Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is about, and I love the way the title deals in the Renaissance District.
• So the remainder of 3 essentially mirrors the language of Code of Criminal Procedure Article 878.1, Paragraph
• response to the constitutional mandates established by the United States Supreme Court in Miller versus Alabama
• response to the constitutional mandates established by the United States Supreme Court in Miller versus Alabama
• Alabama and Montgomery v. Louisiana, it was clearly laid out by the U.S.

Bills: HB75, SB134, SB201, SB258, SB288, SB313, SB320, SB321, SB325, SB339, SB345, SB393, SB422, SB440, SB470, SB487, SB523

Keywords: HB75, Act 963, gaming, casino gaming, promotional play, promotional wagers, slot machine proceeds, net gaming proceeds, gross revenue, taxable revenue, gaming operators, gaming tax, Louisiana gaming, gaming revenue deduction, casino tax, gaming promotion, revenue cap, pilot program, child sexual abuse materials, sexting

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee heard and advanced a series of bills, mostly on juvenile justice, gaming background checks, corrections, and criminal procedure. Early in the meeting, the committee reported favorably SB 258 on juvenile traffic violations, SB 321 on electronic bonds, SB 134 on child sexual abuse material/sexting-related offenses involving juveniles, and HB 75 on promotional play for racetracks after adopting an amendment narrowing the bill’s application. The committee also reported favorably SB 422 on unsupervised probation for certain fourth-offense OWI cases, SB 440 on the Renaissance District board membership, SB 393 on explosives regulation after correcting a bill-number mix-up, SB 339 on gaming-industry background checks, SB 325 on excluding certain persons from sports wagering, and SB 288 on criminal history background checks. Most of these measures were described as technical cleanups or modernization efforts and drew support from law enforcement, district attorneys, or industry groups, with little or no opposition. The most substantial debate centered on SB 201, which would change how Louisiana handles juvenile homicide sentencing, including first- and second-degree murder cases and review of old death sentences converted to life terms. Supporters from the Attorney General’s office said the bill would align sentencing procedures with existing Supreme Court law and give courts a more neutral framework. Opponents from the SPLC and the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights argued it would weaken the safeguard that life without parole for children should be reserved for the rarest cases, expand exposure to juvenile life-without-parole sentences, and raise constitutional concerns. After an amendment was adopted, the committee voted 7-3 to report SB 201 favorably as amended. The committee also heard SB 523 on clemency and sentencing considerations for defendants who are victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking, or sexual assault. Supporters said it would create a path to pardon or commutation and allow victimization to be considered at sentencing, while several survivor-advocacy groups opposed the bill’s pre-sentence investigation requirement, warning it could introduce biased or harmful information and that the bill did not go far enough to fix sentencing problems. After testimony from the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Sheriff’s Association, the committee reported SB 523 favorably as amended. It also reported SB 320 on DNA detection and rape-kit data reporting, SB 470 on pregnant women in custody and shackling during delivery, and SB 345 requiring annual OJJ reporting, with members noting confidentiality concerns that may need amendment later. The final bill taken up in the excerpt was SB 313, which would bar clerks and vendors from charging additional electronic filing fees in criminal and traffic cases, but the transcript cuts off before action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• North Dakota Century Code.
• North Dakota Century Code.
• The criminal code in Section 12.1 of the North Dakota Century Code has intentionally, knowingly, recklessly
• So 31-8 Project and YouthWorks, they submitted a proposal together. 31-8 Project and YouthWorks, they
• Yes, so 31-8 project comes from Proverbs 31:8, speak up for those who can't speak for themselves, and

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• recognize as the zip code for where we're sitting right here today, and it did accept that.
• <01:05:23.400> or like to use when I'm in Alabama or like to use when I'm in Alabama or Mississippi
• junior lien... private health insurance, HMOs, and private health insurance, HMOs, and non-HMOs<01:31
• :57.320> will<01:31:57.480> streamline,<01:31:58.120> clarify,<01:31:58.840>
• Health Plan Regulatory which is titled Health Plan Regulatory Alignment,<01:46:55.160> matches

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Mandy Spears with the Alabama Department of Corrections.
• People were uh able to steal those funds and not from Alabama, either.
• You type in a code and you go back.
• I represent the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles.
• I'm representing the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• close to North Dakota as you can possibly be, to quote my colleague from South Dakota, was your area code
• Duffy, I just got back from Huntsville, Alabama last week or so. watched the performance of high-energy
• the Air Force's fighter force structure and prioritizing the recapitalization of combatants. combat-coded
• Mississippi perhaps, Alabama that are doing great things and I think if we they specialize in certain
• We need to take a look at Title... 38 authorities to see if we can use that to strategically recruit

