Transcript Highlights:

• The small businesses will feel the repercussions of a bill like this.
• The small businesses will feel the base.
• the very tools that help your small the very tools that help your small businesses<00:31:33.679>
• It's a small step towards a fair way for them to give back some of what they take.
• It's a small step toward a fair way for them to give back some of what they take.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• daycare providers some of them um small daycare providers some of them um small facility<00:24:30.960
• <00:29:37.919> a<00:29:38.039> small trafficking it's a small a small trafficking it's
• a small a small component<00:29:39.240> however<00:29:39.559> as<00:29:39.679> we've
• out we shouldn't bankrupt small out we shouldn't bankrupt small businesses<01:07:01.799> and<
• recognizes the challenges small recognizes the challenges small providers<01:14:59.600> face<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It is also the home of so many small businesses, and the Queens Chamber of Commerce represents many of
• In fact, most of the money that is generated economically is done by small business owners.
• It is also the home of so many small businesses, and the Queens Chamber of Commerce represents many of
• In fact, most of the money that is generated economically is done by small business owners.
• QUEENS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on May 4, 2026, approved the prior journal, and then took up a series of resolutions and floor bills. The chamber first adopted a resolution honoring Carlos Beltran on his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with several senators praising his Mets career, athletic achievements, and philanthropy in Puerto Rico. The Senate also adopted resolutions recognizing the 2026 Women of Distinction, including tributes to living honorees and posthumous recognition of Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Dr. Hazel Dukes, and later adopted resolutions commemorating May Day and Panama’s Black Heritage Month. A Queens Chamber of Commerce resolution also prompted extensive remarks celebrating Queens’ diversity, small businesses, immigrant communities, and cultural institutions. On legislation, the Senate recalled two bills from the Assembly and restored them to the third reading calendar by a 62-0 reconsideration vote. The chamber then passed a long list of bills, including measures affecting public health, agriculture and markets, insurance, criminal procedure, public officers, labor, not-for-profit corporations, and executive law. Several bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously, while a few drew recorded opposition, including the environmental conservation bill on animal cruelty and the public health bill on Calendar 840. Supportive floor explanations emphasized animal welfare, protections for abandoned pets, and other public-interest reforms. The Senate also heard brief explanatory remarks on some bills, such as concerns about animals left behind in vacated housing and the treatment of wild animals in traveling circuses. After completing the calendar, the Senate reported no further business and adjourned until Wednesday, May 6, at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• CSBG helps those critical personnel and helps maintain support in small community offices in places like
• My family—I grew up on a small reservation in Loleta, the Table Bluff Reservation.
• Yet even this small allocation of CSBG resources to a small tribe can often provide critical, locally
• We're a very small staff.
• But one small, simple action on your part is all that is needed to ensure that this will no longer be

Summary: The Senate and Assembly Human Services Committees held a special oversight hearing on California’s 2026-27 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan, a federal anti-poverty funding stream. Committee members opened by citing statewide poverty and homelessness data and said the hearing was meant to review how CSBG dollars are used, how local agencies respond to community needs, and how the state is preparing for possible federal funding cuts. Jason Wimbley of the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) explained that California’s CSBG network works through 60 organizations in 58 counties, serving about 1.5 million low-income Californians in 2023, and that the state received $68.4 million in federal CSBG funds in fiscal year 2025. He described the program as flexible funding used for housing, employment, education, food, health, transportation, and emergency response, and noted that the federal administration had proposed eliminating CSBG, though the Senate Appropriations Committee had voted to fully fund it for the coming year. Representatives from the California Community Action Partnership Association and several CSBG-funded agencies described how the program supports local anti-poverty work and leverages other funding. CalCAPA emphasized local flexibility, workforce development, partnerships, and data systems such as ROMA, while also warning that agencies are preparing for possible reductions by tightening budgets, planning staffing contingencies, and seeking private foundation support. Agency witnesses from Contra Costa County, Northern California Indian Development Council, Proteus, and Sacred Heart Community Service described services including housing assistance, food distribution, utility help, employment training, youth programs, and culturally specific services for Native communities and migrant farmworkers. They repeatedly said CSBG is essential because it funds staffing and infrastructure that allow them to braid other grants and serve people who do not qualify for standard safety-net programs. Members also asked about the impact of federal staffing changes and the Los Angeles fires. Wimbley said federal layoffs had affected some CSD programs but not CSBG administration, and that the department coordinated disaster response with state agencies and used CSBG-funded supply distribution, food, water, clothing, and documentation support during the fires. Witnesses said they were preparing for possible future cuts by diversifying funding, reducing expenses, and considering service changes, while county officials warned that state and federal reductions could not be backfilled locally. During public comment, one speaker urged stronger oversight of community action agencies and raised concerns about transparency and compliance with state law. The chair then thanked the witnesses, emphasized the importance of CSBG for low-income seniors, youth, and people with disabilities, and adjourned the hearing without any votes or formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A BALANCE ON REGULATIONS SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS AND CONSUMER CHOICE.
• LASTLY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT COME FROM A FAMILY OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
• I DEEPLY UNDERSTAND AND EMPATHIZE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES.
• BECAUSE I RUN ONE MYSELF AND I COME FROM A FAMILY OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
• IT IS QUITE LITERALLY MY JOB AS A SMALL BUSINESS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• do small animal in an urban setting. do small animal in an urban setting.
• Um, I for small business people. one.
• <02:16:57.200> animal a successful large and small animal a successful large and small animal
• have. uh because there are some small have. uh because there are some small divisions<03:05:12.560
• There's they're in small subdivisions.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just know of some small...
• because we are a very small rural school.
• Now, we at Drake Anamoose High School are a small school.
• Small issues are caught early so they don't turn into big problems.
• In a small rural school, that consistency matters.

