Transcript Highlights:

• You know, you guys worked well past midnight to pass the budget. How did that feel?
• Um, you said that you didn't agree with the budget.
• So, we didn't agree and we did not sign off on the budget deal.
• </c> and we did not sign off on the budget and we did not sign off on the budget deal.<00:03:52.080><
• Now we don't we have a budget done.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we budget...
• And I just want to say for the last three capital budget hearings in these last three budget cycles,
• Our total capital budget request is $29.5 million.
• Budget development for FY 28.
• of replacement fund is not in our operating budget. ...is not in our operating budget, and we're asking

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:

• Senate Budget Subcommittee Number Two on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy.
• It isn't just whether we're going to be able to have a balanced budget.
• And last year, in last year's budget, we had $3.5 billion included in the budget.
• last year, throwing us into this very confusing and difficult budget quandary.
• Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 is adjourned.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On slide 17, I just want to talk briefly about our budget and the two budget recommendations before you
• I would appreciate additional budget beyond that.
• As Joey said, both budgets are very, very similar.
• It's 70,000 difference on a 400-something million budget.
• It's not part of NPSU's budget.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, and welcome to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4.
• The budget bill language would require loan authority language.
• The budget included 120 new positions to the department.
• As you know, the governor's budget cuts Round Three of funding.
• It's great to see that in the budget; we hope it stays.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they're doing budgets. Everybody's doing budgets.
• That will be in the budgets.
• So the whole budget process in and of itself is so much more transparent than our own state budget process
• So the whole budget process in and of itself is so much more transparent than our own state budget process
• EDR is not a budget website.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wait for the budget address. >> Wait. This is not politics. This is policy. This is budget.
• Wait for the budget address. >> Wait. This is not politics. This is policy. This is budget.
• Wait for the budget address. Nope. Nope. Wait for the budget address. Nope.
• </c> This is budget. This affects Kuckians. This is budget. This affects Kuckians.
• Look, we're going to put a budget<01:05:02.960><c> out.</c> budget out. budget out.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 State Health Insurance Plans 00:00:03 Executive Branch Salary Schedule Adjustments 00:29:15 Nutrition Program for the Elderly 00:34:52 Update on DORIS 01:05:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee met on November 5, 2025, and first approved the minutes after a moment of silence for the UPS airport tragedy. The main presentation was from the Personnel Cabinet on the state health insurance plans and executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Officials said the health plan covers roughly 265,000 active members and up to about 300,000 across all benefit offerings, including school board employees, retirees, and other eligible groups. They described rising claims and expenditures, especially from high-cost claimants and pharmacy spending, and said recent premium and benefit changes were intended to balance costs while preserving recruitment and retention efforts. They also explained that employee premiums had not increased for several years, while employer contributions rose sharply in recent years, and projected a 10% employer increase and 3% employee increase going forward based on actuarial analysis. Committee members asked about deductibles, GLP-1 drug costs, claims validation, and the causes of cost growth; officials said the plan uses multiple payment-integrity vendors and that the increases reflect utilization, drug trends, and high-cost cases rather than a change in coverage. The committee also discussed executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Personnel and budget officials explained that when the legislature approves annual pay increases, the salary schedule is adjusted by the same percentage through executive order so the minimum and midpoint stay aligned with approved compensation levels. They said the 2025 adjustment was a 3% match effective September 16 and that the change was costless because salaries had already been increased. Members raised concerns about salary compression, noting that new hires can sometimes be paid near the level of long-serving employees. Officials said the adjustment helps prevent compression from worsening but does not solve it, and they acknowledged prior RFP efforts to address the issue were unsuccessful because no qualified bidder met the requirements. After the health plan and salary discussions, the committee began a presentation from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on Kentucky’s senior meal program. Secretary Stack explained that the program is a federal-state-local partnership under the Older Americans Act, with area development districts helping deliver services. He outlined eligibility rules, noting that congregate meals at senior centers are available to people age 60 and older, with a spouse of any age allowed to join, and that home-delivered meals have additional homebound and assistance requirements. Members asked whether there was any means test for congregate meals, and the secretary said there is not; the only threshold is age for the center-based meals, while the home-delivered program has additional criteria.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> go through with their cruel budget go through with their cruel budget plans,<00:04:56.800><c> we
• It is our obligation to pass a biennial budget.
• We uh have uh don't even have budget<00:19:54.080><c> targets.
• But I think what is budget targets.
• We have to have to budget for this. We have to protect<00:20:09.840><c> people.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Increasing your use of multi-year budgeting.
• How come the LASC budget doesn't do that? Mr.
• John, this is going to be a budget bill.
• Significant budget cut again for us, almost 7%, with only six weeks' notice before our budget due date
• New Mexico School Budget Revenue Stream is already coming late in the budgeting process, and adding a

