Bills: SB746, SB1404, SB1536, SB1559, SB1838

Keywords: guardianship, guardian ad litem, incapacitated person, proposed ward, ward, probate, Estates Code, Texas probate, elder abuse, adult protective services, capacity restoration, guardian removal, annual account, annual report, estate guardian, person guardian, civil immunity, court-appointed representative, judiciary, civil jurisprudence

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the arrears department, which checks people who are in arrears. We have garnishment.
• when they are not in arrears.
• when they are not in the arrears.
• Yes, ma'am. being in the arrears when they are not in the arrears. Yes, ma'am.
• When we get notification that they're in arrears, they're notified that they're in arrears.

Bills: HB591, HB765, HB826, HB870, HB938, HB1151, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1236, HB1241

Keywords: family leave, insurance, paid leave, employment benefits, caregiver support, liability insurance, coverage defenses, direct action, judgment enforcement, legal procedures, insurance referrals, compensation, non-licensed agents, consumer protection, insurance products, HB 870, Act 907, Louisiana insurance, health insurance, prescription drugs

Transcript Highlights:

• They are burdened by a 6% interest rate on arrears.
• rate of past-due child support arrears from 6% to 3% annually.
• happens if you reduce the interest rate charged on arrears.
• We saw a dampening of the slope of arrears growth.
• get into the arrears.

Bills: SB629, SB1015, SB2501, SB2933

Keywords: child support, interest accrual, family law, delinquency, financial judgment, statutory probate courts, probate court fees, judicial fund, county reimbursement, comptroller, Texas Government Code, Local Government Code, court fees, fee allocation, excess contributions, judicial education and support fund, presiding judge salary, county finance, court administration, Texas judiciary

Bills: SB156, SB134, SB108, SB47, SB88, SB89, SB106, SB18, SB9, HB38, HB54

Keywords: habitual felony offender, resentencing, Alabama Department of Corrections, victim notification, criminal justice reform, life sentences, parole eligibility, pardon, parole, law enforcement, GPS monitoring, data sharing, mail theft, stolen mail, criminal penalties, personally identifying information, felony, misdemeanor, SB47, Alabama

Transcript Highlights:

• So RAMP is designed to help customers reduce their arrears and avoid disconnection.
• Um, we think RAMP is an important piece of that because it would help people bring down their arrears
• So RAMP is designed to help customers reduce their arrears and avoid disconnection.
• Um, we think RAMP is an important piece of that because it would help people bring down their arrears
• So RAMP is designed to help customers reduce their arrears and avoid disconnection.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3912, as amended, and the author moved that the bill be laid over for consideration in a future omnibus bill. The amendment was adopted without objection. Representative Holland described the bill as an energy affordability measure that would bar utilities from charging certain fees during the cold weather rule for customers above 50% of state median income, prohibit reconnection fees after shutoff for nonpayment, and create a framework for regulating late fees. He argued that late fees are often high, compound monthly, and disproportionately burden low-income households, citing utility debt and disconnection figures and noting that the need for relief is concentrated in greater Minnesota. Annie Levenson Faulk of the Citizens Utility Board supported the bill, saying reconnection fees and late fees fall on households already struggling to pay for essential service. She said reconnection fees should be treated as part of the cost of doing business and that late fees should be limited to a reasonable approximation of actual carrying costs, with protections for low-income customers. She also said the issue is already being considered in utility rate cases before the Public Utilities Commission, but that legislative action is still appropriate. Nick Martin of Xcel Energy and Katherine O'Donnell of CenterPoint Energy opposed the bill in its current form while emphasizing their companies’ commitment to affordability and customer assistance. Xcel said the bill would shift reconnection costs to other customers and could undermine a proposed arrears management program funded by late payment charges; Xcel also noted that the PUC is already reviewing these issues in its rate case. CenterPoint said it already offers extensive outreach, payment plans, and assistance programs, does not charge late fees once a customer is on a payment plan, and that its reconnection fee does not fully cover costs. After testimony and brief discussion, the chair noted the helpful information from utilities, the author said he was open to further work on the bill, and the bill was laid over.

Transcript Highlights:

• He immediately went and paid the arrears.
• know he was in arrears, but that means.
• It would show that he was in arrears.
• And, and if a person is in arrears and, and it gets judgment gets paid, what happens?
• I mean, the, the, the arrears always come out first? Is that what happens?

Transcript Highlights:

• So rather than the mother calling and saying, "Hey, why are you in arrears?"
• He didn't ask any questions; he immediately went and paid the arrears.
• he was in arrears.
• And if a person is in arrears, and a judgment gets paid, what happens?
• I mean, do the arrears always come out first? What happens?

