Video & Transcript Research : 'rate deviations'
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ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Water Topics Overview Committee Jun 10th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Water Topics Overview Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- We have in the past at low interest rates.
- So North Dakota systems over the past 24 years have been working on their rates at the rate of 1% a year
- The most common ones are meeting household income, water rates, water system size, unemployment rates
- , and poverty rates.
- Average rate increases...
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- You adjust the rates. Yeah, you would adjust the rate. Somebody could be in charge.
- You're saying, well, there's your base rate.
- You're going to have to pay more because when you talk about the rate rates going up, and I'm off my
- Our rental rates are down 10% from last year.
- Our rental rates are down 10% from last year.
Summary:
The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Health Policy Jan 26th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And the same is true with Iowa's 89% rate, Hawaii's 89% rate, and Arkansas's 92.5% rate.
- Some carry 100% hospitalization rates, 23% mortality rate, and they only seem benign because herd immunity
- Some carry 100% hospitalization rates, 23% mortality rate, and they only seem benign because herd immunity
- When vaccination rates drop, outbreaks follow.
- When vaccination rates drop, outbreaks follow.
Summary:
The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 1082 would let providers or insurers in state-regulated commercial plans opt into the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims, with a late-filed amendment clarifying access to the state program in certain circumstances. The bill sponsor and emergency physicians said the measure would reduce litigation and improve payment resolution; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute.
SB 1168 would centralize background screening work for the care provider clearinghouse at the Agency for Health Care Administration and update related screening rules, including sealed and expunged records for qualified entities. The sponsor said the change would speed turnaround and reduce duplication; an amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156 would move ambulatory surgical center regulation out of Chapter 395 into a standalone section of law, and it was reported favorably without amendment.
SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designations change, allowing them to continue seeing current patients and potentially new patients in their existing area subject to board oversight. The committee heard support from health system representatives and reported the bill favorably. The final and most debated measure, SB 1756 on medical freedom, would require vaccine education materials and alternative schedules, expand school immunization exemptions to conscience-based objections, clarify limits on emergency vaccination orders, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin behind the counter with written information. The sponsor and supporters framed it as parental choice and access, while physicians, public health advocates, cancer advocates, and parents of immunocompromised children warned it would lower vaccination rates and increase disease risk. The committee adopted a liability-related amendment, rejected a substitute amendment that would have required consultation for exemptions, and continued hearing public testimony opposing the bill; the transcript ends before final action on SB 1756.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- pandemic, they jack up rates, restrict sales, and like...
- And this, of course, leads to exorbitant costs. ... rates, insurance rates, for not only businesses in
- Did that improve the rates of insurance? Did that make them go down? Yes, ma'am.
- To fair market values, that's usually understood as the median in-network rate.
- Rates. Can you tell me what the difference would be? What would be the difference?
Bills:
HB4806
Keywords:
civil action, damages, health care services, noneconomic damages, negligence, legal standards, 1184, house, all
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
October 8, 2025 - 10:30 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- But the cap is really the average commercial rate.
- The average commercial rate is higher than it is. That is the Medicare rates.
- I think it varies depending upon what that average commercial rate.
- But in my mind, 1.9 4 of the Medicare rates to get reimbursement rate for Medicaid.
- You know, there's at the base rates, the purity rates that we pay on the inpatient eap tier.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Typically we intervene in base rate proceedings.
- So if they feel they have to have a rate increase, they'll file for that, go ahead and use the rate.
- So if they feel they have to have a rate increase, they'll file for that, go ahead and use the rate increase
- there could be an interim rate while that case is being resolved.
- Do we think that that is a just and reasonable rate to set?
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Nominations met with a quorum and first took up pending nominations from an earlier agenda. Members severed Douglas McReecken, nominated to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents, from the rest of the list and then voted to report the remaining nominees to the full Senate by a 7-0 vote. The committee then voted on the severed nomination itself and reported Douglas McReecken to the full Senate as well, by a 5-2 vote.
