Transcript Highlights:

• herbicide used in US agriculture today. herbicide used in US agriculture today.
• reading an amendment in front of us. reading an amendment in front of us.
• we've got before us. we've got before us. Senator<00:47:51.080> Westrom.
• be used. be used.
• talked to us over the past couple days. talked to us over the past couple days.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That also uses a lot of energy.
• Mayor Fuller, are you with us?
• Strong policies that reduce the production and use of single-use plastic.
• Strong policies that reduce the production and use of single-use plastic.
• Deval, are you with us? Thank you, Senator. Mr. Deval, are you with us?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a heavily attended hybrid hearing focused primarily on plastics reduction bills, along with a few local and related waste-management measures. Chair Rauch and Chair Barber outlined strict testimony rules because of the large number of speakers. Before the plastics docket, the committee heard support for a local Sharon sewer-extension bill for a Sunrise Senior Living project, and the bill’s proponents said the project would help address senior housing needs and would still require MWRA and local approvals. The chairs also noted a separate local matter involving Sharon and the MWRA. A major portion of the hearing centered on the Plastics Reduction Act and related bills addressing single-use plastics, including plastic bags, polystyrene, black plastic, plastic beverage bottles, non-flushable wipes, skip-the-stuff provisions, and truth-in-labeling. Sponsors and supporters said the bills would reduce litter, microplastics, greenhouse gas emissions, and municipal waste costs, while creating statewide consistency and supporting environmental justice communities. Several speakers cited local bans already adopted by many Massachusetts cities and towns, and many urged the committee to advance comprehensive statewide action. The committee also heard testimony on a boat wrap recycling bill, a mattress recycling bill, and a bill to prohibit hotels from providing small plastic toiletries. Municipal officials and waste professionals supported extended producer responsibility for paint and labeling for non-flushable wipes, saying these measures would shift costs away from cities and towns and reduce strain on wastewater systems. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, Mayor Ruth Ann Fuller of Newton, and a Franklin County waste official all backed paint EPR and wipes labeling. Fire Chief Brian Nardelli testified for the Fire Chiefs Association in support of lithium-ion battery legislation, citing fire safety and disposal concerns. Other speakers, including environmental groups, local activists, and business representatives, supported bag and polystyrene bans, though the Retailers Association of Massachusetts urged any bag policy to be truly statewide and said any bag fee should be retained by retailers. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• remove in order for us to win a project? remove in order for us to win a project?
• And we think, again, that is an appropriate use of the tools you all provide to us.
• to use of KBI, it's based on the value. to use of KBI, it's based on the value.
• Let's use Let's use the grant program.
• the ter the areas you wanted us to. the ter the areas you wanted us to.

