Transcript Highlights:

• It's my pleasure to welcome Senator Al Schiller. Good morning, committee. Good morning, Mr. Chair.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Al Capone once hung out there, but another interesting thing is that the Minnesota Gopher football team

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ;&gt; Not just me, but I think members of this committee<03:12:38.560><c> have</c><03:12:38.880><c> al
• also</c><03:12:39.600><c> said</c><03:12:39.760><c> that</c><03:12:40.000><c> when</c> committee have al
• also said that when committee have al also said that when you<03:12:40.319><c> have</c><03:12:40.479

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:48:48.399><c> There's</c><02:48:48.560><c> al</c> women and parents to work.
• There's al women and parents to work.
• There's al often<02:48:49.439><c> men</c><02:48:49.680><c> who</c><02:48:50.000><c> stay</c><02:48:50.160

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there<03:52:59.040><c> are</c><03:52:59.199><c> some</c><03:52:59.359><c> al</c><03:52:59.600>
• <c> also</c><03:52:59.920><c> some</c><03:53:00.160><c> substantial</c> there are some al also some substantial
• there are some al also some substantial funds<03:53:00.960><c> that</c><03:53:01.120><c> are</c><03:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 12:21.600><c> as</c><01:12:21.760><c> commissioner</c><01:12:22.040><c> Charlie</c><01:12:22.480><c> Al
• </c><01:12:22.679><c> had</c> was uh as commissioner Charlie Al had was uh as commissioner Charlie Al

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented an overview of its budget and operations, emphasizing that it is the lowest-spending agency in state government and that its general fund allocation has declined since 2019. Commissioner Arling House explained that DAS also handles back-office functions for several administratively attached boards, which has affected staffing and spending comparisons. He said the department’s current general fund spending is roughly split between retiree health and other operations, and that the presentation was based on adjusted authorized spending rather than the original budget figures. A major portion of the meeting focused on retiree health benefits and the long-term effort to control costs. Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane described how the state moved from a projected deficit in retiree health to savings through a series of changes, including higher premium contributions, co-pay adjustments, and shifting Medicare retirees into Medicare Advantage arrangements to capture federal reimbursement. She said the state has about 12,500 retirees and spouses on the plan, with roughly 10,906 Medicare retirees and 1,580 non-Medicare retirees, and that the savings have depended heavily on federal funding and procurement decisions. She also noted that Medicare retirees pay Part B premiums and that the state has grandfathered older retirees from some premium contributions. Members asked about what the expenditures cover, why the state offers retiree health instead of simply giving retirees a payment to buy coverage themselves, and whether out-of-pocket costs changed under Medicare Advantage. Keane said the plan covers actual health claims or insurance premiums, that co-pays and maximum out-of-pocket limits remain in place, and that the state has no authority to change benefit details without legislative action. She explained that retiree health is a long-standing employee benefit that wraps around Medicare and is not collectively bargained in the usual sense, though its eligibility rules and cost-sharing have been tightened over time to better target the benefit to long-term state service. The discussion also covered vendor performance problems. Keane said Anthem recently won the contract back from Aetna, but its pharmacy subsidiary, Caroline, caused serious service disruptions. DAS responded by withholding payments, assessing more than $2 million in performance guarantees, and hiring a third-party auditor to review the pharmacy processes. The current contract runs through the end of calendar year 2026, and officials said they are watching federal Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes closely because future savings are uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Al, you didn't check whether you wanted to speak or not. >> Yes, sir. Okay.
• I'm Al Brandano, Kensington, New Hampshire.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reason for this is Dr. won't do it unless they're told to, and this sort of tells them to do it. he ALS
• I don't know how he Aggregates he ALS I don't know how he Aggregates his<04:10:42.239><c> uh</c><04:

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.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 03:15:26.399><c> seen</c><03:15:26.560><c> firsthand,</c><03:15:27.120><c> I've</c><03:15:27.359><c> al
• </c><03:15:27.760><c> I've</c><03:15:28.000><c> also</c> I've seen firsthand, I've al I've also I've
• seen firsthand, I've al I've also dealt<03:15:28.560><c> with</c><03:15:28.960><c> the</c><03:15:29.439

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rates and eight-year graduation<02:06:13.840><c> rates</c><02:06:14.719><c> we</c><02:06:14.880><c> al
• /c><02:06:15.520><c> also</c><02:06:15.840><c> look</c><02:06:16.080><c> at</c> graduation rates we al
• they also look at graduation rates we al they also look at student<02:06:16.719><c> retention</c><02

