Transcript Highlights:

• Are you thinking that the service providers themselves should be audited?
• I was thinking of the program, which in part involves scholarship service provider, and if an audit,
• And the question is whether that information would be fully accessible in that audit.
• <03:41:55.560> is be audited is be audited is that<03:41:58.040> is<03:41:58.199>
• would<03:42:22.080> be an audit a performance audit would be an audit a performance audit

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 193, which clarifies that dual and concurrent enrollment courses may not exceed four credits. Members said the bill came from the community college system and was intended to preserve the program’s high school-to-college pathway. An amendment changing the effective date to passage was adopted 18-0, and the committee then voted 18-0 to recommend OTPA on the bill as amended, with the bill placed on the consent calendar. The committee then retained HB 295 and HB 366, both related to school building aid, after members said the issues were complex and needed more work. Both motions to retain passed 18-0, leaving the bills in committee without reports. The chair also said HB 354 would not be taken up that day because of possible changes from the Department of Education and others. HB 494, funding the math learning communities program, was then amended to flat-fund the program rather than increase it, with members citing budget uncertainty. The amendment passed unanimously, and the committee then voted 18-0 for OTPA on the bill as amended, placing it on consent. Finally, HB 515, which would repeal charter public school eligibility for state school building aid, drew debate over whether charter schools should be treated differently from traditional public schools. The committee voted 10-8 for inexpedient to legislate, sending the bill to the regular calendar; Representative Damon was assigned the minority report and Representative Popovic the majority report. The committee then began HB 716, an appropriation for the dual and concurrent enrollment program, where members discussed flat-funding the program at $2.5 million per year and the potential impact on course availability, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're not going to be able to audit them every month to make sure.
• You're not going to be able to audit them every month to make sure that they're doing what they need
• Before you start your closing rep, could I ask, do you know, would the state be able to audit these companies
• So is that broken when the board has an audit? Is that broken down as a separate?

Bills: HCR66, HB387, HB617, HB797, HB950, HB975, HB1186, HB1222, HB1223, HB1228, HB1256

Keywords: economic development, rural communities, infrastructure, workforce training, Louisiana Economic Development, engineering, land surveying, construction, state fire marshal, plan review, hidden fees, junk fees, drip pricing, price transparency, mandatory fees, surcharges, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, advertising disclosures, total price

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee met on April 20, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard a series of bills and resolutions. It first advanced H. CR 66, which directs Louisiana Economic Development, working with the Governor’s Office of Rural Development, to study rural parish economic assets, infrastructure, workforce, and development opportunities. The committee also moved HB 387, a clarification allowing the fire marshal to review architectural and engineering plans equally, and HB 1223, which seeks to promote clinical trials in Louisiana by having LED market the state’s research capacity and by adjusting internal review board procedures. HB 1228, a cleanup bill for hearing aid dealers that updates definitions, contracts, testing periods, licensing, and related requirements, was also reported favorably, as was HB 950, which would create an elderly consumer perception program through the Office of Elderly Affairs to help seniors recognize scams and fraud. The committee spent the most time on HB 617, a broad “hidden fees” consumer transparency bill. The author and supporters said it would require mandatory fees to be included in upfront pricing so consumers can make informed choices, while opponents from grocery, restaurant, hotel, housing, retail, and business groups argued the bill was vague, overly broad, and likely to create compliance burdens and litigation risk. Housing advocates objected to the bill’s housing exemption, warning it could weaken renters’ ability to bring claims over undisclosed fees. After extensive debate over variable pricing, sales taxes, enforcement, and the scope of the bill, Senator Morris moved to defer HB 617, and the committee agreed without objection. The committee also heard HB 797, which would create a “Bayou Gold” certification program for certain gold vendors and transactional gold products. The sponsor said the program would encourage vendors to keep gold insured, segregated, and closer to Louisiana consumers, with the Treasury administering the certification through participant fees. Several senators and an outside witness raised concerns that the state seal could be mistaken for an endorsement, could create liability or consumer confusion, and would favor a narrow set of vendors. Despite opposition, the committee reported HB 797 favorably, with members noting it still had to go to Finance. Later, the committee advanced HB 1186, which would create a more uniform statewide building code and licensing system for inspectors, add disciplinary authority, and impose a small permit fee to support the program, and HB 1222, which would let LED develop a grocery initiative to address food deserts and food insecurity. The meeting concluded with the committee hearing HB 1256 on abandoned digital assets, which would require dormant digital assets to be held in original form for three years so owners can reclaim them.

