Video & Transcript Research : 'state employees'
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ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Industry, Business and Labor Apr 8th, 2025 at 02:45 pm
Industry, Business and Labor
Transcript Highlights:
- And is it possible for state employees to lose their full health care coverage and working for the state
- And is it possible for state employees to lose their full health care coverage and working for the state
- State employees are different than private employees. It's just the way it is.
- As you know, I hope you know, many of our members are state employees.
- are state employees?
Bills:
SB2160
Keywords:
health insurance, public employees, uniform group insurance, retirement, state employees, 908, all
Summary:
The committee resumed work on Senate Bill 2160, which would move the Public Employees Retirement System health plan from grandfathered to non-grandfathered status under the Affordable Care Act. PERS officials Rebecca Frickie and Derek Holbein explained that the bill would allow more flexibility in plan design, including higher deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket maximums, while also adding enhanced preventive benefits. They clarified that ACA “essential health benefits” apply to individual and small-group markets, not to PERS as a large employer, and that the bill’s projected cost increases were based on actuarial estimates and prior bid scenarios from Sanford and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Members debated whether the bill would actually save money or simply shift costs to employees. Supporters argued that non-grandfathered status would create more levers to manage medical inflation and could produce net premium savings through plan redesign, citing prior bid comparisons showing potential reductions of 1% to 8% depending on the option. Opponents, including Representative Schauer and North Dakota United president Nick Archelette, questioned how the state would pay for the estimated $25 million to $30 million in added benefits and warned that employees could face higher out-of-pocket costs amid already strained household budgets. Frickie said the legislature would control funding decisions and that current law requiring the state to pay full family premiums could be changed only by statute.
The committee also discussed reserve funding, with members noting that a $4.3 million reserve draw in the bill was intended to cover the final months of the biennium and could be modified. After testimony and discussion, Vice Chair Johnson moved a do-pass recommendation and referral to Appropriations. The motion passed 10-3-1, with Representatives Ostlie, Schatz, and Schauer voting no. Representative Gump agreed to carry the bill.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:04:29.040>
um space as well as the state patrol. um space as well as the state patrol. - The Minnesota State Academies gets $17,000 per year.
- The Minnesota State Academies gets $17,000 per year.
- >
Universities <00:10:57.760>receives State Colleges and Universities receives State Colleges - It's important to people in the state of Minnesota, so thank you all.
Keywords:
pension, retirement, omnibus pension, MSRS, PERA, TRA, public employees retirement, state employees retirement, correctional employees, police and fire retirement, State Patrol retirement, teachers retirement, firefighter relief association, volunteer firefighter, state aid, postretirement adjustment, COLA, annuity, disability benefit, duty disability
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- The largest memorial service our state has ever seen.
- We represent ACA state employees only. The private prisons, in my understanding, have a contract.
- But the pay is fairly equitable between the state and the private sector employees. Thank you.
- It absolutely does not fit the needs of the state.
- And it's that sole obligation that we think that we're here to represent with regard to state employees
Keywords:
Charlie Kirk, Loop 202, Arizona highways, transportation, renaming, Arizona Department of Corrections, ADC, corrections, prison, jail, correctional officers, prison guards, staffing, retention, salary increase, pay raise, wage increase, general fund, appropriation, state budget
Summary:
The Public Safety Committee met to introduce staff and pages, then heard several bills. SB 1010 would designate Loop 202 as the Charlie Kirk Highway and require signage; an amendment to rename it the Freedom of Speech Highway failed, and the bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote after testimony both supporting the honor and objecting that it could affect existing freeway names, including the Ed Pastor Freeway. SB 1077 would impose felony penalties for using an interactive computer service to facilitate prostitution, pandering, or child sex trafficking, and to require age verification for harmful sexual material; it passed 5-2 after a brief clarification about the law-enforcement defense. SB 1093 would expand the definition of riot to include acts or threats causing property damage and add riot to racketeering and conspiracy provisions; one public commenter opposed it as overbroad and anti-protest, but the bill still passed 4-3.