Bills: HB557, HB732, HB1892, HB1954, HB2301, HB3180, HB3405, HB3650, HB3758, HB4035, HB4621, HB4795, HB4870, HB5069, HB5137, HB5149

Keywords: child support, arrears, court enforcement, contempt, legal protections, healthcare, insurance, cost reduction, accessibility, regulations, impotency, marriage annulment, Family Code, Texas law, family law, Texas legislation, dissolution of marriage, annulment, marriage, child custody

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have, Chairman, according to the PSC, 1.4 million ratepayers in arrears currently.
• This does not indemnify anybody against their arrears. It does not do that at all.
• So the ratepayers who are responsible for arrears continue to be responsible for their arrears.
• They would already be in arrears, yeah? Right, so we're not creating a new situation.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Cameron Parker, considered a large agenda focused on utility consumer protections, rate transparency, NYSERDA oversight, and energy transition policy. Several bills were discussed in detail, including measures to prohibit residential utility shutoffs during extreme temperature forecasts (Bill 120A), delay shutoffs and late fees while a utility is under certain PSC investigations (Bill 904B), require disclosure of planned rate increases (Bill 4989A), limit certain utility charges after 12 months (Bill 8710), and require utilities to disclose more information with major rate change applications (Bill 9433A). The committee also considered bills on net energy metering credits (Bill 1553), reconnection for low-income customers (Bill 965), sanctions and civil penalties (Bill 8908), and annual NYSERDA reporting obligations (Bill 1819). Members raised recurring concerns about affordability, arrears, and who ultimately bears costs when utilities are prevented from collecting immediately. Senator Walczyk repeatedly questioned whether protections would shift costs to other ratepayers, while sponsors and the chair emphasized that the bills did not erase arrears but created temporary consumer protections. Senator May noted that some proposals could produce significant savings for ratepayers. On Bill 1819, Senator Walczyk supported greater accountability for NYSERDA’s use of ratepayer-funded money. Bill 1668, which would authorize NYSERDA to administer grants for switching residents to electric heat pumps, drew questions about funding; staff said it would be funded off-budget from existing sources and would have no direct state cost, though it could require shifting existing program resources. The committee advanced most bills to third reading after motions and votes, with several measures receiving no votes but still moving forward. Bill 2477 was held for possible amendments. Bill 4989A was referred to the Consumer Protection Committee. Bill 5111, the Just Energy Transition Act, prompted extended discussion about its study timeline and a PSC order to facilitate replacement and redevelopment of at least 4 gigawatts of fossil fuel generation; the bill was advanced to third reading after debate. The meeting concluded with adjournment after the committee completed its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• the current 5 year cycle due to end in October 2025, Mexico is over 1 million acre feet of water in arrears
• obligations that they have not obviously as from my numbers, Mexico is over 1 million acre feet of water in arrears
• Say they're in arrears, does that mean that they're going to supposedly make up all the water that has
• been taken, or, well, you would expect, right, when someone is in arrears, they got to make that up.
• of the treaty because if they comply with the full amount of the treaty, they'd have to make the arrears

Transcript Highlights:

• So the amount in arrears, or the child support that's in arrears, because I know that when folks either
• If that child support, whatever's in arrears, does get satisfied eventually, do those penalties that
• child support gets satisfied and then they lose their home because technically if the child is in arrears
• the money that, let's say, they're able to recover, I guess, the amount of child support that is in arrears

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer

Bills: HF2233, HF1524, HF1893, HF1396, HF2456, HF2959, HF2300, HF2412, HF3022, HF2825, HF1862, HF1373, HF1039, HF3070

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Bills: HF2233, HF1524, HF1893, HF1396, HF2456, HF2959, HF2300, HF2412, HF3022, HF2825, HF1862, HF1373, HF1039, HF3070

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Bills: HF2233, HF1524, HF1893, HF1396, HF2456, HF2959, HF2300, HF2412, HF3022, HF2825, HF1862, HF1373, HF1039, HF3070

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• finance: an act to amend the Social Services Law in relation to removing the requirement that rent arrears
• apply only to New York City, and New York City is a place that has really leaned into paying rent arrears
• We created, with the chair's support, the shelter arrears eviction installment program for that reason