Transcript Highlights:

• The real estate commission has good audits.
• :31:14.880> commission<00:31:15.919> has<00:31:16.240> good<00:31:16.480> audits
• real estate commission has good audits. real estate commission has good audits.

Bills: SB274, HB586

Keywords: cannabis, psychoactive cannabinoids, CBD, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, criminal penalties, youth protection, medical cannabis, HB586, Cullman, Cullman County, City of Cullman, annexation, municipal boundaries, corporate limits, local legislation, boundary adjustment, city limits, municipal expansion

Transcript Highlights:

• strong oversight with the board and our oversight committee and the funding agencies that fund us, that audit
• us over 12 audits a year.
• And we're very proud to say that we have over three decades of unmodified audits.
• The non-tax certificates track through who you supplied to, and then they can go back and audit you and

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pre-need money is protected and it's whole, and that requires a lot of man hours and requires um a audit
• requires<00:16:10.399> um hours and requires um hours and requires um a<00:16:12.160> audit
• <00:16:14.560> And<00:16:14.800> so<00:16:15.120> it's a audit of those finances
• And so it's a audit of those finances.

Bills: SB7, SB22, SB39, SB40, SB45, SB46, SB86, SB95, SB107, SB7, SB22, SB39, SB40, SB45, SB46, SB86, SB95, SB107

Keywords: voting rights, absentee ballot, protected classes, Alabama Voting Rights Act, felony conviction, election integrity, preclearance, Alabama Jobs Act, incentives, job creation, economic development, recapture provisions, capital investment, employment, board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, SB40

Transcript Highlights:

• And also, will you be auditing? I work at the local level. I work for the City of Chattanooga.
• Did the question about auditing... Thank you. Did the question about auditing get answered?
• Could you comment on the auditing portion at all? Yeah, sorry, I missed that.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard presentations on a range of housing finance, permitting, and affordability tools. Chattanooga described its affordable housing PILOT program, which uses a per-unit property tax abatement tied to the rent loss from providing affordable units, with a 15-year term and annual compliance monitoring. Committee members asked about the program’s structure, whether it had been used elsewhere, and who was participating; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would bring 278 units with 42 affordable units and that the model was attracting private market-rate developers. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary zoning approach, emphasizing that longer tax exemption periods and station-area zoning changes had helped spur development, with most current pipeline projects concentrated near light rail stations. The committee also heard from the Municipal Research Services Center and the Department of Commerce on tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and permit timelines. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, while proportional impact fee guidance is intended to help jurisdictions charge fees more closely aligned with actual project impacts. On permit timelines, Commerce presented its first annual report under recent law changes, using 2024 as a baseline year and noting that reported timelines were generally longer than statutory goals; members asked about outliers, paper versus electronic processing, and whether back-and-forth between applicants and staff was driving delays. Commerce said it would follow up with more data, including on CHIP funding and permit reform practices. Several local governments then shared permitting process improvements. Auburn reported relatively short review cycles and described its move to fully electronic permitting, internal performance standards, and a stock plan program that speeds review for repeated home designs. Bellevue described an AI permitting pilot with a local startup to help with pre-application questions, document triage, and plan review, aiming to reduce incomplete applications and revision cycles. Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would help homeowners split lots, finance, build, and manage ADUs, with the homeowner eventually buying out the partner and retaining ownership; committee members asked about rent setting, management fees, and default risk, and staff said they would follow up. The committee also heard brief overviews of community land trusts and limited equity cooperatives as permanent affordability models, with presenters urging continued state and local funding support and policy recognition for these approaches.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the piece about this, which is also concerning, is that it applies to any audit by any agency—HHS
• The piece about this, which is also concerning, is that it applies to any audit by any agency—HHS, OIG
• feedback, maybe asking patients how was their experience with these individuals, and a review and audit
• Maybe asking patients how was their experience with these individuals, and a review and audit of medical

