Transcript Highlights:

• accounts exist, or they don't have the extra income to establish retirement accounts, whose sole retirement
• income is Social Security, who rely on... ...established retirement accounts, whose sole retirement
• We've expanded that population and included folks who are near retirement or may be in retirement already
• your retirement accounts, including pensions and other retirement accounts.
• That you earn from your retirement accounts, including pensions and other retirement accounts.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and introductions of the Doctor of the Day and student guests, including JAG students and Hila Ben High School visitors. Attendance was recorded at 49 present, 3 absent, and 8 excused. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider HB 2153, the annual tax conformity bill, which was described by supporters as aligning Arizona tax law with recent federal changes and providing relief through no tax on tips and overtime, a 25% increase in the child tax credit, a new child care expense deduction, and expanded senior retirement-income deductions. Opponents argued the measure would primarily benefit wealthy individuals and corporations, leave out some seniors without retirement accounts, and reduce revenue needed for public services. HB 2153 drew extensive debate and multiple questions about its effects on seniors, small businesses, wages, child care, and the timing of tax filing forms already issued by the Department of Revenue. Supporters emphasized taxpayer certainty, conformity with federal forms, and economic growth; critics said the bill was fiscally irresponsible and unfair. The Committee of the Whole approved the bill 31-26, and the House later adopted the report and referred the bill to engrossing. The House then took up the Senate mirror measure, SB 1106, substituted for HB 2153, and held floor explanations of vote. After further debate along similar lines, the House passed SB 1106 by a vote of 31-27 with 2 not voting and transmitted it to the Senate. The remainder of the session included personal privilege remarks, committee schedule announcements, a long list of first-read bills and referrals, and finally a motion to adjourn until Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, you should, members should retire to the rear of the chamber as I call your name.
• To be clear, an algorithm in social media is an artificial intelligence system.
• in order to permit the union agent to best represent the employee.
• The current That system of prior authorizations is not just inefficient, it's harmful.
• Assembly Bill 1510, by the Committee on Public Employment and Retirement, an act relating to public employees

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from similar employees in the facility.
• Employees need less work and more time to cool down.
• The bill also requires employees and supervisors.
• In short, if employers are concerned about employees that employees are reacting as if they are working
• in a hospital, If employers are concerned about employees that employees are reacting as if they are

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a lengthy hearing on June 18 focused on workers’ compensation, independent contractor and classification issues, workplace safety, warehouse worker protections, extreme temperature protections, retaliation against injured workers, and workplace bullying. Committee chairs outlined procedures for the hybrid hearing and noted that members would be leaving intermittently for floor votes. Testimony also touched on a bill to expand workers’ compensation disfigurement benefits by removing the current $15,000 cap and extending coverage beyond scars on the hands, neck, and face. A major theme was workplace safety in warehouses and in extreme heat or cold. Teamsters, warehouse workers, and labor advocates described high injury rates, strict quotas, lack of water, inadequate ventilation, frozen or missing safety equipment, and pressure to work through heat waves and snowstorms. Supporters urged favorable reports on bills protecting warehouse workers and requiring employers to adopt heat- and cold-safety plans, while the NFIB opposed the temperature bill as overly prescriptive and burdensome for small businesses. Sen. Edwards, Sen. Roche, Rep. O’Day, and others argued that the measures are needed to prevent heat illness, provide shade, water, rest breaks, training, and emergency plans, and to cover all workers regardless of immigration status. Another major subject was the “Act to Protect Injured Workers,” backed by labor groups, immigrant worker centers, legal services organizations, and individual workers. Witnesses said employers often retaliate after injuries by threatening deportation, lying about how injuries occurred, delaying care, or firing workers, and they supported stronger anti-retaliation enforcement, multilingual notices, and a rebuttable presumption of retaliation within 90 days of protected activity. The Mass AFL-CIO and immigrant advocacy groups supported the bill and opposed measures they said would weaken employee classification standards. Testimony also supported a funeral-benefits bill to raise workers’ compensation death-benefit reimbursement for burial and funeral costs, based on a family’s experience after a workplace fatality. The committee heard additional testimony on workplace bullying bills, with some witnesses urging a new legal duty for employers to prevent and respond to bullying, while others described the harms of toxic workplaces and the lack of effective remedies.

