Transcript Highlights:

• keep handing things to the AG and really diffusing, well, adding lots of different things, there are walls
• keep handing things to the AG and really diffusing, well, adding lots of different things, there are walls
• There are walls within the AG's office, you know, between consumer and criminal.
• Is that why they have requested to be included to retain outside legal counsel?

Summary: The committee first considered Senate Bill 419, as amended to update the effective date to 2026. The bill would allow the State Treasurer and the Department of Wildlife Conservation/Wildlife Conservation Commission to employ or appoint attorneys, joining other entities already authorized to do so. Supporters argued the treasurer’s office handles highly specialized financial matters and large state assets, and that in-house counsel could provide faster, more specialized advice. Members questioned possible conflicts with the Attorney General’s role, the fiscal impact, and why Wildlife was included; the sponsor said Wildlife’s inclusion was tied to similar specialized needs and indicated willingness to remove it if needed. The bill received a due pass recommendation on a 7-2 vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 835, also amended to update the effective date to 2026. This measure would require qualifying licensing boards and commissions to submit proposed non-rulemaking actions with anti-competitive implications for review, shifting oversight from the Attorney General to the Secretary of State. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address antitrust concerns raised by the North Carolina dental board case and to provide earlier executive-branch review of potentially anti-competitive board actions. Members raised concerns about whether the Secretary of State should be the arbiter of anti-competitive conduct and whether existing court remedies or current executive-order processes were sufficient. The bill passed on an 8-2 due pass vote. Senate Bill 1618 would require courts to conduct pretrial risk assessments early in criminal cases. The sponsor said the assessments would be one tool judges could use in setting bond and determining release conditions, and that the bill was intended to make the practice available statewide rather than only in some counties. Questions focused on who would validate the assessments, whether counties already could do this, whether it would delay release in smaller counties, and whether it would add costs; the sponsor said counties could tailor the process, that it was already being done in some places, and that the fiscal impact would be minimal. The committee voted 6-4 to report the bill due pass. Finally, the chair presented Senate Bill 262, which had been amended and had its title and enacting clause struck as part of ongoing work. The bill was described as an effort to reduce county jail overcrowding by allowing certain inmates awaiting transfer to the Department of Corrections to be handled differently, with further amendments expected. Members discussed concerns about fairness and the use of factors such as community ties in release decisions, and the sponsor said the measure was still being refined and was intended to solve a practical jail-capacity problem. The committee voted 8-1 to pass the bill out.

Transcript Highlights:

• AND STAYED I LOVE THE AGENCY THROUGH THE CRISIS AND THEN I HAD TO REMOVE THE SHERIFF AND STAYED ON WALL
• RECOMMENDED THAT WE INSTALL ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS AND ESTABLISHED PRISONS THAT ARE ABLE TO HIRE AND RETAIN
• WE WILL HAVE TILT WALLS TO BUILD THESE DORMITORIES AND THIS WILL BEGIN IN FEBRUARY OF 2026.
• THEY ARE ALSO SHARED WITH THE CLERK OF COURTS AND RETAIN SOME FILING FEE AND THEN SOME GO INTO OTHER

Transcript Highlights:

• Concurrent file items one and two will be passed and retained.
• They worked hard, and my mother always—well, that's how I read the Wall Street Journal every day.
• I grew up reading the Wall Street Journal to see what the stock market is doing.
• We're going to pass and retain on file item number nine.
• We will pass and retain on the Third Reading File for all Senate bills.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened with a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then dispensed with the previous day’s journal and several procedural matters, including leave requests and re-referrals to the Budget Committee. The chamber then observed Black History Month, taking up Assembly Concurrent Resolution 134, which recognized the centennial anniversary of Black History Month. Members from multiple caucuses spoke in strong support, emphasizing Black history as central to American history, the legacy of slavery and segregation, ongoing inequities in education, housing, health, and incarceration, and the importance of allyship and continued action. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after coauthors were added. The Assembly next held a formal Black History Month observance and honored 2026 Unsung Heroes, introducing community leaders, advocates, medical professionals, public servants, and a volunteer firefighter. Members also welcomed several guests and student groups to the chamber. After returning to the daily file, the Assembly considered Assembly Concurrent Resolution 132, designating February 28 as Rare Disease Day. The measure drew extensive bipartisan support, with members sharing personal stories about ALS and other rare diseases, insurance denials, delayed diagnoses, research funding, and the need for better treatment access and scientific investment. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 71 coauthors were added. The chamber also received guest introductions recognizing students, parents, family members, and representatives of the Seismic Safety Commission, which is marking 50 years of work. The session concluded with adjournments in memory for Peyton Trilling, a 17-year-old student and public service intern remembered for her advocacy and courage during a long battle with rare cancer, and John Jackson, a Boyle Heights community organizer remembered for his lifelong commitment to justice, dignity, and service. The Assembly then adjourned until Thursday, February 26 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• His neck was pinned against the wall and instead of receiving assistance from the attendants who were
• and neck was pinned against the wall and instead<00:01:50.720><c> of</c><00:01:51.040><c> receiving<
• He ultimately fell into the wall with his head pinned between the wall and his scooter.
• </c> himself ultimately fell into the wall himself ultimately fell into the wall with<00:20:41.520><c
• </c> with his head pinned between the wall with his head pinned between the wall and<00:20:44.320><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• including scholarships, support, and training through innovative programs to attract, develop, and retain
• biometric, retina tracking, and systems that use a... ...speech, devices that can collect and retain
• We would argue that there are other ways to improve working conditions to retain the nurses.
• So, you know, improving the working conditions is really important to retain nurses.
• Also, I think one of the... ...is really important to retain nurses.

Summary: The committee heard a series of labor-related bills, with most measures focused on worker training, privacy, wages, and safety. AB 296 would require schools or districts to host apprenticeship fairs at least once a year, with flexibility on how they are run and whether programs outside the county can participate. Supporters said it would help connect students to skilled trades and address workforce shortages; school administrators opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate that could be impractical for elementary schools. The bill was later moved on call, with the committee noting it could not vote until quorum was established. AB 1221 and AB 1331 both addressed workplace surveillance. AB 1221 would restrict invasive monitoring tools, require notice to workers, limit the use and sharing of worker data, and require human review before discipline based on surveillance outputs. Labor groups supported the bill as a response to AI-driven monitoring, while business groups raised concerns about broad definitions, security cameras, investigations, and data-access provisions. AB 1331 focused more narrowly on privacy in off-duty and private spaces, limiting surveillance in places like restrooms, break areas, vehicles, and homes; hospitals and business groups opposed it as too broad and potentially disruptive to safety, cybersecurity, and facility monitoring. Both bills were advanced by committee vote. The committee also heard AB 1181, which would require firefighter turnout gear to be free of cancer-causing chemicals such as PFAS by 2027, and AB 1198, which would require prevailing wage rates on public works to reflect the wage in effect when the work is performed rather than when the project was first advertised. Firefighter representatives strongly supported AB 1181, while the chemical industry asked to continue working on scope and timelines. AB 1198 drew support from labor and contractor groups but opposition from local governments and housing groups concerned about mid-project cost increases; it was passed to Appropriations after a roll-call vote. Other measures approved included AB 1235 on skilled-and-trained workers for CSU construction, AB 1251 on ghost job postings, AB 552 on locating the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office outside Sacramento, AB 1110 on updating Cal/OSHA workplace posters, AB 1136 on expanding high road training partnerships, and AB 1234 on wage claim enforcement. AB 692, which would ban employer debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave a job, drew strong support from nurses and labor advocates and opposition from business and health care groups; it was also passed on a roll-call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because that was a way for them to retain their fees.
• No, I’m not—inside the four walls of my home. Why do you have a permit at all? Great question.
• A re-roof is the trigger to address the roof-to-wall connections.
• We'd love to see that expansion to allow us to look at roof-to-wall connections.
• I think it would be doing our citizens a huge favor and get these roofs ...wall connections?

