Transcript Highlights:

• other states we actually put a minimum other states we actually put a minimum medical<01:07:32.480
• rate rate 90% is if you will capitation rate rate 90% is is<02:17:53.359> uh<02:17:53.719>
• So we have, similar to the dental contract, a minimum medical loss ratio actually in statute.
• So we have, similar to the dental contract, a minimum medical loss ratio actually in statute.
• Page 56 shows the distribution of the capitation rate, where the money is spent.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division Three work session on February 21, 2025 focused on the Division of Medicaid Services budget. The chair opened with procedural guidance, noting the division’s role is to make recommendations to the full Finance Committee, that the budget must be balanced, and that members should track possible amendments ahead of a March 26 target for House Bills 1 and 2. Members also discussed the importance of using official budget documents and online resources, and the chair said no motions would be taken at this session. A major early topic was concern over a five-point Medicaid policy document and the timing of House Bill 2. Representative Tarki objected that the document appeared to be an unofficial draft and argued that significant Medicaid policy changes should have been transmitted by February 15 under state law. He said the lack of an official, posted document raised transparency concerns because the changes could affect tens of thousands of residents. Committee leadership responded that the five-point document was a working document, that it would be posted online within minutes, and that House Bill 2 is often delayed while the Office of Legislative Services finalizes and formats the governor’s proposed trailer bill. DHHS Chief Financial Officer Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman then began the budget presentation. White said the committee would use the PowerPoint as the document of record, starting with the governor’s operating budget pages 885-893, and noted that Medicaid is the largest accounting area in the state budget. He said the governor’s budget reflects about $60 million in reductions within the Medicaid area, with Granite Advantage handled off-budget and another $10 million in reductions there, for roughly a $70 million difference overall. Members asked whether the comparison was being made against an efficiency budget or a prioritized-needs budget, and White said the department could look at it different ways. The presentation then outlined Medicaid’s role in New Hampshire: it provides health coverage, serves as the state’s direct interface with the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and helps finance related services such as long-term supports, school-based services, adult dental coverage, and re-entry programs for people leaving correctional settings. White also reviewed enrollment and program context, saying New Hampshire has about one in seven residents enrolled in Medicaid, making it the fourth smallest Medicaid program in the country by enrollment, and described recent efforts such as youth re-entry and the Medicaid unwind after the end of the federal continuous coverage period. He said the state had to process more than 238,000 redeterminations after the public health emergency and that the department tried to avoid unnecessary coverage loss during that transition.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to prioritize capital outlay and infrastructure funding for high-impact border projects like
• It has a lot of benefits, like 100% in minimum wage.
• And capitalize on its position. So this is the point about the industrialization.
• By the governor, the microgrid legislation helps us get the power online in time to capitalize on the
• Is that an opportunity for our state to capitalize, to move forward, to become more Of a trade leader

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at the strip price all the way through '31, it looks like WTI is going to stay in the 60s at a minimum
• A little ahead of time here, but we'll have a presentation by OMB regarding the status of major capital
• Of major capital projects and use of certain funds. Colonel Solberg, welcome.
• That was capital building improvements. That's a $3 million appropriation.
• They've presented them to the Capital Grounds Planning Commission.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity in North Dakota. Ron Ness said production is expected to remain relatively flat at just under 1.2 million barrels per day, with efficiency gains and longer laterals helping offset lower rig counts. He discussed oil and gas prices, gas taxation, flaring concerns, northward movement of drilling activity, and the importance of new infrastructure and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) pilots. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, pipeline impacts, and the outlook for Continental and other operators. Ness said the industry is likely to remain steady rather than see a major ramp-up or decline. Matt Pearl of the State Tax Department then explained the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. He said the law extends or makes permanent several federal provisions and creates temporary deductions for seniors, tips, overtime, and auto loan interest, with the biggest state impact coming from the standard deduction increase and business tax changes. He revised earlier estimates downward, saying the net cash impact on state collections is likely in the $30 million to $35 million range after accounting for business prepayments and one-time FY25 oilfield transaction effects. Committee members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns. OMB staff gave a detailed update on major capital projects and facility funding. Topics included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, seating, lighting, tree management, and restroom and lobby upgrades; security work at the governor’s residence, which has been delayed by the discovery of human remains; and space reconfiguration efforts in Bismarck-Mandan to reduce leases and create shared offices and conference rooms. They also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, including roof, window, boiler, and kitchen projects at state facilities, and on the state hospital project in Jamestown, which remains on budget and on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028. OMB also updated the committee on the Minot North Central State Office Building, the use of federal State Fiscal Recovery Funds, and the status of legislative intent and trust fund reports, including school aid turnback, the school construction loan program, the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund, the Legacy Fund, and the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund. The committee ended by discussing future agenda items, including government efficiency, cash management, Bank of North Dakota lines of credit, and the rural health transformation program, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at the strip price all the way through '31, it looks like WTI is going to stay in the 60s at a minimum
• A little ahead of time here, but we'll have a presentation by OMB regarding the status of major capital
• A little ahead of time here, but we'll have a presentation by OMB regarding the status of major capital
• projects and use of certain funds. ...of major capital projects and use of certain funds.
• That was capital building improvements. That's a $3 million appropriation.

