Video & Transcript Research : 'Insurance Commissioner'
Page 106 of 500
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Jun 10th, 2026
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- to is the deadline by which legislators planning to introduce a bill that provides for a health insurance
- That statute relates to the procedural requirements for health insurance mandates.
- As a policy committee chair who receives a lot of the health insurance and pension mandate stuff, I don't
- Senator Hogan: In the definition of candidate, too, you didn’t include local county commissioners or
- And then a biannual report of the Agricultural Commissioner on the status of the pesticide container
Summary:
The committee met to organize upcoming legislative session arrangements and staffing, and to review several rule and security-related items. It first approved a Joint Rule 211 change, recommended by the Employee Benefits Committee, that clarifies the deadline and statutory references for introducing health insurance mandate bills so required cost-benefit materials can be completed in time. Members noted the change would streamline the process, though it would not solve all timing and mandate-determination issues. The committee then discussed a draft bill on confidentiality protections for certain public officials and candidates, but members raised concerns about the statute’s complexity, the practical difficulty of administering it, and whether it would meaningfully improve safety; no action was taken and the topic was set aside for further discussion.
The committee received an update on the new NCSL Legislator Security Fund. Staff explained that North Dakota is in process to apply for grant funding that could reimburse up to about $200 per legislator for personal security-related expenses such as home cameras, locks, lighting, or monitoring services, with reimbursement handled through Legislative Council and subject to Emergency Commission approval. Members asked about eligible expenses, timing, and whether new legislators would be included, and staff said the program would likely cover current legislators only for this round. The committee also approved the 2027 joint session schedule for the State of the State, tribal-state message, and State of the Judiciary on January 5, with the tribal and judiciary addresses in the morning and the governor’s address later in the day.
The committee next approved the statutory reporting schedule for the Commerce Commissioner and agricultural commodity groups, setting the Commerce report for January 13, 2027, and the agriculture reports and pesticide container disposal update for January 14, 2027. Members questioned the usefulness of some of these recurring reports, but agreed to follow the existing statutory requirements. The largest discussion centered on Legislative Council staffing for the 2027 session: the committee approved reducing session staff to 36 Senate and 41 House employees, eliminating procedural clerk positions in standing committees in favor of permanent policy analysts, while retaining quality assurance clerks and adding a House parking lot attendant. It also approved a 3% salary increase for those staff positions, matching the increase given to state employees.
Finally, the committee reviewed a revised organizational session and new legislator training agenda. Staff proposed moving some orientation content into a separate pre-session training day for new legislators on November 30, including laptop setup, mock committee and floor sessions, parliamentary procedure, and HR/benefits training, while adding more security and budgeting instruction. Members strongly supported earlier and more practical training, including follow-up reinforcement during the first week of session, and suggested using experienced or term-limited former legislators as mentors. Staff also described efforts to expand training materials into podcasts, flowcharts, and other formats, and Legislative Council leadership outlined the office’s remaining vacancies and a proposed expansion of policy analysts, program evaluators, legal staff, and training support to better serve the legislature and improve oversight of state programs.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Governmental Oversight and Accountability Mar 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- It's also not something that the people of Florida really care about the here that which insurance is
- Jessica Commissioner.
- My name is Jessica Commissioner. I'm here to oppose Bill 17 10.
- Again as a city commissioner.
- The commissioner of government efficiency is a cabinet officer to look into waste, fraud and abuse.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
Legislative Finance Sub Committee Oct 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- The request included almost $225,000 or 8.5% to increase personnel to fund the health insurance premiums
- The increased revenue would primarily be used to cover increases in insurance costs, which is a common
- They requested a general fund increase of $19,000, or 5%, primarily for increased property insurance
- On the left, Kim Smith Casford is one of our two New Mexico commissioners.
- We're asking for an increase of about $466,000, most of which is due to medical malpractice insurance
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (02/04/2026)
Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- DJ Bettin Court, commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department, joined here by Josh Hillyard
- insurance department. insurance department.
- It's insurance the insurance industry. It's insurance for<01:52:30.400>
insurers. - We can conduct research and connect you with experts at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- We can conduct research and connect you with experts at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Health and Human Services Oversight REVISED: SB640, SB1502 and SB1562 - Added Apr 13th, 2026 at 03:00 pm
Health and Human Services Oversight
Transcript Highlights:
- This is only for insurance review, not for direct patient care.