Summary: The subcommittee heard and approved four bills focused on reducing or modernizing professional regulation. HB 6015, by Rep. Oliver, repeals the word “reusable” from the wine keg statute to allow businesses more flexibility in container materials; members joked about the possibility of a Home Depot bucket, and the bill passed 16-0. HB 339, by Rep. Abbott, creates an alternative temporary licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers based on employer recommendation and exam passage, but members raised concerns about qualifications, liability, and oversight; Abbott said he was open to amendments, and the bill passed 14-1 with Rep. Overdorf dissenting. HB 139, by Rep. Lopez, allows pawnbrokers to use digital transaction forms instead of only printed forms; a technical amendment added readability and placement requirements for digital forms, and the bill passed unanimously. HB 195, by Rep. Chambliss, lets the Department of Corrections coordinate with DBPR boards so inmates who complete licensure-related classes can receive credit toward professional licensure; supporters framed it as a second-chance and workforce bill, an amendment clarified that DBPR handles professions without boards, and the bill passed favorably 15-0. The committee then received a presentation from DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin on the department’s role overseeing more than 1.7 million businesses and professionals across over 30 fields. She highlighted enforcement and complaint data, including more than 24,000 inspections and complaints handled in the last fiscal year, a preference for education and voluntary compliance over formal discipline, and the department’s alternative dispute resolution program, which returned $2.7 million to consumers and saved $270,000 in costs. Griffin also reviewed recent deregulatory and efficiency efforts, including endorsement/reciprocity reforms, fee waivers, reduced processing times, and shorter call wait times, and said DBPR is continuing to look for ways to cut red tape while protecting public safety. Members questioned Griffin about permitting, continuing education, complaint processing, board vacancies, fraud in cosmetology and construction, coordination with other agencies, and whether schools can block students from taking state exams over unpaid tuition. DBPR staff said complaints are generally processed within 60 days, schools cannot bar graduates from taking the exam because of tuition debt, and the department works with other agencies when issues cross jurisdictional lines. The panel discussion that followed featured industry representatives from landscape architecture, building/code administration, pools, roofing, construction, HVAC/electrical, and hospitality, who generally supported reducing local permitting burdens, standardizing requirements, improving reciprocity and training pathways, and using technology and clearer scopes of work to make licensure and inspections more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it's kind of hard to build a flood wall or something in that nature.
• So, it's kind of hard to build<00:53:20.319><c> a</c><00:53:20.480><c> flood</c><00:53:20.800><c> wall
• or</c><00:53:21.839><c> or</c><00:53:22.160><c> something</c><00:53:22.400><c> in</c> build a flood wall
• or or something in build a flood wall or or something in that<00:53:22.880><c> nature.
• the water and uh as uh and then retain the water and uh as uh and then it<00:53:43.599><c> provides<