The committee also heard SB 1058, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, which would bar government firearm registries and restrict merchant category codes tied to firearm purchases. A firearms industry representative said the bill protects financial privacy, and it passed 4-3. SB 1035 would appropriate funds for a 5% salary increase for correctional officers and department civilians; the sponsor and correctional employee representatives said raises are needed for retention, while others argued the increase should also cover private prison employees to preserve parity. The committee adopted a Payne amendment extending the raise to private prison workers under contract with the department, and the amended bill passed 4-3. The committee then adjourned.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 3/5/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- If a state employee is providing truthful, accurate information about state services, I mean state services
- That is what I'm being asked to provide for state employees.
are workers state employees that they are workers state employees that they are seeking<00:18- <00:25:53.720>
hear state employees and I don't hear state employees and I don't hear specific - > appreciate to State Employees that we appreciate to State Employees that we appreciate their<00
Keywords:
whistleblower, whistleblower protections, public employees, state employees, retaliation, reporting fraud, misuse of authority, personal gain, state government, state services, state programs, legislative auditor, constitutional officer, public corruption, fraud reporting, government accountability, employee rights, labor law, Minnesota Statutes 181.931, Minnesota Statutes 181.932
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Fraud Committee Meeting - 2025-05-05
Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- General of the State of Minnesota.
- The state pays the remaining 25%.
- Public is essentially state-run services, government employees, whether they're at the state level or
- sized states.
- It sounds like that may have been a state employee you're describing, and so, you know, that's something
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- Members, Senate Bill 169 increases the annual amount of longevity payment awards to state employees by
- Senate Bill 1204 provides Oklahoma teachers and school employees 3 days of bereavement leave following
- resident care specialists for the Oklahoma Juvenile Affairs to become members of Oklahoma Public Employees
- need to talk a little bit about the decision for the allocation of monies to different parts of the state
- I think with loans like such as this, I think it would be cheaper for the state to put up money like
Keywords:
longevity pay, state employees, Oklahoma government, salary increase, emergency declaration, capital planning, funding allocation, state budget, infrastructure, emergency measures, income tax credit, qualified project, economic development, infrastructure funding, small population areas, school employees, teachers, support personnel, support employees, public schools
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee 5/5/25
Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- But, um, public is essentially state-run services, government employees, um, whether they're at the state
- >
employees state-run services, government employees state-run services, government employees - It sounds like that may have been a state employee you’re describing.
- It sounds like that may have been a state employee you’re describing.
- sounds like that may have been a state sounds like that may have been a state employee<01:40:44.000
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 2/27/25
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the February 27th, 2025, Minnesota House State Government Finance and Policy Committee.
- our work in redistricting in the state our work in redistricting in the state of<00:15:58.440>
- Why not mandate something of the members of the State Government Committee?
- We do exciting work on state government, right?”
- something of the members of the state something of the members of the state gov<01:09:30.560>
Keywords:
redistricting, Bipartisan Commission, Minnesota Constitution, census, legislative districts, HF412, Minnesota legislature, education committee, K-12 education, school observation, teacher observation, administrator observation, legislative transparency, legislator accountability, House rules, Senate rules, Legislative Reference Library, public reporting, education finance, education policy
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Delivery of Government Efficiency Apr 2nd, 2025
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- As it stands now any state employees can now be disciplined or fired without recourse or appeal.
- the Texas State Employees Union, and that you will be testifying for the bill, is that correct?
- I'm the Legislative and Political Director for the Texas State Employees Union. union.
- TSU represents over 8,000 state employees with members in every agency.
- State employees currently face a patchwork of protections with some agencies. providing a pathway to
Bills:
HB512, HB2248, HB2679, HB2832, HB3112, HB3368, HB3490, HB3512, HB3623, HB3666, HB3700, HB3711, HB3770, HB3963
Keywords:
grievance procedures, state agency, employee rights, workplace regulations, employment law, employees, employment actions, appeal, state employees, workplace rights, disciplinary actions, employment conditions, employment disputes, job protections, public information, transparency, government accountability, information access, notification requirements, federal funding
AL
Alabama 2026 1st Special Session
Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Jan 21st, 2026
Ways and Means General Fund
Transcript Highlights:
- program and employees retirement system based<00:12:51.360>
on <00:12:51.680>separate < - It is an economic driver and a tourism driver for the state, and this bill is being presented as that
- It is an economic driver and a tourism driver for the state, and this bill is being presented as that
- It is an economic driver and a tourism driver for the state, and this bill is being presented as that
- We're adjourned. >> State, and this bill is being presented as that.
Keywords:
elder abuse, financial exploitation, inheritance, joint tenancy, conviction effects, off-label, pharmacists, medical treatment, state board of pharmacy, employment protection, sexual extortion, criminal law, felony, threat, blackmail, HB255, Employees' Retirement System of Alabama, ERSA, State Police Tier II Plan, annual leave
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee May 1st, 2025
Finance and Taxation General Fund
Keywords:
state employees, meal allowance, per diem, travel expenses, Alabama law, HB542, district attorney, prosecutor, supernumerary district attorney, Employees' Retirement System, ERS, Alabama retirement, public employee retirement, pension, retirement benefits, post-retirement employment, salary cap, dual participation, double dipping, District Attorneys' Plan
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Apr 9th, 2025
Ways and Means General Fund
Transcript Highlights:
- in the state of Alabama.
