Transcript Highlights:

• A phased site improvement program is...
• A phased site improvement program is required to restore safe, functional, and durable parking infrastructure
• And then I'll just speak a moment to the programs that we're looking to either improve upon in terms
• We improve quality of life.
• program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing reconvened with testimony from several agencies on their capital budget requests. The Department of Environmental Services requested a little over $38 million, with major emphasis on dam repairs and design work for aging state-owned dams, including a $5.25 million match for possible FEMA BRIC funding at Pawtuckaway/Tuckaway and other projects such as Milton Three Ponds, Murphy Dam, and Lakeport Gates. DES also requested funding for state revolving loan fund matches, a Superfund match for the Savage Well site, IT and air-monitoring upgrades, and a new $750,000 cybersecurity request for water and wastewater systems. Committee members asked about FEMA eligibility, the distinction between design and construction money, and the timing and risk of banking funds if federal grants do not materialize. The University System of New Hampshire requested $20 million in state support, primarily $15 million for a major Diamond Library renovation at UNH to create a student support hub and reduce/repurpose collection space, plus $2.5 million each for deferred maintenance at Plymouth State and Keene State. The Community College System requested about $16.6 million across seven projects, led by critical maintenance, campus safety/security upgrades, IT infrastructure, parking and site improvements, HVAC replacement at White Mountains Community College in Littleton, a building management/energy system, and modernization of NHTI’s dental clinic and radiology spaces. The Department of Education requested $29.5 million, including a $4.9 million internal management platform to replace paper-based and siloed systems, plus career and technical education capital projects; Milford’s CTE project was described as being revised after repeated failed bond votes, while ConVal said its revised project would focus on modernizing existing CTE space and adding a security vestibule. Fish and Game requested $1.075 million for three facilities: Sewall Falls in Concord, the Lancaster Armory, and the Bunker Lane Barn in Durham, focusing on structural repairs, security, reconfiguration, and in one case replacement of a failing barn with a new 40-by-60 building. The department also said hatchery work is ongoing but that it is taking a cautious approach because of the planned New Hampton Hatchery and future capital needs. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources requested $9.26 million for eight projects, including campground electrical upgrades at Ellacoya and Lake Francis, White Lake water system replacement, Mount Washington fuel tank and safety work, Odiorne Point visitor center work funded through parks revenue, roofing and parking lot repairs, Fox Forest office safety upgrades, and historic site repairs at White Island and Fort Constitution. Members asked about revenue-based capital, the stability of the parks fund, and flexibility in choosing projects as bids come in. The Department of Transportation began its presentation at the end of the transcript, but its detailed requests were not yet discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• John has Laden, no stranger to the transportation committee. Welcome.
• Laden no stranger to the transportation Laden no stranger to the transportation committee<00:02:
• to fund truck driver training program to fund truck driver training and<00:04:09.840> living<
• Transportation, to get there, so thank you for the bill.
• Transportation, to get there, so thank you for the bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation.
• How does that program work?
• Within the statewide Medicaid managed care program, we refer to it as the SMMC program.
• And again, as you can see, there's HEDIS measures or supplemental funding programs, performance improvement
• that program.