Keywords: The first few minutes of this meeting was missed on the live stream. This upload restores those few minutes, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with Secretary Jeff Null and General Counsel Matt Wing of the Cabinet for Economic Development for an overview of the cabinet’s main economic development tools, strategy, and compliance practices. Null said the cabinet uses a data-driven approach focused on competitiveness, site readiness, wages, workforce training, and long-term assets such as roads, rail spurs, water, and sewer improvements. He emphasized that the cabinet tries to balance attracting new employers with supporting existing businesses, and said compliance is a core value of the agency. Null walked members through several programs, including the closing fund, Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI), Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training support, and the KIA sales-tax refund tool for construction materials and equipment. He said the closing fund has received $80 million over two years for projects generally involving at least $10 million in investment, though some flexibility exists. He also explained that Bluegrass State Skills funding is typically about $2,000 to $3,000 per job and can be used flexibly for training, including sending Kentucky workers to be trained elsewhere or paying trainers to come to Kentucky. He described KBI as a pay-as-you-go, incremental tax credit tied to actual jobs and investment, and said the legislature’s tiered refundable credit structure allows more targeted use of incentives in heritage and non-heritage counties. A substantial portion of the presentation focused on compliance and monitoring. Null said incentive agreements are written with commercial terms and spell out jobs, investment, wages, and training commitments. The cabinet requires regular reporting, invoices, and sampling, and can use clawbacks or suspend benefits if companies fail to meet obligations or lose required environmental permits. He said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority reviews incentive applications in public meetings and often requires company representatives to answer questions before preliminary approval is granted. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• of also having it be um for personal use of also having it be um for personal use and<00:01:25.040
• um to curtail this massive spike in use um to curtail this massive spike in use that<00:01:46.320
• <00:03:56.720> in that it can continue uh to be used in that it can continue uh to be used
• <00:04:51.720> the it's used for and are Bakers using the it's used for and are Bakers using
• It's something that hospitals use.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd be using state use it anyway.
• closer to the actual use. closer to the actual use.
• type of use.
• ,<00:37:09.040> you're going to use this do this use, you're going to use this do this use
• Um it's to to use unusual type of use.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began with routine business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the minutes, seating of an alternate member, and approval of the consent agenda. It then took up Department of Health and Human Services Rule 25188 on New Hampshire Early Childhood and Out-of-School Time Credentials. Staff explained that the rule adopts two new parts to implement RSA 170E:50, which had long required rules. The main issue was an unclear comment created by changes in the department’s amended conditional approval request: language defining out-of-school-time basics and a requirement tied to the New Hampshire Professional Registry training transcript had been removed, creating a mismatch between the form and the rule text. The department said it revised the language so the form and rule now match. A member also asked about the fee schedule, and the department said the fees are sufficient and supported in part by federal funds. The committee then approved Rule 25188 as amended, with oral edits, on a voice vote. The committee next considered Department of Environmental Services Rule 25206, dealing with subsurface wastewater rules and an administrative fine schedule. Staff said most comments had been addressed, but one remaining issue concerned the fine schedule because the prior interim rule had expired years ago. Staff also noted public concerns about septic tank replacement sizes, but pointed to waiver provisions and replacement-in-kind language that would still allow smaller existing systems to be replaced under certain conditions. DES officials explained that the rule package adds the fine schedule into the program rules and that no fines have been brought under these expired provisions for many years. They also described the waiver and grandfathering provisions as intended to protect existing systems and seasonal campgrounds from unnecessary upgrades. A public witness, Christopher Albert, testified that two sections of the rule would harm manufactured home parks and cooperatives. He argued that the new “two people per bedroom” assumption and the minimum bedroom threshold for using water-meter data would inflate design flows, make water-meter data unusable, and increase costs for low-income residents. Committee members questioned both the witness and the agency about the assumptions. DES staff responded that the two-person-per-bedroom standard is meant for individual on-site system design, not citywide planning, and that water-meter data is only useful in larger or unusual facilities. They said the rule still allows flexibility through waivers and grandfathering for existing uses, and that the drinking-water rule cited by the witness was not the correct comparison. No final vote on Rule 25206 was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Give us your name, and then if you would tell us about the Washington Virtual Academy. Sure.
• Our partner program, Stride, provides us the curriculum and also helps us audit every single program
• Our students use curriculum that is mailed to them. We use very little online curriculum.
• And that is unique to us, right?
• And that is unique to us, right?