Summary: The committee met to hear presentations on dual credit programs from North Dakota higher education leaders, a school superintendent, and teachers. Valley City State University described its dual credit model, emphasizing quality control through annual teacher training, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty qualification review, school visits, and pathways aimed at the College Studies Certificate. Members asked about teacher employment, course scheduling, revenue, scholarships, and whether a centralized model might improve efficiency; VCSU said most instructors are K-12 employees, online offerings are still small, and centralization could weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College similarly stressed access and partnerships, noting about half of its headcount is still in high school, with both online and face-to-face dual credit options, district reimbursement arrangements, and support for rural schools. Lake Region also said dual credit helps students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound, but reduced tuition can still be a barrier for some families. Fargo Public Schools reported continued growth in dual credit, with 50 courses offered in partnership with several NDUS institutions and a 12.61% increase in participation. The superintendent highlighted a growing education pathway, including students completing Introduction to Education and field experience, and said the district is exploring a grow-your-own teacher pipeline. He also raised concerns about inconsistent institutional processes, teacher credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity, arguing for more aligned statewide systems. In response to questions, he said AP and dual credit can coexist, with AP often better for highly selective out-of-state colleges and dual credit better for students targeting North Dakota institutions, and he described some use of Arizona State online courses in earlier rural partnerships but said Fargo is focused on local institutions. Two teachers then testified on the classroom perspective. A West Fargo anatomy and physiology teacher said dual credit has expanded access, lowered costs, and prepared students well, but agreed that foundational science courses may be more effective when taken later in high school to reduce knowledge loss before college. A Drake-Anamoose English teacher, who has taught dual credit for more than 20 years, said the program has supported many students who went on to a wide range of careers and emphasized that small rural schools rely on dual credit to provide opportunities they otherwise could not offer. No formal votes or actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the third is a very small issue.
• <00:34:19.480> Large small and medium format batteries.
• Large small and medium format batteries.
• but increasingly for small employers and their<01:15:20.680> employees.
• It has saved our farmers and our small business owners over the years.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:29.080> businesses schools healthc care small businesses schools healthc care small
• <00:04:49.000> businesses hundreds of Minnesota small businesses hundreds of Minnesota small
• We're a small company that actually does the work that you all are talking about.
• In small companies, everybody jumps in and works.
• > who small businesses small contractors who small businesses small contractors who want<01:15

Bills: HF47, HF335

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF335, Greater Minnesota, economic development, public infrastructure, grant program, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, business development, infrastructure grants, local government aid, general fund appropriation, rural development, site development, utilities, roads

Transcript Highlights:

• This again is a small state.
• <00:32:58.279> state know New Hampshire's is a small state know New Hampshire's is a small
• claimants this again this is a small claimants this again this is a small state<00:33:19.080>
• So these are just small changes to the law.
• group of people or only expects small group of people or only expects the<01:31:12.760> small