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met to discuss maternal and infant health, beginning with a presentation from New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MiHA). Pamela Taylor described New Jersey’s statewide effort to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities through the Nurture New Jersey campaign, a strategic plan with more than 80 recommendations, universal home visiting, Medicaid-covered doula care, hospital report cards, limits on non-medically indicated early elective C-sections, and a new maternal and infant health innovation center. Senators asked about doula certification, funding, home visiting, and how New Jersey coordinates across agencies; Taylor said the authority uses quarterly stakeholder meetings, annual summits, and a tracker for recommendations, and that community input helped shape its programs. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer then outlined Florida Medicaid’s maternal coverage and managed care structure. He reviewed eligibility and services for pregnant women, labor and delivery, postpartum coverage, newborn coverage, and family planning, noting 12 months of postpartum coverage, expanded benefits in managed care plans, and new contracts launching February 1 with more maternal-health-focused benefits, quality measures, and a new quality withhold incentive structure. Senators questioned doula certification and duplication with Healthy Start, provider access and network adequacy, kick payments, quality reporting, and whether Florida should consider broader eligibility standards; Meyer said many details are still plan-driven, that quality metrics are public, and that the agency is working on maternal-health work groups and incentives. Department of Health Division Director Shea Holloway followed with an overview of Florida’s maternal and child health programs and data. She cited Florida CHARTS data showing pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal morbidity, and infant mortality trends, and described the Title V block grant, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the electronic prenatal risk screen, Healthy Babies, BH Impact for perinatal mental health, Healthy Start, WIC, family planning, telehealth maternity care, and the Pregnancy Care Network. Senators asked about delays in mortality review reporting, preterm birth, substance use disorder in pregnancy, WIC participation, cesarean rates, and the impact of the abortion ban; Holloway said the department is continuing to monitor outcomes, expand screening and telehealth, and use data and hospital partnerships to improve care. The committee then adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• . program.
• Through that program, which gets at the heart of attempting to improve air quality in the hardest-hit
• Program.
• The program provides targeted support for districts... proportionally impacted commutes in terms of improving
• the program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program, as well as the active transportation program, and then several cleanups in statute to help
• program, as well as the active transportation program, and then several cleanups in statute to help
• program, as well as the active transportation program, and then several cleanups in statute to help
• or a pilot program.
• So, this program or a pilot program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've gone to a three-tier system, us in-house, and with our partnership, we've improved the transportation
• For dollars for programs such as CTE.
• But, you know, after 12 years of working at central office, overseeing federal programs, bilingual programs
• It's not a half-time program. It's a 6-hour program, and we're not getting funded for that.
• I need to continue with the programs I'm working with for my students, and we have great programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I know how important that is to TSU, your planes and your program, your aviation program.
• We support wildlife services through water conservation programs. programs.
• So, if a program exists, we don't offer it, or if we can enhance the programs that do exist in the area
• We'll continue to grow graduate programs, we'll continue to grow online programs, and we'll continue
• You can see all of the programs that we have added: 21 new academic programs since the 88th session,

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• Program.
• program.
• program and our transportation plan.
• When we look at our unified transportation program, when we say we've got 104 million billion dollar

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we improved, or you all improved, the Earned Income Tax Credit, we increased it from 30 to 40 percent
• We make too much to qualify for programs.
• PA program, the only public PA program in the Commonwealth.
• This program changes lives; it changed mine, and every student who went through the program will tell
• This program changes lives, it changed mine, and every student who went through the program will tell

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing focused largely on tax-credit proposals tied to children, families, caregivers, child care, health care workforce development, and public health. A major portion of the hearing concerned bills to expand the state earned income tax credit and child and family tax credit, including H. 3073/S. 1957 and S. 1975. Testimony from advocacy groups, legal services, tax assistance organizations, and health providers supported increasing the EITC match from 40% to 50% of the federal credit, expanding eligibility to immigrant and mixed-status ITIN filers, larger families, younger and older workers, and SSI recipients, and raising the child and family tax credit to $600 per child with inflation adjustments and possible advance payments. Witnesses said these changes would reduce poverty, improve health and educational outcomes, and help families meet basic expenses; committee members asked questions about ITIN filers and expressed support for the policy goals. The committee also heard extensive testimony on S. 1938/H. 3159, An Act Supporting Family Caregivers. Speakers described the scale of unpaid caregiving in Massachusetts and supported a package that would create a refundable tax credit, respite vouchers, workplace and housing protections, unemployment insurance access for those who leave work to care for relatives, a permanent advisory council, and a provision allowing spouses to be paid caregivers under MassHealth. Several witnesses shared personal caregiving experiences, and committee members responded favorably, noting the emotional and financial strain on caregivers and the importance of supporting them as Medicaid and long-term care systems face pressure. Additional bills discussed included H. 3174 on a child and dependent care tax credit, which was presented as a way to offset the high cost of child care; H. 3197/S. 2019 to improve the financial security of family child care providers through a tax credit; H. 3218/S. 1960 to create tax credits for health care preceptors to address workforce shortages; S. 2064 to establish a living organ donor tax credit; S. 2034 to promote healthy alternatives to sugary drinks through a tiered tax; H. 3015 to create a tax-return checkoff for the YMCA Youth and Government Program; and several public testimony ideas including vaccination, literacy, and grade-improvement tax credits. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing, which ended after all testimony was heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• adult basic education programs.
• expand access to programming.
• Extra transportation costs required to allow a child to participate in programming events such as field
• There is no public transportation, and many of our families lack their own transportation.
• Many of them face challenges beyond the school day. programs these programs have allowed him programs

