Transcript Highlights:

• Well, you start in Washington D.C. and wait for it to get Lance Gilliam: to a job site in the state of
• There's market, 80 percent, and 60 percent, and you will see that should you choose to visit those sites
• nonprofit organizations who are engaged in these types of projects. 200 Guaranteed Income Programs have launched
• that I noticed the El Paso County Commissioner did not mention is the $500,000 that they used to launch

Bills: HB21 , HB211 , HB223 , HB323 , HB524 , HB530 , HB636 , HB762 , HB21 , HB211 , HB223

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: housing finance, multifamily residential, low income, tax exemption, audit requirements, affordable housing, local government, development bonds, housing assistance, financial assistance, low income housing, community support, affordability, veterans housing, community involvement, air conditioning, tenant support, healthcare, elderly, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, they all came with us on the site visit. So, everybody knows what the ideal should be.
• I know it was in the beginning, but since the launch of the Akamai program, which is on the table and
• </c><00:28:47.080><c> of</c> beginning, but um since the launch of beginning, but um since the launch
• are not willing to go wherever your sites are?
• </c> on site every day that we are short of. on site every day that we are short of.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not even a year into it; we launched it last April.
• it last April so obviously as launched it last April so obviously as you<01:15:10.159><c> go</c><01:
• So we site plan work; we don't get into the tax aspects of it.
• <04:29:50.119><c> we</c> and and things of that sort so we we and and things of that sort so we we site
• plan work we don't get into the tax site plan work we don't get into the tax aspects<04:29:53.760><c

Summary: The committee first reviewed House Bill 1, focusing on the legislative branch budget, especially the Senate and House lines. Members discussed that the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 adjusted authorized amount was higher than 2024 actual spending, largely due to personnel, benefits, and travel, and one member proposed a $500,000 annual cut. Staff explained that any reduction would need to be allocated across specific line items such as personnel, benefits, and travel, and noted that the Senate budget is entirely General Funds. After discussion of how the adjusted authorized figures were calculated and why the branch no longer staffs some joint committees as it once did, the committee moved on without taking a vote on that section. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from the New Hampshire Retirement System. NHRS officials described their statutory administrative budget, which is funded through the retirement trust rather than the General Fund, and said the FY 2026-2027 increase is driven by IT modernization, cybersecurity, a new strategic plan, and additional staff positions. They also reviewed the system’s funding progress, clean audit opinions, investment performance, and changes to asset allocation, while noting that several recent pension-related laws required major database changes. Members questioned the large increase in salaries and benefits, the need for new employees versus contractors, the purpose of training costs, and the source of the Group Two benefit funding. NHRS said the governor’s budget includes General Funds for Group Two benefit changes, with $5 million in FY 2026 and $27.9 million in FY 2027, and that the figures reflect the governor’s recommendation and related HB 2 provisions. Committee members also asked about employer and employee contribution rates for Group Two police and fire members, which NHRS said were not included in the budget document but were about 31.2% for police and 30.35% for fire, with employee shares around 11.55% and 11.8%. The committee did not make a decision on the NHRS budget during this exchange and indicated it would review the details further before returning to it later. The committee then heard from the Community Development Finance Authority on the State Treasury Department budget line for the required state match to administer the federal Community Development Block Grant program. CDFA explained that its $280,000 annual request for FY 2026 and FY 2027, totaling $560,000, supports administration, technical assistance, contracting, and monitoring of roughly $19 million in annual federal CDBG funds. Members asked about the leverage of the state match, oversight of projects, staffing, and grant prioritization. CDFA said it has 18 employees, uses public hearings and a scoring system to prioritize awards, and conducts both desk and on-site monitoring, with annual audits to ensure compliance. No vote was taken on the CDFA item in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since their launch in 2017, the Giving Machine Initiative worldwide has helped raise tens of millions
• Since their launch<00:30:42.640><c> in</c><00:30:42.880><c> 2017,</c><00:30:43.520><c> the</c><00:30:
• 43.679><c> Giving</c><00:30:43.919><c> Machine</c> launch in 2017, the Giving Machine launch in 2017,
• From addressing homelessness to investing in workplace training to launching a new express bus service
• John's Law School, which launched his career in the law.