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 733-FN, a bill on third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors financing lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, and contributes to litigation abuse, higher insurance costs, and what he called a “tort tax.” He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with specific references to foreign-entity restrictions, consumer-protection guardrails, and reporting requirements. He also noted a few technical fixes to the draft, including adding the word “knowingly” and restoring a section that had been omitted. Committee members questioned how the bill’s foreign-entity language would work, including whether a governor or the Department of Safety would designate countries of concern, and whether the bill would bar foreign parties from using litigation funding. Cole and others clarified that the bill was intended as a reporting measure, not a ban on litigation funding itself, and that the goal was to disclose who is funding lawsuits and to what extent. Representative Sal asked whether the bill would prevent a litigant from getting outside financing; Cole answered no, emphasizing disclosure rather than prohibition. Brandon Grat of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau testified that the bill’s enforcement provisions were too limited. He said the draft appears to give the Attorney General only a civil-penalty remedy, likely too small to deter violations, and not the broader Consumer Protection Act tools such as injunctions, restitution, or investigation authority. He also raised concerns about whether the Attorney General or Insurance Department would have proper jurisdiction, given that the product may be financial or insurance-related. Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the department sees possible benefits from transparency because disclosure of litigation funding could help insurers assess risk, improve underwriting, and potentially ease hard-market pressures, especially for nonprofits and child care providers. He also said the bill’s language likely needs further work to clarify agency authority and suggested involving the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and banking regulators. Opposition testimony came from the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association. Marissa Chase and Samantha Hering argued the bill is one-sided because it requires disclosure only on the plaintiff side and not from defendants or insurers. They said New Hampshire already has court rules and discovery procedures that cover relevant disclosures, making the bill unnecessary, and questioned whether the existence of a funding contract is even relevant in litigation. The hearing ended with the committee continuing to discuss possible revisions and enforcement options, but no vote or final action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'm here again this year, and I'm advocating for the small producers in the state.
• My name is Andrea Anderson, and I am a former and small business owner in Livingston Parish.
• HB 930 follows all the small business exemption requirements except for the threshold.
• generate small business growth and more tax revenue for our state.
• I'm a small business owner myself. I know it's a good question. That's why I ask it.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 13 and approved the minutes from the prior week before taking up a series of House bills, many of them with testimony from sponsors, agency officials, and stakeholders. Early action included HB 971, which would direct LDH to equalize Medicaid reimbursement rates between independent rural health clinics and hospital-owned rural health clinics; the sponsor described a significant payment disparity and the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also deferred HB 1030 and HB 796 until the following week before moving to other items on the agenda. Several bills dealing with Medicaid and provider regulation were advanced. HB 414, as amended, closes a loophole so health care providers cannot hire unlicensed workers with certain serious out-of-state convictions; amendments addressed effective dates, FBI background-check issues for therapeutic group homes, and delays for direct support professional applicants caused by minor record issues. HB 740, as amended, creates an independent review process for Medicaid claims disputes in the coordinated system of care for behavioral health providers, with amendments clarifying applicability dates and program definitions. HB 786, which prohibits extrapolation in managed care claims recoupments and requires recovery to be based on actual overpayments or underpayments, was also reported favorably. HB 915 set timelines and accountability standards for prior authorization and utilization management in Medicaid managed care and was reported favorably after testimony about delays in care. The committee also heard and passed several bills affecting health professions and facilities. HB 405 simply updates the name of the national acupuncture certification body. HB 1095 allows nursing homes to use alternative power sources while keeping existing generator and fuel requirements. HB 557 defines long-term care pharmacies for policy purposes. HB 779 authorizes expedited partner therapy prescriptions for certain sexually transmitted diseases. HB 933 creates an optional commemorative birth certificate, with part of the fee going to the Office of Women’s Health. HB 796, carried by another representative for the author, establishes a chiropractic preceptorship program with on-site supervision requirements and was reported favorably after questions about student training and patient safety. The committee also heard emotionally charged testimony on HB 288, which would place the term “miscarriage” alongside “spontaneous abortion” in medical documentation and patient communication. Several witnesses described the distress caused by current coding language, and supporters said the change would make records more compassionate and understandable; the bill was reported favorably. HB 403 increased the cottage food gross-sales cap, and after testimony from small producers and the committee’s discussion of other states’ higher limits, an amendment raised the cap to $150,000 before the bill was reported favorably. HB 930 modernizes cosmetic-product regulation and creates a small home-based producer exemption under a wholesale-sales threshold; it was also reported favorably. Finally, HB 1041, a no-mandate bill restricting discrimination based on medical intervention status, prompted extended debate over exemptions for schools, hospitals, and other entities, with one amendment failing on a roll-call vote and the discussion continuing over the scope of the bill and federal funding concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• We put, you know, guardrails around a small business, so a small business was sold to a family member
• Clayman, what is it for small business farms now? Mr.
• It's a small percentage, but we don't have the number right now.
• It's a small percentage, but we don't have the number right now.
• Davids I am your small Davids I am your small farmer<00:25:38.200> and<00:25:38.520> I