Summary: The committee first received an update on the effects of HR1 and related federal Medicaid and marketplace changes from Governor’s Office and Health Care Authority staff. Presenters said the most immediate coverage losses are expected in the individual market beginning in January, with premium increases and an estimated 80,000 people potentially unable to afford coverage. They warned that larger Medicaid impacts will follow over the next year and beyond, including tighter eligibility checks, work requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, limits on state-directed payments and provider taxes, new cost-sharing, and changes affecting certain non-citizen adults. They also said the state plans to seek a waiver or extension for work requirements and will continue to analyze impacts, including on rural providers and Planned Parenthood-related services. Members asked about the effect on nursing homes, rural hospitals, and how the state can help providers and enrollees navigate the new requirements; staff said timelines and a state-specific implementation chart are being developed. The committee then heard a report on the International Medical Graduate Work Group and Washington’s efforts to create pathways for internationally trained physicians. Testimony described the clinical experience license, the clinical evaluation assessment tool, grant funding for IMG support organizations, and a new hardship waiver process enacted this year. National presenters said many states have adopted similar pathways because of physician shortages, but Washington and Tennessee are among the few states that have actually issued licenses so far. They recommended clear guardrails, an employment offer before application, ECFMG certification, supervised practice, and data collection to avoid exploitation and protect patients. Members asked about state-to-state variation, retention of IMGs, and whether Washington should pursue dedicated residency or preceptorship options; presenters said the key next step is moving successful participants from supervised experience to a durable long-term license. The final topic was implementation of Washington’s Apple Health doula benefit and the statewide doula hub and referral system. Senator T’wina Nobles highlighted the state’s $3,500 per-birth Medicaid reimbursement rate for doulas and the importance of the hub for referrals, training, and billing. Health Care Authority staff said the benefit launched January 1, 2025, and covers prenatal intake, labor and delivery, postpartum visits, and telehealth-supported services. They reported 336 state-certified doulas, 134 enrolled in Apple Health, 287 unique clients served, and 641 claims paid so far. Testimony emphasized doulas’ role in improving birth outcomes, reducing unnecessary interventions, and addressing racial disparities in maternal health, while noting that implementation is still early and ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would include auditing the counties and making sure that they're using these programs are evidence-based
• mechanisms, we recommend adding those by tasking the BSCC with taking on that greater role to both audit
• So the administration is opposed to establishing a whole new audit framework.
• We don't audit the programs, so that's not our role, but we do a pretty rigorous assessment of what they've

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• don't think the process exists for a reason, and if we want to focus on anything, we should maybe audit
• want to focus on anything we should f want to focus on anything we should f maybe<00:12:49.920> audit
• > that<00:12:50.560> process<00:12:50.880> but<00:12:51.200> not maybe audit
• that process but not maybe audit that process but not eliminate<00:12:51.839> it<00:12:52.000