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• scales between education and transportation.
• Of the $1.3 billion in this bill, $716 million, or 54%, will be dedicated toward transportation needs
• Other areas of transportation funding include $80 million for supplemental Chapter 98 to ensure every
• so both the state and municipalities can better meet the funding goals of this worthy program.
• By further improving our education, By further improving our educational and transportation sectors,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House first adopted several noncontroversial resolutions, including congratulations to the Rotary Club of Watertown for its 100 years of service and to Mystic Valley Elder Services on its 50th anniversary. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 to advance a petition establishing a sick leave bank for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation employee, James Caruso, sending that matter to the Committee on Public Service. The chamber then recessed and later confirmed a quorum after a roll call was called and withdrawn. The main substantive item was House Bill 4227, the final conference committee report on supplemental FY2025 appropriations using FY2024 fair share surtax surplus funds. Members heard that the bill would spend about $1.38 billion, with roughly $716 million for transportation and $593 million for education. Transportation funding included support for the MBTA, regional transit authorities, Chapter 98, and municipal bridges and culverts; education funding included special education circuit breaker reimbursements, higher education deferred maintenance, vocational school capital, early education supports, endowment matches, and Green School Works. The House accepted the conference report by a roll call vote of 146-3, then passed the bill to be engrossed and later enacted it by a roll call vote of 148-4. The House also advanced House No. 422, establishing a sick leave bank for Esther Adafwa of the Department of Mental Health. The bill was ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed. Throughout the session, the House observed moments of recognition and silence for guests and for the deaths of Richard Serino Sr. and Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and it adopted an order to adjourn in Hortman’s memory, with the House set to meet again Monday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of the Department of Transportation, all of their programs, multimodal, state roads, local roads,
• The programs there under transportation would be State Patrol, including Capitol Security, driver and
• All of the Department of Transportation, all of their programs, multimodal, state roads, local roads,
• The programs there under transportation would be State Patrol, including Capitol Security, driver and
• The programs there under transportation would be State Patrol, including Capitol Security, driver and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1427, E-Verify Program License Penalties Employment.
• SB 1449, Asbestos Program Rules Fees. Finance and Appropriations; Transportation and Technology.
• Appropriation and Transportation Technology.
• Transportation Technology. SB 1532, Continuation ASDB.
• Transportation Technology and Finance.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• plan and a copy of the new and improved transportation plan so that we can compare and contrast?
• plan and a copy of the new and improved transportation plan so that we can compare and contrast?
• plan and a copy of the new and improved plan and a copy of the new and improved transportation<02
• alternative round um transportation alternative<03:33:17.200> program<03:33:17.600> round.
• alternatives program that transportation alternatives program that you<04:22:57.760> heard<04

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 10-year program. It's called the chip. 10-year program. It's called the chip.
• And the most recently available MnDOT STIP, or the State Transportation Improvement Program, and the
• <01:31:25.440> improvement or the state transportation improvement or the state transportation
• improvement program<01:31:26.320> and<01:31:26.480> the<01:31:26.639> capital<01
• :31:26.960> highway program and the capital highway program and the capital highway improvement

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1916 by Eckhardt and Menendez relating to the use of a load management program to meet an
• certain claims to Transportation.
• Transportation.
• Senate Bill 1939 by Hinojosa of Hidalgo relating to the Ship Channel Improvement revolving fund to Transportation
• Senate Bill 2001 by King relating to the registration of vehicles to Transportation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that can be used for after school programming, before school programming, and summer programming.
• If you refer to row 129, the 18 million dollars for CTE, the pilot program—the new pilot program—that's
• It's about transportation.
• to transport those kids.
• those programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill makes changes to our CalWORKs program to improve early engagement and help families find pathways
• Colleagues, because this bill improves critical safety net programs, I respectfully request your aye
• Colleagues, because this bill improves critical safety net programs, I respectfully request your aye
• And it continues a sick cycle. welfare programs.
• of dollars in transportation investments, notably in the Bay Area Toll Bridge Capital Improvement Program