The committee heard testimony from Brooke Pop, reappointed as chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and later from Commissioner Katarina Gonzalez, also of TCEQ. Questions focused on whether TCEQ rules comply with state law, ex parte restrictions, public transparency, concrete batch plant permitting, MUD approvals, water availability, illegal dams, enforcement, and the agency’s role in local environmental disputes. Both nominees said they follow the law as written, described internal legal review of rules, and emphasized transparency, public outreach, and enforcement; Gonzalez said she had already sent back two rules she believed did not comply with legislation. Members also discussed TCEQ’s authority limits and the need for clearer public communication about what the agency can and cannot regulate.
The committee also considered Alethea Sullivan, nominated to the Texas Southern University Board of Regents. Questions centered on TSU’s status as an independent institution, the role of HBCUs amid DEI-related legal changes, and student outcomes. Sullivan said she would focus on ensuring taxpayer and student resources produce valuable credentials and noted concerns from her review of graduation and bar passage rates. The committee then heard from Benjamin Barkley, appointed chief executive and public counsel of the Office of Public Utility Counsel. Barkley said OPUC’s main need is additional funding to recruit and retain attorneys and expert witnesses, reduce turnover, and continue representing residential and small commercial consumers in utility rate cases; he said the office was involved in 73 contested cases and saved Texans $2.2 billion in FY 2024. No final action was taken on the later nominees, and the committee recessed with nominations left pending.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Feb 5th, 2025
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- The first is our retention rate, or success rate.
- And so we look at the retention rate, the success rate, the completion rate.
- or success rate metric, and about 98.97% meeting the continuing education or employment rate metric
- at an 85% passage rate.
- placement rate of 91%, and a licensure pass rate of 98%.
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received an overview of Florida’s career and technical education (CTE) system from Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, who described the state’s CTE pathways, program types, enrollment and completion growth, quality audit metrics, and the Master Credentials List used to identify credentials of value. He highlighted record postsecondary CTE enrollment and completions, strong statewide performance in talent attraction, and several funding tools supporting expansion, including Open Door, the Florida First Responder Scholarship, Workforce Development Capitalization grants, Perkins funding, CAPE performance incentives, and apprenticeship grants. Senators asked about eligibility for Open Door and first responder aid, top industry certifications, and the teacher apprenticeship initiative.
A panel of college and technical school leaders then described how state and federal funding has supported local program growth and facility expansion. Santa Fe College, Palm Beach State College, North Florida Technical College, Lake Technical College, Florida Gateway College, and Manatee Technical College each cited increases in enrollment, high placement or licensure pass rates, and new or expanded programs in nursing, welding, CDL, automotive, manufacturing, public safety, and apprenticeship. Several speakers emphasized partnerships with hospitals, employers, school districts, and local governments, and noted that grants helped fund equipment, renovations, and new training hubs. Palm Beach State also raised a request to broaden line funding beyond nursing to other health science fields, and multiple presenters asked for more flexibility, multi-year support, and continued or increased funding to sustain growth.
Members discussed broader challenges, including the difficulty of sustaining grant-funded growth after initial awards, the lag between enrollment growth and funding formulas, and alignment problems for dual enrollment and technical programs with high school schedules. Senators also noted the need to balance support for high-demand core programs like nursing and welding with the ability to respond quickly to emerging industries such as AI and space. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond adjournment after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on the Judiciary Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Transcript Highlights:
- at a market rate.
- Today, that interest rate is 12%.
- However, prejudgment interest rates above market rate can result in windfalls for plaintiffs and can
- at a market rate today that interest rate is 12%.
- However, prejudgment interest rates above market rate can result in windfalls for plaintiffs and can
Summary:
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills in the Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration areas, with testimony spanning judicial security, judicial compensation, civil process fees, bar advocate compensation, interstate discovery, defamation protections for sexual assault survivors, and related criminal procedure changes. Chairs Edwards and Day opened with housekeeping rules on testimony limits and written submissions, then called witnesses on each bill in turn.