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force opened its sixth meeting by approving the minutes and then taking up a presentation from University of Pikeville representatives and local leaders on an Eastern Kentucky Disaster Relief Center at Bear Mountain in Pike County. Speakers included Greg May, Rep. Ashley Tacket Laferty, Lori Worth, and Laura Damron. They described repeated flooding and other disasters in eastern Kentucky, the lack of a single prepared relief location, and the need for a centralized, elevated site that could serve as a flood and broader natural-disaster hub. The presenters said the Bear Mountain property, about 530 acres and well above flood levels, could support a multi-use facility combining disaster response functions with university and community uses. Proposed features included a command and communications center, distribution space, emergency shelter, medical and clinic support, food service, restroom facilities, RV hookups, and an indoor track/distribution building. They emphasized that the project would help avoid disrupting existing venues such as the Pikeville Expo Center and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, while also supporting tourism and economic recovery. Committee members asked about community and emergency-management support, annual operating costs, and resilience standards such as tornado-related building codes. In response, the presenters said local stakeholders, including Appalachian Wireless, Pikeville Medical Center, Community Trust Bank, the city of Pikeville, and emergency management officials, had expressed support. They said the university planned to absorb some operating costs through multiple uses of the facility, community camps, and budgeted maintenance, and that construction documents were nearly complete with plans to begin building within months. After the presentation, the chair thanked the presenters and moved the committee into its recommendations discussion, noting the broader fiscal and humanitarian importance of disaster preparedness and resiliency and indicating that future legislation would likely follow from the task force’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• But when you're backed against the wall, like you said, that often times happens.
• </c> they're not pushed up against the wall they're not pushed up against the wall to<00:46:09.160><c
• The landowner retains all the other rights.
• So, the outdoor company. retain all of their rights. So, um you retain all of their rights.
• The landowner retains all the rights. The landowner retains all the other<01:08:59.160><c> rights.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductions and approval of the previous minutes, including a small amendment clarifying a note about “leakage” in a prior presentation. The committee then heard a presentation from Sarah Hall of the American Forest Foundation on the Family Forest Carbon Program, which she described as a voluntary carbon and forest management program for smaller landowners. She said the program provides annual payments and technical assistance, requires a forest management plan within two years, and is designed to support improved forest management while still allowing compatible uses such as recreation, hunting, and some harvesting. Hall emphasized that the program is intended as one tool among many and is not a fit for every property. She said most enrolled landowners did not previously have a forest management plan or work with a forester, and that the program helps bring “unengaged” landowners into active management. She also said the program is compatible with current use and other commitments on a case-by-case basis, and that landowners retain ownership of their land and timber rights while AFF holds the carbon rights for the contract term. She highlighted examples of landowners using the program to support taxes, family ownership, wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement, and continued recreational or business uses. Committee members asked about registry compliance in New Hampshire and the relationship between carbon markets and the program. Hall responded that AFF handles registry administration for landowners and would follow up on the specific registry count raised by a member. She explained that the program is funded through a mix of carbon market revenue, philanthropy, and grants, and that carbon credits are generated through landscape-level methodology and monitored using randomly selected plots compared with FIA data. She also noted that consulting foresters are key partners in the program and that AFF has paid more than $3 million to consultants nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we have folks who are out-of-state Wall Street landlords competing directly with regular California
• In recent years, Wall Street landlords have rapidly expanded their share of the single-family housing
• The bill will also close a costly tax loophole that unduly favors large Wall Street investors and that
• We have seen that targeted tax incentives can play a role in retaining key industries in California.
• The Legislature, Can play a role in retaining key industries in California.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we have folks who are out-of-state Wall Street landlords competing directly with regular California
• In recent years, Wall Street landlords have rapidly expanded their share of the single-family housing
• The bill will also close a costly tax loophole that unduly favors large Wall Street investors and that
• We have seen that targeted tax incentives can play a role in retaining key industries in California.
• The Legislature, Can play a role in retaining key industries in California.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation met as a subcommittee and announced that all bills on the agenda had revenue impacts placing them on the suspense file, so none were eligible for immediate vote. The chair also reviewed procedural rules, including the deadline for position letters and the suspense-file threshold, and later established a quorum before proceeding through the agenda. Most measures were presented, heard, and then referred to suspense without committee votes. Several bills focused on tax credits or exclusions tied to housing and property. AB 1606 proposed a five-year tax credit for small businesses facing cleanup costs from illegal dumping and encampments; AB 1971 would clarify that home-hardening retrofits are not assessable for property tax purposes; AB 2394 would create a capital gains exclusion to encourage long-term homeowners to sell and downsize; AB 1714 would offer a credit for sellers who complete required repairs for CalHFA-assisted first-time buyers; and AB 2389 would extend the property tax exclusion for newly installed solar systems. Supporters generally framed these bills as targeted relief or affordability measures, while opponents raised concerns about revenue loss, policy effectiveness, or implementation. The committee also heard a series of agriculture-related bills. AB 2427 proposed a tax credit for qualified agricultural producers to offset labor, equipment, infrastructure, and production costs, and AB 2192 would extend the state’s farm equipment sales tax exemption to local sales taxes with a General Fund backfill for local governments. Supporters argued both measures would help preserve California agriculture, jobs, and food security amid rising costs and regulatory burdens; opponents questioned the need for the subsidies and the size of the fiscal impact. Both bills were referred to suspense. Other measures included AB 1611, which would end a tax break on capital gains from single-family home sales for large corporate investors to discourage investor competition with homebuyers; AB 2522, which would exempt over-the-counter medications from sales tax; AB 2444, which would add a state deduction for ScholarShare 529 contributions and align California law with federal Roth IRA rollover rules; and AB 1550, which would allow deductions for tips and overtime. Each drew support from sponsors and allied groups, while tax reform and local government representatives opposed several bills over revenue and policy concerns. All of these measures were also sent to the suspense file, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's crucial that local governments retain the ability to address the unique challenges and risks in
• As a result of these initiatives, infrastructure such as walls, roads, and surveillance systems have
• And again, the bill retains the district's existing powers and authorities and functions entirely within
• Okay, and this one was, okay, this one is the border wall.
• With the tax exemption for the property being used as taken for the wall, and I think—is it the ground