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to adopt an HD1 that will address the auditor's testimony and concerns regarding doing a follow-up audit
• <00:41:58.319> a<00:41:58.720> followup<00:41:59.760> um<00:41:59.920> audit
• <00:42:00.400> on<00:42:00.640> a regarding doing a followup um audit on a regarding
• doing a followup um audit on a bill<00:42:01.520> that<00:42:01.760> was<00:42:02.000>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce heard three resolutions focused on condominium management, insurance, and landlord-tenant issues. For HCR 24/HR 23, which sought a follow-up Sunrise review of condominium association managers, Hawaii Realtors and the Real Estate Commission supported the measure, while several condo owners and advocates described alleged embezzlement, misconduct, and lack of accountability in association management. The Real Estate Commission suggested using a more current bill, HB 1312, as the basis for the review. In decision-making, the committee adopted an HD1 to direct the auditor to conduct a Sunrise analysis on HB 1312 instead of the older cited bills, and the measure passed with amendments by unanimous votes, with one member excused. For HCR 85/HR 79, which asked the Insurance Commissioner to study alternative insurance models for condominium associations and unit owners, the acting insurance commissioner said the division supported the concept but warned the study could be costly and time-sensitive, estimating roughly $1.5 million based on the breadth of the requested work. A committee member and the commissioner discussed whether the scope could be narrowed, and the commissioner said a narrower study could reduce costs. The committee ultimately deferred the measure for possible revision and future discussion. For HCR 158/HR 153, which proposed an Attorney General-led working group to improve landlord-tenant code provisions, the Attorney General’s office said another agency with housing expertise would be better suited to convene the group and suggested LRB for legal research support. Hawaii Realtors supported the idea but said the chairing agency could be changed, while Maui Tenants and Workers Association urged stronger tenant representation and warned against framing the effort in a way that favors investors over tenants. A mediator also noted procedural gaps in court filing requirements for tenants and landlords. In decision-making, the committee adopted an HD1 to shift the convening role from the Attorney General to the judiciary, narrow the scope, and make technical changes; the amended resolution passed unanimously, with one member excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a number of audit firms under contract to make sure that our local partners get every dollar
• We audit agencies, we review them. That's going, that's something we've done traditionally.
• It won't, no, it will no longer just be an audit of simple files.
• And, and what you're left with is, well, I, I just have to work off of this list to go and do audits

Transcript Highlights:

• Our work on that case prompted a Forensic Science Commission audit and led to the proposal and passage
• made they can sit in a room and talk with you about one by one You know if you've ever gone through audit
• and intentionality to audit that so.
• We have about 120,000 hours in a day and trying to audit that is very difficult. the body cams in 2018

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• repositories of information, data element scrambling of sensitive variables, rigorous logging and auditing
• data processing procedures while data is in transit and while at rest, and independent third-party audits
• expedited complaints, enhancing processing times, and ensuring compliance with data reporting and auditing
• analytics to identify trends and recurring issues, along with detailed reports for internal DMHC review audits

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We receive independent audits by the Department of Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety, and because of our
• 501(c)(3) status, we receive audits from that group as well.
• Yes, yes, we have to do OPPAGA reviews and we have to do audits and all that stuff like anyone else.
• Audits and all that stuff like anyone else, but they left us to be flexible.

Summary: The committee took up SB 116 by Senator Burgess, a veterans bill aimed at several FDVA-related changes. The bill would reduce annual nominations to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame from 20 to 5, expand FDVA’s survey work to assess veterans’ awareness of available programs and their health literacy, add mental health training to the veterans suicide prevention pilot, strengthen coordination and reporting between Veterans Florida and FDVA, direct FDVA to develop a plan for adult day health care facilities statewide, and allow the Florida Veterans Foundation to use a portion of Gadsden flag plate proceeds for administrative costs. Senator Burgess said the measure builds on prior “Forward March” efforts and helps close service gaps for aging veterans and others who may not know about available benefits. Testimony on SB 116 was uniformly supportive. FDVA leadership said adult day health care could be added at existing facilities such as Port St. Lucie and Lake City, and that the state would need authority and funding to move forward. A veterans legal collaborative, AARP Florida, and Endeavors all voiced support, with speakers emphasizing the importance of better outreach, mental health awareness, and care options that allow veterans to remain at home. The committee then voted favorably on SB 116. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to agency and stakeholder presentations. Florida National Guard officials described a high operational tempo, deployments at home and abroad, hurricane response efforts, and the need to grow the force and infrastructure. FDVA’s adjutant general reported Florida now has the nation’s second-largest veteran population, rising in-migration of younger veterans, a large and aging Vietnam-era population, strong claims and outreach activity, declining veteran homelessness, and improved suicide prevention outcomes. The Florida Veterans Foundation outlined its emergency relief, dental, transportation, and license-plate-funded programs, while Veterans Florida and CareerSource Florida detailed workforce, apprenticeship, SkillBridge, entrepreneurship, and job-fair programs for veterans and spouses, along with efforts to expand recurring funding and better protect customer information.