Bills: HCR64 , HCR61 , HB3632 , HB4371 , HR951

Keywords: military intervention, Venezuela, Congress, War Powers Resolution, hostilities, military action, foreign policy, terrorism, congressional authority, power plant, electricity generation, retirement notice, Federal Power Act, interstate transmission, trafficking, children, unaccompanied minors, placement regulations, immigration law, safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Latinos in his district, but there are a number of Latinos in other areas that are excited as we launch
• are<00:04:40.400><c> excited</c><00:04:41.400><c> as</c><00:04:41.600><c> we</c><00:04:42.360><c> launch
• </c><00:04:43.240><c> So</c> are excited as we launch this today.
• So are excited as we launch this today.

Summary: House Republicans announced the formation of the Minnesota Latino Caucus as a sub-caucus of the House Republican Caucus. Chair John Koznick said the group is intended to give Latino conservatives a voice, promote “common sense” and right-of-center policies, and reach Latino communities across Minnesota, especially around affordability, lower taxes, less regulation, and government accountability. Representatives Bedell Duran and Erica Schwartz joined Koznick as founding members and described the caucus as a response to the diversity of Latino communities and the need for representation beyond a single political viewpoint. The members emphasized personal backgrounds and constituent outreach. Koznick discussed his adoption from Colombia and his long involvement with Latino advocacy groups, while Duran and Schwartz spoke about their districts, family histories, and experiences that shaped their politics. They said Latino Minnesotans live throughout the state, work in many fields, and should not be viewed as a monolithic voting bloc. They also highlighted issues such as education, postsecondary achievement, entrepreneurship, public safety, and the economic impact of immigrants and Latinos. In response to questions, the lawmakers said the caucus was not created solely because of recent Latino voting patterns, but they acknowledged Republican gains among Latino voters and said they want to continue competing for Latino support. They also said immigration policy should be clearer and more transparent, while supporting secure borders and reform. Koznick said he has bipartisan relationships with Latino legislators and pointed to support for a Hispanic or Latino art museum in St. Paul as an example of possible cross-party cooperation. No formal votes were taken; the event was a caucus launch and press availability, and the members said they would hold a celebratory kickoff later that evening.

Transcript Highlights:

• program to allow cities, counties, and local nonprofits to apply for up to $500,000 in grant funding to launch
• <00:04:00.000><c> grant</c><00:04:00.319><c> funding</c><00:04:00.879><c> to</c><00:04:01.120><c> launch
• </c><00:04:01.599><c> targeted</c> in grant funding to launch targeted in grant funding to launch targeted

Committee: House Economic Development & Workforce Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we also launched an engagement campaign with our community mental health centers, community-based
• have no breakin service and then<00:15:38.720><c> we</c><00:15:39.040><c> also</c><00:15:39.600><c> launched
• </c><00:15:40.000><c> an</c><00:15:40.320><c> engagement</c> then we also launched an engagement then
• we also launched an engagement campaign<00:15:41.600><c> with</c><00:15:41.839><c> our</c><00:15:42.399

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its June 30 meeting and then considered Capital Project 2515, a request from the Pease Development Authority Division of Ports and Harbors to spend up to $125,000 from the Harbor Dredging and Pier Maintenance Fund to replace a deteriorated 99-foot floating dock at Rye Harbor. Acting Director Richard Hartley said the dock is used for passenger loading and unloading for charters and whale-watching tours and is in poor condition. Representative Edgar moved approval, Representative Wiler seconded, and the motion carried. The committee then received several informational items, including quarterly and maintenance reports from the Department of Administrative Services, the Community College System of New Hampshire, and the Pease Development Authority. It also heard a presentation from the Department of Health and Human Services on Capital Project 2516, the Beneficiary Service Improvement project supporting closed-loop referrals and related systems. DHHS described the project as a mix of Medicaid enterprise functions and New Hampshire Care Connections tools, including provider modules, third-party liability, event notifications, and closed-loop referrals to connect health and human service providers. Officials said the project is largely federally funded, with capital funds representing only part of the overall effort. Members asked about the accounting breakdown, prior committee review, provider participation, patient experience, and public response. Representative Burr questioned whether the project had been fully presented previously and raised concerns about the scope and necessity of the $8 million effort; DHHS responded that earlier work was discussed in other committees and that the current presentation covered only capital funds. Senator Waters asked about user response and patient experience, and DHHS said feedback has been generally positive but the system is still in design and implementation. In response to questions about participation, DHHS said 84 providers are currently on the network and clarified that a “provider” generally means an individual organization or health system, not each individual clinician. The committee also set its next meeting for December 9 at 9:00 a.m. at Granite Place, Room 228, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ask that you hold this unaccountable authority responsible for its repeated unlawful overreach by launching
• a formal oversight investigation... ...by launching a formal oversight investigation, appointing an
• This is a movement that I launched without funding.
• This is a movement that I launched without funding and while fighting my own severe illness because my