- It's for insurance review.
- This is only for insurance review, not for direct patient care.
- It's for insurance review.
- The health insurers are at record profits.
Bills:
SB206, SB640, SB667, SB1344, SB1380, SB1423, SB1425, SB1436, SB1484, SB1500, SB1502, SB1503, SB1557, SB1562, SB1572, SB1644, SB1645, SB1794, SB1796, SB1806, SB1849, SB1984, SB2007, SB2074
Keywords:
SB206, emergency medical services, EMS, ambulance, 911 response, emergency response, essential services, federal funding, grant funding, public health, health care facility, municipality, county, ambulance service district, tribal entity, public entity, contract ambulance service, Oklahoma, 63 O.S. 2021 Section 1-2502, emergency clause
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- who served as commissioner of the East Flagler County Mosquito Control District for 17 years.
- Even before his election as commissioner, Mr. Kuattowski was a dedicated community servant.
- his election as commissioner, Mr. his election as commissioner, Mr.
- Major General Peter Cook and Commissioner Richard H.
- Major General Peter Cook Commissioner Major General Peter Cook and<04:22:17.760>
Commissioner
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 2nd, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Assembly Bill 1 by Assembly Member Connolly and others, an act relating to insurance.
- We have an insurance crisis on our hands, and every bit of relief is needed for these homeowners.
- We have an insurance affordability crisis on our hands.
- And this is the best we're doing on insurance reform: saying, hey, we're going to punt till 2030.
- Commissioner and has received bipartisan support.
Summary:
The Assembly met on May 23, 2025, established a quorum after a roll call, and proceeded through a long House of Origin floor session with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine parliamentary actions. Early in the day, a motion by Assembly Member Gallagher to suspend the rules and take up AB 12 immediately failed on a 18-39 vote. The chamber then moved through the daily file, with many measures passing by wide margins, often with bipartisan support and little or no opposition.
Among the notable bills discussed were measures on law enforcement oversight and records access (AB 847), CalFresh data-sharing exemptions (AB 593), campus-area housing for students and staff (AB 893), insurance and wildfire hardening updates (AB 1), missing middle housing code changes (AB 6), tribal peace officer status in a pilot program (AB 31), utility bill analysis before new mandates (AB 61), fairgrounds funding (AB 258), Diwali as a state holiday (AB 268), labor and worker organizing rights (AB 288), algorithmic price-fixing and antitrust enforcement (AB 325), elections and jail voter information (AB 331), protections for judges and court personnel (AB 343 and AB 352), school construction procurement (AB 361), school-zone speed limits (AB 382), transit worker protections (AB 394), blue carbon coastal mitigation (AB 399), K-9 standards for law enforcement (AB 400), livestock carcass composting (AB 411), translation of housing materials (AB 413), immigrant educational rights notices (AB 419), gun violence restraining order implementation (AB 451), special education and child care measures (AB 560 and AB 563), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), and disability access protections for businesses (AB 649). Several bills addressed housing, energy, public health, and public safety, and many authors emphasized affordability, transparency, and administrative efficiency.
The session also included several ceremonial or recognition items, including ACR 73 declaring Italian American Heritage Month, which was adopted by voice vote after 65 coauthors were added. Most measures were approved overwhelmingly, though a few drew some dissent, including AB 421? no—AB 399 passed 42-30, AB 450 passed 49-6, AB 461 passed 49-8, and AB 621 passed 58-0. The transcript ends partway through AB 772, which was introduced as an educational equity bill addressing cyberbullying after school hours, but the remainder of that item is not included in the provided text.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Commissioner, thank you for your time and for coming in to join us today.
- It's the license commissioner, inspectional services.
- I'm also lucky enough to serve as a commissioner on the Group Insurance Commission, and I've had the
- we're trying to allow for the amortization of those rising health insurance the Hampshire Group Insurance
- 38% height in health insurance, is what that total was.
