Transcript Highlights:

• These rebates are integral to the operations of both exchanges and the members.
• However, under current Texas franchise law, these transaction rebates may be included in the total revenue
• of the Texas Tax Code to exclude certain securities transaction payments, specifically transaction rebate
• We want to make sure that, to your earlier point, we clarify the fact that these rebates... for just
• We expect to receive about $500,000 of that million dollars this year, which is about a 15% rebate.

Bills: HB511, HB972, HB 1035, HB2481, HB2723, HB2742, HB2894, HB2962, HB3077, HB3093, HB3307, HB3684, HJR67, HJR72

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, caregiver exemption, Medicaid, long-term services, tax relief, assisted living, housing support, property tax exemption, caregiver support, residence homestead, tax exemption, unpaid caregiver, state tax code, property tax, caregiver, waiting list, intellectual disability, developmental disability, ad valorem tax, family support

Transcript Highlights:

• Revenues are received from premium contributions, pharmacy rebates, refund of claims overpayments, and
• one of the slides as well, you had other revenues estimated at $388 million, which is refunds and rebates
• And before you answer, I'd like to... ...to be on the formulary with best rebate pricing.
• So have we looked at, in the formulary, creating those where we get best rebate prices?
• ...looked at in the formulary, creating those where we get best rebate prices and eliminating some of

Summary: The Budget Committee met with a quorum and took up several bills. HB 677, relating to state-covered fertility preservation for employees undergoing cancer treatment, was introduced as coverage for egg and sperm preservation for up to three years, with an estimated fiscal impact of about $813,000. After brief questions and no public testimony or amendments, the bill passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/HB 59, which would reform Florida’s wrongful incarceration compensation process by extending the filing deadline from 90 days to two years, removing the clean-hands requirement, and allowing exonerees to choose between the state compensation process and a civil lawsuit; it was supported by the City of Flagler Beach and passed unanimously. CS/HB 1313, which recreates the Resilient Florida Trust Fund in the Department of Environmental Protection before its scheduled termination in 2025, also passed unanimously after supportive testimony from advocacy groups. The committee received a lengthy presentation from the Department of Management Services on the State Group Insurance Program and the recent Revenue Estimating Conference. The presentation covered enrollment, revenues and expenditures, rising medical and pharmacy costs, emergency room utilization, GLP-1 drug spending, and options for tighter formulary and utilization management. Members asked about ER cost growth, GLP-1 coverage and copays, PBM oversight and potential conflicts, avoidable ER visits, cancer screening claims, dental and vision costs, specialty drug biosimilars, and possible savings from more restrictive pharmacy models. DMS said it would follow up on several questions and noted ongoing work on cancer coordination, preventive screening, biomarker testing, and a proposed member-facing benefits platform. The committee also heard extensive testimony on HB 301, which would raise sovereign immunity caps from $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident to $1 million and $3 million, align limitations periods with private claims, and allow government entities to settle above the caps without a claims bill. Local governments, school-related entities, and county and city associations opposed the bill, warning of major fiscal impacts, higher insurance costs, and pressure on services; several speakers urged smaller increases or a tiered approach. Proponents, including families affected by catastrophic injury or death, argued the current caps are too low and the claims bill process is inefficient and unfair. After debate, the bill passed on a recorded vote, with some members voting no, and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• A new Chapter 380 agreement with another city that rebated 75% of the sales tax.
• And then we'll rebate you 75 percent. Members, any other questions? All right. Thank you, sir.
• The company entered into a Chapter 380 agreement with a... different city, one that was willing to rebate
• The consultant behind this deal receives 7.5% of that rebate as compensation.

Bills: HB 105, HB982, HB1483, HB1508, HB2575, HB3646, HB3993, HB4083, HB4580, HB4725, HB5169, HB5511, HJR73, HJR102, HJR174, HB3746, HB4240

Keywords: economic development, job creation, energy, tax incentives, technology investment, ad valorem taxes, elderly, disabled, low-income, tax limitation, homesteads, Texas Tax Code, property tax, ad valorem tax, tax exemption, residential real property, home improvement, energy efficiency, energy-efficient upgrades, HVAC

Transcript Highlights:

• the rebate that would come back to them. the rebate that would come back to them.
• innovation and then it would be rebated innovation and then it would be rebated back<00:16:46.560
• to the uh, rebated back to the<00:19:06.000> rateayers.
• money would be rebated back to the<00:20:46.240> rateayers.
• law that affects uh the uh rebates law that affects uh the uh rebates and<00:25:44.400> I'm

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The way we do that is by doing rebates.
• Every time we pay a customer a rebate, that's how we prove that energy was saved.
• The way we do that is by doing rebates. The way we do that is by doing rebates.
• , Every time we pay a customer a rebate, Every time we pay a customer a rebate, that's<00:20:54.000
• <00:21:05.840> on 100 watt and we give you a rebate on 100 watt and we give you a rebate on

Bills: HF3296, HF3802

Keywords: energy conservation, data centers, electric sales, energy optimization, utility regulations, energy regulation, certificate of need, renewable energy, power production, energy efficiency, Minnesota statutes, 1183, house

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Byboard last year rebated $13 million back to its members over the course of the rebate program.
• revenue from by board from the cooperative rebates yes to rebates uh...
• Or they will get a rebate. So when you talked about the $4.1 million that went to TASB.
• And then rebate that excess back to the member.
• So we would rather... keep the vendor honest, so to speak, and rebate it back to members.

