Transcript Highlights:

• The Wage and Hour Law is among them.
• According to the Wage and Hour Law, yes.
• And that Wage and Hour Law was passed by this legislature? Yes. Yes.
• The Wage and Hour Law says you cannot have a provision. I know what the Wage and Hour Law says.
• I know what the Wage and Hour Law says. That's not my question.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wage workers in our state. So our health insurance system is primarily a job-based system.
• The lack of job-based coverage for low-wage workers has state budget impacts.
• Because when wages are improved through the statewide minimum wage, the $25 health care minimum wage,
• or the $20 fast food minimum wage, state expenditures on Medi-Cal are reduced.
• So it's playing a bigger role for lower-wage workers than for higher-wage workers in the folks that don't

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the motion prevails.
• There being 10 ayes, 0 nays, the motion prevails.
• There being 8 ayes, 2 nays, the motion prevails.
• There being 9 ayes when nay, the motion prevails.
• There being 10 ayes, 0 nays, the motion prevails.

Transcript Highlights:

• There being 4 ayes, 0 nays, the motion prevails.
• There being 4 ayes and 0 nays, the motion prevails.
• There being 3 ayes, 1 nay, the motion prevails.
• There being 3 ayes and 1 nay, the motion prevails.
• There being 4 ayes and 0 nays, the motion prevails.

Bills: HB101

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. I. Anyone opposed? The motion prevails.
• The motion prevails.
• The motion prevails.
• </c> The motion does not prevail. The motion does not prevail.
• The motion does not prevail. prevail. prevail.

Bills: HF3919, HF1335, HF3864, HF3916, HF3728

Keywords: veterans benefits, Secret War, Laos veterans, eligibility process, burial fees, veteran designation, electronic license, driver's license, digital credential, transportation, data privacy, authentication, license plates, vehicle registration, validation stickers, Minnesota statutes, transportation policy, aeronautics, transponder, aircraft safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> wage violations can be complex, right? wage violations can be complex, right?
• agrees wages are owed.
• </c> to the wage itself? to the wage itself?
• </c><04:12:37.760><c> The</c><04:12:37.920><c> wage</c> um requested in the wage claim.
• The wage um requested in the wage claim.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began with procedural announcements about report turnaround, amendment submission methods during split operations, a possible January 29 session, the governor’s State of the State on February 5, parking, cafeteria opening, and the plan to finish work by February 10. It then moved into executive session on HB 1123, which would require certain companies to post salary ranges on public job listings. Representative Granger moved ITL, arguing the bill would interfere with negotiations, especially for higher-level jobs, and raise compelled-speech concerns. Supporters, including Representatives Schultz, Sullivan, Cahill, Staub, and others, said salary ranges help applicants avoid wasted time and travel, improve transparency, and are already a common workplace disclosure. The committee voted 10-9 to ITL HB 1123. The committee next took up HB 177, concerning a definition of remote work in labor law. Representative Murphy moved ITL, saying the bill could burden employers, create vague obligations, duplicate existing protections, and potentially require intrusive compliance measures. Representative Sullivan described a proposed amendment that would narrow the bill to a definition of remote work and remove broader requirements, but the committee ultimately voted 11-9 to ITL HB 177. Members also noted that the amendment had not been fully circulated in time and that the issue might merit further review. Finally, the committee opened HB 1352, a workers’ compensation bill focused on repricing and payment practices. The sponsor withdrew an initial ITL motion and moved OTP after amendment review. Members discussed concerns raised at the hearing about delayed payments, third-party administrators, and the need for better accountability. Representative McKenzie’s amendment would define good faith, create a voluntary three-year dispute-resolution pilot, restore fines to prior levels, and add reporting/accountability requirements for carriers that miss the 30-day payment deadline. Several members supported the amendment as a way to help small businesses and providers, while others said repricing needed broader study through the workers’ compensation advisory council. The Department of Labor explained that the amendment would require carriers and related payers to report missed determinations to the department and would increase oversight of payment timeliness.

Transcript Highlights:

• employment gaps and we have students that can go into that field rather quickly and start earning wages
• jobs, in Puget Sound, supporting over 550 family-wage jobs and in Clark County supporting over 150 family-wage
• We used the MIT living wage calculator to calculate what a living wage would be for an individual in
• and more likely to earn a living wage.
• We're only measuring post-secondary attainment and earnings and wages.