Transcript Highlights:

• And $100,000 today, $1.2 billion budget.
• But, you know, the new budget year begins July 1.
• I understand the difficulty of our budget...
• We will let that go to the budget chair, or the budget director for the department.
• I am the budget director for the Department of Public Safety.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:17:04.559><c> it's</c> isn't fixed for future budgets, it's isn't fixed for future budgets,
• Or drastically their tourism budgets.
• </c> making up any shortfalls if the budget making up any shortfalls if the budget is<00:31:03.520><c
• </c> been paying attention to the budget been paying attention to the budget until<01:24:54.320><c> it
• </c> currently uh in the fishing game budget currently uh in the fishing game budget um<01:30:40.800>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 63, a bill described by Senator Tim Lang and other supporters as a technical correction to the rooms and meals tax distribution formula. Lang said the bill would clarify that the Division of Travel and Tourism’s 3.15% promotional allocation is taken from gross rooms-and-meals revenue before the 30% municipal reimbursement fund is calculated, which he argued restores the intended 2009/2021 structure and avoids an unintended loss to tourism marketing. Committee members raised questions about whether the bill actually changes section one or instead addresses DRA’s interpretation, and whether the measure could be affected by the budget process or HB 2. Jessica Keeler of Ski New Hampshire testified in strong support, saying the bill would preserve the promotional budget formula that had been in place since 2009 and that the 2019 revision effectively reduced the promotional allocation by placing the municipal share first. She said tourism promotion has helped increase visitation, revenues, and jobs, and warned that without a fix, the joint promotional program and other tourism efforts could be cut in future budgets. She also said the bill would not change the current year’s tourism budget but would matter for future cycles. Mike Summers of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association also supported SB 63, calling it a correction to the 2021 changes and arguing that state tourism marketing is essential because small businesses cannot reach distant markets on their own. He said the industry has benefited from state promotion, especially after COVID, but is now facing softer occupancy rates, lower Canadian visitation, and financial strain from debt and operating costs. Summers said the industry cannot make up for major tourism budget cuts on its own and urged maintaining or increasing travel and tourism funding. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• engaged in the legislative process in this building and in the building across the street and the budgeting
• So we need to find a way to at least do some kind of oversight of their budget.
• He said that when he comes to the last six months in a budget cycle, or the last five months in a budget
• </c><01:25:41.440><c> budget</c> months in a budget months in a budget cycle<01:25:43.960><c> and</c>
• </c><01:38:07.800><c> oversight</c> a HHS budget oversight a HHS budget oversight subcommittee<01:38:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on February 2 and first approved the draft minutes from the prior meeting, with minor corrections to the meeting date and attendance notation. DHHS Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly then gave a department update, describing the current uncertainty around federal priorities and funding, and provided two substantive reports: progress on the new Hampstead Youth Development Center and an update on the department’s review of an ALS registry proposal. She said the YDC project is underway with tree clearing, fencing, stormwater and site-prep work, and remains on track for completion by June 30, 2026 and operation by August 30, 2026. The center currently has 12 youth, and the new design is intended to provide flexibility for fluctuating census levels. On ALS, Tilly explained that HB 576 had prompted the department to examine whether a registry could be built, but the estimated cost of a HIPAA-compliant system was about $750,000. She said DHHS is reviewing whether existing data sources, such as hospital discharge data and CHIS claims data, could provide useful information, but noted both are incomplete for registry purposes. Committee members discussed whether the Rare Disease Advisory Council, Dartmouth, or existing cancer registry infrastructure could help reduce costs. DHHS said it is neutral and willing to continue exploring alternatives, while members emphasized the value of a registry and the need to consider shared infrastructure and funding. The committee also heard from Jenny Horan of the Alzheimer’s Association, who presented the subcommittee’s report on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She said the subcommittee spent the past year gathering information on dementia care, abuse and exploitation issues, caregiver strain, and available services, and is now moving into a second phase focused on identifying gaps and developing a state plan. Members asked about geriatric psychiatric capacity and long-term care availability; Horan said the state has limited capacity and that the plan will help clarify where needs are greatest. She offered to return for follow-up questions at a later meeting. Finally, Olivia May of DHHS presented the quarterly report on the 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage extension. She said New Hampshire implemented the extension after federal and state action, and the first claims data are still emerging because of reporting lags. In the initial cohort studied, 95% received some medical services during the extended period, 52.4% received mental health or substance use disorder treatment, 26.7% received preventive visits, and 3.2% received heart or hypertension services. Members asked about return on investment and whether higher federal matching rates are being used appropriately; DHHS said it claims the highest possible match based on eligibility group and will return with more data over time. The committee then heard the annual therapeutic cannabis program report from Michael Holt, who said the program had 1,475 registered patients as of June 30, 2024 and that growth has slowed, with New Hampshire having the lowest per-capita medical cannabis enrollment nationally.