- Because as Huntsville grows, as the state of Alabama grows, so does that State of Alabama grows, so does
- So other through our state budgets.
- House Bill 255 by Representative Pettis addresses the employees' retirement system in Alabama State Police
- Well, everybody will have our state employees. Thank you. Thank you.
Keywords:
firefighter benefits, occupational disease, line of duty, disability pension, death benefits, retirement benefits, hypertension, heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer presumption, HIV, hepatitis, municipal firefighters, state firefighters, fire districts, workers' compensation, public safety employees, post-retirement benefits, benefit eligibility cutoff, occupational illness
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Press Conference: Texas State Employees Pay Raise Jan 27th, 2025 at 11:01 am
Transcript Highlights:
- employee, and from Joan Barish, who's a retiree with Texas State Employees Union.
- the Texas State Employees Union.
- For decades, our state employees and retirees have been the backbone of this state.
- What is the eligibility for state employees for retirement?
- It was a failure that we didn't take care of our state employees.
Keywords:
Texas state employees, retirees, compensation, House Bill 343, House Bill 247, Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Representative John Busey, cost of living, workforce, legislative session
Summary:
The committee meeting focused on critical issues facing Texas state employees and retirees, highlighting the need for increased compensation and improved benefits. Senator Sarah Eckhardt and Representative John Busey presented new legislation aimed at addressing these longstanding problems, including proposed House Bills 343 and 247, which seek a $10,000 across-the-board pay increase for state employees. Senator Eckhardt emphasized the growing wage gap between public sector jobs and private sector offerings, which has led to high turnover rates and the loss of institutional knowledge. Public testimonies underscored the urgency of the issue as retirees shared their struggles with stagnant pensions amidst rising living costs.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- because those employees are paid by their parish.
- under the State Police Commission.
- Municipal Employee Retire. All right. I'll have staff read in.
- I find the 30% of the male employees to handle the strip search.
- employee.
Bills:
SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB416, SB455, SB456, SB477
Keywords:
Municipal Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana, participation, employer, retirement, SB 10, Act 222, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, state police retirement, retirement system funding, employer contributions, actuarial gains, amortization, Permanent Benefit Increase, PBI account, benefit increase reserve, supplemental permanent benefit increase, public retirement systems, state pension, pension funding
Summary:
The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection.
The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably.
The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.
AL
Alabama 2026 1st Special Session
Alabama House Agriculture and Forestry Committee Feb 5th, 2026
Agriculture and Forestry
Transcript Highlights:
- And Representative Crawford is a great supporter of our state parks.
- And Representative Crawford is a great supporter of our state parks.
- <00:16:00.480>
continues help ensure the United States continues help ensure the United States - And my dad was also a state line Ducky.
- the chamber spoke about other states the chamber spoke about other states that<00:19:02.480>
Keywords:
environmental regulation, federal standards, scientific evidence, water quality, administrative law, income tax, tax exemption, Alabama tax code, Section 40-18-3, civilian employees, Department of Defense, DoD, Armed Forces, military pay, combat zone, deployment, National Guard, Reserve components, emergency response, federal employees
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:09:45.120>
Um, parallel with the state auditor. Um, parallel with the state auditor. - <00:13:34.959>
So, writing to the state auditor. So, writing to the state auditor. - <00:34:14.720>
I judge for the state of Minnesota. I judge for the state of Minnesota. - So this division also the state.
- the state. They dive into an issue area. the state. They dive into an issue area.
Keywords:
Compensation Council, salaries, state officials, judicial compensation, legislative process, public funds, misuse, law enforcement, accountability, state government, legislative auditor, compliance, transparency, retirement benefits, health insurance, dependents, state employees, Medicare, legislative studies, government oversight
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
State Committee Meeting - 2026-04-16
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:04:21.920>
Board and modernize the Minnesota State Board and modernize the Minnesota State - I stated a grammatical question.
- across state programs. across state programs.
- taxpayer money in the state. Thank you. taxpayer money in the state. Thank you.
- for folks interacting with the state. for folks interacting with the state.