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We agree that, um, helping 3,500 small business because it would help small businesses. positioned itself
• for your accountant and pay the small for your accountant and pay the small amount<00:16:48.639>
• We agree that um helping 3,500 small We agree that um helping 3,500 small business<00:18:46.960>
• business because it would help small business because it would help small businesses.<00:18:49.039
• : Helping 3,500 small businesses.

Keywords: 9:00am HB 155 9:30am HB 1102 10:30am HB 1109 11:00am HB 1356 11:30am HB 1469 1:00pm HB 1323 2:00pm HB 1376, 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with unanimous committee approval of amendment 2026-2021S to HB 2. Senator Lang explained the amendment corrected a drafting error so that $2.5 million in state funds, matched with federal money for a total of $5 million, could be spent during the biennium rather than lapse at the end of the fiscal year. The money is intended to stabilize Medicaid per diem rates for county nursing homes, and members agreed without objection to adopt the amendment and continue working from the bill as amended by the Senate. The committee then discussed HB 155 and a proposed amendment, 2026-201H, dealing with the business enterprise tax. The House side described the proposal as a compromise that would raise the filing threshold from $250,000 to $375,000 and create a trigger that would reduce the BET rate by 0.05% for each $100 million in combined business tax surplus, down to a floor of 0.25%. Senate members opposed lowering the rate at this time, arguing that tax relief should focus on the filing threshold, which they said would remove filing burdens for about 3,500 small businesses, and that rate cuts should be considered in a budget cycle rather than an off-year. Concerns were raised that one-time revenues, such as tax amnesty receipts or federal repatriation-related surpluses, could unintentionally trigger reductions. Representative Sweeney later offered a revised approach by moving the effective date of the trigger mechanism to January 1, 2028, and said he was also willing to carve out tax amnesty revenues or adjust the effective date to avoid using one-time funds. The Senate remained unwilling to agree to a rate reduction, though it expressed openness to raising the filing threshold further. The committee ultimately did not resolve the business tax issue and recessed to continue discussions at a later time. The final item discussed was HB 1102, concerning an increase in the research and development tax credit paired with changes to state park fees. House members supported the R&D credit increase but opposed tying it to higher park fees, citing concerns about tourism, especially at border parks, and noting that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had said it did not need the increase. Senate members defended the park fee changes as a fairness issue, arguing that New Hampshire residents should pay less than out-of-state visitors and that the department had not raised rates in many years. No vote was taken on this item during the discussion captured here.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have a small scholarship program.
• He said that can be pretty small.
• the Agra funds especially for a small the Agra funds especially for a small Fair<01:30:31.719>
• 2025 um as you know uh businesses small 2025 um as you know uh businesses small and<01:36:30.600
• <01:37:11.360> growing individuals for example a small growing individuals for example a small

Bills: HF711, HF653

Keywords: agriculture, agricultural education, leadership development, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council, MAELC, chapter 41D, grant funding, general fund appropriation, commissioner of agriculture, farm education, youth agriculture programs, ag literacy, workforce development, extension education, research funding, extension services, technology transfer, grant programs, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• federal government we have a small federal government we have a small amount<01:38:47.880> of
• of these are 100% funded and so small of these are 100% funded and so small that<01:45:43.000>
• small number but it's it's expensive for small number but it's it's expensive for those<02:54:44.319>
• so you know that this is a very small so you know that this is a very small amount<02:59:33.920>
• your budget book but we have a a small your budget book but we have a a small amount<03:21:41.800

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 and can take 4 to 6 months to complete, making the disposition of small
• I have a small list of things that this bill does not do for the record.
• We have over 200 small landlords primarily in New Castle County.
• support this bill, but the primary concern we have with this is that it seems to put the burden on small
• burden on small landlords just trying to stay in business.

