Transcript Highlights:

• So the money doesn't work. So the money doesn't work, and the energy economics yet doesn't work.
• Okay, we can work on... oh, thank you. Working on another chair. Good morning.
• I think we're working together.
• We don't own a tractor; we use four work horses to do all the work on the farm.
• We've also worked very closely with the Massachusetts Water Works Association, who I believe will be

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing focused on a broad set of climate, energy, and environmental justice proposals. Early testimony strongly supported the Climate Change Superfund or “Polluter Pays” bill (H.1014/S.58), which would assess the largest fossil fuel emitters for a one-time fee based on historic emissions to fund climate adaptation. Sponsors argued the bill is modeled on Superfund cleanup principles, would target only the largest multinational polluters, would not be passed on to consumers, and would direct a significant share of funds to environmental justice communities. Committee members asked about the number of companies covered, consumer impacts, and whether the bill would address other forms of environmental destruction; sponsors said it was limited to major fossil fuel companies with a Massachusetts footprint and did not cover other pollution sources. The committee also heard testimony on a fusion energy compact proposal (S.673) that would direct the administration to develop a framework for a New England regional compact to accelerate fusion research, workforce development, and supply-chain growth. Supporters from MIT and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities said fusion could become a major clean-energy and economic opportunity, but acknowledged the technology is not yet commercially viable and still has unresolved technical, cost, and waste-management questions. Members pressed on environmental impacts, siting, waste, costs, and whether the bill would create a compact or only a framework; sponsors said it would only create the framework and that the administration would need to negotiate with other states. Another major topic was a pilot program for nature-based climate solutions (H.971/S.??), backed by legislators, Boston Harbor Now, and UMass Boston’s Stone Living Lab. Witnesses said the bill would help speed permits for research and demonstration projects such as living shorelines, marsh restoration, and hybrid “green-to-gray” flood protections, while maintaining safeguards and protecting Indigenous and historic resources. Committee members asked how the proposal would interact with other permitting reforms and whether it could conflict with housing or wetland-related streamlining; supporters said it was complementary and aimed at making projects faster, more affordable, and more data-driven. The hearing also covered climate-safe buildings and climate adaptation funding bills. Supporters of H.1004/S.583 said current building codes do not adequately account for future flooding, heat, and wind, and the bill would add climate expertise to the building board, allow stretch resilience codes, expand floodplain standards, and create a retrofit program. Related testimony backed H.938/S.572, which would create a dedicated climate and community resilience fund financed by a small fee on property insurance premiums; advocates said it would provide stable long-term revenue for adaptation, especially in environmental justice communities, and help replace unreliable federal funding. One witness from CLF supported the climate-safe buildings and funding bills but opposed S.560/H.939 as too broad. The committee also heard testimony on airport air-quality legislation (H.997) calling for more monitoring and mitigation of ultra-fine particulate pollution around Logan Airport and Massport communities. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:21.480> on proud that I've been able to work on proud that I've been able to work on
• :20:40.520> the<00:20:40.920> the to work on um the the to work on um the the harvesting
• Long drives, long lines, delays that make no sense on working families.
• delays that make no sense on working delays that make no sense on working families. families. families
• Not a mandate, not a one-size-fits-all system, a local option.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:30 HB 571 Discussion 01:29 HB 571 Roll Call Vote 04:02 HB 542 Discussion 06:01 HB 542 Roll Call Vote 10:21 HB 142 Discussion 13:30 HB 142 Roll Call Vote 22:47 HB 212 Discussion 24:00 HB 212 Roll Call Vote 25:40 HB 658 Discussion 27:01 HB 658 Roll Call Vote 32:02, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now I know it is a large mindset shift and will take work initially.
• President, 1455 relates to the mandate. Mr.
• This bill was worked on during the interim, amended in the Senate, and worked on by interested stakeholders
• It mandates clear disclosures. It prohibits excessive fees.
• I mean, it might work. Am I not?