Bills: SB2784, HB23, HB247, HB1533, HB2011, HB2013, HB2273, HB2421, HB2464, HB3120, HB3424, HB3575, HB3788, HB4370, HB4809, HB5057, HB5084, HB5534, HB5668, HJR34, HB23, HB247, HJR34

Keywords: Somervell County, hospital district, board of directors, elections, local governance, staggered terms, third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure

Transcript Highlights:

• appeals process at the PUC tends to be a long and expensive procedure that requires both parties to retain
• If some of the ratepayers were to retain counsel and were to prevail, they would be able to request those
• exposure to rabies, as well as the other health hazards that accompany decomposing bodies inside a wall
• trapped inside; they won't simply stay put. ...and die; they will search for a way out and end up in the walls
• I mean, I've got an 18-inch wall around my facility.

Bills: SB1169, SB1285, SB1583, SB1611, SB1898, SB1976, SB2160, SB2161, SB2658, SB2661, SB2662, SB2692, SB1055, SB1359, SB2660

Keywords: water service, sewer service, public utility, joint operation, infrastructure, municipality, compliance, SB 1285, bats, bat protection, wildlife protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Parks and Wildlife Code Section 63.101, hunting bats, bat possession, bat sales, bat trade, pest control, licensed pest control professional, animal control officer

Transcript Highlights:

• the wall and walking toward an active shooter.
• How to retain and how to better support our men and women.
• You want to hire and retain at the same time.
• That's how you retain people.
• Learned on the spot that in these very same walls they had been betrayed.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they retain those fees, even if the student is not accepting it. They do.
• You said you're retaining about 75% of people in Texas. Is that the number you're retaining?
• Those efforts to retain Texans at Texas A&M System schools, much like other institutions in the state
• Of course, scholarship program programs also help retain talent in Texas for students from all income
• The Wall Street Journal named us the number one university in Texas based on criteria that emphasizes

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I enter this chamber, my gaze is always drawn to the portraits that adorned these walls.
• I think it's appropriate considering the that adorned these walls.
• First, the amendment retains the provisions of the Senate bill that authorizes clerks to retain the full
• First, the amendment retains the provisions of the Senate bill that authorizes clerks to retain the full
• First, the amendment retains the provisions of the Senate bill that authorizes clerks to retain the full