Summary: The House Education Committee received status updates on career and technical education (CTE), including OSPI’s work under 2024 legislation on allied health pathways and a statewide CTE task force, an update from Core Plus Maritime, and findings from an Education Northwest longitudinal study of Washington CTE access and outcomes. OSPI described development of allied health guidance such as a home care aide to nursing assistant bridge, model curricula, updated course equivalency frameworks, and coordination with health agencies and employers. It also reviewed Core Plus framework work, task force expansion under later legislation, and the timeline for recommendations due in November 2026. Committee members asked about health profession outreach, equitable access for rural districts, data updates, and employer support for local programs; OSPI said it continues to work with agency and industry partners and that local labor-market alignment varies by region. Core Plus Maritime presenters described expanding maritime career exploration into middle school through low-cost ROV curriculum, student visits to ferries and vessels, Sea Scouts partnerships, and ship-based safety and welding experiences. Industry representatives from the Northwest Marine Trade Association, American Seafoods, and Vigor Marine Group emphasized the maritime sector’s economic importance, aging workforce, and need for hands-on training to build the pipeline for family-wage jobs. A teacher from South Kitsap High School said the program gives students a clear pathway and has helped connect them to careers in shipyards, fishing, and related trades. Vigor also noted support for a student welding competition and equipment donations for a Rainier Beach shop. Dr. Sam Riggs of Education Northwest presented a longitudinal study using state data from 2013-14 through 2023-24. The study found CTE access has been relatively steady statewide, but offerings vary by school size, locale, and income, with rural and lower-income schools generally offering fewer pathways. Participation is high: nearly all students earn at least some CTE credit, and more students are accumulating multiple credits over time, though fewer go deep within a single pathway. Students who earned more CTE credits, especially within pathways such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and construction, were more likely to graduate on time and later had stronger postsecondary certificate attainment and earnings. Riggs recommended addressing local barriers to participation, considering whether the CTE graduation requirement should better encourage depth while preserving flexibility, and aligning offerings more closely with labor-market needs. Committee members asked about COVID-era trends, student motivation, early workforce entry, delivery settings such as skill centers, and how to interpret the comparison groups used in the analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• For so many sexual harassment victims and survivors, they don't have lost wages, and the two buckets
• of damages in employment tend to be lost wages and compensatory and punitive damages.
• So if you have zero in lost wages and you're capped at $50,000 in punitive damages, that's the total
• In the past four years, our restaurants have paid approximately $730,000 in wage replacement costs to
• replacement benefits or have their... ...wage replacement benefits reduced by federal income tax or

Bills: HB875, HB1667, HB2369, HB3844, HB4415, HB4479, HB4483, HB4676, HB5118, HB5400, HB5545

Keywords: workers' compensation, municipal construction, bidding requirements, small municipalities, contracting policies, first responders, PTSD, mental health, emergency services, medical expenses, injury claims, insurance carriers, opportunity youth, workforce development, employment, education, federal funds, employment discrimination, immunity waiver, public employees

Transcript Highlights:

• We had she said low but stagnant wages.
• </c><00:26:19.279><c> and</c> people and people up bid the wages and people and people up bid the wages
• </c> uh the hiring wages and the hiring rate. uh the hiring wages and the hiring rate.
• Not because Louisville metro may have higher wages and Clinton County, Kentucky, may have lower wages
• lower wages County, Kentucky may have lower wages based<00:36:43.280><c> on</c><00:36:43.520><c> just

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Human Services met to review budget items carved out in the prior session budget, including long-term care surveyor contracts, funding for local health departments, and expansion of the central laboratory. The committee approved the June 4 minutes and then heard an update from the Office of Inspector General’s Division of Health Care on long-term care certification surveys and complaint investigations. Officials said the $1 million annual appropriation for contracted survey work, along with salary increases and other resources, helped the state reduce its backlog. They reported that Kentucky completed 101 long-term care certification surveys in fiscal year 2024, up from 28 in fiscal year 2023, and had completed 186 surveys by July 7, 2025, with a goal of 40 to 50 more before the end of fiscal year 2025. Outstanding complaints fell from 1,565 at the end of fiscal year 2024 to 695 by July 7, 2025, and outstanding priority-one or immediate-jeopardy complaints were reduced to zero. Members asked about the definition of priority-one cases, survey timing, the number of facilities still overdue, vacancy rates, federal funding reliance, and the use of contract surveyors. Officials said priority-one cases involve serious harm or high risk of harm, that surveys are required within a 12- to 15.7-month window, and that the agency now has 40 contract surveyors and an outside team option. Several members praised the progress but warned that delays in surveys can endanger residents and urged continued funding and monitoring. The committee then began hearing from Mike Tuggle of the Department of Public Health on the Public Health Transformation Initiative, with Tuggle noting the legislation’s importance to public health financing. The transcript cuts off as he began his remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion Motion Motion prevail.<00:15:50.560><c> Okay.
• </c><00:15:51.120><c> Um,</c><00:15:51.759><c> Senator</c> prevail. Okay. Um, Senator prevail.
• Motion prevails. Any other questions or amendment from members? Okay.
• Motion Motion Motion prevail. prevail. prevail.
• Uh motion prevail. Congratulations, no. Uh motion prevail.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. Okay. The next bill before us is House File 3730.
• The motion prevails. opposed, same sign. The motion prevails.
• The motion does not prevail. Um, and next I will move House File 3638 before us.
• The motion does not prevail. It's a good agency bill and increases efficiency.
• The motion does not prevail. current form. Uh we have concerns about current form.