Bills: HB10, HB 12, HB675, HB10, HB12

Keywords: regulatory reform, government efficiency, administrative law, rulemaking, agency deference, judicial review, de novo review, Texas Government Code, Administrative Procedure Act, state agencies, plain language, regulatory burden, regulatory reduction, cost-benefit analysis, fiscal note, public benefits and costs, contested case, rule challenge, Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, advisory panel

Transcript Highlights:

• How can we realistically believe that these companies, who, based on the rebates they receive from the
• Most importantly, the proprietary piece is what percentage rebate... ...the proprietary piece is what
• percentage rebate, you know, pharmacists call it kickback, but what percentage rebate are these companies
• You say that Pharma in your letter is increasingly concerned about the substantial rebates and discounts
• , if they're concerned about it in a real way, then why don't they put limits and conditions upon rebates

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a broad set of health care bills focused on cost, market oversight, pharmaceutical access, transparency, hospital closures, and pharmacy access. Chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by emphasizing recent health care reforms and the need for further action on the drug supply chain, PBMs, private equity, and affordability. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a Betsy Lehman Center bill to make technical changes and create a permanent trust account for federal and private funding, and bills on hospital profits and fairness, hospital closures and health planning, pharmacy deserts, and health care market oversight and pharmaceutical access. No votes were taken during the hearing. On the hospital profits bill, physicians and labor advocates strongly supported capping hospital CEO compensation at 50 times the lowest-paid worker, requiring greater financial transparency, and directing penalties from high-margin public hospitals into a Medicaid reimbursement fund. Testifiers argued that executive pay is excessive while frontline staff and safety-net services are under strain. Committee members raised concerns about unintended consequences, including whether hospitals might shift workers to contract status or lose executive talent, and whether the bill would actually direct money to the safety net. Supporters responded that the measure is one piece of a larger effort and that the bill’s Medicaid reimbursement provisions would help underserved hospitals. Testimony on market oversight and pharmaceutical access centered on rising health care and drug costs, PBM practices, and the proposal to give the Health Policy Commission authority to set upper payment limits for certain drugs. Consumer advocates, disability advocates, an independent pharmacist, the Attorney General’s office, and others supported stronger oversight, citing premium increases, affordability problems, and the impact of high drug prices on patients and community pharmacies. Pharma and some industry witnesses opposed parts of the bill, warning that upper payment limits could disrupt access, create legal issues, and fail to address the broader supply chain. The committee also heard support for stronger hospital closure notice and public hearing requirements, and for a pharmacy deserts bill aimed at identifying and addressing closures like the one in Roxbury that affected thousands of patients.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, pretty much a trivial amount being rebated if this bill goes through.
• people who take advantage of the rebates people who take advantage of the rebates or<00:57:34.520
• >> Rebates, thank you. I should know this.
• >> Rebates, thank you. I should know this. I should know this.
• <01:11:23.760> in and butter area having these rebates in and butter area having these rebates

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually had fun with the e-bike bill, and so we redid the, um, the, there was e-bike rebates, and
• And so there was a program where you could get a $1,500 rebate on an e-bike if you just signed up.
• And so there was a program where you could get a $1,500 rebate on an e-bike if you just signed up.
• And so there was a program where you could get a $1,500 rebate on an e-bike if you just signed up.
• There was a program where you could get a $1,500 rebate on an e-bike if you just signed up.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state borrowed $900 million from the ADAP rebate fund on the condition that it be repaid when there
• Finally, we support the comments on the proposed use of the ADAP drug program rebate funds.
• We urge this legislature to take action on the rebate fund in both supporting the repayment of funds
• is worsening among an ADAP drug program rebate funds.
• We urge this legislature to take action on the rebate fund in both supporting the repayment of funds