On H. 1766, judicial officers and the Massachusetts Bar Association strongly supported a judicial security bill that would protect judges’ personal information, citing threats, online harassment, swatting, and violence against judges and their families. On H. 1819, judges and the Massachusetts Judges Conference asked for higher compensation, saying Massachusetts judges rank low nationally after cost-of-living adjustment and that pay affects recruitment and retention. The committee also heard support for H. 1582/S. 1183 to raise civil process service fees, with sheriffs saying the fees have been unchanged since 2003 and are needed to cover rising costs, safety equipment, and operations funded by those fees.
The committee heard from prosecutors on H. 1604 and H. 1846, which would give district courts concurrent jurisdiction over certain school-threat and leaving-the-scene offenses, allowing prosecutors to handle less serious or panic-driven cases more efficiently while preserving mandatory penalties. CPCS and bar advocates supported H. 1876 on bar advocate compensation, describing a continuing shortage and crisis in indigent defense despite recent pay increases and staffing investments. The Boston Bar Association supported H. 1857, a Massachusetts version of the Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, saying it would simplify out-of-state discovery and reduce cost and delay.
A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1974/S. 1143, which would protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment from retaliatory defamation suits unless the plaintiff proves actual malice, and would allow fee shifting and damages against abusive suits. Survivors, advocates, and attorneys described threats, legal costs, and chilling effects that silence reporting, while supporters said the bill would protect truthful speech and improve access to counsel. The committee also heard insurance-industry testimony on S. 1101, which would change personal injury protection payment rules to require insurers to tender disputed amounts within 30 days to avoid attorney’s fees; insurers said the bill would curb a growing volume of provider lawsuits and reduce abuse of the no-fault system. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed after all scheduled testimony was complete.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- They may have to hold the millage rate steady.
- Chapman, a city manager, why are you recommending this rate versus going to rollback rate?
- You can always move the millage rate down.
- You can't always move the millage rate up once you get to that point of the game.
- So we cannot adjust our rates on the local level.
Summary:
The Committee on Community Affairs convened with a quorum and took up SB 308, a bill related to the Florida Museum of Black History. The bill would establish a Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors and direct it to work with a supporting nonprofit foundation, while also requiring the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to provide administrative assistance and staffing until planning, design, and engineering are complete. With no appearance forms or debate, the committee voted the bill favorably.
The remainder of the meeting was an informational briefing from the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities on local government budgeting practices. Presenters explained how counties and cities develop budgets, the legal framework governing property taxes and other revenues, the distinction between restricted and unrestricted funds, and the role of constitutional officers, public safety, debt, pensions, and capital planning. They emphasized that most local revenues are restricted by law, that general funds are the main discretionary source, and that local governments must balance annual budgets while meeting mandated service levels.
The presenters also discussed how property taxes, fees, local option taxes, and state-shared revenues support local services, and they highlighted the fiscal pressures created by public safety, emergency management, infrastructure, and retirement costs. Members asked questions about the share of local revenue that is unrestricted and the implications for any proposal to eliminate property taxes. The presenters responded that only a portion of county and municipal revenue is flexible, with much of it dedicated to specific purposes by law.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- And is it earning interest at the rate of inflation of these projects?
- What allows or affords smaller entities to utilize that credit rate for better rates?
- but that underlying credit rating also is a to the rating agencies and to the board.
- Their credit rating will come on as part of the PUA.
- The rate setting doesn't change at all.
Keywords:
coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- rates, grievance rates and looking at all of that firsthand.
- rates, grievance rates, and looking at all of that firsthand.
- rates, grievance rates, and looking at all of that firsthand.
- rates, grievance rates, and looking at all of that firsthand.
- rates, grievance rates, and looking at all of that firsthand.
Bills:
SB1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools.
Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees.
DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Dec 15th, 2025 at 09:14 am
Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- New Mexico is expected to be about equal to the U.S. unemployment rate.
- rate.
- The labor force participation rate was unchanged from August to August.
- The participation rate is gonna depend.
- And the unemployment rate hasn't changed very much over that time too.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Nov 7th, 2025
Legislative Health & Human Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- For rate increases and increased utilization that we're seeing in TDSD.
- Fund and the increases in employee liability rates.
- What is considered high unemployment rates?
- The vacancy rate is typically around 30%. Do you have that, Madam Chair?
- There were some exceptions if there was a high rate of unemployment.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Oct 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Students participating will have to maintain a 92% attendance rate.
- But we also know that we've improved graduation rates by 2% since 2022.
- Again, we've had low proficiency rates.
- We are one of the highest chronic absenteeism rates. Fortunately, that rate is going down.
- I think seeing those high participation rates...
NY
Transcript Highlights:
- settings we... ...highlighting, obviously, DFS's responsibility to make sure in rate settings we keep
- They can only be used to lower your rate or approve a policy.
- In the rate filing in particular, rate filing we're looking at the whole market, the whole... ...underwriting
- a carrier comes and says, in my private passenger auto portfolio, I'm looking for this rate.
- rate kind of piece given the insurance committee a real route for their money on good question.
Summary:
The Senate Banking Committee met for its first meeting of the session, with Chair James Sanders Jr. and Ranking Member George Borrello opening the hearing and noting a collaborative approach to committee work. The committee first considered and advanced several bills: S.114, which would prohibit state-chartered banks from investing in or financing private prisons; S.2040, which would require money transmitters to provide a consumer warning; S.5473, which would require disclosures in advertisements involving virtual tokens; and S.8406, Sanders’ bill to amend the community bank deposit program. Each bill was moved and approved by committee, with S.8406 passing unanimously.
The committee then heard from Caitlin Azar, Acting Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), who outlined her background and DFS priorities. She emphasized affordability, consumer protection, stability, and innovation, and discussed DFS-led initiatives in the governor’s budget, including Banking Development Districts, non-bank mortgage CRA regulations, CDFI investment guidance, and consumer restitution. She also said DFS plans to issue buy-now-pay-later regulations in February, expand student lending protections and borrower education, and continue work on insurance affordability, including auto and homeowners insurance reforms, anti-fraud efforts, and discounts tied to telematics, dash cameras, and safe-driving courses.
Members questioned Azar about the balance between regulation and access, especially in crypto, buy-now-pay-later, and insurance markets. She said DFS aims to preserve competition while preventing discriminatory or excessive practices, and described existing oversight of virtual currency, including coordination with federal regulators. Another member asked about AI in auto insurance underwriting and pricing; Azar said DFS requires transparency, bias review, governance controls, and consumer recourse, and that credit scores cannot be used to deny or increase rates. The chair also raised concerns about foreclosure in Southeast Queens, improving BDD paperwork and data collection, and increasing the number of state-chartered credit unions. Azar said DFS is working on process improvements, community input, and maintaining open communication with the committee, but no additional votes or formal actions were taken during the DFS hearing.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 2/25/26
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- error, which is about an 8% error rate. error, which is about an 8% error rate.
- to the risk of the payment error rate. to the risk of the payment error rate.
- So other states have much lower rates of some states have 25% error rates.
- rate and hopefully serve motans better? rate and hopefully serve motans better?
- and maintaining low payment error rates. and maintaining low payment error rates.
Keywords:
HF45, Lake Benton, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Public Facilities Authority, public infrastructure, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, utility replacement, U.S. Highway 75, road reconstruction, municipal infrastructure, local government grant, Minnesota bonding, capital appropriation, food insecurity, prepared meals
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery
Transcript Highlights:
- , not a reduced rate, which is what we get often now.
- The only ones we get a full rate for is the DMH that are waiting for a hospital.
- not a reduced rate, which is what we get often now.