Summary:
The hearing focused on Governor Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll’s Municipal Empowerment Act, with administration officials and municipal leaders broadly supporting the bill as a package of tools to help cities and towns manage rising costs, staffing shortages, and service demands. The administration highlighted procurement reforms, including raising Chapter 30B advertising thresholds, clarifying cooperative purchasing, and removing the Commbuys notice requirement; permanent authority to amortize emergency-related deficits over three years; expanded authority and enforcement for removing double poles; continued flexibility for hybrid and remote public meetings; regionalization options such as regional boards of assessors and intermunicipal agreements; cybersecurity reporting to EOTSS; and several local revenue options and other municipal finance changes. They said the bill was shaped by listening sessions with municipal officials and was intended to increase flexibility, efficiency, and stability without imposing broad mandates.
Committee members asked about regionalization, cybersecurity costs, Commbuys, hybrid meetings, and double poles. Administration witnesses said cybersecurity reporting would help the state target resources and that existing Community Compact and capital grant programs, including IT and municipal fiber funding, could support local needs; they said EOTSS would absorb reporting within existing resources. On procurement, they said the Commbuys notice change would be optional and that other public notice methods would remain available. On hybrid meetings, they emphasized flexibility for different types of boards and the burdens a one-size-fits-all mandate could create for small towns and volunteer boards. On double poles, they said the bill’s main change from last session was to give utilities more time and improve the removal process while keeping enforcement mechanisms aimed at speeding removal rather than raising revenue.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and multiple mayors and town managers testified in support. They described the bill as a practical modernization measure that would help local governments operate more efficiently and respond to fiscal pressure. Witnesses from Northampton, Lynn, Gardner, Cambridge, Franklin, North Andover, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ashland praised the hybrid meeting provisions, procurement changes, regional service-sharing, and emergency deficit amortization. Several also urged adoption of local revenue tools, including meals and lodging tax options and other local fees, as ways to preserve services and staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- looking at the what they Commissioners looking at the what they were<00:14:21.000>
hearing <00 - It goes without saying that I get a call from their administrators and county commissioners almost on
- But I've seen counties this year have gotten 20% health insurance increases, and again, that's a huge
- Justin, before you were commissioner, were you with the Department?
- I cannot speak for the commissioner anymore. Okay.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Health and Public Affairs Jan 28th, 2026 at 03:08 pm
Senate Health & Public Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- And then regarding liability and malpractice insurance, do the faculty at UNM Medical School pay for
- They don't want to work with the insurers.
- I happen to be a small rancher in Lincoln County, also chairman and commissioner as well.
- I happen to be a small rancher in Lincoln County, also chairman and commissioner as well.
- I happen to be a small rancher in Lincoln County, also chairman and commissioner as well.
Keywords:
Medicaid, healthcare, medical education, salaries, graduate education, clinician pay, health sciences, education funding, faculty salary, University of New Mexico, healthcare funding, general fund, state budget, New Mexico legislation, gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, 996
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Government Contract Review Committee - (5-13-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- If I may, Madam<00:35:37.760>
Commissioner. - Um, it just depends Madam Commissioner.
- Pressure makes diamonds, doesn't it, Commissioner?
- Pressure makes diamonds, doesn't it, Commissioner? It does.
- Pressure makes diamonds, doesn't it, Commissioner? It does.
Summary:
The committee opened with a moment of silence for Representative McCool, who was absent due to a family death, then approved the April 14 minutes and noted the agenda contained 482 items totaling about $138.6 million. The first deferred item involved the Office of the Controller and a brokerage services contract. Senators questioned why the new contract was roughly $1 million a year when a prior vendor had been paid about $300,000 annually, why the procurement was rebid after years of no-bid arrangements, and why past performance was not heavily weighted. Agency witnesses said the prior vendor had held the work for more than 20 years, the new RFP drew more competition, technical evaluators did not see cost until after technical scoring, and AON received the highest technical score despite being an out-of-state vendor with its closest office in Nashville. After discussion, the committee voted to take no action, and the contract advanced to the Finance Cabinet for final decision.
The committee then considered a DCBS memorandum of agreement amendment. Members asked what funding was being redirected to cover an increase of about $265,000. DCBS explained that reduced spending on interpreter services, due to more commonly used forms being translated into other languages, freed up funds to support the contract. The committee approved the item.