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of Washington’s alternative learning experience (ALE) programs and then an update on artificial intelligence in schools. OSPI’s Anissa Sherritt explained that ALE is a course-level funding designation for instruction that occurs partly or wholly away from the traditional seat-time model, with online, site-based, and remote course types. She emphasized that ALE is still basic education, subject to the same public school requirements, and that OSPI provides technical assistance, annual reporting review, and program reviews. Representatives from several programs described different models: Washington Virtual Academy (a large online ALE operated through Omak School District and partnered with for-profit Stride), Columbia Virtual Academy in Valley School District (a district-run, nonprofit online/remote program), Pearl in Quilcene (a K-8 remote parent partnership program), and River Home Link in Battleground (a site-based hybrid program). They discussed student supports, special education, enrichment, family choice, transportation, and how they measure outcomes. Members asked for follow-up information on funding, demographics, racial and ethnic data, multilingual learners, and post-graduation outcomes, and OSPI agreed to provide additional data where available. The committee then heard from OSPI and several districts about AI guidance and implementation. OSPI’s Holly Ryan Calloway described the agency’s human-centered AI framework, three guidance documents for schools, statewide professional learning, an AI innovation summit, and new AI literacy and informatics course frameworks and CIP codes. Quincy School District described a multi-year effort to integrate AI by centering student needs, creating district policy and classroom guidance, and training teachers to use AI responsibly while building an AI readiness plan from elementary through high school. Peninsula School District described its AI action research team, teacher professional learning, and classroom uses of generative AI to support science instruction, communication, and prompt engineering, while stressing that AI should enhance rather than replace learning. Members raised questions about privacy, energy and water use, prompt engineering, workforce and university connections, and the need for clear standards and ongoing educator training. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the word use... cell phone use or personal... the use... get phone use... and then we just got
• Well, the word use... cell phone use or personal... the use... get phone use... and then we just got
• Well, the word use... cell phone use or personal... the use... get phone use... and then we just got
• How about the use of... the use of all... right, use of... use of personal student cell phone and other
• How about the use of... the use of all... right, use of personal student cell phone and other personal

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session of the Education Policy and Administration Committee focused on House Bill 131 and House Bill 781, which were described as nearly identical bills addressing student cell phone use in schools. Members noted that HB 781 is an early bill and therefore needed committee action by Wednesday, while HB 131 did not face that deadline. The chair and members discussed the bills’ shared goal of requiring school boards to develop and adopt policies on student personal device use, with debate over whether the state should set minimum standards or leave more to local control. A major topic was funding. One member urged the committee to avoid creating an unfunded mandate and asked for some funding support, while others argued it was too early to commit money and that the committee should first establish the policy framework. The governor’s proposed funding was discussed, including a $1 million figure in the budget and a separate $250,000 amount referenced in the bill, but several members said the money would likely be insufficient to cover all students or pouch systems statewide. The committee also reviewed a handout reflecting proposed budget language that would require school boards to adopt policies on personal device use during the school day, with schoolwide implementation and exceptions for medical disability or language proficiency needs, and a DOE-administered grant program. Members spent considerable time on drafting details, especially deadlines and exceptions. They debated whether the bills should require school boards to “develop,” “adopt,” or also “implement” policies, and whether the effective date of the act should also serve as the deadline for school boards. They also discussed whether exceptions for classroom instructional use should be mandatory or merely encouraged, and whether the bills should explicitly include or exclude charter schools. Additional proposed exceptions included IEPs, 504 plans, English learners, and medical needs such as glucose sensors or insulin pumps, with some members suggesting medical issues be certified by a physician. No final vote or formal action was taken in the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• of it being used inappropriately, used as a disciplinary tool or to punish or for situations or behaviors
• lot of stories of it being used lot of stories of it being used inappropriately,<00:02:19.599>
• , ensure that it's not used as discipline, it's<00:03:07.760> not<00:03:08.000> used<00
• for punishment, it's not it's not used for punishment, it's not used<00:03:10.000> for<00:03:
• of seclusion or the um inappropriate use of seclusion or the um unlawful<00:03:26.159> use<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• use large and deep data sets and apply ...of how we can use large and deep data sets and apply AI to
• There is a use case around traffic operations. There is a use case around cost estimation.
• There is a use case around traffic operations. There is a use case around cost estimation.
• Come to us.'
• And so for us, what that looks like is using AI at scale to basically predict and flag through intelligence