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate business committees held a sunset review hearing on the California State Board of Pharmacy, with board leadership describing the board’s consumer-protection role and its priorities around access, enforcement, and updating pharmacy law. The board emphasized a proposed shift toward a standard-of-care model for pharmacists, arguing it would reduce rigid protocol requirements and improve access to services such as HIV PrEP/PEP, contraception, and naloxone. Board representatives also discussed pharmacy deserts, possible fee waivers for pharmacies in underserved areas, concerns about payer practices contributing to closures, continuing education audits, and a request to restore more flexibility in licensure decisions and probationary monitoring for applicants with certain criminal histories. A major focus of the hearing was the board’s ongoing compounding regulations, especially the treatment of sterile versus nonsterile compounding and substances such as glutathione and methylcobalamin. The board said the proposal was not a ban on those substances and described the rulemaking as grounded in federal law, USP standards, and public comment, noting the process had gone through multiple modified texts and hearings. Testimony from stakeholders was sharply divided: pharmacists, veterinarians, firefighters, naturopathic doctors, and patient advocates warned the rules were restricting access to compounded medications and harming patients and first responders, while the California Medical Association, psychiatric physicians, and PhRMA raised concerns that the board’s proposals could expand pharmacist authority beyond training, affect physician practice, or create safety risks. Other public comments addressed pharmacy technician ratios, remote processing, flavoring medications, hospital-specific regulation, budget and enforcement transparency, and whether the board should add members with community compounding or pharmacy technician expertise. Committee members also asked about the board’s oversight priorities and the rationale for its standard-of-care proposal. Board staff explained that consumer protection includes education, licensing, policy, and enforcement, with the highest-priority enforcement cases being those posing imminent public harm. After public testimony concluded, the chairs thanked participants and adjourned the sunset review hearing, announcing an immediate transition to the joint informational hearing on the Department of Cannabis Control.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to preserve the 2026 launch date of the Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
• Are there any changes or tweaks that need to be made to the program before it launches next year?
• the program that need to be made to the program before<00:21:35.559><c> it</c><00:21:35.679><c> launches
• <c> year</c><00:21:37.080><c> as</c><00:21:37.200><c> of</c><00:21:37.400><c> this</c> Before it launches

Transcript Highlights:

• This launched a national market that has grown into a $28 billion industry.
• Minnesota launched a nation-leading regulatory framework and empowered many Minnesota businesses to pioneer

Transcript Highlights:

• Idaho offers to help students and families make post-secondary education affordable, such as Idaho Launch
• , Advanced Opportunities, Idaho Launch, and the Opportunity Scholarship, as well as other scholarships

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• With the launch of the 2026-2027 FAFSA on October 1st, 2025, the University of Minnesota system has already
• With the launch of the 2026-2027 FAFSA on October 1st, 2025, the University of Minnesota system has already
• With the launch of the 2026-2027 FAFSA on October 1st, 2025, the University of Minnesota system has already
• With the launch of the 2026-2027 FAFSA on October 1st, 2025, the University of Minnesota system has already
• With the launch of the 2026-2027 FAFSA on October 1st, 2025, the University of Minnesota system has already

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Rhode Island did not just participate in the American Revolution, we launched it. Happy May 4th.
• entities, whoever those adversaries may be in the future, cannot gain control over land near sensitive sites
• cannot gain control over land<00:45:41.599><c> near</c><00:45:41.920><c> sensitive</c><00:45:42.319><c> site
• site or quite frankly<00:45:43.920><c> cannot</c><00:45:44.319><c> control</c><00:45:44.640><c> our<
• And yet, just days after their launch, the President proposed a massive cut to NASA's budget, including

Bills: SB4465 , HB7147 , HB2424 , HB7567

Keywords: FISA, intelligence, surveillance, national security, privacy, extension, law enforcement, excise tax, heavy trucks, clean vehicles, environmental policy, heavy truck excise tax, truck and trailer tax, federal retail excise tax, FET, highway trust fund, commercial trucks, Class 8 trucks, tractor-trailer, semi-truck

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, determinations are done right now are really highly site-specific depending on elevation, fire flow
• Uh, determinations are done right now are really highly site-specific depending on elevation, fire flow
• Uh, determinations are done right now are really highly site-specific depending on elevation, fire flow
• Uh, determinations are done right now are really highly site-specific depending on elevation, fire flow
• successes, including having over 30 projects in pre-development in the two years since the program was launched

