination, Medicaid billing during facility ownership changes, breast cancer screening cost-sharing, naturopathic physicians administering IV antibiotics and similar drugs, safe-haven newborn surrender at hospitals, and reporting requirements for dialysis social workers. In public safety and judiciary, members considered bills on probation for dangerous crimes against children, sex offender registration limitations, victim restitution costs, unlawful alerting, increased penalties for unlawful flight, and a new offense for motor fuel theft. One member noted a no vote on extending the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee, saying it would become a long-running study committee, while supporters said the committee had produced useful recommendations. The caucus also heard land, agriculture, energy, water, and transportation measures, including creation of a foreign entity land review commission, restrictions on transporting Mexican gray wolf pups with state resources, water reuse and banking provisions, solar installation disclosures and roof inspections, a larger revolving fund loan cap, and several congressional memorials. Transportation items included roadable aircraft registration, motor vehicle booting rules, military property signage, a towing and impound study committee, and photo enforcement penalties. Public safety bills included extending traumatic event counseling programs and requiring state data sharing with the federal government regarding unauthorized aliens. No formal votes were taken in the transcript; members mostly asked clarifying questions and several sponsors explained the intent and practical effects of their bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can also claim a piece of SNAP admin for them and their supervisor, and our division director and
• </c> SNAP, we can claim those admin dollars. SNAP, we can claim those admin dollars.
• We can also claim a piece of supervisor.
• So, our current adjusted authorized >> Y.
• So, our current adjusted authorized for 2026 is about $31 million.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The work session was limited to House Bill 1750, a supplemental appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services’ SNAP administration. Before testimony, Representative Terski distributed a written statement from Representative Priest for the record. Department officials Karen Heert and Nathan White then walked the committee through a chart showing SNAP participation, federal benefit dollars, and state administrative costs, emphasizing that the benefits themselves do not flow through the state budget. They explained that the reported administrative cost includes overhead and cost-allocation methods used to maximize federal reimbursement, and that the current participant count is about 75,000 with the trend steady in recent years. Members questioned whether the reported costs were stable, how much of the administrative expense was directly tied to SNAP, and whether reducing overhead would lower the need for the appropriation. The department said the cost per participant and per dollar distributed would be lower if SNAP were isolated, but that the broader allocation system also supports federal claiming across multiple programs. Officials said SNAP eligibility is redetermined every six months, that the department processes nearly 50 eligibility programs with about 250 field staff, roughly 70 unfunded positions, and a vacancy rate around 25%. They also said most errors in the program are unintentional and can come from either staff or participant mistakes, and that the department reviews errors to identify systemic fixes. The committee discussed the fiscal impact of the bill and related budget issues. DHHS said the current adjusted authorization for 2026 is about $31 million, but actual spending is expected to be closer to $25–26 million because of vacancies and unfilled positions. Members asked whether the $4.4 million shortfall identified in the fiscal note would come from the rainy day fund; staff said it would not be taken directly from that fund, but would reduce the amount available to flow into it at the end of the biennium. The committee also reviewed Senate Bill 603 FN, which was described as an alternative approach that would require DHHS to transfer funds within its existing budget rather than provide new money; officials said it would simply codify an option the department already has. No vote or final action on House Bill 1750 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.