Bills: HF60, HF3067, HF3730, HF3638, HF3401

Keywords: interchange, bond issuance, transportation, infrastructure funding, Sherburne County, paraprofessional, paraprofessional qualifications, education support staff, teacher aide, teacher assistant, special education, Title I, federal personnel qualifications, Minnesota Department of Education, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, Read Act, reading instruction, math instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• Those 200 are back in unsubsidized jobs at a median wage of almost $23 an hour, trained by community
• The return shows up in wages.
• And then the wage reimbursement helps offset those hiring costs, those training costs.
• They agree on the entry-level wages that they're going to collectively pay.
• You highlighted the subsidies that help with wage reimbursements that are through CalWORKs.

Summary: The select committee on Community Economic Mobility and Investment heard testimony on how California can support inclusive economic development through regional collaboration, workforce training, higher education, and community-led partnerships. Chair Joaquina Arambula framed the hearing around the need to break down silos, address social drivers of health through economic opportunity, and help underinvested rural and low-income communities access resources and implement existing regional plans such as California Jobs First. Witnesses from workforce, education, nonprofit, and economic development organizations described local models in the Central Valley, San Joaquin Valley, and rural Northern California. Adam Peck of the California Workforce Association said local workforce boards are designed to connect employers, labor, colleges, and community groups, and argued that state and federal workforce funding has eroded while unemployment remains high in the Valley. Barbara Foster of Fresno State and Dr. Carol Goldsmith of Madera Community College emphasized braided funding, K-16 partnerships, and programs tied to employer demand, including truck driving, nursing, welding, agriculture innovation, and digital literacy. Arnie Sowell of NextGen Policy highlighted apprenticeship expansion, youth and justice-involved employment programs, and the need to scale the CME model statewide. The second panel focused on place-based examples of collaboration. Sierra Health Foundation’s Center said CME has helped grantees pursue more than $400 million in public grants and contracts and build stronger regional capacity. Siskiyou Economic Development Council described rural business innovation and forest economy transition work. Fresno EDC detailed subsidized employment, Good Jobs Challenge training, and partnerships with employers and social services that have placed thousands into jobs. Edge Collaborative described community-led projects in Stockton, including Little Manila Rising, Beam Circular’s bioeconomy campus, and Restore the Delta’s restoration work, while Líderes Campesinas stressed the importance of sustained funding for farmworker-led initiatives, legal clinics, and regional coalitions. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Relations to issue an order of wage Relations to issue an order of wage payment<01:23:04.679><c>
• wage and hour<01:23:09.120><c> law.
• of</c><01:24:10.719><c> payment</c> That's the order wage of payment That's the order wage of payment
• So thank you very much again, Chair and members of this committee. $934,000 in lost wages through wage
• </c><01:26:21.920><c> are</c> walk off and quit and those wages are walk off and quit and those wages