Bills:
HF4074
Keywords:
retirement, pension, public employees, MSRS, PERA, TRA, St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, police and fire, correctional employees, probation officers, telecommunicators, dispatchers, 911 operators, public safety answering point, PSAP, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, paid on-call firefighters, fire relief association, state aid
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
State Committee Meeting - 2026-03-26
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- The complex is also home to thousands of state employees who work here every day.
- And it is very clear under subdivision 4 that use of state property, an employee shall not use or allow
- I think we appreciate we do not want someone who is not a state employee to be interpreted as doing the
- I think we appreciate we do not want someone who is not a state employee to be interpreted as doing the
- <00:48:39.000>
employee someone who is not a state employee someone who is not a state employee
Keywords:
Melissa Hortman, Mark Hortman, memorial park, state park, working group, Minnesota Historical Society, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Saint Paul, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Administration, Legislative Coordinating Commission, general fund appropriation, park planning, interpretive services, public engagement, state memorial, land use, natural resources, commemorative legislation, HF4470
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/03/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Transcript Highlights:
- We only represent state DOC officers and employees.
- So the less risky inmates... ...by state employees.
- In short, the apparatus within state government that we hope our employees can use is about as retrograde
- In short, the apparatus within state government that we hope our employees can use is about as retrograde
- In short, the apparatus within state government that we hope that our employees can use is about as retrograde
Bills:
SB1001, SB1035, SB1056, SB1065, SB1138, SB1161, SB1204, SB1207, SB1248, SB1274, SB1284, SCM1002, SCM1006, SCR1020
Keywords:
appropriation, economic security, blind individuals, older adults, state funding, Arizona Department of Corrections, ADC, corrections, prison, jail, correctional officers, prison guards, staffing, retention, salary increase, pay raise, wage increase, general fund, state budget, private prisons
Summary:
The committee approved the January 27, 2026 minutes and held SB 1138 for further changes. It then heard SB 1035, which appropriates about $34 million from the General Fund for a 5% pay increase for Arizona Department of Corrections sworn officers and civilian employees, with an amendment extending the raise to private prison employees under contract. Supporters said DOC pay is not competitive and vacancies are high; opponents questioned paying private prison staff and raised concerns about private prison incentives. The committee adopted the amendment and gave SB 1035 a do pass recommendation on a 6-3 vote.
The committee also approved two memorials to rename highways: SCM 1002 for L.F. Quinn Memorial Highway and SCM 1006 for PFC Michael Nolan Memorial Highway. Both measures drew emotional testimony about the honorees’ public service and military sacrifice, and both received do pass recommendations, with SCM 1002 passing 9-1 and SCM 1006 passing 9-1 after members discussed tribal jurisdiction and agreed to follow up with a letter to the tribe.
SB 1065, which would appropriate $3.64 million for the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Military Veterans Fund, was supported by the sponsor and researchers who said the treatment can help veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, pain, and related conditions. Some members objected that the FDA has not approved HBOT for many of the claimed uses and questioned prior unspent funding, but the bill still received a do pass recommendation on a 6-4 vote. SB 1248, which clarifies funding and attendance-count rules for county jail and juvenile detention education programs, also passed unanimously.
Later, the committee approved SB 1204, a $5.5 million General Fund appropriation to design and analyze improvements to the U.S. 60/Loop 303 interchange, after testimony from local officials and residents about severe congestion, crashes, and public safety delays; it passed 8-1. SB 1207, a $150,000 study on financing mechanisms for development-related infrastructure along the same corridor, also passed 7-1. Finally, SB 1001, which restores $1 million for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind program, passed 9-0 after testimony from blind seniors and advocates about long waitlists and the program’s role in preserving independence. The committee then began SB 1274, a police foundation specialty license plate bill, with sponsor and foundation testimony describing wellness, remembrance, and youth programs funded by plate revenues, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on that measure.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Retirement and Government Resources REVISED Feb 17th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Retirement and Government Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Of new employees, of new employees, not existing employees in the system. Further questions, N.
- According to the fiscal impact, it states that these towns would have relatively few employees that could
- and the next bill are not state employees; they are municipal employees right now.
- Senate Bill 169 increases the amount of longevity pay awarded to state employees by 50% across years
- Chair, I'm very supportive of trying to reward longevity for our state employees.
Bills:
SB134, SB1356, SB1407, SB1611, SB1639, SB169, SB1722, SB182, SB1870, SB2039, SB432, SB609, SB715, SB716
Keywords:
retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, state government, OMES, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation Services, civil service, human capital management, state employee disputes, whistleblower, veterans employment, veterans placement, fleet management, state fleet, motor vehicles