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 11 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate tourism briefing focused on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract oversight, destination management action plans (DMAPs), and the impact of recent legislation and audit findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson said she accepted the temporary role to help address agency challenges, emphasized rebuilding trust, and said HTA is reviewing the state auditor’s concerns and posting its response publicly. She also described HTA’s mission and organizational structure under SB 1571, including reporting lines to the governor, the director, and the board, and outlined staff additions in finance, brand marketing, destination stewardship, and planning. A major topic was the permanent CEO search. HTA board chair Tata Po said the goal is to select a CEO within about four months, with the search firm still engaged, the position description being revised to reflect the new law and compensation changes, and approvals still needed before the job can be reposted. Members expressed frustration that the recruitment had been paused and questioned whether HTA has sufficient qualified leadership and staff during the interim period. Board leadership said the current staff is limited by vacancies but that they have confidence in the team and will add resources if needed. Members also pressed HTA on the role of the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana contract, asking how staff oversight works and whether staff members were effectively wearing multiple hats. HTA explained that the stewardship team provides direction to contractors and that the work is divided among specialists overseeing projects such as tour guide certification, technical assistance, community tourism collaboratives, and a destination app. The committee also discussed whether the board can still vote on budgets under the new structure; the Attorney General’s office was cited as confirming that the board may advise, but the department director retains budget authority. HTA said it is working with CNHA and HVCB on contract and budget timing, with a goal of shifting to a calendar-year process so recipients know funding earlier.

Transcript Highlights:

• 35.440><c> far</c><00:22:35.640><c> more</c> this is far more this is far more tailored<00:22:38.880><c> Al
• <00:22:39.400><c> representative</c><00:22:40.520><c> Weber</c><00:22:41.520><c> thank</c> tailored Al
• representative Weber thank tailored Al representative Weber thank you<00:22:41.840><c> very</c><00:22

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs heard testimony on House Bill 606, as amended, a bill aimed at preventing physicians from denying medically necessary sterilizing or fertility-affecting treatment based on a patient’s age, number of children, marital status, or a doctor’s speculation about future reproductive intentions. Representative Ellen Reed, the sponsor, described the bill as a response to her own long experience with PCOS, heavy bleeding, and repeated refusals by doctors to perform a hysterectomy despite her clear wishes. She said the amendment narrows the bill to medically necessary care, adds definitions for “medical condition” and “appropriate reproductive care,” and removes earlier provisions about voluntary sterilization referrals. She also said the bill does not target religious objections, and that doctors could still refuse for medical, payment, or existing religious reasons not addressed by the bill. Committee members asked about religious freedom, informed consent versus waivers, and the scope of the new definitions. Reed responded that religion was not added to the list of prohibited reasons for denial, and that the amendment is intended to protect doctors when patients sign informed consent or waivers. She explained that “appropriate reproductive care” includes procedures such as hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy, salpingectomy, and endometrial ablation, and that the bill now focuses on medically necessary treatment rather than elective sterilization. She said the change was intended to make the proposal narrower and more tailored after earlier concerns. Several witnesses supported the bill with personal accounts of being denied hysterectomies or other procedures despite serious symptoms. Representative Lauren Selig described a decade-long effort to obtain a hysterectomy after years of cycle problems and migraines, saying doctors dismissed her concerns and treated her symptoms as normal. Jade Flad also testified in support, saying she had long been told to simply endure her cycle problems and noted that her husband was offered a vasectomy without similar barriers. The sponsor said online support was strong and that there was little or no written opposition testimony. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 35.440><c> far</c><00:22:35.640><c> more</c> this is far more this is far more tailored<00:22:38.880><c> Al
• <00:22:39.400><c> representative</c><00:22:40.520><c> Weber</c><00:22:41.520><c> thank</c> tailored Al
• representative Weber thank tailored Al representative Weber thank you<00:22:41.840><c> very</c><00:22

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• board</c><02:54:03.160><c> as</c><02:54:03.279><c> well</c><02:54:03.840><c> even</c><02:54:04.080><c> Al
• </c><02:54:04.239><c> though</c> for this board as well even Al though for this board as well even Al

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up House Bill 702, which would change how extra or special duty pay for retired police officers is treated for retirement and work-limit purposes. Supporters argued the bill would let retirees work more special-duty hours, helping municipalities fill traffic-detail and similar assignments without added state cost, and said it would not prohibit retirees from working but would simply stop those hours from counting toward the return-to-work threshold. Opponents argued the change would be inconsistent with the retirement system’s 2011 reforms, could increase pension liabilities, and would treat the same compensation differently for active employees and retirees. Members also discussed whether the bill would affect current and future retirees, the role of municipalities, and whether the policy amounted to “policing for profit.” The subcommittee ultimately voted 3-2 to recommend inexpedient to legislate (ITL) on HB 702, sending it to the full committee with that recommendation. The committee then discussed House Bill 581, which would create a Group Three retirement plan for new state employees hired after the bill’s effective date. The chair outlined a housekeeping amendment to delay implementation, moving the effective date to January 1, 2026, and noted a sponsor amendment addressing health insurance group inclusion and medical and surgical benefits so those benefits would not be put at risk for the new group. Testimony and discussion focused on the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution, with supporters citing Michigan examples and arguing the bill would help recruit and retain employees while giving them more flexibility. Opponents said the change could weaken retirement security and increase unfunded liability, though supporters responded that the bill still requires employer contributions toward accrued liability and is intended to keep the state on track to pay off its unfunded liability by 2039. The transcript ends with continued discussion of the bill and no final vote shown on HB 581.