Transcript Highlights:

• The employee portion of which is also eventually owed back to the employer by that employee. that are
• portion of the lost wages of employees portion of the lost wages of employees who<00:04:53.479><
• here paying also the employee here paying also the employee subsequently<00:05:32.280> owes
• that employee that employee so<00:06:00.759> employees<00:06:01.560> that<00:06:01.720
• can<00:07:08.520> plan the employees so the employeed can plan the employees so the employeed

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• S292, an act related to granting public higher education employees the right to strike.
• <00:11:06.320> the S292, an act relating to granting public higher education employees the
• S295, an act relating to group membership in the state employees retirement system. referred to 290.
• S295, an act relating to group membership in the state employees retirement system.
• retirement system. >> Now you've heard the first reading of the bill.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Electronic health record system that'll tie in directly to our ICON system.
• into the system.
• brick and mortar system.
• With this system, we jumped on this one. It's a newer system.
• system that we had in place.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To state employees, only specifically state employees.
• All state employees. Okay.
• Part three, primary care coverage plan under Chapter 1579. nine, that is TRS retired employees, and then
• All state employees, university employees, retirees, teachers, look.
• , retired teachers, public school employees, and university system employees. employees.

Bills: HB201, HB272, HB618, HB 1094, HB 1142, HB201, HB272

Keywords: financial crime, card fraud, motor fuel theft, law enforcement, criminal activity, skimmers, prevention, training, credit card fraud, debit card fraud, prosecution, illegal possession, state law, HB 618, Texas insurance code, IVF, in vitro fertilization, fertility treatment, infertility coverage, government employee health benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• TIA system designation.
• I have to save for retirement.
• from the Teacher Retirement System, I wasn't aware of that.
• full retirement benefit.
• Have to spend 40 years in a system to receive that full retirement benefit.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• retirement to continue working.
• Senate Bill 470, relating to deferred retirement for police, establishes a deferred retirement option
• I'm Tom Williams, the Executive Director of the Employees Retirement System.
• ' Retirement System, Budget and Finance, and the AG's office to propose some language that will hopefully
• ' Retirement System, Budget and Finance, and the AG's office to propose some language that will hopefully

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered Senate Bills 470, 828, 730, and 1383. SB 470 would create a deferred retirement option program for police officers. The Employees Retirement System warned it could worsen the system’s $14.1 billion unfunded liability by stopping employer and employee contributions during the DROP period, and the Attorney General raised possible tax-qualified status, Internal Revenue Code, and age-discrimination concerns. Police and other supporters testified in favor, but the committees ultimately recommended deferring the bill indefinitely. SB 828 would expand workers’ compensation medical benefits for firefighters to cover an additional respiratory condition. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Hawaii Firefighters Association supported the measure, citing occupational exposure and health risks. The committees recommended passage with amendments, and the motion was adopted by both committees. SB 730, which concerns allowance on service retirements, drew support from the Department of Human Resources Development and the Department of Law Enforcement, but also comments from the Attorney General and ERS. DHRD said the bill could help recruitment and retention but requested more time to work on language with ERS, Budget and Finance, and the AG’s office. The committees postponed decision-making until Friday, February 7, at 3:15 p.m. in Conference Room 225. SB 1383, relating to fire protection, received broad support from the Governor’s office, Department of Defense, DLNR, Hawaiian Electric, and others. The committees agreed to pass it with amendments, including language suggested by the Hawaii Insurance Council on wildfire-related insurance issues and a committee report link to the Lina fire forward-looking report, phase three. The amended recommendation was adopted by both committees. Later in the meeting, the committees also heard SB 1360 and SB 1361 on ERS administrative and reporting matters, SB 340 on HLRB enforcement authority, and SB 997 on energy; SB 1360 and SB 1361 were presented as housekeeping measures, SB 340 drew disagreement between the Attorney General and HLRB over enforcement authority, and SB 997 was amended to incorporate prevailing-wage renewable energy rate language from SB 743 and then passed with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• I retired from AHCA last June.
• None will until, I mean, some of those employees are gone.
• I retired at the end of last year. I announced my retirement last summer.
• These state employees work hard.
• I want people to know that I'm not going to act for a former employee or against a former employee, as