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum present and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity, which described North Dakota production as holding steady around 1.1 to 1.2 million barrels per day despite lower prices and market volatility. The presentation emphasized that efficiency gains, longer laterals, and improved completion technology are allowing operators to sustain output while activity shifts north in the Bakken. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, flaring, and enhanced oil recovery; the witness said gas is taxed by volume, most liquids are handled through oil lines or gas processing, and the state’s EOR pilot projects and new gas infrastructure are intended to help hold production flat and expand future recovery. The committee then received a presentation from the Tax Department on the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. The department explained that most of the federal changes were extensions of existing Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, but several items — including the larger standard deduction, senior deduction, tip and overtime exclusions, auto loan interest deduction, and business expensing changes — affect state collections. Revised estimates showed a smaller-than-expected impact on individual income tax, with the department suggesting a net cash effect in the range of roughly $30 million to $35 million when business and individual effects are combined, plus a possible one-time distortion from large oil-field transactions in fiscal year 2025. Members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns, and the department clarified that most of the individual provisions apply broadly, while the SALT-related item is itemizer-specific. OMB then reported on major capital projects and facility funding. Updates included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, augmented reality displays for the Rough Rider Hall of Fame, tree management and lighting studies, and restroom and parking reconfiguration in the tower. OMB also described security upgrades at the governor’s residence, where human remains were discovered on site and are being handled with historical and legal review. The state hospital project in Jamestown remains on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028, with costs currently estimated a little over $292 million and a line of credit expected to be drawn in April 2027. The North Central State Office Building in Minot is under construction, with a $5.6 million line of credit already accessed. OMB also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, noting about $1.1 million spent so far on projects such as the Liberty Memorial Building roof and foundation work, Capitol window replacement, boiler replacement, and kitchen remodeling. Finally, Legislative Council staff reviewed the interim compliance report on legislative intent and state trust funds. The report highlighted the status of multiple lines of credit, including those for the state hospital and Minot office building, and noted that the executive budget will likely need to include repayment planning for about $350 million of expected outstanding balances. Other updates included the Bank of North Dakota profit transfer schedule, litigation pool spending, the new Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, the Missouri River Correctional Center planning effort, HHS items such as FMAP and child care assistance, Job Service’s unemployment insurance modernization project, and DPI school aid turnback estimates. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have gear regulations with a 4-inch minimum ring size.
• owners to operate more efficiently, reduce costs and emissions, and remain competitive in a high-cost, capital-intensive
• Well, it's a little provocative in that these owners will be able to have the capital to improve their
• So all of us that have had a chance to put our pen in state capital bonding have made sure that port,
• Capital investment for aging infrastructure, which the state has done an excellent job with, and you