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then moved through a series of conference committee appointments and reconsideration motions. Senator Axtman successfully moved to reconsider House Bill 1160, which had previously failed, and the chamber later passed it. HB 1160 creates a statewide bell-to-bell policy restricting personal electronic devices during instructional time; supporters argued it would reduce distractions, improve mental health and academic outcomes, and help teachers, while opponents raised local control concerns. The bill passed 42-4. The Senate also passed several other measures, including HB 1247 on protecting student victims of sexual offenses, HB 1489 consolidating civil protection orders into one chapter, HB 1032 making municipal courts courts of record and updating related procedures, HB 1487 authorizing a Minot facility for the Highway Patrol and Bureau of Criminal Investigation with a line of credit and emergency clause, HB 1469 requiring annual online statements of interest for public officials, HB 1199 creating the Missing and Indigenous People Task Force and related MMIP initiatives, HB 1169 regulating paid veterans benefits claim assistance with consumer protections, HB 1209 directing a foreign adversary threat assessment, and HB 3018 as amended to study water, wetlands, and taxation of inundated lands. Most of these passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 1169 drew substantial debate over veterans’ service options and HB 1209 passed on a narrower 40-7 vote. The chamber rejected or declined several other measures. HB 1455, which would have required the Indian Affairs Commission to review introduced legislation for tribal implications, failed 7-40 after concerns about an unfunded mandate and duplicative duties. HB 1259, which would have put North Dakota on year-round daylight saving time, was defeated 15-32 after debate over time zones, construction, recreation, and whether the issue should be left to future legislatures. HB 1555, dealing with statements of ownership for foreign organizations of concern, also failed 3-44. The Senate then moved to announcements and committee scheduling for later meetings and conference committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Work. >> Mr.
• Chair, my understanding is that the court has absolutely no reason to mandate what the legislature is
• we are talking about a constitutional decision on adequacy, not your general appropriation kind of work
• we are talking about a constitutional decision on adequacy, not your general appropriation kind of work
• work. Thank you. work. Thank you.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• needs bipartisan solutions that work. needs bipartisan solutions that work.
• Evidence that a given approach works Evidence that a given approach works should<00:26:10.159>
• <00:26:18.480> Minnesota that are proven to work. Minnesota that are proven to work.
• please, most importantly, fund the work. please, most importantly, fund the work.
• We have a lot of work to do.

Bills: HF3409, HF3487, HF3401

Keywords: immigration status, undocumented students, immigrant rights, K-12 education, public school enrollment, Plyler v. Doe, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, law enforcement access, ICE, immigration enforcement, civil lawsuit, private right of action, injunctive relief, mandamus, student records, directory information, parental engagement, equal access to education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the work by the staff and everybody.
• We've been working really hard to get this where we are today.
• Other states require no RN work before they could become an APRN.
• It's a lot of work. It's not super sexy work. We hope it isn't.
• But we need the quorum to do the people's work. The people's work.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These ads work.
• These ads work.
• We look forward to working out some of those kinks and making sure that those work effectively.
• It doesn't work like that.
• It doesn't work like that.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• something that we could work here.
• Thank you for your work.
• Thank you for your work.
• Thank you for your work.
• > this would be interested in working on this would be interested in working on this together<

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 768, sponsored by Vice Chair Hudson, was heard with an author’s amendment (A4) adopted to remove a technical section and put the bill in the intended form. Hudson described the bill as a response to concerns about government monitoring of protected speech, saying it would bar the Minnesota Department of Human Rights from creating or maintaining a database of constitutionally protected speech while preserving the department’s ability to investigate actual discrimination, harassment, threats, or illegal conduct. He emphasized First Amendment protections and argued the state should not track speech simply because it is controversial or unpopular. The main testimony in support came from Ran Lee of Americans for Prosperity, who echoed the free-speech concerns and said databases of bias incidents can capture lawful speech and create a chilling effect. Representative Rest said she generally supported the free-speech goal but wanted to preserve the Department of Human Rights’ ability to produce biennial reports and analyze de-identified trend data on civil rights incidents, including emerging threats or hateful rhetoric, so lawmakers can respond to patterns without recording individuals’ protected speech. Representative Curran raised concerns that speech trends can relate to public safety and argued that attacks on human rights often begin as speech. Hudson responded that the Department of Human Rights is not a law enforcement agency and that the bill would not impede criminal investigations. He argued that trying to monitor “trends in thought” would be constitutionally problematic and produce unreliable data, and he distinguished protected speech from criminal conduct. Representative Feist said the department’s existing report already uses aggregate, non-investigative data and suggested there may be room to refine the bill’s language. The bill was laid over for further consideration, with Hudson indicating he was open to continued discussion and possible language changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• How will you define it's working?
• At AB, then it's not worked.
• Works, maybe it doesn't work, we don't know.
• Thus, did the system work or not?
• Most of my work has been focused in Albuquerque, but now my work has taken me across...