Summary: The Committee on Director Nominations met with four members present and approved the prior minutes without objection. Chair Jay Kaufman outlined the committee’s role in reviewing executive nominations and explained the hearing process for three nominees: Mary Foote for the Office of Economic Opportunity, Debbie Johnston for the Department of Health Services, and Chuck Bassett. Foote did not appear for her hearing, and members discussed her absence and alleged omissions in her disclosure materials, including prior service with Planned Parenthood-related organizations. The committee then moved to reject her nomination, and the motion passed 3-2, recommending that the full Senate reject Mary Foote. Debbie Johnston, nominee to lead the Department of Health Services, appeared and gave an opening statement describing her Arizona background, prior Senate staff work, and more than 20 years with the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. She said her priorities at ADHS include rebuilding trust in public health licensing, improving stakeholder engagement, standardizing rulemaking communication, addressing alleged religious discrimination and retaliation concerns in licensing, and using technology and AI to improve efficiency. In questioning, senators pressed her on her management style, conflict-of-interest safeguards given her prior industry role, enforcement priorities, budget pressures, behavioral health and assisted living oversight, and the department’s response to COVID-19. Johnston said she would follow statutes, recuse herself from enforcement matters involving former contacts, and resign if directed to carry out an unlawful policy. She also said the department does not regulate therapy itself, only facilities, and that it would rely on legal counsel regarding the governor’s conversion-therapy executive order and related federal civil-rights allegations. Several senators focused on public health trust and the department’s pandemic response, with Johnston acknowledging concerns about closures, data collection, and communication during COVID-19 while saying she would review past after-action materials and be better prepared in the future. Public testimony from stakeholders in aging services and health care strongly supported her confirmation, praising her accessibility, responsiveness, and collaborative approach. After testimony, the vice chair moved to recommend Johnston’s confirmation to the full Senate. The roll call was underway when the transcript ended, with several members voting aye and one member expressing reservations about her not reviewing the pandemic after-action report before another crisis occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• So not only will Californians... ...the employee and the employer.
• The AVID system helps students think critically, collaborate, and set high expectations.
• He has unfortunately announced his retirement, which won't happen for a year.
• His retirement won't happen for a year, so we're glad for that, but a very distinguished career.
• So I know his retirement is richly deserved, but I just want to say we will miss him greatly.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CPAs are tough to find to enter into your system.
• We have a very voluntary compliant tax system. Citizens pay sales tax.
• I don't want to stand up this system and make radical changes while that new system is being put up.
• I don't want to stand up this system and make radical changes while that new system is being put up.
• And so what you'll find is that if you look at some of our employees, we have a lot of long-term employees

Summary: The subcommittee met to review agency vacancy reports and agency-requested budget reductions, with Chair Lopez framing the discussion around stewardship of taxpayer dollars, agency efficiency, and whether long-vacant positions should be cut or repurposed. Members were given vacancy summaries and asked to focus on how agencies are functioning with current staffing, which positions are mission critical, and whether some vacancies reflect market pay issues, re-engineering of work, or true excess capacity. The chair also noted that agency heads had been asked to provide follow-up information on current openings, average vacancy duration, mission-critical roles, and reasons for vacancies. The Department of Revenue was the first major agency reviewed because it had the largest number of vacancies. Its leadership said vacancies had improved from pandemic-era highs due to market pay adjustments, but that some areas—especially general tax and audit—still had long-term openings. The department explained that some positions are intentionally frozen while work is restructured, that it hires above minimum salary in some cases to stay competitive, and that it is using automation and process changes to reduce backlogs. Members raised concerns about vacancies outside Leon County, out-of-state auditor positions, salary compression, and whether the department should provide a list of frozen positions and the salaries actually needed to recruit. The Department of Financial Services said its long vacancies were concentrated in risk management, law enforcement, and the general counsel’s office, where salaries and competition from private employers and other agencies make hiring difficult. DFS said it was using outside vendors in some areas, had reduced vacancies in its general counsel office significantly, and was willing to identify positions that could be cut, including some from treasury and OAT. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation reported progress in lowering vacancies through statewide recruiting, centralized legal hiring, automation in service operations, and leadership changes in alcoholic beverages and tobacco; it said one recommended cut could be achieved by combining two half-time positions. The Florida Lottery reported a low vacancy rate, said all positions were critical, and explained its longer onboarding time due to extensive background checks; members discussed sales reps, incentives, and the agency’s field-office structure. The Office of Financial Regulation said many of its vacancies were already in the hiring pipeline, with recent vacancies tied to promotions, a death, and internal moves, and noted that it often serves as a training ground for federal agencies. The Office of Insurance Regulation, which had a high vacancy rate concentrated in Leon County, said it had been reducing vacancies from a much higher level and was still working through hiring and administrative constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:44:48.359> to obligations for public employees to obligations for public employees to
• So from an IT perspective, the lottery core gaming systems refer to the central gaming system and as
• the internal control system.
• > system<01:02:36.920> they're internal control system they're internal control system
• recognizing employees and their achievements<01:13:05.880> valuing<01:13:06.520> employee<