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate measures before final passage. The first major bill, health care patient protection, required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and readiness assessments; it passed 36-0. A public records bill protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim also passed after questions about access for victims of police misconduct, with a 33-4 vote. The Senate next approved a local government cybersecurity bill creating a state-administered program through Florida Digital Service to help counties and cities strengthen cyber defenses, with priority for rural and fiscally constrained governments; after amendments, it passed 37-0. A clerks of court bill allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and, through a House amendment, revising legal notice and traffic citation distribution provisions, passed 38-0 despite debate over impacts on municipalities and law enforcement. The chamber also passed a trademark modernization bill and a septic system permit bill intended to reduce delays for builders; the septic bill was amended to align the House and Senate versions and passed 38-0. The longest and most contested item was the elections bill, which updated citizenship verification procedures using REAL ID and state databases, changed candidate qualification rules, and altered election administration provisions. Numerous amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to exempt certain seniors, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, allow attestations in place of documentary proof of citizenship, and require human review over automated systems. One amendment to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, was also debated. The transcript ends while debate is still underway on the elections measure, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> on retainer than a full-time person. on retainer than a full-time person.
• </c><00:26:19.279><c> off</c> mine that um you kind of wall off mine that um you kind of wall off from
• to be able to retain and to add some additional ones.
• </c> So this is going to allow us to retain So this is going to allow us to retain certain<00:35:28.640
• </c> retain and to add some additional ones. retain and to add some additional ones.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the April 13 minutes and then turned to a large agenda of contracts. Chairman Douglas said there were 52 contracts totaling about $369.3 million, and noted that most vendors were registered with the Secretary of State except for item 118 on the routine personal services green list and item 19 involving Morehead State University and Kentucky State University. The committee voted to defer item 118 to the June 26 meeting and later also deferred the Kentucky State University contract on the deferred list to the June 26 meeting. The main discussion centered on a deferred personal services contract for the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners, involving outside legal counsel. Senator Meredith raised concerns about KRS 320 and whether the board had authority to hire outside counsel when the statute says the Attorney General shall provide legal services to the board. Dr. Mary Beth Morris, the board president, and Christopher Thacker of the Attorney General’s office testified after being sworn in. Thacker explained that the statute and related law allow both Attorney General assistance and independent counsel, and argued that outside counsel is appropriate for day-to-day legal work because it avoids conflicts, especially on open records issues, regulatory advice, and disciplinary hearings. Senator Meredith said he agreed with approving the contract but questioned how the board had reached this point and whether the current statutes reflect modern practice. He raised concerns about transparency and accountability, referencing a prior advisory opinion involving the board’s handling of exam requirements during COVID and saying the board should have consulted the Attorney General before acting. Thacker responded that the Attorney General’s office serves the Commonwealth as a whole, not as counsel to one board, and that the board’s use of outside counsel is a reasonable and economical arrangement. The exchange ended with Meredith suggesting that broader legislative action may be needed to clarify reporting relationships and oversight for the board.

Transcript Highlights:

• We retained a licensed home inspector to conduct a structural and mechanical inspection of the dwelling
• We retained a licensed home inspector to conduct a structural and mechanical inspection of the dwelling
• walls themselves, the foundation walls, and then typically the floor for the basement or the garage.
• Again, concrete is going to be used in footings, in some instances foundations and concrete walls.
• So we even had experts come in to patch walls and things like that, and they were like, 'Ah, no, it's

Bills: S3091, H5477

Keywords: crumbling concrete, pyrite, pyrrhotite, homeowner assistance, financial relief, CEDAC, construction, insurance surcharge, foundation repair, Massachusetts