Summary: The subcommittee held an oversight hearing on federal actions affecting California’s public health and family planning systems, focusing first on the freeze to Title X family planning funds and then on broader CDC/public health grant terminations. Chair and members described the cuts as abrupt, harmful, and likely to create major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, contraception, STI testing, and other preventive services, while also criticizing the federal administration’s explanation that the actions were tied to DEI or civil-rights compliance. The chair thanked Attorney General Bonta for legal action and said the hearing was intended to document the real-world impacts and inform state budget responses. Witnesses from Essential Access Health, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a Central Coast clinic, and other providers said California’s Title X network serves more than half a million low-income patients annually and relies on the funds for staffing, outreach, training, mobile and school-based clinics, and confidential care. They warned that the freeze has already forced reserve spending, delayed services, and could lead to layoffs, reduced hours, longer waits, and fewer appointments, especially for sexual and reproductive health care. Public comment included support for a proposed state backfill of Title X losses, with advocates emphasizing impacts on low-income, LGBTQ+, and communities of color. On the public health side, CDPH, county health officials, and local health officers testified that the CDC’s rescission of $11.4 billion in grants would affect California by an estimated $840 million and threaten lab capacity, immunization programs, health disparities work, and data systems such as CalConnect and vaccine registries. Sacramento County and others described how the grants supported outbreak response, sequencing, community vaccination clinics, and equity-focused partnerships, and said terminations had already led to canceled appointments, stopped contracts, and layoffs. Several speakers urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state “future of public health” funding and to backfill federal losses, while public commenters from HIV, immunization, labor, and county organizations echoed concerns about workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill creates a geothermal rebate program focused on commercial buildings. I do, Mr.
• um, a bill to create a geothermal rebate um, a bill to create a geothermal rebate program<00:19:
• This rebate program will allocated.
• A similar rebate program already owner.
• , rebates for geothermal systems, rebates for geothermal systems, Minnesota<00:22:36.559> building

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• available to data centers, when this tax rebate was adopted in 2011, an estimated fiscal impact of $5
• million annually, the existing tax rebate would dwarf this cost in 2025 and beyond.
• million annually, the existing tax rebate would dwarf this cost in 2025 and beyond.
• Worse is the conversion of this rebate to an upfront exemption.
• Worse is the conversion of this rebate to an upfront exemption.

Bills: HF1277, HF1006

Keywords: data centers, tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, economic development, employment growth, property tax, abatement, land bank, redevelopment, political subdivision, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• fund in which all the state dollars of the rebates are deposited into.
• fund in which all the state dollars of the rebates are deposited into.
• fund in which all the state dollars of the rebates are deposited into.
• fund in which all the state dollars of the rebates are deposited into.
• And so, uh, we hoped, uh, to rebates.

Keywords: During the committee meeting live stream, portion of the video was lost due to network issues. There were also some technical difficulties with content and the incorrect background image being used. The lost footage was recovered from backup, and the other issues corrected in post production editing. 1. 00:00:41 Call to Order 2. 00:01:02 Roll Call 3. 00:02:54 Approval of Minutes 4. 00:05:06 Statutory Reports and Data Requests 5. 00:35:14 2025 and 2026 Session Update 6. 01:03:10 Board Structure Updates and Subcommittees 7. 01:05:20 Public Comment 8. 02:23:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Board meeting opened with quorum, approval of the March 9 and March 16, 2026 minutes, and a welcome to new member Representative Willner. The board then heard a presentation from the Department of Medicaid Services on several statutory reports: the quarterly budget analysis (LRC) report, the quarterly MCO report, the provider tax and assessment report, the enrollee demographic report, the annual behavioral health/substance use disorder utilization report, and the Medicaid pharmaceutical rebate fund. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Bechal explained the reports and answered questions. On spending, DMS said the quarterly budget analysis report should be read using the summary tabs because the first tab reflects only traditional Medicaid and does not include all populations. Lee said the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026 showed about $191 million more in waiver spending than the same period last year, about $250 million more in other categories such as nursing facilities, CCBHCs, and FQHCs, and roughly $450 million more in total fee-for-service spending. She also noted that Medicare Part D premiums are 100% state funds and estimated the state-fund increase at about $140 million. For managed care, DMS said pharmacy, inpatient hospital, and outpatient hospital spending made up about 66% of MCO payments so far this fiscal year. Members asked about administrative costs, provider tax impacts, citizenship-status categories, medical loss ratio, and whether the reports could be expanded to show recoupments and citizenship-based spending. DMS clarified that the spending figures discussed were benefit costs only, not administrative costs, and said administrative match rates vary. On the provider tax and directed payments report, Lee said the new CMS proposed rule would allow separate payment terms to continue through the grandfathering period, but that the impact would be substantial for providers even if the administrative effect was minimal. She also said DMS was still reviewing unusual citizenship categories such as “other” and “unspecified,” and would provide more information on medical loss ratio and recoupments if available. Auditor Ball raised concerns about alleged waste, duplicate Social Security numbers, ineligible enrollees, and high error rates in other programs. Lee responded that Medicaid focuses on fraud, waste, and abuse, but said the cited $800 million figure was not factual because it did not account for people enrolled in more than one Medicaid program at the same time. She said DMS is reviewing eligibility systems, including changes tied to community engagement requirements, and is working with the cabinet’s eligibility staff and ombudsman division on error rates. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• this Ryan White pharmaceutical rebates this Ryan White pharmaceutical rebates program<00:52:25.280
• Our WIC food rebates, so much like pharmaceutical rebates, this is another place where we use sort of
• 54:00.800> rebates<02:54:01.200> into<02:54:01.399> the incorporate those rebates
• And again, finally, you have here the rebate numbers as are the funding source for the rebates.
• 26.000> so the funding source for the rebates so the funding source for the rebates so that<02