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Social Services met with a quorum and considered four bills. The first, S.1458A by Senator Kavanagh, would remove the requirement that rent arrears paid by social services districts in municipalities of 5 million or more be repaid, effectively applying to New York City. Senator Kavanagh argued the repayment requirement creates unnecessary administrative burden and is inconsistent with other emergency assistance programs; Senator Murray questioned why the change was not statewide. The bill was moved to finance and reported with two members voting without recommendation. The committee then advanced S.1757 by Senator Persaud, which would exclude certain unearned income of a child when determining public assistance eligibility, and S.1994 by Senator Ramos, which would prohibit requiring parents or caretakers to earn a minimum wage to qualify for child care assistance. Senator Murray asked for confirmation that the bill did not remove the underlying work requirement for child care assistance, and was assured it did not. Both bills were reported to finance, with S.1757 passing after a motion and second and S.1994 reported with one member voting without recommendation. Finally, the committee considered S.3189 by Senator Persaud, which would require the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to post information on credit waivers, rental supplement plans, and shelter supplement plans on its website. Members described it as a transparency measure to make existing options easier for the public to find. The bill was moved and reported, and the meeting concluded afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• or earned less than $10,000 annually were responsible for 70% of the total accrued child support arrears
• arrearage percentage decreased from 12% to 6%, the number of individuals who actually... paid on arrears
• As of March 2025, there were over $21 billion in arrearages with over 900,000 individuals in arrears.
• This will help them climb out of the debt trap that often happens when they get into arrears.
• I've never been in arrears, so I can't say. It's a tank, sorry. No, no worries.

Bills: HB40, HB1916, HB1973, HB2524, HB2530, HB3180, HB3421, HB3783, HB4170, HB4213, HB40

Keywords: business court, civil procedure, litigation, jurisdiction, arbitration, divorce, property division, family law, court jurisdiction, marital assets, parent-child relationship, birth certificate, identity proof, Family Code, court process, attorney fees, court costs, legal expenses, dispute resolution, child support

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm testifying in favor of House Bill 4213, which aims to lower the interest on child support arrears
• After Wisconsin dropped their interest from 10% to 5%, their total arrears debt fell and the willingness
• Bill 4213, which, as the Chairman laid out, will reduce the interest rate on unpaid child support arrears
• There are conceivably some statutes and some cases where the arrears have never been confirmed or reduced
• to remember that this is one of two things in the world that you cannot get rid of: child support arrears

Bills: HB168, HB 1044, HB1534, HB1914, HB2240, HB2530, HB3284, HB3395, HB3515, HB3783, HB4034, HB4213, HB168

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• My children were in the 30s and had over $100,000 in child support arrears, most of it interest.
• Although I was making regular payments of $50 a month, every six months or so, because of my arrears,
• Over the years, I talked to child support workers and family law facilitators about my arrears, but no
• My children were in their 30s, and I had over $100,000 in child support arrears, most of it interest.
• Also, all of my arrears were assigned to the government and not owed to my children.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We talked a lot about customers being in arrears, about 1.4 million customers in arrears, and that number
• We talked a lot about customers being in arrears, about 1.4 million customers in arrears, and that number
• We talked a lot about customers being in arrears, about 1.4 million customers in arrears, and that number

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then took up a series of utility and public service bills and resolutions. A resolution sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton designating April 9, 2026, as Yellow Ribbon Day was adopted after remarks honoring veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The chamber then moved through several Public Service Law measures focused on utility affordability, consumer protections, and PSC procedures, with some bills laid aside and others advanced. Among the bills passed were measures by Senators Mayer, Cleare, Hinchey, Comrie, and Parker. Debate on the Mayer bill centered on limiting utility expenses and fees recoverable in rate cases; supporters said it was part of a broader package to reform PSC practices, while opponents argued it would not lower current bills and had been softened from earlier versions. The Webb bill creating a residential utility usage monitoring program drew extended debate over whether it would meaningfully reduce costs, who would pay for the program, and whether it could lead to government monitoring of household usage; supporters said it would give consumers more control and transparency, while critics said it would not lower rates. The Gonzalez bill, which would add consumer protections during PSC investigations and delay shutoffs in certain circumstances, also passed after questions about whether it applied to rate cases, with the sponsor saying rate cases were explicitly excluded. Several members explained their votes, with supporters emphasizing affordability, transparency, and consumer protection, and opponents arguing the package would not address immediate rate relief and could burden ratepayers or encourage nonpayment. Senator Tedisco and others criticized PSC appointments and state energy policy, while Democratic sponsors argued the bills were part of a longer-term effort to reform utility regulation and address climate and affordability concerns. The chamber restored multiple bills to the non-controversial calendar before final votes, and the recorded results showed passage of the major utility bills by substantial margins, along with one amendment appeal being ruled nongermane and rejected.