Transcript Highlights:

• That was how everything worked for quite some time.
• c><00:28:35.559> mandate<00:28:36.000> thank no unfunded mandate thank no unfunded mandate
• be designed to have it work.
• New Hampshire made regarding the work New Hampshire made regarding the work being<00:45:50.559> done
• yeah but you guys I'm sure you can work yeah but you guys I'm sure you can work out<03:32:04.680

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts. Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs. Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know peer partners work.
• It does not mandate any structure.
• It does not mandate any structure.
• I appreciate you working with us.
• I appreciate the work on the bill with all the folks who weighed in, and we're working.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety bills, with most of the discussion focused on AB 1650, AB 2014, AB 1886, AB 2126, AB 2624, and AB 2257. AB 1650 would require clearer identification on privately owned vehicles rented or leased to government agencies for enforcement operations; supporters framed it as a transparency and safety measure in response to ICE activity, while no opposition testified. AB 2014 would allow post-conviction habeas relief where gender bias or stereotypes were used at trial and may have affected the outcome; supporters described cases involving sexist and anti-LGBTQ stereotypes, while the California District Attorneys Association opposed the bill as overbroad and likely to restrict relevant evidence, though the author said recent amendments removed the evidence-code provisions and left only the habeas remedy. AB 1886 would extend a 12-month probation presumption to youth in out-of-home placements and those discharged from secure youth treatment facilities; youth advocates supported it as a fairness and rehabilitation measure, while judges, probation officials, and district attorneys opposed it as undoing a recent compromise and limiting individualized decisions. AB 2126 would speed hiring of peer partners in child welfare by creating a narrow exemption process for certain foster-youth-related offenses; it drew broad support and no opposition. AB 2624 would expand the Safe at Home address-confidentiality program to immigrant service providers, employees, and volunteers; supporters cited threats, doxing, and harassment, while one journalist opposed it over possible effects on reporting, and the author and committee members said the bill preserves press protections and is narrowly aimed at threats and harassment. AB 2257 would restore county authority to create a separate corrections department to run jails instead of the sheriff; supporters argued it would improve accountability and address jail deaths and fiscal problems, while sheriffs opposed it as unnecessary and said sheriffs are already subject to oversight. The committee also noted several bills pulled by their authors and adopted a consent calendar of unrelated measures. Votes were not always taken immediately because the committee was waiting for a quorum, but AB 2624 was moved on a do-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations and left on call, and the chair indicated support or favorable recommendations on several of the other measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a lot of work to do. We've gotten some work done, but we have a lot of work to do.
• And work from home and remote work is easier than ever.
• We're working on plans.
• I know from my time working in state government that we do our best work when we work together, and this
• So it works, right?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a public FY27 budget hearing at Barnstable Town Hall, with opening remarks emphasizing the Cape and Islands’ seasonal infrastructure, housing, transportation, workforce, and digital needs. The hearing began with testimony from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, which outlined the Healey-Driscoll administration’s budget priorities for job training, apprenticeship, youth employment, reentry programs, and unemployment insurance modernization. The secretary highlighted proposed funding for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Career Technical Initiative, YouthWorks, reentry workforce development, and services for young adults with disabilities, along with a proposal to streamline youth work permits. Members also discussed the unemployment trust fund, the COVID assessment on employers, rising unemployment, and the need to improve DUA customer service and claims processing. Committee members asked about job seeker barriers such as child care, housing, transportation, and out-migration of young workers, as well as how to keep Cape Cod graduates and seasonal workers in the region. The administration said its strategy is to pair training with broader affordability investments and to expose students to career pathways earlier, including through middle school, early childhood STEM, YouthWorks, pre-apprenticeships, and Building Pathways. Senators and representatives also raised concerns about regional funding disparities, especially for Hampshire Franklin MassHire, and the administration said it is reviewing MassHire funding and service equity through a policy committee and statewide workforce board. On unemployment assistance, officials reported major improvements in wait times and claims processing, but said they are still working through backlogs and staffing challenges while maintaining program integrity. The committee then heard testimony from the Executive Office of Economic Development. The secretary described House 2 as a fiscally restrained budget with no new taxes or fees, while preserving core programs and using the Mass Leads Act tools to support competitiveness. EOED’s proposal included funding for the Community One Stop for Growth, rural economic development, social enterprise operating grants, regional economic development organizations, the Workforce Investment Trust Fund, Community Workforce Partnerships, Pathmaker, advanced manufacturing training, life sciences, innovation vouchers, AI initiatives, small business assistance, and tourism and live theater support. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation also testified on its FY27 request, focusing on consumer protection, licensing, banking, insurance, and public safety regulation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It has been a privilege to work together with you guys these last years, this last quadrennium for sure
• But Romans 8:28 says, "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
• This is RFP'd with Student Nest, and this is mandated by the federal government.
• And then also, we just started working on the memorial part of the project.
• ongoing work.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A social security and working families.
• <00:03:50.799> burden spiking as new federal mandates burden spiking as new federal mandates
• That's the work and we can't fail them.
• c><00:15:25.360> businessoriented working on a small businessoriented working on a small businessoriented
• detentions and people not coming to work detentions and people not coming to work because<00:15:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, this worked in 1978, 1987, so it'll work now.
• working either.
• But you don't mandate what training they get. You don't mandate.
• Them to work together.
• How does that work?