Transcript Highlights:

• know, that it's there, and then it didn't get because we just got, as was mentioned, that legislative audit
• 03.360> mentioned<00:08:03.800> that<00:08:04.000> legislative<00:08:04.520> audit
• as was mentioned that legislative audit as was mentioned that legislative audit report<00:08:05.159

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard extended discussion on House File 8, a bill aimed at changing Minnesota’s permitting and environmental review process. Supporters said the bill is intended to help small and medium-sized businesses and projects that face long delays, and argued that the proposal does not lower environmental standards. They described the bill as modeled in part on provisions used in other states, including a staggered permitting process and an expedited option, and said the goal is to improve transparency, reporting, and real-time public access to permit information. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could also benefit large corporations and major industrial projects, including mining and other large facilities, rather than just smaller businesses. Several lawmakers questioned the use of county-based public input, the lack of tribal consultation, and how the bill would interact with treaty rights and communities outside the affected county. Others argued that the bill could create risks by speeding permits for bad actors or by allowing larger entities to pay for expedited treatment. Testimony also referenced examples from the Minnesota Chamber’s report, with a witness disputing the claim that permitting alone drove companies out of Minnesota and saying those cases involved more complex facts. The committee first considered a motion to lay the bill on the table, but that motion failed on a 5-7 roll call. The committee then voted on a motion to re-refer House File 8, as amended, to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. That motion passed 7-5, and the bill was sent on to that committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• There should definitely be some metrics and audits for performance evaluation so you guys know what's
• should definitely be some<00:14:38.199> metrics<00:14:38.519> and<00:14:38.639> audits
• <00:14:39.000> for<00:14:39.199> performance some metrics and audits for performance
• some metrics and audits for performance evaluation<00:14:40.320> so<00:14:40.440> you<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint AEN-PSM hearing on February 7, 2025 focused primarily on three agriculture-related measures and one animal welfare bill, with additional discussion of pesticide drift monitoring, coffee labeling, and a gas-pump labeling bill. SB 762 would create an Agricultural Crimes Council and authorize agricultural crime investigators; testimony from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Law Enforcement, the Attorney General’s office, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, and several members of the public was generally supportive, with repeated calls for stronger enforcement, community involvement, and in some cases allowing investigators to be armed. Some testifiers also urged changes to the appointment process for council members, preferring neighborhood boards or local officials over gubernatorial appointments. The committee discussed combining related agricultural crime bills and noted concerns about investigator safety in remote areas. SB 763 would establish an agriculture enforcement program within the Department of Law Enforcement and a special fund. Testimony was strongly supportive from state agencies and farm groups, with speakers emphasizing the need for more effective response to agricultural theft, poaching, and related crimes. Several public testifiers linked the bill to broader community safety and asked for clearer funding, training, coordination, performance metrics, and technology use. The committee also heard SB 1022, which would prohibit leaving pets in dangerous conditions in vehicles and allow officers, firefighters, animal control, and in some cases private citizens to rescue animals; the Attorney General said existing cruelty statutes may already cover the conduct and suggested amendments, while HPD opposed the bill. Members asked about liability for rescuers and whether the proposal might affect property-crime enforcement. The committee also heard SB 1304 on pesticide drift monitoring funding, with the Department of Agriculture supporting the measure and explaining it was needed to complete a required project under an EPA-related agreement. A Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action representative raised concerns about the methodology of prior studies, and a public testifier described a recent odor incident near a roadway and school. SB 1015, requiring labels on gas dispensing equipment warning about fossil fuel impacts, drew support from the Department of Agriculture and the Public Utilities Commission but opposition from the Hawaii Energy Marketers Association. SB 500 on coffee labeling and regional origin was also heard, with the Department of Agriculture in support. In decision-making, the committees adopted recommendations to pass SB 762 with amendments, SB 763 with amendments, SB 1022 with technical amendments, SB 1304 with technical amendments, and SB 1015 as is; SB 500 was not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So back in December, I asked Joe Martins, our chief of internal audit, at Citizens, to conduct an independent
• audit of our claims, denials, and closures for Debbie, Helene, and Milton, and to report on the accuracy
• For those of you who may not be aware, the chief of internal audit does not report to me.
• He reports to the chair of our audit committee for Citizens.