Next, the committee reviewed an initial contract for the Kentucky Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists. The board explained that its small legal staff was handling 11 active cases and needed outside counsel with investigators and additional attorneys because of ongoing litigation and disciplinary changes tied to prior legislation and a recent LOIC report. Members asked whether the contract was a not-to-exceed amount and whether the board could afford it; the board said the $50,000 was a ceiling, not an expected spend, and that the board was fully funded through licensing fees and currently running a surplus. Senator Thomas urged support, citing recent reforms in Senate Bills 14 and 22 and the need to help the board work through corrective action. The committee approved the contract. The Board of Pharmacy item was then deferred at the agency’s request until the June 2025 meeting, and the committee approved that deferral.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 216, 3 February, 2026; 1:30 PM
Appropriations
Transcript Highlights:
- Um this will be for um all insurance<00:02:39.599>
health <00:02:39.920>insurance <00:02 - :40.400>
policies insurance health insurance policies insurance health insurance policies written - >
any <00:07:01.680>insurance hopefully offset any insurance hopefully offset any insurance - However, the board itself is made up of the commissioner of insurance, state fire coordinator, state
- . commissioner. commissioner.
Summary:
The committee first heard a proposal to consolidate small or outdated Treasury and agency accounts into pooled investment accounts so idle balances could earn interest and administrative costs could be reduced. Senator DuPree asked whether the change would also eliminate old accounts, and the sponsor said it would close outdated accounts and move funds where they could earn interest. The committee then voted title sufficient, do pass.
Senate Bill 2694, described as the biomarker bill, would require mandatory biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, management, and monitoring of certain conditions when supported by medical and scientific evidence and nationally recognized clinical guidelines. The bill would apply to health insurance policies written in the state after September 1, 2026, require written reasons for denials, and include reporting requirements back to the Legislature. The sponsor estimated a total cost of about $5.2 million, with roughly $1 million as the state share, and the committee voted title sufficient, do pass.
The committee then took up the ARPA bill, which would accelerate the spending deadline from December 31 to September 30 and create three buckets for remaining funds: $100 million for MDOT, about $62 million for lost revenue to help offset insurance costs, and any additional funds to be handled by DFA under the governor’s discretion within ARPA rules. Senators asked about lists of projects, the risk of rushing money out the door, and whether local city and county projects could be repurposed; sponsors said the bill is aimed at keeping funds from being returned to Washington and that projects already in process should be nudged to completion, while unused funds could be clawed back after missed reporting or reimbursement requests. The committee also discussed prior technical problems with some completed projects and said those cases would likely require separate legislative action. The committee voted title sufficient, do pass, committee sub.
Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 2578, which creates a small municipality match fund to help cities under 10,000 population meet the 20% local match needed for discretionary federal and state grants. The chair clarified that the bill establishes the fund but does not create a funding source, and the sponsor confirmed that point. The committee then voted title sufficient, do pass.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee Jun 18th, 2025
Communications and Conveyance
Transcript Highlights:
- Is the cost of insurance.
- So how is it, the insurance fee, currently?
- The short answer is insurance, right? That's it.
- size one specific part of our insurance requirements which is uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance
- To provide, have some other type of insurance if it isn't R-U-M-U-I-M insurance. I got it. Amazing.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:36:28.000>
of remember when the Commissioner of remember when the Commissioner of Management - He used to have retiree health insurance in that particular agency.
- He used to have retiree health insurance in that particular agency.
- He used to have retiree health insurance in that particular agency.
- health insurance plan. health insurance plan.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee Mar 17th, 2026 at 09:30 am
Transcript Highlights:
- And thank you, Commissioner Cross, just for being here as well.
- Tax Commissioner.
- And we have the commissioner here to give that one.
- Commissioner here to give that one. So thank you for being here, Commissioner Crosher. All right.
- For the record, Brian Croshes, Tax Commissioner.
Summary:
The committee met to continue its tax reform and relief study agenda, approved the December 3, 2025 minutes, and announced a new subcommittee to examine property tax statement issues with counties, auditors, and the tax office. Representative Headland was named chair, Senator Rummel vice chair, and Representatives Dressler and Dr. Dr. and Senator Patton were also assigned. The chair noted the group may need an additional meeting and thanked staff and attendees.