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have worked on the bill in more detail. have worked on the bill in more detail.
• How do MET and DISH work together?
• We view this as a work in progress, and we look forward to working with the House to come up with a fair
• We view this as a work in progress, and we look forward to working with the House to come up with a fair
• <02:06:48.880> in Representative M, we've been working in Representative M, we've been working

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 291, which would update religious land-use and property tax exemption rules for church-owned parsonages, parish houses, and similar properties. Senator Tim Lang, speaking for the sponsor, said the bill was intended to address situations where former parsonages are no longer occupied by clergy and are instead used for church-related purposes such as housing staff, religious education, or congregate living tied to ministry, including addiction recovery. He emphasized that the bill was not meant to create commercial rental housing and that it also preserves reasonable zoning and environmental regulations. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would be applied, especially the meaning of “religious purposes,” the six-unit limit, the “same lot” language, and whether churches could use the exemption to rent units for revenue. The sponsor said the six-unit cap was added to prevent large-scale commercial rental use, that congregate housing would be limited and defined, and that the bill was meant to cover uses like substance abuse recovery, homes for unwed mothers, and religious education, but not apartments converted for ordinary rental. He also said churches would still file annual exemption paperwork and towns could challenge claims they believed were commercial. Questions also raised concerns about whether the bill treated religious and nonreligious housing trusts differently; the sponsor responded that the bill was aimed at church-owned property used in pursuit of a religious mission. Several witnesses testified in support. Representative Mark Pearson, an active clergyman, said the bill would not remove additional property from the tax rolls because clergy housing allowances typically lead clergy to buy taxable homes elsewhere, while the church-owned parsonage remains exempt. Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire supported the bill as a modest expansion that could help create more attainable housing by allowing better use of existing religious land and structures, though he noted his organization would support even broader use. The hearing ended without a vote or final action, and the chair closed questions after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:17.320> Metro to the state through mandated Metro to the state through mandated Metro
• I work 5 days a week as a pharmacy cashier at Walmart, and MVTA Connect is how I get to and from work
• how I get to and from work. how I get to and from work.
• comfortably get me to work and school. comfortably get me to work and school.
• It works. It works great. I personally have used Southwest Transit.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Does anybody have any questions before we work around that as well as um we work around that as well
• would be happy to work to work with this would be happy to work to work with this committee<00:15:43.519
• any work you miss you have to make up. any work you miss you have to make up.
• [clears throat] uh when you go to work. [clears throat] uh when you go to work.
• to work out.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, that's a right just as things work.
• I was on a over 95% of the work on it.
• We we working with the committee so far.
• <00:53:12.000> with we absolutely would like to work with we absolutely would like to work
• committee, thank you for your work. committee, thank you for your work.

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• really working on making it accessible. really working on making it accessible.
• working with them on that. working with them on that.
• It doesn't work that way.
• die at work. die at work.
• work longer." work longer."

Keywords: 910, house, all