Summary: The Senate Land Use Committee met in hybrid format but did not have a quorum, so it did not approve minutes or take formal votes. The committee first heard House Bill 457, which would raise the appraisal threshold for certain DELDOT real property dispositions from $10,000 to $25,000 to match federal highway standards and reduce the time and cost of selling small surplus properties. There was little discussion and no public comment on that bill, and the chair indicated it would be circulated. The committee then took up House Bill 451, which would codify a disparate impact framework under Delaware’s Fair Housing Act. The bill was described as clarifying that housing policies or practices can violate the law even without discriminatory intent if they have an unjustified discriminatory effect on a protected class, using a burden-shifting test similar to federal law. The sponsor and DHSA said the measure was intended to preserve fair housing protections amid uncertainty at the federal level, and an additional amendment was discussed that would delay implementation for 180 days and require DHSR, with DSA and stakeholders, to conduct outreach, education, and training. Public testimony was divided. Supporters, including Housing Alliance Delaware, YWCA Delaware, and the Delaware Human and Civil Rights Commission, said the bill would protect against discriminatory outcomes, align state law with longstanding fair housing principles, and preserve recourse if federal enforcement changes. Opponents and housing-provider groups, including the Delaware Association of Realtors, Greater Wilmington Housing Providers, and the Delaware Apartment Association, argued the bill could create liability for neutral policies, rely on statistical outcomes landlords cannot easily measure, and increase litigation and costs; several asked for more time, a right-to-cure process, or further amendments. The committee adjourned without taking a formal vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in exchange, those campaigns for small-dollar donations from Cambridge residents could get a $10
• In New England, Connecticut has a democracy fund where small-dollar donations, candidate donations, are
• New York City small-dollar donations from New York City residents are matched 8 to 1.
• With local elections still held in April, in fact, a very small percentage of Canton voters participate
• . ...still held in April, in fact, a very small percentage of Canton voters participate, 17% to 24%.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House and Senate Election Laws committees held a hearing focused on campaign finance and several local election-related bills. Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell testified in support of H. 848 and S. 515, saying the campaign finance law needs modernization and highlighting proposals for stronger Super PAC disclosure, more timely reporting, improved security for campaign participants, and other reforms. He said the bills would help update a 50-year-old system to reflect legal, economic, and cultural changes. A major portion of the hearing concerned H. 868/S. 507, which would require earlier and more frequent reporting by ballot question committees. Witnesses from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and others argued that ballot campaigns now involve tens of millions of dollars, much of it raised during periods with no real-time disclosure, and that moving these committees into the depository system would improve transparency without burdening grassroots signature-gathering. The committee also heard support for H. 811 and H. 812, which would allow municipalities to create citizen-funded election programs and require identifying information on political text messages, as well as S. 525/H. 875, which would bar political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. The committee also heard testimony on S. 2605, a Canton home rule petition to move town elections from April to November. Canton residents, a select board member, and a poll worker said the change would increase turnout, better align local elections with the November voting cycle, and give newly elected officials more time to prepare for town meeting. Senator Rausch also testified in support of S. 530, requiring presidential primary candidates to disclose recent tax returns. The hearing ended with no votes taken and the committee adjourning, with a note that the next hearing was tentatively scheduled for January 13.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, he is actually the head of our water and maintenance department in our little small town of Pots
• working, doing things, whether it be on water or just anything and everything that keeps a little small
• <00:03:29.840> Um<00:03:31.040> known<00:03:31.280> as small town of Pots Camp
• Um known as small town of Pots Camp.
• <00:03:47.200> Um a little small town going. Um a little small town going.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 24 March, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee considered several suffrage-restoration bills and two nominations. Senate Bill 3394 for Jerene Cummings was explained by Senator Turner Ford, who said Cummings was convicted of false pretense in 1997, has had no further trouble for nearly 30 years, and MDLC records showed no later encounters; the committee approved it. Senate Bill 3400 for Dennis Hopkins was presented by Senator Why, who described Hopkins as a long-time productive community member and church volunteer; it was also approved. Senate Bill 3402 for Cordiero Martin was reviewed in Senator Carter’s absence, with members noting his 2014 felony shoplifting conviction, later controlled-substance conviction while incarcerated, completion of sentence terms, and law-abiding conduct since release; it passed. Bills 3403 and 3404 for Teddy Null and Denise Null were presented by Senator Parks, who said both had completed their sentences, were discharged in 2017 and 2018, and operate a successful business; both were approved together. Senate Bill 3395 for Melvin Jackson and Senate Bill 3396 for Lawrence Daniels were also considered and approved after staff reviewed MDOC/NCIC materials and noted completion of sentence requirements and no outstanding issues. During the discussion of the Jackson and Daniels matters, committee staff noted that MDOC background packets and time sheets had been received, and one member raised a concern about unusual immigration-related entries and aliases appearing on the NCIC sheet associated with the Hopkins file. Staff clarified that the name on the sheet appeared to be different and suggested asking MDOC for clarification or having DPS run a report before the matter reached the floor, to ensure it was not the same person. The committee then moved on without taking further action on that issue during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, the committee considered two confirmations to the Crimestoppers Advisory Council. It recommended advising and consenting to the reappointment of Colonel William R. Bill Allen Jr. of Tupelo for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2025, and to the reappointment of David Jonathan Clayton of Petal to the Polygraph Examiner’s Board for a six-year term beginning October 7, 2025. Both nominations were approved by voice vote. The meeting concluded with a motion to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the small regulatory law where there can charge a fee for a non-recording of insurance in lieu
• This is the small<00:03:51.680> regulatory<00:03:52.159> law<00:03:52.799> uh<00
• :03:52.959> where<00:03:53.200> there<00:03:53.440> can small regulatory law uh
• where there can small regulatory law uh where there can charge<00:03:54.000> a<00:03:54.319>
• lender and there's a from a small lender and there's a process<00:04:10.879> of<00:04:11.200>