Summary: The committees heard testimony on five housing-related measures. SB 2232 would create a three-year tiny home grant pilot program within HHFDC, with annual reporting to HHFDC and the Legislature; testimony was mixed, and the bill was later recommended for passage with amendments, including a full-time housing development specialist, a residential-use-only restriction for the tiny homes, and a blanked appropriation. SB 2192 would bar county down-zoning that reduces housing capacity unless equivalent capacity is added elsewhere in the county; it drew support from housing advocates and comments from planning officials, and was also recommended for passage with amendments. SB 2378 would clarify insurance requirements for single- and multifamily projects seeking expedited county permitting; engineers and housing groups supported it, while one testifier opposed it, and it was recommended for passage with a technical amendment. SB 2524 would appropriate funds to the City and County of Honolulu for housing-related departments to comply with prior acts; the Honolulu department supported it, and members asked about prior spending and funding sources. SB 2398 would require residential housing utility availability maps; the Honolulu Board of Water Supply opposed the bill as written, citing infrastructure security, accuracy, liability, and administrative burden concerns, while supporters said it would improve transparency for developers. The chair proposed amendments to make the maps broad and geographic rather than parcel-specific, remove contested-case and reliance provisions, allow disclaimer language, and change the date; the bill was then recommended for passage with amendments, with one member noting reservations. All five measures were ultimately passed out of committee with amendments, with votes recorded and some members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 1.15 to 1.20 is an extension to a previous appropriation dealing with the boat launch on the Mississippi
• 00:03:05.680><c> boat</c> appropriation dealing with the boat appropriation dealing with the boat launch
• <00:03:06.239><c> on</c><00:03:06.400><c> the</c><00:03:06.560><c> Mississippi</c> launch on the Mississippi
• launch on the Mississippi River.<00:03:08.640><c> And</c><00:03:08.920><c> then</c><00:03:10.280><c>
• And I'm here to tell you super fun site.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• They are sited by the PSC, but local entities also have kind of concurrent siting authority for conditional
• FERC generally has limited jurisdiction on siting for transmission.
• siting board.
• siting board.
• It hasn't been determined the site. We were, Today. It hasn't been determined the site.

Committee: Joint Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• professional sports arenas that hold 15,000 seats or more are able to keep seeking local approval for off-site
• advertising displays connected to their operations. ...to keep seeking local approval for off-site advertising
• simply extends the now-expired sunset to allow our teams, teams like the Dodgers, to erect two off-site
• Reimagined Metro Phase One launched in December of 2023, implementing new higher-frequency routes from

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• CART, you will be able to access it via the link provided on the hearing page on the MA Legislature site
• Some people who signed up to testify virtually today MA Legislature site.
• More often, supervisors are unavailable, retired, perhaps deceased; programs and training sites have
• But I'm also the owner and sole practitioner in Mind, Body, Spirit, LLC, which I launched last October

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Summary: The committee opened a hearing of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure and reviewed a broad agenda including credit card fees, event ticketing, music therapy licensure, senior psychologist licensure, CPA pathways, school mental health licensure, and a bill regulating alternative healing therapies. The chairs explained hearing logistics, including three-minute testimony limits and submission of written testimony, and noted that more than 70 people had signed up to testify. Legislators and advocates were heard out of order throughout the day. A major portion of the hearing focused on credit card surcharge and interchange legislation. Restaurant owners, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, NFIB, and other small-business witnesses supported bills allowing merchants to add convenience fees and, in one proposal, preventing card companies from charging fees on tax and tip portions of transactions. They argued that swipe fees are a major and growing cost, especially for restaurants, and that Massachusetts is one of only two states that bars surcharges. Opponents from the Cooperative Credit Union Association, the Electronic Payment Coalition, and the Electronic Transactions Association warned that the proposals would create compliance burdens, fragment the payment system, raise legal preemption issues, and disrupt a system they described as efficient and secure. The committee also heard competing testimony on ticket transferability and ticket resale. Supporters, including the National Consumers League and Sports Fans Coalition, said bills on ticket transferability would protect consumers who cannot attend events and would increase competition and savings in the secondary market. Opponents, including United Musicians and Allied Workers and theater owners, argued that mandatory transferability would weaken artists’ and venues’ ability to prevent scalping and predatory resale, and that some ticket sellers should be exempt from the broader ticketing regulations. Separate testimony supported music therapy licensure, senior psychologist licensure, and new CPA education pathways, with witnesses saying these measures would expand access to care and strengthen the workforce while maintaining professional standards. The hearing also drew extensive opposition to S.261 on alternative healing therapies, with practitioners and clients arguing it would overregulate spiritual and holistic practices and was not an effective response to human trafficking concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• basically, you know, we can give them the license, then we suspend the license until we can get on site
• and do the survey and make sure that they're actually there... ...until we can get on site and do the
• that for those individuals who chose to be vaccinated, the logistics of standing up those vaccination sites
• Department of Health and Human Services—I'm sure you’re familiar with this—launched an investigation