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Massachusetts sea scallop fishery, especially the economic importance of the industry, federal scallop management, and two policy questions: reopening the Northern Edge area on Georges Bank and allowing permit stacking/permit consolidation. Chairing senators emphasized their interest in hearing both sides, their frustration with federal bureaucracy, and their view that the issue should be guided by science while protecting the long-term resource and local communities. Dr. Kate O’Keefe of the New England Fishery Management Council and Kevin Stokesbury of UMass Dartmouth described the Magnuson-Stevens framework, annual catch limits, rotational area management, and the role of industry-funded surveys and the research set-aside program. They said scallops remain the most lucrative council-managed commercial fishery on the East Coast, but recent changes include more small scallops, lower biomass in some areas, higher natural mortality, and shifting abundance toward Georges Bank. On the Northern Edge, they explained that the council previously considered opening the area through a framework/joint action with habitat management, but discontinued the action in 2024 because of conflicting objectives involving scallop yield, habitat protection, and other species. They said the issue could be revisited through future council priority-setting. Representatives of the Sustainable Scalloping Fund argued that the fishery needs modernization to remain economically viable. They supported reopening the Northern Edge and strongly backed permit stacking, saying it would allow two permits on one vessel while keeping ownership caps in place, reducing costs, improving safety, and helping family-owned fleets avoid financial distress and outside investment. Port of New Bedford representative John Regan stressed the port’s central role in the state economy, the need to protect working waterfront infrastructure, and the importance of any permit changes preserving local ownership and participation. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members asked that the witnesses keep the committee informed as the council and federal agencies consider next steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• use that are clear... ...that don't provide uncertainty, because where there's uncertainty, private capital
• of CO2, and my team and I define those major emitters as those with annual emissions exceeding the minimum
• we know soon we'll have to increase those rates to keep up with increasing labor, contracts, and capital
• More than half of the county survey reported delaying capital maintenance.
• More than half of the county survey reported delaying capital maintenance on hazardous waste facilities

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee’s interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), with presenters from industry, nonprofits, and state agencies describing Washington’s geologic potential, the role of basalt formations, and the difference between point-source capture, direct air capture, utilization, and permanent storage. Industry and project developers emphasized that Washington has major opportunities to reduce industrial emissions, create jobs, and support hard-to-electrify sectors, while state agencies explained current policy touchpoints in the Cap and Invest Program, emissions exemptions for permanently stored CO2, and the Clean Energy Transformation Act. Several presenters urged clearer statutory and regulatory pathways, including rules for pore space, subsurface rights, pipeline siting, and long-term liability; others cautioned that CCUS should be limited to real emissions reductions and not treated as a substitute for broader clean energy measures. Committee members asked about public comment opportunities, whether mineralized carbon would qualify for exemption under the Climate Commitment Act, the energy intensity of capture systems, aquifer protection, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Ecology said it is developing guidance through a public engagement process running through late June and that mineralized or otherwise permanently stored CO2 would likely qualify if it meets the 1,000-year permanence standard. DNR and outside experts also discussed trust lands, water rights, and the need for additional geophysical surveys and test wells. The panel did not take any votes or formal actions. The second half of the meeting turned to hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility. Ecology reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described how moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste are currently collected through county facilities and events. Ecology said the electronics program is its best model, while the mercury lamp program is currently in transition after the prior stewardship organization exited and a new organization is seeking approval. Ecology recommended that future EPR programs have clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong enforcement authority. Local government witnesses from King County and Douglas County described rising costs, access barriers in rural areas, and the need for stable funding and flexible local delivery models. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and argued that EPR could reduce costs for ratepayers and improve equity. Douglas County stressed that rural residents are willing to participate when services are available, but travel distance and operating costs make access difficult. An industry representative supported narrowly scoped stewardship programs like PaintCare but warned that broad household hazardous waste EPR systems can become difficult to administer and may require legislative revisions if responsibilities are not clearly defined. No votes were taken on the hazardous waste topic either.

Transcript Highlights:

• We include over $1 billion for educational capital outlay.
• We put $79.3 million in workforce development capitalization incentive grant funds to our public schools
• Capitalization incentive grant funds to our public schools and colleges so that they can create and expand
• for the continued upgrade of Camp Landing to a level two facility, and we provide $4.5 million for capital
• Have all school districts been able to reach the minimum salary of $47,500 for all teachers?