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on January 16, 2025, for an organizational and informational session. Members and staff introduced themselves, and Chair Jim Nash reviewed committee expectations, including that nonpartisan staff are to be used for factual information rather than political arguments. He also noted the committee rules were a blend of prior chairs’ rules and would be posted without a vote. Helen Roberts of House Fiscal gave a high-level overview of the committee’s jurisdiction and budget structure. She explained that the State Government Finance Committee oversees funding for major administrative agencies, the legislature, constitutional offices, and several boards, councils, and commissions. She emphasized that the committee’s general fund base for fiscal years 2026-27 is about $1.31 billion, less than 2% of the state general fund, and that the largest pieces are the Department of Revenue, the legislature, and pension aids. She also described how all-funds presentations differ from general fund views, highlighting internal service funds such as Minnesota IT Services, Department of Administration services, and other chargeback or reimbursement arrangements. Members asked questions about House and Senate budgets, debt service related to the Capitol Area building project and move costs, and how Minnesota IT Services is funded through fee-for-service chargebacks. Colby Sullivan of House Research then summarized a memo in the packet that outlines the entities within the committee’s jurisdiction and the constitutional and statutory provisions governing them. He pointed members to the memo as a reference and noted that the committee also has jurisdiction over the Legislative Coordinating Commission, the legislative auditor, the legislative reference library, the reviser of statutes, the Secretary of State’s budget and certain duties, and three gambling-related agencies, though gambling policy itself is generally handled by another committee. He offered to help members with bill drafting and amendments and to provide a linked electronic version of the memo. The Office of the Legislative Auditor then began an overview of its work. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall explained that the office is nonpartisan, serves all 201 legislators, and provides oversight through financial audits, program evaluations, and special reviews focused on state funds. She distinguished the Legislative Auditor from the State Auditor, noting that the State Auditor is an elected constitutional officer who focuses on county and local government funds. Randall said the office would also present a deep dive into its November performance audit of the Minnesota State Lottery. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I am retired from New Mexico State Government, and I'm happy to be with you all.
• My attorney wants to retire one day, and I don't know what's gonna happen.
• The system is built to try to minimize the amount of time in labor.
• Is it still working with the system?
• Because the employee files for the claim, the employer has the opportunity to...

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have two managed access systems out of our 104 units.
• What type of systems do you have in place, without—what type of generally, what type of systems do you
• If an employee is introducing contraband, we ask for full prosecution through the court system, through
• officers are just going to retire and then go...
• retire and they're going to take all our part-time jobs.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This would make the notification system a true one call system.
• The majority of small water systems have less than three full-time employees.
• Timeline requirement, but like you're saying some of these systems may not even have one full-time employee
• . system.
• It is a system, right?

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• off-boarding employees.
• We're adding two employees to this budget, and one of those employees is associated with maintaining
• Those are the employees to maintain those systems going forward.
• Those eight employee reductions don't show up in the overall employee list because they're actually there
• So when we come back, we'll see those eight employees off the list of the overall total of employees

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee began with roll call and a brief update on remaining work, then took up Senate Bill 2213, the “science of math” bill. Members clarified that the appropriation for the program was not included in the DPI budget and would remain attached to the policy bill for now. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave the bill a do pass recommendation, 21-2. The committee next considered Senate Bills 2036 and 2037, both juvenile justice/Human Services bills involving mental health and criminal responsibility evaluations for minors. Testimony explained that the bills create new processes and require DHS to contract with specialized providers, with appropriations of $500,000 in 2036 and $300,000 in 2037. Members debated whether the funding should come from existing DHS resources or remain as separate appropriations, and whether the programs were one-time or ongoing. The committee adopted amendments on both bills and then recommended both do pass, with 2036 passing 14-6 and 2037 passing 17-4. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2021, the Information Technology Department budget. Representative Bosch outlined major themes in the budget, including migration from PeopleSoft and the mainframe, onboarding/off-boarding automation, double-counting of IT spending, and the transition of education technology from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus. Members also discussed a study amendment related to a statewide enterprise resource planning system, and added language on grant management and compliance management. The committee adopted the amendments and gave the budget a do pass recommendation, 20-0-3. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2011, the Highway Patrol budget. Representative Pyle explained the House changes, including shifting some one-time costs to the motor carrier electronic permit fund, funding for body armor, breath tests, road course resurfacing, fleet costs, handgun replacement, and carryover authority for federal technology funds. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the budget 21-0-2. The committee then began Senate Bill 2399, a Human Services bill on Medicaid reimbursement for psychiatric residential treatment facilities, but deferred action after testimony from a facility representative and committee discussion about therapeutic leave days, reimbursement rates, and whether a cap on reimbursable days should be set in statute or rule. The chair said the committee would seek more information from DHS and take the bill up the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• So for an employee who was making $50,000, we would need to set aside around 17,500 for the retirement
• Number one system in the country.
• But as an example, changes in employees benefits health care costs, retirement contributions across the
• Our system is that 78%.
• All of these are things that are system apart compared to other systems.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That we don't have excessive use of the system, of our health care systems.
• And we're very, very middle-class retired people.
• And we're very, very middle-class retired people.
• Our election system is a decentralized system where counties administer elections, and this is a move
• For withdrawals from retirement pensions.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is all of the systems, all of the systems that run eligibility and claims through our agency,
• So this is all of the systems ISS last access, all of the systems that run eligibility in claims through
• The total number of people expected to retire... >> Mr.
• So is it going to be retro if employees... ...have already increased the pay to the employees?
• We don't have things that keep our employees working for us.

Keywords: 1183, house