- The only ones we get a full rate for is the DMH that are waiting for a hospital.
- as related to the Medicare reimbursement rate.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery held a public hearing on 14 bills focused on insurance, parity, opioids, behavioral health access, and mental health system reform. Chair Mindy Domb and Vice Chair Robyn Kennedy outlined hearing procedures and noted the committee would accept written testimony. The hearing featured testimony from legislators, providers, advocates, and behavioral health organizations, with most speakers urging favorable reports on the bills they addressed.
A major topic was psychiatric collaborative care, including H. 222/S. 1390, which would raise reimbursement for collaborative care codes to at least Medicare levels and allow billing outside the MassHealth primary care subcapitation model. Supporters said the model improves access, outcomes, and cost savings by embedding behavioral health in primary care, and several witnesses described successful implementation in practices and schools. Committee members asked questions about how the model works, what specialties use it, barriers to adoption, and whether copays, deductibles, and subcapitation rules should be changed. Witnesses also supported related innovation legislation, including H. 2224, which would create a mental health innovation fund and support nontraditional trauma-healing approaches.
Other bills discussed included H. 2212, which would require prescribers to discuss opioid and pain-medication risks, alternatives, and addiction/overdose concerns with patients or guardians; H. 2232 and H. 2233, which would address equitable payment and equitable access for behavioral health providers serving MassHealth patients; and S. 1406, which would add opioid maintenance treatment information to MassPAT and allow patient-authorized access to that information. Witnesses also strongly backed S. 1399, which would set targets to increase behavioral health spending within the overall health care cost benchmark, arguing that Massachusetts underinvests in behavioral health and that greater investment could reduce emergency, hospitalization, homelessness, and criminal justice costs. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded after testimony and committee questions.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 2/24/26
Housing Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- because of higher rates. because of higher rates.
- rates? rates?
- those with 3% or lower rates.
- We're finally kind of crossing, which means the people who are in 6% rates or higher rates are a lot
- keep up and rates have to cooperate. keep up and rates have to cooperate.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/25/25
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau interest rate index.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau interest rate index.
- We are substituting the required net yield with the average prime offer rate, or APOR.
- 1st 2024 the maximum interest rates 1st 2024 the maximum interest rates under<00:48:43.000>
the - addition to any other regular rate addition to any other regular rate increases<01:10:27.520>
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor (2-19-26)
Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor
Transcript Highlights:
- So the employers, we raised their rate to take care of this.
- So what we want to do is lower those rates and keep the fund going to make sure that we can make those
- their their rate to take care<00:01:56.159>
of <00:01:56.320>this. - amendment is uh we're lowering the rates amendment is uh we're lowering the rates because<00:03:
- We don't need the rates that are much. We don't need the rates that are there<00:03:12.239>
now.
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00
Roll Call: 00:25
SB 129 Discussion: 01:14
SB 129 Voting: 03:35, 958, all
Summary:
The Standing Committee on Economic Development, Labor, and Tourism met for its fourth meeting and considered one bill sponsored by Senator Mike Nees concerning unemployment insurance and the SCUF (Service Capacity Upgrade Fund). Senator Nees explained that the bill would lower employer rates tied to the fund, while continuing to support unemployment insurance system upgrades. He said the fund was created after problems with the unemployment computer system and that employers had borne the cost successfully.
Nees also described a planned floor amendment, agreed to by the chamber and cabinet, that would cap the SCUF fund at $15 million and redirect contributions to the regular unemployment insurance fund if that fund falls below the prior year’s level. He said this would prevent overfunding technology while ensuring benefit payments remain protected. Committee members responded favorably, with remarks praising the bill and joking about government spending and the unemployment system’s handling during COVID.
The committee first reported the bill favorably on a 9-0 vote, then later recorded additional votes from members and guests, bringing the tally to 11-0 in support. The chair announced the bill would be reported with favorable expression and that it would have the same recommendation on the floor.