Summary: The Senate began with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into floor consideration of the 2026-2027 budget. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented Senate Bill 2500, describing a $115 billion budget that reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, and includes a 3% pay raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major spending in their areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental and agricultural programs. Highlights included increased funding for school scholarships and safety, workforce and university programs, Medicaid and child welfare, corrections operations, affordable housing, rural communities, Everglades and water quality projects, and infrastructure. Members then asked detailed questions about several budget items. Senators sought clarification on the Emergency Management Trust Fund, arts and cultural grants, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salaries, charter school capital outlay funding, EASE grants, New College funding, DOC inmate counts and reimbursement, lottery staffing, concealed weapons licensing positions, election security funding, iBudget waiver support, ADAP funding, Medicaid hospital rate reductions, and scholarship and enrollment supplements in K-12 education. Chairs explained that some reductions reflected technical shifts or right-sizing, that some funds were being moved below the line for better tracking, and that several items—such as ADAP and corrections operations—would likely remain conference issues with the House. After questions, the Senate substituted House bills for the budget and implementing measures and adopted amendments placing the Senate language onto the House vehicles to prepare for conference. The chamber passed the budget-related bills and several conforming measures, including bills on retirement, fuel taxes, the state agency law enforcement radio system, court trust funds, judgeships, and K-12 and higher education conforming changes. Votes on the major bills were overwhelmingly unanimous or near-unanimous, and the Senate repeatedly voted to accede to the House’s request for conference on the substituted bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The PCS meets the federal minimum requirements on reserves, disclosures, and supervision.
• stablecoin criteria for the pilot program to only allow established stablecoins that have had a market capitalization
• criteria for the pilot program to only allow established stable coins that have had a market capitalization
• One of your bullets in the amendment changes the market capitalization requirement from $500 billion
• I don't even know what our state budget is, but these are numbers that you're calling market capitalization

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee met to hear and vote on several bills, with all measures reported favorably. The first major item was PCS for HB 175 on payment stablecoins, which would create a Florida regulatory framework aligned with the federal GENIUS Act so issuers can choose state regulation instead of federal licensing. Members asked extensive questions about how stablecoins differ from other digital assets, whether Florida would need federal approval, and what impact the bill would have on the Office of Financial Regulation; the sponsor and OFR said the state framework would mirror federal standards and that any workload increase was currently indeterminate. The PCS passed unanimously after testimony from OFR and the Florida Blockchain Business Association in support. The committee then approved CS for HB 961, which streamlines electronic signature requirements for salvage titles and certificates of destruction, and HB 1415, a DFS stablecoin pilot program allowing certain stablecoins to be used for licensing and regulatory fees. HB 1415 was amended to remove authority for a Florida coin, limit the pilot to established stablecoins with at least $1 billion market cap, and require secure custody through a public depository or custodial bank. Members discussed how any interest or revenue would be used, with sponsors saying the pilot was still exploratory and intended mainly to cover program costs. Both bills passed favorably. HB 1039, establishing a state cryptocurrency reserve, also passed after a strike-all amendment moved administration of the reserve from the CFO’s office to the State Board of Administration and tightened eligibility to cryptocurrencies with a $100 billion market cap over the prior 12 months. Supporters argued the bill would create a framework for future diversification and investment in established digital assets, while several members raised concerns about volatility, reporting frequency, and the meaning of new terms such as qualified liquidity provider and secure custody solution. The committee also passed CS for HB 951 on penny rounding for cash transactions, with an amendment clarifying cash transaction definitions and treating money orders and gift cards like credit-card transactions for rounding purposes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, for the capitation payments for the MCOs for behavioral health, that was another rubbing point;
• Much of the difference is related to an assumed increase in Medicaid managed care capitation payments
• , you know, there are some differences in terms of assumptions around the Medicaid managed care capitation
• , you know, there are some differences in terms of assumptions around the Medicaid managed care capitation
• You can work full time in a minimum wage job and still qualify for Medicaid in New Mexico.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• James Hardy, as mentioned, will invest a minimum of $400 million into a $1.25 million facility, creating
• All the operating capital comes from the ratepayers in that area. Correct. Correct.
• is a new opportunity for Missouri, and it's been mentioned several times about the $400 million in capital
• is a new opportunity for Missouri, and it's been mentioned several times about the 400 million in capital
• expenditures and potential of 240, about the $400 million in capital expenditures and potential of 240