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on two late-file matters, centered on S. 3091, a bill to create relief for homeowners affected by the crumbling concrete/pyrrhotite crisis. Senator Peter Durant presented the bill as a way to establish a crumbling concrete assistance fund, administered by CEDAC, to help replace failing foundations and reimburse homeowners who already paid out of pocket. He said the proposal follows recommendations from a state commission and would be funded by a $6 fee on homeowner/condo insurance policies and a $6-per-cubic-yard surcharge on concrete, with the goal of spreading costs broadly rather than placing them on homeowners alone. Several affected homeowners testified about severe financial and emotional harm, including expensive foundation replacements, lost equity, inability to sell or refinance, and long delays in getting help. Homeowners Karen Riani, Michelle Iglesi, Karen Bellotti, and Russell Dupierre described living with homes that became unsellable or unaffordable to repair, and urged the committee to move the bill forward. Committee members asked about inspection practices, whether pyrrhotite can be detected during home sales, whether the bill would ban pyrrhotite, and how much funding the program would need. Witnesses said the problem is broader than originally understood, affecting at least 52 municipalities, and that the only fix is full foundation replacement. They also said the bill includes training and education for inspectors, but does not ban pyrrhotite outright because the issue is now being addressed through quarry testing and material controls. Representatives of the concrete industry, including Craig Dauphinay, Karen Marshall, and Guy Glottis, said they support homeowner relief and the creation of a fund, but strongly opposed the concrete surcharge. They argued the industry has already taken significant steps, including supporting state testing and regulation of aggregate sources, and said the surcharge would unfairly assign blame, raise costs for residential, municipal, and infrastructure projects, and create cross-border competitiveness issues with neighboring states. They favored a Connecticut-style model funded primarily through insurance assessments, noting that Connecticut’s program has been successful and that Massachusetts could adopt a similar approach. No vote was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> machine these Scanning Machines retain machine these Scanning Machines retain any<00:52:04.040><
• /c><00:52:21.599><c> that</c> not even retaining that that trans that not even retaining that that trans
• Not retaining information is paramount. We understand that.
• </c><01:23:23.960><c> information</c> not retaining information not retaining information is<01:23:25.800
• It doesn't retain information at all.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 242, a liquor bill concerning brew pub licenses. Testimony from the New Hampshire Beer Distributors Association, the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, and the Liquor Commission explained that the bill is intended to correct a clerical error from the prior session and restore the agreed-upon language. The bill would allow a brew pub, within the existing 2,500-barrel limit, to self-distribute its own product to one authorized on- or off-premise license; otherwise it must use wholesale distribution. Witnesses said the measure is a narrow fix specific to brew pubs and does not affect other manufacturing licenses. No opposition was raised during the hearing, and the chair closed the hearing after no committee questions remained. The committee then heard House Bill 81, which would allow patrons to take purchased alcoholic beverages into restaurant restrooms. The sponsor argued the current prohibition is outdated and can create safety risks by forcing people to set drinks down, citing concerns about drink tampering and a personal story about a friend who was drugged and assaulted after leaving a drink unattended. Committee members and the sponsor discussed whether the bill would increase liability for restaurants, how enforcement would work, and whether the current law is aimed at preventing underage handoffs or drink spiking. The sponsor said the bill would be permissive for establishments, not mandatory, and that liability would still depend on overservice and Liquor Commission investigations. The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association testified in opposition, saying the bill could raise liability and create concerns about underage consumption in bathrooms. The hearing ended without a vote, with the chair noting the bill would move on to further committee/subcommittee consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:19:46.800><c> and</c><01:19:47.040><c> recorded</c> disclosure must be retained and recorded
• disclosure must be retained and recorded in<01:19:47.679><c> the</c><01:19:47.840><c> meeting</c><01:
• It does say wherever the disclosure is made, the written record must be retained and recorded in the
• </c> So, Mr. president the the walls So, Mr. president the the walls administration<02:56:37.600><c>
• </c><04:43:05.200><c> full</c> regulatory oversight role retains full regulatory oversight role retains

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wall, I've got a couple.
• Wall. Wall. &gt;&gt; All right,<03:39:58.000><c> Mr.</c><03:39:58.399><c> Wall.
• Wall. &gt;&gt; All right, Mr. Wall. &gt;&gt; Hi<03:39:59.520><c> there.
• </c><03:42:05.200><c> Wall?</c> there any questions for Mr. Wall? there any questions for Mr. Wall?
• Wall, I've got a couple. Uh, first &gt;&gt; Mr. Wall, I've got a couple.

Keywords: 916, all