A major portion of the meeting focused on economic development incentives. The Department of Commerce presented on the Renaissance Zone program and TIF districts, describing Renaissance Zones as locally tailored tools that combine local property tax relief with state income tax incentives. Commerce said the program has supported thousands of projects since 1999 and cited examples from Beach and Mandan showing increases in property and taxable value, business retention, housing, and downtown revitalization. Committee members raised concerns that smaller rural communities often lack the staff and expertise to apply, and Commerce said it provides outreach through conferences, office hours, and one-on-one assistance. League of Cities and local officials from Bismarck and Ellendale echoed the capacity issue, discussed how the programs have worked in their communities, and suggested possible reforms or more targeted support for small towns. Ellendale’s mayor also described two TIF districts, one for industrial infrastructure in Oaks and one for housing infrastructure tied to a data center project in Ellendale.
The committee then turned to stripper oil taxation. The Tax Department gave a comparison of oil and gas tax structures in selected states, noting that most have some form of stripper or marginal well provision, while Alaska does not appear to have a specific stripper-well exemption. Members asked for more detail on definitions and North Dakota’s annual adjusted rate. The Department of Mineral Resources followed with a detailed presentation on North Dakota stripper wells, explaining the statutory thresholds, the 12-consecutive-month production test, and the fact that once a well qualifies it remains on stripper status even if production later rises. DMR said about 11,332 stripper wells are active, representing roughly 54% of wells and about 16% of state production, and emphasized that stripper status can extend well life, preserve tax revenue, and reduce orphaned wells. Committee members and industry witnesses discussed refracs, the economics of keeping marginal wells active, and the competitive disadvantage created by North Dakota’s oil price discount. No votes were taken on these informational items.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (02/17/2026)
Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Insurance. Insurance.
- And it creates accountability by making violations of unfair insurance practices, allowing the commissioner
- practices, allowing the unfair insurance practices, allowing the commissioner<03:58:44.479>
to - The department is also working very closely with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- <04:41:06.878>
Commissioners Association of Insurance Commissioners Association of Insurance
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 3/13/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Unemployment insurance is around 50%; this is a two-thirds pay.
- suppliers landlords utilities insurance suppliers landlords utilities insurance and<00:21:19.600
- My name is Barb Brey, and I'm a Scott County Commissioner.
- health care in the health insurance health care in the health insurance industry<01:37:21.840>
health care uh and in health insurance health care uh and in health insurance because<01:38:08.159
Bills:
HF1976
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Environment and Agriculture (11/05/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- He said that, in a previous conversation with the commissioner, the commissioner was not happy with the
- Good morning, Commissioner.
- >> Thank you, Commissioner. >> Thank you, Commissioner.
- Commissioner. Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner. Thank you, Madam Chair.
- comments for the commissioner? comments for the commissioner? Seeing<00:57:14.480>
none.
Summary:
The committee held a work session on House Bill 396, which would exempt meat and meat food products slaughtered and prepared in-state for in-state sale from certain inspections. Representative Comtois explained her amendment, saying she tried to address prior concerns by limiting the number processed monthly, adding a registration and disclaimer requirement, and folding beef, swine, sheep, and goats into the bill’s framework. Members discussed whether some sections from earlier language on bison, elk, and red deer had been inadvertently struck, and Comtois said she did not intend to remove those protections and would restore them if needed.
Several members raised drafting and policy concerns. Representative Miner suggested the waiver language should be a signed, notarized statement kept on file rather than filed with the Department of Agriculture, and Comtois agreed. Representative Gruber and Representative Scully discussed labeling and wording, including clarifying that the meat would not be “exempt” from federal inspection in the same way as non-amenable species, and adding language that any prosecution would be federal rather than state. There was also discussion about whether ground meat should be included for the amenable species, with Miner and Comtois indicating that excluding ground meat would reduce risk.
Commissioner Sean Jasper of the Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food testified strongly against the bill, saying it was a step in the wrong direction, lacked consumer protections, and could jeopardize food safety and the state’s meat processing system. He argued that the federal exemption for non-amenable species could not simply be extended to new species by state law, warned that USDA could respond by withdrawing federal inspections, and said the bill would not solve the real bottlenecks in slaughter capacity. He also said he did not believe there was a general shortage of inspectors, and that the practical issue was producers not scheduling animals year-round, which forces facilities to scale to the slow season. No vote was taken during the work session, and members continued discussing possible amendments and wording changes.