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The slave trade. and that built this capital, maybe not this annex, but this capital.
• Compliance with the law is the priority. the bare minimum of what Texans have a right to expect from
• Christi and sent it my. north all the way to a district that ends just a couple of miles south of this capital
• to see a big. fragmentation because the reality is that a district a couple of miles south of this capital

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• say, perhaps expanding Medicaid benefits to cover some of these groups so that they have the bare minimum
• You know, Florida is poised to be one of the finance capitals of the world.
• You know, Florida is poised to be one of the finance capitals of the world.
• It will strengthen Florida and allow us to become one of the financial capitals of the world and one
• of the research and development capitals of the world, and will allow employees to want to come here

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism took up several measures, beginning with SB 1666, which would adopt Florida’s version of UCC Article 12 to address commercial transactions involving digital assets such as cryptocurrency, smart contracts, blockchain, and NFTs. The committee adopted a technical amendment and then reported the bill favorably. It also approved CS/SB 480, a proposal to create affordable health coverage options for farmers and ranchers through a nonprofit agricultural organization model; the bill drew significant questions about preexisting conditions, ACA coverage, costs, and whether the plans would function like insurance, but it was ultimately reported favorably despite opposition from some members and outside groups. The committee then unanimously advanced CS/SB 1172, which expands business development incentives for veterans and military spouses, including procurement preferences, fee waivers, tax exemptions, and an entrepreneurship program; an amendment added military-spouse hiring preferences and protections for private employers that adopt them voluntarily. The committee also approved CS/SB 1400, a bill aimed at non-consensual AI-generated sexual deepfakes. The measure requires covered platforms to provide a removal process, post clear notice of that process, and remove identified content within 24 to 48 hours, with liability under the Florida Unfair Trade and Deceptive Practices Act for noncompliance; an amendment carved out internet service providers from liability. Members raised concerns about repeat uploads and the meaning of “reasonable efforts,” but the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adopted SM 1488, a memorial urging Congress to create a sovereign wealth fund, despite testimony opposing it as unnecessary and constitutionally questionable. It also passed SB 1252, which would create a centralized statewide system for sharing pawn and secondhand dealer data among law enforcement agencies; the sponsor said the first step would be a $250,000 feasibility study, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 922, which revises Florida’s restrictive covenant laws by creating a streamlined process for certain non-compete and garden leave agreements involving employees with access to sensitive information and higher wages. The bill drew extensive debate over worker mobility, global scope, and whether it would strengthen employer leverage too much; after a technical amendment, it was reported favorably. The last major item was SB 1776, a Florida Whistleblowers Act revision that adds a notice-to-cure requirement, narrows retaliation and employer definitions, and limits claims where another statutory remedy exists. Members and public speakers raised concerns that it could make whistleblower claims harder to bring and give employers time to destroy evidence, but the bill was amended and then reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, is this, I mean, we know the problem with tribal capital.
• Again, we do have, well, we had 5 FTE for capital outlay and TIF, but we're out of position right now
• , and the chapters want to do the capital, but there hasn't been a resolution.
• I think that TIF generally does a little better than capital outlay, quite honestly.
• Capital Outlay, the way we've structured it, has been going on since 2004.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:59:47.920> as wants to make our nation's capital as wants to make our nation's capital
• At a minimum, the Republican leadership here should not be afraid of debate and votes.
• Um, and at a minimum at not sustainable.
• Um, and at a minimum at a<07:10:53.360> minimum,<07:10:53.840> the<07:10:54.160> Republican
• <07:10:54.638> leadership a minimum, the Republican leadership a minimum, the Republican leadership

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for a truck, capital improvement for a building, capital improvement for some other piece.
• uh project fund or capital project fund. uh project fund or capital project fund.
• fund for this, consists of a capital fund for this, capital<02:08:54.239> fund<02:08:54.480><
• > fund capital fund for this, a capital fund capital fund for this, a capital fund for<02:08:55.520
• > this,<02:08:57.840> capital<02:08:58.159> fund, capital fund for this, capital