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anything more you can tell us?
• Anything more you can tell us?
• option to notify us directly.
• And if so, was that useful?
• we use open gov because there's there are renters who may We use open gov.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on September 22, 2025 focused on preparations for the 2030 census, with an emphasis on Massachusetts’ role in building a complete address list and improving local participation in census-related address review programs. Chair Brownsberger and witnesses from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, the UMass Donahue Institute, Watertown, and MassGIS described the importance of accurate address data for congressional apportionment, federal funding, and state and local planning. They also discussed the first major upcoming step, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, and the later Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, both of which rely on municipalities reviewing and correcting census geography and address files. John Rosenberry of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said outreach to cities and towns is beginning now, with a likely December start for the block boundary process based on the 2020 cycle. He stressed that local officials, clerks, building inspectors, housing authorities, and GIS staff should be engaged early, especially to capture new development and conversions created under the state’s housing policies. Susan Strait of UMass Donahue explained that LUCA allows local governments to compare their address lists with the Census Bureau’s master address file, and that Massachusetts had very high participation in 2020; she cited examples where local review added hidden or newly built housing units and noted that Boston later corrected a group-quarters undercount of about 6,000 students through a post-census review program. In response to questions, she clarified that those corrections affected annual estimates and funding formulas, but not the 2020 apportionment count. Watertown City Manager George Proakis described how local address review is complicated by accessory dwelling units, single-family to two-family conversions, and large multifamily projects, and urged continued state support for local governments doing this work. Dan Marrier of MassGIS then outlined the Massachusetts Master Address Database, explaining that it combines multiple sources, including E911, assessor, voter, and municipal data, to create a standardized residential address repository used for census preparation and other state functions. He said the database has helped improve census accuracy, including by updating more than one million Census Bureau address-point locations before 2020, and noted that local municipalities remain the final authority on addresses even as MassGIS standardizes and reconciles variants across the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• We used to not do it that way. We used to not do it that fast.
• the US.
• We have aircraft on exclusive use with the US Forest Service. OK.
• , used on fires.
• We may use you 10 days. We may use you 150 days. Is that the way it works?

Transcript Highlights:

• That hasn't changed for us.
• As long as it's being used for, you know, road purposes, we can use those funds.
• As long as it's being used for, you know, road purposes, we can use those funds.
• Yeah, for all of us.
• If we use special funds, 1% fee. So it's an opportunity. “Use GR, 1% fee.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much for having us here at this beautiful location, and thank you for hosting us here.
• You go to schools, they use AI today. I mean, kids are using ChatGPT, they're using Gemini.
• And that's why it is super important for us to understand what use case.
• Simple search: today, people stop using search engines; they just go use AI.
• The presenter talked about energy use for AI and quantum. Is it a big energy use?

Transcript Highlights:

• They're reluctant to talk to us when we talk to them and give us where they got it from.
• It hasn't been used much yet, just like the federal one wasn't used.
• of us.
• And you use the word should instead of shall. Why would you use should instead of shall?
• Quite frankly, it can be used for the good, but it also can be used for the bad.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I use Yelp.
• So I have the option to use Yelp, and I use Yelp all the time. I have the option to use Google.
• I use Yelp.
• So I have the option to use Yelp, and I use Yelp all the time. I have the option to use Google.
• Just ironic, and I’ll just use the example you used.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• USES.
• WE USE THESE TOOLS CAN HELP US PREDICT WHAT WORK TO DO WHEN.
• THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND GIVING US A SNEAK PEEK INTO AI AND YOUR INDUSTRY.
• SO IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE FOR US, IT'S ALLOWED US TO MANAGE MORE OYSTERS IN A SHORTER TIME.
• USE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW MANY OYSTERS OF WHAT SIZE ARE ON THE FARM.

Transcript Highlights:

• We thank you for loving us. Thank you for taking care of us and help us to be faithful to you.
• Thank you for taking care of us and help Thank you for taking care of us and help us<00:01:32.880>
• is useful. is useful.
• used for shielding EMPs. used for shielding EMPs.
• used pretty widespread. used pretty widespread.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 01:58 Approval of Minutes 03:05 Member Comments 03:18 Nanotechnologies in Energy 06:20, 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the minutes, then heard announcements and introductions from members and guests, including an invitation to an East Kentucky trail ride opening and welcomes for new EPIC and Kentucky Coal Association representatives and several constituents. After the opening business, the committee turned to a presentation on nanotechnology and energy applications by Rodney Andrews of the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research. Andrews explained how nanoscale materials behave differently because of their size and surface area, and described uses in consumer products, batteries, solar panels, catalysts, coatings, sensors, and energy storage. Members asked about the relationship between nanomaterials and coal, and Andrews said carbon nanotubes can be made from coal-derived hydrocarbons, which members noted as an opportunity for Kentucky’s coal and manufacturing sectors. He also discussed work on improved solar coatings, more stable perovskites, fuel-processing catalysts, hydrogen storage, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, electromagnetic shielding, and conductive yarns and fabrics. The presentation also covered more advanced applications such as thermoelectric textiles, power transmission materials, thermal transport composites for aerospace, nanofluids for cooling, and fusion reactor shielding. In the final discussion, members raised questions about electromagnetic pulse protection and quantum computing; Andrews said the materials discussed could absorb and spread energy and that shielding applications may help with EMPs, while quantum computing remains limited by extremely low operating temperatures. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• In a really brief format, it tells us what the strategic purpose of the project is, gives us a quick
• They had to have used Agile.
• That's a potential use.
• was meant to be used.
• Us and watch.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I looked up the customary use definition from the historic use from the U.S.
• That sand is for us. It is for the public to use. He refused to walk away.
• Help us restore the peace and the love that customary use was originated when Paz de Leon found us in
• Thanks for being with us.
• I used to.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for Senate Bill 304, which would address child protective investigations involving children with certain pre-existing genetic or medical conditions. Senator Sharif said the bill is intended to prevent children from being wrongly removed from their families when symptoms of conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, rickets, or vitamin deficiencies are mistaken for abuse. Several parents and advocates testified in support, describing long dependency cases and removals they said were caused by misdiagnosis. The committee adopted a substitute amendment that removed language requiring certain medical personnel to provide differential-diagnosis analysis, and the bill then passed favorably with unanimous support. The committee then heard SB 1430 on post-judgment execution proceedings relating to terrorism, sponsored by Senator Collins, who described the long effort by U.S. victims of the FARC to enforce a federal judgment and recover assets. The bill would clarify procedures for terrorism-related judgments, modernize intangible asset law, and help prevent terrorists from hiding assets or blocking wire transfers. After one supportive appearance form and no debate, the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 96, a local claims bill for Jacob Rogers, and SB 382, an affordable housing rent bill that was amended to define base rent and apply to certain shorter-term rental agreements entered after July 1, 2026; SB 382 drew support from housing advocates and some opposition, but passed unanimously. Several claims bills were also approved: SB 4 for Patricia Armini, SB 6 for Jose Correa, SB 28 for Darlene Engerville and J.R., SB 30 for the estate of M.N., and SB 24 for Mandy Penny Lemon, each involving injuries or damages caused by local government or hospital district negligence and each reported favorably after brief testimony and roll calls. The committee also passed SB 658 on waiver or release of liens after discussion about form language and enforceability. SB 72, which would allow campaign funds to pay certain child care expenses incurred while a candidate is actively campaigning, prompted questions about definitions and safeguards; the sponsor said the bill would require the expense to exist only because of campaign activity, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved SB 1142 on release of conservation easements, which would create a statewide process for releasing certain small, low-value parcels from conservation easements if mitigation credits are secured elsewhere. The bill drew support from the sponsor and a property representative, but environmental advocates and President Passidomo raised concerns about flood control, wildlife corridors, and whether the bill was too property-specific; the sponsor said he would continue working on the language. The committee also heard extensive testimony on SB 1622, which would repeal the 2018 customary use law and restore local authority over public beach access. Supporters argued the current law has privatized beaches, hurt tourism, and led to harassment and conflict, while opponents defended private property rights and warned against taking away owners’ ability to exclude others. The transcript ends during testimony on SB 1622, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:14.840> consumer several years ago the US consumer several years ago the US consumer
• uh products that are currently not used uh products that are currently not used is<00:41:13.160>
• though there are those additional uses though there are those additional uses that<00:41:54.079>
• <00:51:57.680> my<00:51:57.880> time us better off so I'd like to use my time us better
• by continued use rather than saved by continued use rather than Alternatives<00:52:10.559> don't<

Keywords: 1183, house