Transcript Highlights:

• It added MS, ALS, autism, terminal cancer, incurable neurodegenerative diseases. It rea...

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Osama al-Qaddan, with the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in strong

Summary: The Senate Public Safety Committee met without a quorum and operated as a subcommittee while hearing a long agenda of bills. Early items included AB 2605, which would require statewide reporting on public defense services; supporters said California lacks basic data on how indigent defense is delivered and that the bill would help identify under-resourced counties, while no opposition appeared. AB 1650 would require rental vehicles used in law enforcement operations to display agency identification; supporters framed it as a transparency and community-trust measure in response to immigration enforcement tactics, while sheriffs and police groups opposed it unless amended, arguing it could compromise undercover and task-force operations and raise legal and indemnification concerns. AB 1930 would require notice to the Attorney General before business entities respond to subpoenas involving legally protected abortion or gender-affirming care information; supporters said it protects patient privacy and provider safety, while opponents raised constitutional, law-enforcement, and business-burden concerns. The committee also heard AB 458, directing state procurement guidelines for firearms and accessories so agencies buy from responsible vendors, with support from police chiefs, gun-violence prevention groups, and local officials, and no opposition testimony offered. The committee then heard AB 1588 on sideshows and street takeovers, which would update the definition of sideshows, include motorcycles and dirt bikes, and align penalties with street racing. Supporters, including police, city, transportation, and road-safety advocates, said the bill responds to dangerous events, property damage, and injuries; opponents from civil liberties and public defender groups argued higher fines and criminal penalties are ineffective and disproportionately harm low-income people, favoring roadway design and community-based prevention instead. AB 910, the Survivors Act, would expand affirmative defenses and vacature relief for survivors of trafficking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence; supporters, including a survivor who described decades of abuse and wrongful conviction, said the bill gives survivors a chance to tell their stories and seek relief, while district attorneys opposed expanding relief to violent offenses and warned it could erase restitution and undermine victims’ rights. AB 2624 would expand Safe at Home confidentiality protections to immigrant service providers, employees, and volunteers; supporters described threats, doxxing, and harassment against immigrant-serving organizations, while opponents claimed the bill was prompted by investigative reporting on fraud and would chill journalism and transparency. The committee also heard AB 31, making the tribal police pilot program permanent and creating a missing and murdered Indigenous persons task force, which drew strong support from tribal representatives and no opposition. Later, AB 1959 sought to close a resentencing loophole tied to a 2001 Santana High School shooting case by restoring judicial discretion in resentencing for certain juvenile offenders; supporters said the current process can lead to automatic release even after parole denial, while opposition testimony began with concerns that the bill was responding to one case and lacked broader evidence. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly noted they supported several bills but could not formally vote because the committee lacked a quorum, so motions were held for later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• [laughter] >> Yes, Senator Al. >> Yes. Thank you very much.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first adopted amendment 2026-2021S to correct a drafting issue in the budget language so that the $2.5 million appropriation for Medicaid per diem rate stabilization at county nursing homes can be spent during the biennium rather than lapsing at the end of the fiscal year. Senator Lang explained that the funds are matched with federal dollars for a total of $5 million and are intended to prevent rate reductions that could shift costs to county property taxpayers. The amendment was adopted unanimously by both chambers, and the committee proceeded on the bill as amended by the Senate. The main discussion then focused on HB 155 and a proposed amendment to the business enterprise tax. The House proposal would lower the BET rate in stages when combined business tax revenues exceed certain thresholds, while the Senate opposed an immediate rate reduction and argued that tax changes should be handled in a budget year. Senators emphasized that raising the filing threshold to $375,000 had already removed about 3,500 small businesses from filing requirements, and they preferred further relief through threshold changes rather than rate cuts. House members argued that the trigger-based reduction was a reasonable, tested mechanism and would provide future tax relief without taking effect unless revenues rose enough. Members debated whether the trigger could be distorted by one-time revenue spikes, such as the recent tax amnesty receipts and prior federal repatriation-related revenue, and Representative Sweeney said he was willing to adjust the effective date or carve out amnesty revenue. The committee did not reach agreement on the BET reduction, and the chair called a break and then continued the meeting later with a new proposal to delay the trigger’s effective date to January 1, 2028. Senator Lang rejected that version but offered a counterproposal to raise the filing threshold to $400,000, and the parties ultimately agreed to continue discussions and reconvene later. The meeting also took up HB 1102, concerning the research and development tax credit and state park fees. The House position was to support the R&D tax credit but remove the park-fee provisions, citing testimony from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources that it did not need the increase and concerns about discouraging tourism, especially at border parks. Supporters of the park-fee language argued that the department had not raised rates in years, could set its own rates, and should be able to charge nonresidents more while keeping New Hampshire residents’ fees lower. The discussion remained unresolved, with members debating the likely effect on tourism and fairness to residents versus the need for additional revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I hope you're hearing that, Al Flowers.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all