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• looked at the gridlock in our capital looked at the gridlock in our capital city<00:29:56.399>
• to welcome you to the state capital to welcome you to the state capital today<00:33:58.720> alongside
• <01:43:46.639> outlay<01:43:47.040> 74,714,182 capital outlay 74,714,182 capital outlay
• Capital outlay. Information technology asset maintenance. Lease space. Capital complex lease space.
• repairs 3842,146 capital complex repairs 3842,146 capital<05:26:49.440> complex<05:26:49.840>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• many benefits, including<00:38:53.760> fewer<00:38:54.160> parking<00:38:54.680> minimums
• , including fewer parking minimums, including fewer parking minimums, increased<00:38:56.400>
• He was a driving force, fundraiser, and donor behind the creation of Concord's Capital Center for the
• The current director of the Capital Center said it would not exist but for John Swope; his early support
• So, we have a pope. current director of the capital center current director of the capital center said

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They also began identifying funding commitments for future capital and operating costs for developing
• 2019 Governor Abbott said the it's in action, speaking to mental health and homelessness here in the capital
• will help the goals of the governor in solving some of the homelessness. mental health issues in the capital
• We have a minimum standards that would require you to achieve before you could take care of patients,
• It's a minimum we can offer families in these difficult times.

Bills: HB5141, HB4638, HB2264, HB2035, HB4813, HB4408, HB2684, HB1621, HB2300, HB216, HB3829, HB4466, HB1747, HB2284, HB3614, HB2587, HB3219, HB3318, HB5147, HB4014, HB216

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Transcript Highlights:

• These would include definitions for capital lease criteria, for approval, instructional purposes, joint
• So instead of the base minimums being $40,000 and $20,000, those would be reduced to approximately a
• So instead of the base minimums<01:11:55.360> being<01:11:55.679> 40,000<01:11:56.159><
• c> and<01:11:56.400> 20<01:11:57.280> uh<01:11:57.520> 20,000 minimums being
• 40,000 and 20 uh 20,000 minimums being 40,000 and 20 uh 20,000 those<01:11:58.239> would<01:11

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought a minimum of 20 people in law enforcement would be important to have trained so that they could
• and<00:05:09.600> I<00:05:09.800> thought<00:05:10.560> a<00:05:10.720> minimum
• <00:05:11.120> of<00:05:11.280> 20 everything and I thought a minimum of 20 everything
• and I thought a minimum of 20 people<00:05:12.120> in<00:05:12.320> law people in law
• <01:26:17.840> group Elizabeth Sergeant shanin Capital group Elizabeth Sergeant shanin Capital

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session focused on HB 153, a bill intended to improve law enforcement response to animal cruelty cases. The bill’s sponsor explained that the proposal would require one sheriff or deputy and one state trooper in each county to receive specific training in animal cruelty laws so they could serve as knowledgeable resources. The sponsor described real-world examples where agencies were unclear about jurisdiction, veterinary involvement, and response protocols, arguing that better training was needed because animal cruelty cases can require quick action and many towns do not have animal control officers. Jerry Sorenson, a retired UNH professor and longtime animal cruelty instructor, described the existing training structure at Police Standards and Training. He said recruits receive a required two-hour introductory block at the academy, while additional animal cruelty materials and a more comprehensive online resource library are available through the Benchmark system for certified officers. He noted that the older two-day in-service course he taught was more detailed and guided, but the current online materials are more of a self-study resource and are not mandated for in-service officers. He also said the committee could track usage through Benchmark analytics. Kurt Arenberg of the Humane Society of the United States and Rob Johnson of the Farm Bureau both supported the goal of ensuring a trained law enforcement contact is available statewide, but they questioned whether assigning one trained officer per county would be the best way to achieve it. They emphasized the need for a real-time response and for officers to know where to find help and guidance, rather than expecting one person per county to handle all cases. Vincent Greco of State Police said the agency is willing to help and has handled animal cruelty matters, but he said one trooper per county would not realistically meet the goal given coverage demands and vacancy rates; he suggested broader access to resources and training may be more effective. Representative Freeman asked how cases are handled now and was told State Police responses generally follow standard criminal investigation steps, with assistance from animal control, veterinarians, and other resources when available. No vote or final action was taken during the work session.