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is not worth locking us into a rigid tax rebate system. I ask that you vote no on HF 4.
• locking us into a rigid tax rebate locking us into a rigid tax rebate system<00:10:21.480> I<
• In some cases, it might be a tax rebate, as we’ve seen in certain years, but more often it will allow
• Would I be able to get a rebate on my lake property taxes?
• Would I be able to get a rebate on my lake property taxes?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• As I mentioned before, we have a lot of credits, rebates, and deductions that reduce individuals' tax
• There were non-recurring expenditures that represent the rebate payments that we made in response to
• But really, even without the rebates, there's been pretty considerable growth.
• Madam Chair, if you include the rebate, the rebate years might've been higher because the rebates were
• And as the secretary mentioned, that shaded bar represents rebates.

Transcript Highlights:

• regards to proposals related to unsatisfactory immigration status, we are proposing to implement a rebate
• We have multiple proposals related to that, as I just mentioned, the ability to secure state rebates
• One is related to rebates, which you talked about in her overview.
• To obtain state supplemental rebates.
• Just in terms of the value we'll be able to get from state supplemental rebates as we drive a lot of

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're closely monitoring the ADAP rebate fund balance and working diligently to ensure the solvency of
• the ADAP rebate.
• It is, however, important to note that as program enhancements are implemented or the ADAP rebate fund
• Thank you, and thank you for taking up the issue of the AIDS Drug Assistance Rebate Program again.
• We believe strongly that the AIDS Drug Assistance Rebate Program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Does it go to the rebate system first? Does it go to the 340B system first?
• Does it go to the rebate system first? Does it go to the 340B system first?
• Rebates... Rebates are often based on the list price of the drug.
• The higher the list price, the higher the rebate.
• To remove that incentive, this bill would require 100% of rebates to go back to the health plan.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on April 22 and took up a special order of bills focused largely on prior authorization and utilization management in health care. The chair framed the discussion as part of a broader legislative effort to reduce delays and barriers to care, especially in behavioral health, chronic disease management, cancer treatment, and rehabilitation services. AB 384 by Assembly Member Connolly would prohibit prior authorization for inpatient mental health or substance use emergency admissions and related physician care; supporters said it would prevent dangerous delays in crisis care, while insurers and health plans warned about fraud, abuse, and ambiguity around residential treatment facilities. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and passed the committee on a party-line style vote, with Republicans largely absent or not voting. The committee then heard AB 510 by Assembly Member Addis, which would require health plans, upon request, to provide a peer reviewer of the same or similar specialty when a treating provider appeals a prior authorization denial or modification. Supporters argued that specialty-matched review would make appeals fairer and more clinically informed; opponents said the requirement was too rigid and that timelines and electronic submission rules needed changes. After discussion about the need for timely, specialty-specific review, the bill was approved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. AB 539 by Assembly Member Schiavo would extend prior authorization approvals to one year or the duration of the physician’s prescribed treatment for chronic conditions; supporters cited repeated denials and treatment interruptions, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, fraud, and the need for shorter validity periods. The bill was also passed as amended and placed on call. The committee next considered AB 669 by Assembly Member Haney, which would bar concurrent and retrospective review for the first 28 days of medically necessary substance use disorder treatment and limit prior authorization for related outpatient medications. The bill was presented with a powerful personal story from Ryan Matlock’s mother about her son’s death after an insurer cut off treatment early; supporters said the measure would keep patients in care long enough to stabilize, while opponents argued it would reduce oversight and could allow lower-quality or non-evidence-based care. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. Finally, AB 512 by Assembly Member Harabedian would shorten prior authorization response times to 24 hours for urgent requests and 48 hours for non-urgent requests; supporters said delays can worsen outcomes, while opponents warned the timelines were unrealistic and could increase administrative burdens and safety issues. The bill was approved as amended and placed on call. AB 574 by Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez was then heard; it would allow up to 12 medically necessary physical therapy sessions for a new episode of care without prior authorization, with supporters emphasizing stroke and neurological recovery and opponents warning of reduced oversight and unnecessary care. The transcript ends during testimony on AB 574, before final action is shown.