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
WV Senate Health and Human Resources Committee in Session Mar 10th, 2026 at 01:10 pm
Health and Human Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- The Office of the Insurance Commissioner related to the insurance mandate states there's no fiscal impact
- to the office of... ...the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and PEIA indicated no fiscal impact
- related to the insurance mandate.
- subsequently been changed, so the bill before you is educational in nature and not related to the insurance
- of this bill is to allow a patient who has received prior notification from the Public Employees Insurance
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 5, 2026 minutes, and then took up several House bills. House Bill 5086, concerning peer support programs and testimonial privilege for covered caregivers, was amended to remove references to mental health and substance use disorder treatment from the disciplinary protections and to clarify that boards may still require participation in a board-designated professional health program; the bill was then reported to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. House Bill 5004, an education bill on PANS and PANDAS, was supported by the sponsor, who described his family’s experience with the conditions and emphasized earlier diagnosis and treatment; it was reported to the Senate. House Bill 537, creating an ALS services program in the Department of Human Services, also advanced after testimony from the sponsor and supportive comments about the disease’s impact; it was reported to the Senate.
House Bill 5096, which would have removed personal care and intellectual disability services from certificate-of-need review, drew extensive testimony. The sponsor argued the change would reduce regulatory barriers and expand access to in-home care, while an aging-services witness said certificate-of-need revenues help fund senior meals and other local services and that eliminating the requirement would harm county aging programs. After discussion, the motion to report the bill failed on a recorded division vote of 3-9. House Bill 4695, allowing PEIA patients to switch to an alternative covered treatment without additional prior authorization if medically appropriate and no more expensive, was reported to the Senate. House Bill 5582, creating the respiratory care interstate compact, was amended to remove a committee-added initial background-check provision and then reported. Another House Bill 5582, dealing with the TANF drug screening program, removed the sunset date, allowed oral fluid testing, and was also reported.
Finally, House Bill 5466 renamed the batterer intervention program as an abuse intervention program and allowed live synchronous virtual delivery while preserving an in-person option; the sponsor said the change would expand access statewide and better support domestic violence sentencing alternatives. That bill was reported to the Senate as well. The committee then adjourned.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Finance Budget Briefing (06/10/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- The commissioner does propose to repeal the prescription drug affordability board.
- Well, but there's also a $30 million less in IND and a $24 million more in insurance. Yes.
- Um, and then as far as insurance, that was with discussions with the insurance commissioner relative
- <01:36:28.560>
And million more in insurance. Yes. Yes. And million more in insurance. - We will get a direct report, I hope, from the commissioner. Thank you. Thanks. Okay.
Summary:
The presentation was an LBA overview of Senate changes to the House-passed state budget, with Michael Kane explaining how Senate Finance updated revenue and spending estimates after April revenue figures and agency discussions. He said the Senate’s revenue outlook was higher than the House’s in some areas, but lower in others, especially video lottery terminal revenue, and that the biggest differences also came from changes to revenue splits between the general fund and education trust fund, lapse estimates, and several policy changes in House Bill 1 and House Bill 2.
Kane highlighted several major revenue and policy differences: the Senate changed the business tax, tobacco tax, and real estate transfer tax splits; adjusted liquor revenue dedication; removed the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap; delayed the Lakes Region facility proceeds plan; altered the PECARD fund treatment; added a granite patron of the arts tax credit; and changed the treatment of unique funds and video lottery terminal revenue. On spending, he noted Senate changes to judicial, corrections, HHS, human rights commission, and other budgets, including additional settlement costs, higher lapse assumptions, and a different approach to Medicaid premium revenue and retirement savings. He also described Senate additions such as a nursing home bed fee, Hampstead Hospital transition funding, and changes to the YDC claims settlement fund.
The presentation focused on comparing House and Senate surplus statements across fiscal years 2025 through 2027, including projected ending balances and rainy day fund transfers. Kane repeatedly emphasized that the numbers were still dependent on final revenues and lapse amounts, and that some balances would be carried forward and trued up later in the biennium. No committee vote or final action was described in the excerpt; it was an informational budget briefing and comparison of the two chambers’ proposals.