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee received a lengthy presentation from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation CEO Tim Serio, with Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworski also answering questions. Serio reviewed Citizens’ role as Florida’s insurer of last resort, its statutory funding structure, eligibility rules, depopulation program, reinsurance obligations, and the surcharge/emergency assessment mechanisms that can be used if Citizens runs a deficit. He emphasized that recent legislative reforms, combined with lower litigation and improved market conditions, have helped the private market recover and reduced Citizens’ policy count from a peak of about 1.41 million in 2023 to 936,182 at the end of 2024, with a projected drop to about 771,000 by the end of 2025. He also said the reforms reduced Citizens’ rate need and helped avoid an emergency assessment after the 2024 storms. Members asked about Citizens’ rate increases, why Citizens still seeks higher rates despite lower litigation, how the 20% eligibility threshold works, whether Citizens should be wind-only, and whether the state or federal government could help with deficits. Serio explained that Citizens is still charging below actuarially sound rates in most areas, that rate filings reflect reduced litigation and lower reinsurance exposure, and that assessments on all Florida property policyholders are the reason Citizens tries to build surplus and depopulate. He said the depopulation program is working better than in the past, with less than 2% of takeout policies returning to Citizens, and that the Office of Insurance Regulation has been vetting takeout companies more carefully. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on claims handling after Debby, Helene, and Milton, including flood-versus-wind disputes and Citizens’ use of the Division of Administrative Hearings for some claim disputes. Serio said Citizens had received 76,625 claims from the three storms and had paid nearly $823 million in indemnity and expenses as of January 7, 2025. He said many closed-without-payment claims were either below deductible, withdrawn, duplicate, or flood-only, and that Citizens had asked its internal audit function to independently review the claims data and denials. He also described Citizens’ storm outreach, catastrophe response centers, managed-repair program, and claim review process, and said the corporation remains focused on paying valid claims while minimizing the risk of assessments on the broader Florida market.

Transcript Highlights:

• overseeing operational policies and procedures, and demonstrating financial accountability through fiscal audits
• the department is now required to refer the lead agency to the Auditor General for an operational audit
• Those agencies have been referred to the Auditor General for operational audits, and the department is
• And the department detailed today a number of assessments and audits that community-based care went through

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman Murdole, Representative Killeen, we can certainly audit and pull in that information.
• Again, it's not anything we currently regulate today, so we're normally not auditing that.
• We did have an audit that came up.
• I've been in the position now for just over three years, and we had an audit that came up in December
• I'm trying my best to get a hold of the things that they've brought up in the audit.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman Murdole, Representative Killeen, we can certainly audit and pull in that information.
• Again, it's not anything we currently regulate today, so we're normally not auditing that.
• We did have an audit that came up.
• I've been in the position now for just over three years, and we had an audit that came up in December
• I'm trying my best to get a hold of the things that they've brought up in the audit.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.