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several housing, landlord-tenant, and condominium-related measures. Senate Bill 62, relating to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, would allow HPHA-owned parcels and related areas such as parking lots to be closed to the public with posted signage; HPHA strongly supported the bill, saying it would help reduce loitering, drinking, and other problems, and no further testimony was offered. Senate Bill 822, relating to the landlord tenant code, would create a three-year working group in the Department of the Attorney General to study and improve the residential landlord-tenant code. The Judiciary supported the measure but said the scope should be narrowed; the Attorney General opposed leading the group and suggested another agency should do so; Hawaii Realtors and the Hawaii Worker Center supported the concept and suggested moving the chairmanship to the Judiciary and including Legal Aid participation. The Judiciary said it could chair the group if the bill were narrowed to matters within the court’s purview. Senate Bill 38, relating to housing, would limit counties from imposing stricter conditions, AMI requirements, or fee-waiver reductions on certain affordable housing proposals if those changes would increase project costs. HHFDC supported the bill, saying county changes after state approval create uncertainty for developers, while the Hawaii State Association of Counties opposed it as an intrusion on local authority and a restriction on county safety and infrastructure conditions. Members asked about whether existing county review periods were sufficient, and the county association said the main concern was the bill’s language limiting counties from making cost-increasing conditions. Senate Bill 146, relating to condominiums, would revise alternative dispute resolution procedures for condo disputes, including evaluative mediation and binding arbitration. The Hawaii Real Estate Commission said it took no position overall but supported a $150 mediation fee and asked for a similar arbitration fee; Community Associations Institute supported the bill with suggested amendments; however, most testimony was strongly opposed by condominium owners and advocates, who said the bill had been changed to the detriment of owners and would increase costs and reduce protections. The committee noted 44 testimonies on the bill, with 2 in support, 37 in opposition, and 2 with comments. Senate Bill 253, relating to condominium reserves, would require a detailed budget summary to stand on its own, remove a good-faith defense for certain noncompliant budgets, and clarify standing and the association’s burden regarding substantial compliance. Hawaii Realtors and Community Associations Institute supported the measure as improving transparency and giving owners and buyers a clearer picture of association finances. Greg Msakian also supported it, arguing it would help owners and describing problems he experienced with budget committee exclusion and budget noncompliance in his own association. The discussion ended while testimony on the bill was still underway, with additional witnesses expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much. competing initiatives are both past that the one with the most votes prevails in
• If two competing referrals or initiatives are passed and they have some commonality, which one prevails
• same election, the measure or amendment receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes shall prevail
• competing referrals or initiatives are passed and they have they have some commonality which one prevails
• the same election the measure or amendment receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes shall prevail

Summary: The Senate Committee on Appropriations, Transportation and Technology heard HCR 2048, as amended by a strike-everything amendment. The amendment would constitutionally prohibit the state from confiscating scholarship account monies from children of military families who are eligible for education scholarship accounts (ESAs) and can use the funds for tuition and fees at eligible postsecondary institutions. It also would make any later bill or voter-approved measure that violates that prohibition void in its entirety, with no severability, for measures enacted or approved on or after November 1, 2026. Representative Way, the sponsor, said the measure was intended to protect military families from having education funds taken away and argued that military children face unique disruptions because of deployments and frequent moves. Supporters including Matt Beinberg of the Goldwater Institute, Kevin Beasty of the Arizona Christian Education Coalition, Peter Gentala of the Center for Arizona Policy, and Senator Rogers said the amendment was needed to safeguard military families and preserve their ability to use ESA funds flexibly, including for college savings. Opponents, including Senators Alston, Fernandez, Kuby, and Epstein, argued the proposal was unnecessary, overly broad, and an attempt to preempt or invalidate a pending ESA-related citizen initiative. They also raised concerns about ESA accountability, public school funding, and constitutional issues involving voter initiatives and judicial review. After debate, the committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then voted on HCR 2048 as amended. The final committee vote was 6 ayes, 4 noes, and 1 not voting, giving the measure a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Wage factor for them.
• We need to be paid a living wage. Thank you. Thank you. We need to be paid a living wage.
• The subminimum wages for workers with disabilities.
• , creating a subminimum wage.
• , creating a sub-minimum wage.

Bills: SB1041, SB1050, SB1131, SB1138, SB1249, SB1267, SB1272, SB1317, SB1461, SB1488, SB1504, SB1517, SB1523, SB1580, SB1582, SB1584, SB1585, SB1602, SB1630, SB1654, SB1672, SB1673, SB1718, SB1761, SB1819, SB1826, SB1827

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, veterans, lifetime pass, state parks, Arizona, access, disabled veterans, cardiac arrest, defibrillators, school safety, emergency response, CPR training, Arizona education funding, automated license plate readers

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails.
• Motion prevails.
• Motion prevails.
• Motion<01:10:29.680><c> prevails.</c> Motion prevails. Motion prevails.
• Motion prevails.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• dispersements,</c> Now, wage and salary dispersements, Now, wage and salary dispersements, there's<00
• </c><00:15:47.199><c> and</c> approximately 4.95% growth in wage and approximately 4.95% growth in wage
• </c> near-term, a lot more optimism in wage near-term, a lot more optimism in wage and<00:16:03.680><
• The withholding model relies on Kentucky wages and salary for its main driver, and the Kentucky wages
• variable</c> the Kentucky wages and salary variable the Kentucky wages and salary variable relies<00