Summary: The Committee on Director Nominations met with four members present and approved the prior minutes without objection. Chair Jay Kaufman outlined the committee’s role in reviewing executive nominations and explained the hearing process for three nominees: Mary Foote for the Office of Economic Opportunity, Debbie Johnston for the Department of Health Services, and Chuck Bassett. Foote did not appear for her hearing, and members discussed her absence and alleged omissions in her disclosure materials, including prior service with Planned Parenthood-related organizations. The committee then moved to reject her nomination, and the motion passed 3-2, recommending that the full Senate reject Mary Foote. Debbie Johnston, nominee to lead the Department of Health Services, appeared and gave an opening statement describing her Arizona background, prior Senate staff work, and more than 20 years with the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. She said her priorities at ADHS include rebuilding trust in public health licensing, improving stakeholder engagement, standardizing rulemaking communication, addressing alleged religious discrimination and retaliation concerns in licensing, and using technology and AI to improve efficiency. In questioning, senators pressed her on her management style, conflict-of-interest safeguards given her prior industry role, enforcement priorities, budget pressures, behavioral health and assisted living oversight, and the department’s response to COVID-19. Johnston said she would follow statutes, recuse herself from enforcement matters involving former contacts, and resign if directed to carry out an unlawful policy. She also said the department does not regulate therapy itself, only facilities, and that it would rely on legal counsel regarding the governor’s conversion-therapy executive order and related federal civil-rights allegations. Several senators focused on public health trust and the department’s pandemic response, with Johnston acknowledging concerns about closures, data collection, and communication during COVID-19 while saying she would review past after-action materials and be better prepared in the future. Public testimony from stakeholders in aging services and health care strongly supported her confirmation, praising her accessibility, responsiveness, and collaborative approach. After testimony, the vice chair moved to recommend Johnston’s confirmation to the full Senate. The roll call was underway when the transcript ended, with several members voting aye and one member expressing reservations about her not reviewing the pandemic after-action report before another crisis occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also know that in 2025 as part of our budget process, we launched the air cooling pilot program.
• We're putting out more information publicly, transparently; you can find it on our site.
• I would just note there are challenges around siting sometimes.
• targeted information about how we intend to not only have a stated goal around increasing the number of sited

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) budget, with a focus on prison population trends, spending, facility closures, and efforts to find savings. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) presented data showing the prison and parole populations have fallen sharply over the past 20 years while CDCR spending has remained high, driven largely by security, health care, litigation-related requirements, and aging infrastructure. The LAO also said the state is likely to have several thousand empty beds by 2030 and recommended closing another prison, identifying the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad as the strongest candidate, while also urging more transparency around facility deactivations and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) efficiency contract. CDCR Secretary Jeff McCumber said the department faces structural budget pressures from retirement payouts, workers’ compensation, overtime, medical transport, aging facilities, and violence in prisons, but emphasized declining recidivism, expanding reentry beds, and the need for more single-celling and rehabilitation. Department of Finance representative Anthony Franzoa said the administration is not proposing another prison closure at this time, opposed new reporting requirements on deactivations, and said the BCG contract is intended to produce long-term savings even if near-term estimates are being revised downward. Amber Rose Howard of California United for Responsible Budget argued the state should close more prisons, redirect funds to community services, and stop spending on excess prison capacity. Members questioned why CDCR still relies on vacancy savings, why rehabilitation is only a small share of the budget, and whether the department should be more transparent about capacity reductions and legal liabilities. Several members criticized the $20 million BCG contract and the lack of competitive bidding, while others pressed CDCR on staffing levels, single-celling, suicide prevention, and health care costs for older incarcerated people. The hearing did not take a formal vote, but it ended with clear committee concern about CDCR’s budget transparency, the pace of prison closures, and the need to align spending more closely with the declining prison population and the department’s stated rehabilitation mission.