Transcript Highlights:

• Budget Analyst with the Department of Finance.
• You know, and I think in the budget process in 2019, there was some pushback on that budget, and the
• Because we are in a budget deficit.
• billion to California, about a third of our budget.
• The proposed budget...

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They recommended a flat budget for the LFC recommendation.
• So I'm looking on page six of the budget item also.
• So I'm looking on page six of the budget item also.
• So, and I do know. page six of the budget item also.
• I believe that was part of the budget guideline process.

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> budget analysis uh on a quarterly basis. budget analysis uh on a quarterly basis.
• </c> the budget. the budget. Thank<00:08:44.000><c> you.</c> Thank you. Thank you.
• So, what we did here was budget bill.
• by</c><00:09:04.040><c> fund</c> the budget the total budget by fund the budget the total budget by
• We budgeted a higher FMAP than what we actually received when we did the budget exercise, so that's what

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee for Health and Family Services met for its first meeting, established quorum, and heard a presentation from Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Becktold. The department reviewed its compliance with House Bill 695, which requires legislative approval before certain Medicaid eligibility, service, benefit, or waiver changes, along with fiscal impact reporting to the Legislative Research Commission. They described current waivers, including home and community-based waivers, managed care and transportation waivers, and the 1115 re-entry waiver, and said the community engagement waiver is in public comment and on track for submission to CMS. They also said required reports and other HB 695 tasks, including a pharmacy rebate fund, budget analyses, expenditure reports, and a behavioral health scorecard, are underway or completed as required. The CFO outlined Medicaid’s budget, saying the department has two appropriation units and projecting near-full use of state funds while leaving some federal funds unspent because of matching-rate differences. They reported roughly 211 filled positions and 11 vacancies. Members asked about the vacancy makeup, the behavioral health scorecard, and whether a provider involved in quality metrics could have a conflict if used in the scorecard process; the department said it would follow up. Members also asked about the community engagement waiver and its interaction with federal policy, and the department said CMS guidance is still pending and that it will proceed under HB 695. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on federal Medicaid policy changes under a reconciliation bill, including possible limits on provider taxes, directed payments, cost-sharing, and community engagement requirements. Department officials said the final federal impact is still uncertain because the Senate bill is not finalized, but they have modeled several scenarios and warned that any reduction in federal support or benefits would be harmful, especially for hospitals and rural hospitals. They estimated Medicaid benefits are funded about 80% federal and 20% state overall, with expansion populations closer to 90% federal funding, and said administrative costs would also rise if federal requirements change. Members also asked about work requirements and eligibility. The department said the community engagement waiver would mainly affect the expansion population, which they estimated at about 450,000 people out of roughly 1.5 million total Medicaid enrollees, and that many groups are exempt, including children, the aged, blind, disabled, and people in substance use disorder treatment. Officials said they can provide data on how many enrollees are working or work-ready and explained that their eligibility system is designed to prevent duplication by automatically placing people in the correct category and correcting errors quickly. They also noted a federal proposal to require expansion eligibility reviews every six months, compared with current annual renewals.

Transcript Highlights:

• of a challenging budget outlook.
• of a challenging budget outlook.
• of a challenging budget outlook.
• ><c> year</c> to put your budget together this year to put your budget together this year was<00:31:29.039
• </c> largely focus on increasing its budget largely focus on increasing its budget target<00:34:25.679

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Fiscal year 27 is the budget we are currently working on, and as you know, we have a three-year budgeting
• , the budget proposal would completely conform with HR1.
• And I know we've gone over this budget before internally in the caucus.
• Is that accommodated for in this budget?
• in this year's budget.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> on the budget. on the budget.
• This is just a budget question. So, we had a budget entity that it was Ice Miller.
• So, we had a budget<00:26:39.080><c> entity</c> budget entity budget entity that<00:26:41.080><c> it<
• We submitted our budget package. So, that's when all the budget stuff was approved.
• We submitted our budget package. So, that's when all the budget stuff was approved.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Report of KCNA Board Meeting 00:00:09 KCNA Transition to COT 00:35:55 KCNA Request for Proposals 00:42:00 Kentucky Wired Operations Company 00:42:30, 958, all