Summary: The Assembly convened without a quorum, completed the roll call, and then proceeded with the day’s business after a prayer, pledge, and a moment of silence for victims of the Texas flooding. Procedural motions suspended several rules to allow committee notices, guest seating, and the withdrawal of AB 898 back to the Senate. Members also made several guest introductions, including family members, interns, and scouting troop visitors. On the floor, AB 1416 by Assembly Member Ta, a taxation bill, was concurred in with Senate technical amendments by a 60-0 vote. ACR 1, designating October 23 as Korean Ginseng Day, was adopted by voice vote after supportive remarks highlighting Korean culture and the health benefits of ginseng; 62 coauthors were added without objection. The Assembly also heard SB 119, the budget-related human services trailer bill, with extensive debate over CalWORKs, CalFresh, child welfare reporting, and housing/homelessness programs. Supporters framed it as a needed anti-poverty and safety-net measure, while opponents criticized it as expanding dependency and failing to address fraud and work requirements. SB 119 passed on a 54-11 vote. The second-day consent calendar, including AJR 16 on the Tijuana River, was adopted 71-0, and the remaining consent items AJR 15 and SB 765 were also adopted 71-0. The session concluded with adjournments in memory of Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, followed by announcements of upcoming committee hearings and the next floor session before adjournment until July 10 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• , consistent with program goals.
• , consistent with program goals.
• This legislation will improve the quality of agency decision-making, improve the acceptability of new
• We need to improve our helicopter route charts.
• We need to improve our helicopter route charts.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will fix this by making them qualify for this program.
• The Rural Certified Unified Program Agency Reimbursement Program... Thank you.
• The Rural Certified Unified Program Agency Reimbursement Program accomplishes this by funding hazardous
• to active transportation infrastructure.
• to active transportation infrastructure.

Summary: The Assembly convened with a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long daily file of bills. Early procedural motions included a failed attempt to suspend the rules for AB 1219, followed by consideration of numerous measures on housing, veterans, education, elections, energy, wildfire prevention, public safety, and consumer affordability. Several bills drew bipartisan support and passed overwhelmingly, including AB 878 on safety accommodations for survivors of violence, AB 948 on school district facility maintenance, AB 81 and AB 88 on veterans’ mental health and student aid, AB 640 on school board fiscal training, AB 660 on housing permit timelines, AB 1048 on workers’ compensation billing disputes, AB 1119 on dual credentialing, AB 1172 on inhalable anti-seizure medication access, AB 1227 on wildfire prevention, AB 1285 and AB 696 on lithium-ion battery safety, AB 1417 on offshore wind transparency, AB 1530 on disaster recovery assistance, and AB 353 on affordable home internet. Some measures drew opposition or more divided votes, including AB 704 on sealing certain misdemeanor records, AB 1249 on early voting access, AB 1280 on thermal energy incentives, AB 1448 on offshore oil protections, AB 380 on price gouging, AB 402 on Cal Grant increases, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification, and AB 1084 on expedited gender-change and name-change court orders. The Assembly also granted reconsideration on AB 435, a child passenger safety bill, and passed it after debate on the five-step safety-seat standard. The floor debate featured recurring themes of affordability, housing, wildfire preparedness, election access, veterans’ services, and public safety. Supporters of the election bill AB 1249 argued it would simply add a Saturday early-voting option in non-VCA counties, while opponents raised concerns about verification and county staffing. AB 30, authorizing E15 gasoline in California, was presented as an urgency measure to lower fuel costs and passed unanimously on the urgency and the bill. AB 1466 on groundwater disputes was also taken up, with the author arguing it would reduce frivolous litigation and better represent all water users; the vote was 42 ayes and 17 noes. After completing the file, the Assembly recessed for lunch, later returned, and continued with additional file items, with many measures passing on strong bipartisan votes.