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on reaching consensus on official Kentucky revenue estimates for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, using updated S&P Global economic forecasts compared with the September presentation. Staff explained that the updated forecast relied partly on alternative data because of the federal government shutdown, and they walked through changes in national and Kentucky economic assumptions across control, optimistic, and pessimistic scenarios. The control forecast was described as slightly more optimistic in the near term but more cautious in fiscal 2027 and 2028, with GDP growth revised up for the current year and down somewhat in the outer years. The pessimistic scenario now assumed a two-quarter recession beginning in the current quarter, while the optimistic scenario was given a higher probability weight than before. The presenters highlighted several Kentucky-relevant variables that changed since September, including weaker manufacturing employment, weaker housing starts, weaker consumer sentiment, and lower expected non-farm employment in fiscal 2026. At the same time, wage and salary disbursements were revised upward in fiscal 2027, reflecting higher disposable income from tax changes, and real consumer spending was expected to be stronger in the near term. They also discussed assumptions about tariffs, business profits, the Federal Reserve, unemployment, oil prices, retail sales, vehicle sales, exports, and consumer sentiment, noting that some indicators were little changed while others shifted materially. Consumer sentiment was attributed to affordability concerns, tariff impacts, and a general sense of malaise, but was expected to improve in later years from a low base. Members asked follow-up questions about why the forecast worsened in later years and about the consumer sentiment assumptions. Staff responded that the forecast assumed larger take-home pay and refunds from tax withholding changes, along with some easing of tariff effects, which they believed would help offset a negative wealth effect from stock market declines. They also noted that S&P Global’s December forecast, which had already been published, was essentially consistent with the presentation and that the firm believed its earlier assumptions had tracked recent data well. No vote or final action was recorded in the portion provided, but the discussion was aimed at settling the revenue estimates that will underpin the upcoming branch budget bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• This change will help providers to address staff wage and benefit challenges.
• This change will help providers to address staff wage and benefit challenges.
• This change will help providers to address staff wage and benefit challenges.
• This change will help providers to address staff wage and benefit challenges.
• This change will help providers to address staff wage and benefit challenges.

Bills: HF729, HF728

Keywords: human services, provider enrollment, medical assistance, healthcare, housing stabilization, substance use disorder, vulnerable adults, fraud prevention, respite care, children, licensed settings, home and community-based services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Top line, we are forecasting stalling employment growth with continued wage growth.
• And along with that, higher wages—we do have higher wages.
• So the reason why the personal income tax keeps growing is because wages keep growing.
• For one of these jobs, takes this job and is earning a wage.
• They're going to pay personal income taxes on those wages.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the January 15 morning meeting. The main agenda item was the Department of Revenue’s budget and revenue presentation from Secretary Eric Nelson, Deputy Secretary Peter Shirley, and Deputy Secretary Mark Mucco. Nelson said the state remains double-A rated with a positive outlook, the budget includes a 5% personal income tax reduction, and the 2027 general revenue estimate is $5.493 billion, up $170 million from the prior year. Shirley gave an economic overview, saying West Virginia is forecast to see continued but slowing employment growth, continued wage growth, gains in private education/health services and business services, declines in some sectors, improving labor force participation relative to the nation, and strong recent net in-migration. He also noted continued growth in natural gas production and a modest rebound in coal production, though coal faces longer-term demand pressure. Mucco reviewed revenue trends and said 2025 collections were about $5.5 billion, below the prior year but above estimate, with personal income tax and sales tax driving the surplus. He explained that the forecast incorporates the 5% PIT cut and annual conformity to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including changes such as Section 179 expensing, bonus depreciation, R&D expensing, business interest deductions, and a new manufacturing facility expensing provision. He also discussed the effects of tax credits, severance tax volatility, declining tobacco revenues, and health care provider tax changes tied to federal Medicaid rules. He said road fund revenues are largely flat absent policy changes, and county commission revenues are growing faster than state revenues. Members asked about when new economic development projects like NewCore would appear in the projections, how much 20,000 new jobs would matter, whether the department had a calculator for job-growth impacts, the status of recent tax cuts, road fund growth, tobacco/vape taxation, and whether migration data could be broken down by county. The witnesses said major projects are not yet in the S&P-based forecast but would likely add jobs, wages, and tax revenue over time; they estimated 20,000 jobs would be a significant increase. They also said the state is unlikely to hit the current personal income tax trigger in the near term. No substantive votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee adjourned after a motion carried by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails.
• Motion prevails.
• No.<01:10:55.040><c> Motion</c><01:10:55.520><c> prevails.</c> No. Motion prevails. No.
• Motion prevails.
• Motion<01:11:17.199><c> prevails.</c> Motion prevails. Motion prevails.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all