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met, approved the January 12, 2026 minutes, and then heard testimony from KCNA Chair David Couch, KCNA Director Jim Barnhart, and KCNA General Counsel Adam Adkins about the ongoing dispute involving KCNA, Excelacom, and the implementation of House Bill 314. Couch said the board and vendor had recently shown some willingness to work toward a settlement, and he emphasized the importance of KCNA’s broadband service to K-12 schools, noting that litigation had already cost about $1.4 million and could cost another $1.4 million if it continued. He also said the board had identified five immediate goals, including reconnecting 38 K-12 sites, de-escalating disputes, better understanding KCNA finances, protecting the state’s bonding rating, and examining whether duplicate networking hardware could be consolidated. A major portion of the discussion focused on whether House Bill 314 changed KCNA’s authority and how much control the Finance and Administration Cabinet and KCNA’s legal counsel have over operations and contracts. Senator Williams argued that the board now has authority to set policy, implement policy, and approve budgets, and questioned why the cabinet appeared to be exercising operational control. Adkins responded that HB 314 changed the reporting chain from the general government cabinet to the finance cabinet but did not alter the board’s authority, and said budget work on the Ice Miller contract predated HB 314. Couch and other members disputed that interpretation, saying the board had not been properly informed about a recent extension or increase in legal spending and that the board’s directives were not being followed. Representative Hodgson asked why the board could not terminate a contractor if it was not carrying out the board’s wishes, and Adkins replied that Ice Miller was not a party to the board’s contract and that the Finance and Administration Cabinet signs such agreements. The exchange ended with committee members and KCNA representatives agreeing to disagree on the meaning of the statute and the extent of board authority. No formal action was taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon and welcome to our first assembly budget subcommittee. 5 on state administration hearing
• And I want to try to be able to be mindful of the budget situation that we're in right now and the budget
• Thank you. pensions as a budget proposal.
• We thought it would be in the budget, and it was not. Colby White, Department of Finance.
• There are also two provisional languages in our budget plan.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CSU's budget is something I've been talking about because I also chair this part of the budget, and at
• We cover this proposal in our recent 2026-27 budget brief on K-12 proposals.
• We cover this proposal in our recent 2026-27 budget brief on K-12 proposals.
• "Well, so nothing is included in the governor's budget that has that.
• Well, so nothing is included in the governor's budget that has that.

Summary: The committee heard an informational discussion on California’s educator pipeline and shortages, with testimony from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the Learning Policy Institute, CSU educator preparation leaders, and CTA. Witnesses said state investments of more than $2.1 billion have helped rebuild teacher supply, with credential issuance and preparation enrollment rebounding after COVID, but demand remains high because of turnover, early-career attrition, and persistent vacancies. Panelists emphasized that shortages are especially acute in special education, bilingual education, STEM, and in high-need schools and regions, and that underprepared teachers, substitutes, and emergency permits remain heavily used. Several speakers stressed that retention, working conditions, compensation, and stable funding are as important as recruitment. Members focused on whether current data systems are sufficient to measure need and track where teachers end up working. The Commission said it can monitor assignments for credential alignment, but does not have full employment data to determine whether grant recipients or credentialed teachers are actually deployed in the shortage areas for which they were trained. The chair asked for better regional and subject-area data, and the committee discussed the risk that layoffs and budget instability could undermine teacher pipeline investments. CSU representatives urged stronger support for student-teacher stipends, better coordination with districts, more capacity for special education preparation, and more stable CSU funding to expand educator preparation. CTA testified that school climate, class size, health benefits, and administrative support are essential to retaining teachers. The committee then moved to budget proposals. For the Golden State Teacher Grant Program, Finance proposed a $14.4 million reappropriation for 2026-27, and the Student Aid Commission supported continued funding, saying the program has influenced candidates’ decisions to enter teaching and work in priority schools. For educator residencies, Finance proposed $250 million one-time Proposition 98 funding through 2029-30; the LAO said it could be adopted if aligned with legislative priorities, and CTC said the program has strong uptake and supports retention. For the computer science supplementary authorization grant, Finance proposed increasing awards from $2,500 to $6,000 and reducing the match requirement, but the LAO recommended rejecting the change because only about one-fifth of the original funding has been used. The committee also discussed registered apprenticeship pathways, rural access, and whether federal Title II, Title III, or IDEA funds could support bilingual and special education teacher preparation. Several items were held open for further information and follow-up.