Keywords: Finance - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 10:30 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first considered a committee substitute that would allow on-premises retail or permit holders to let patrons bring wine onto licensed premises for consumption with a meal, if a corkage fee is charged, while continuing to prohibit outside alcoholic beverages other than wine. The substitute also changed wine shipment reporting from quarterly to semiannual for total wine sold and shipped into or within the state, and included a reverse repealer. The motion to report the bill out as amended passed. House Bill 671 was then explained as clarifying when a package retailer’s responsibility ends in alcohol deliveries: the retailer’s duty is satisfied once it transfers possession to a delivery service permit holder or delivery driver, with additional language allocating responsibility between the permit holder, driver, and delivery entity. The committee also heard House Bill 750, which extends the repealer date for a SMART Act tax credit for companies partnering with research institutions to 2029, and House Bill 1219, which allows a fee for non-recording of insurance in lieu of the usual filing process, capped at the actual filing fee so borrowers are not charged more. House Bill 1385, requested by the Department of Revenue, was described as cleanup language reflecting that most applications are electronic and reducing references from quadruple to triplicate; the committee adopted an amendment deleting the words “applications for” on lines 442-443 after a question from Senator Simmons. House Bill 1620 created the Bayou Casad industrial zone in Jackson County and barred annexation of land within that industrial zone. House Bill 1633 expanded site development grants to include energy sources such as electricity and gas serving an industrial site, and the committee adopted a cleanup amendment changing a statutory reference to Chapter 503, Laws of 2025. Finally, House Bill 1761, the Native Winery bill, was taken up with a strike-all amendment replacing the House bill with Senate Bill 2915. The sponsor explained that the House version only extended repealer dates to 2029, while the Senate version also eliminated some repealers and allowed native wineries to have tasting rooms in certain economic projects. The strike-all amendment and the bill as amended were adopted, and the committee then voted to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee, my name is Dan Baker, and I do run a very small solar consulting
• credit, and will be our number one way to continue selling and installing solar to individuals and small
• community, we support Senate Bill 55, New Mexico Solar Tax Credit, because it is Fundamentally, a small
• The Governor said that the amounts listed were too small, so the next year we bumped it up.
• You know, you look at the affordability factor, you look at the small business aspect of this, and making

Bills: SB101, SB58, SB55

Keywords: SB 101, Health Care Delivery and Access Act, repeal of repeal, sunset repeal, delayed repeal, health care, healthcare, access to care, medical services, provider regulation, state health law, New Mexico, SB58, metropolitan redevelopment, redevelopment property, property tax exemption, payments in lieu of taxes, PILOT, municipal redevelopment, local government