Keywords: Air Force modernization, fighter aircraft, autonomous systems, air superiority, national security, recapitalization

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on military procurement and modernization, with significant discussions surrounding the Air Force's capabilities and strategic needs. Key topics included the urgent need for recapitalization of the Air Force's fighter squadrons, as well as the importance of integrating new technologies like autonomous systems to bolster military effectiveness. Several senators raised concerns about the current resources available to the Air National Guard and the potential loss of skilled service members if recapitalization plans are not swiftly developed. There were also discussions on the importance of maintaining air superiority in light of evolving threats, particularly from adversaries like China.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're getting at the $15,000 expedite and things without worry about being outside the code and being
• for our local in the state of Alabama for our local governments<00:08:05.199> uh<00:08:05.360
• So this would require, according to foreign employment code, to conform to other... and if you look at
• c><00:09:41.440> to<00:09:41.680> conform<00:09:42.800> to foreign employment code
• to conform to foreign employment code to conform to other other other and<00:09:45.760> if<00

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:31:03.920> not<01:31:04.159> want<01:31:04.400> to<01:31:04.639> try<
• <01:31:05.360> the<01:31:05.600> tax<01:31:05.840> credits<01:31:06.159> that
• But this could<01:31:08.560> go<01:31:08.800> a<01:31:09.040> long<01:31:09.120>
• <01:31:47.199> Um<01:31:47.920> land<01:31:48.239> and<01:31:48.560> code
• Um land and code reform, please<01:31:50.159> do<01:31:50.320> away<01:31:50.639> with

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:01 Discussion of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 01:11:13 Adjournment 01:40:27, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Housing Task Force met and heard first from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented findings from a housing study done with the Home Builders Association. The chamber said housing is now a major economic-development issue, citing survey results that 90% of community leaders said their region could not absorb a major job announcement and 66% said housing is holding back Kentucky’s economy. The chamber described Kentucky’s housing shortage, rising home prices, declining permits since 2008, and the need for more production to support growth. It urged policy changes including zoning and land-use reform, tax incentives, regional approaches, and especially a residential infrastructure fund modeled on Indiana’s low-interest loan program to help communities finance roads and other infrastructure needed for new housing. Members asked about the severity of the problem, workforce shortages in permitting and construction, the loan interest rate, repayment, and whether Kentucky could replicate Indiana’s results; the witness said the issue is a crisis and that the program would be a revolving public-private partnership, likely around 3% interest, with implementation details still to be worked out. The Kentucky Bankers Association then testified that the housing gap is especially acute for households at 80% of area median income and below, which it said represents about 70% of Kentucky’s housing need. It emphasized that the shortage affects both urban and rural counties and pointed to examples such as Rowan County, where workers at major employers must commute long distances because local housing is unavailable or unaffordable. The bankers said high interest rates remain a major barrier and proposed a $20 million bank commitment for a revolving fund tied to tax credits to finance new housing, not refinances. They cited Hope of the Midwest as an example of a successful tax-credit housing model with a long track record and no defaults, and said the proposal would leverage public-private partnerships to create new units. Committee members questioned how the proposed fund would compare with industrial revenue bonds and whether it could be structured like Kentucky’s tobacco settlement fund, with seed money, a review board, scoring criteria, and possible population thresholds to ensure smaller communities benefit. The bankers said the proposal would be another tool for cities and counties, specifically tied to residential infrastructure, and that larger cities should not be able to capture all of the resources. No formal votes or actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:31:08.240> quote,<00:31:08.480> "Nor<00:31:08.880> that<00:31:09.120> any
• <00:31:17.279> penalty<00:31:17.679> to<00:31:17.840> zero<00:31:18.159> during
• It is time, this<00:31:37.039> time<00:31:37.200> in<00:31:37.440> defense<00:31
• When<00:31:40.960> I<00:31:41.200> came<00:31:41.360> to<00:31:41.519> Congress
• The National Firearms<00:31:50.080> Act<00:31:50.240> of<00:31:50.480> 1934<00:31

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > I<01:31:06.560> have<01:31:06.800> General<01:31:07.199> concerns<01:31
• :09.760> violence<01:31:10.760> um<01:31:11.000> as<01:31:11.119> a<01:31
• ><01:31:13.280> putting<01:31:13.600> people<01:31:13.880> in<01:31:14.000> a
• > about<01:31:30.719> this<01:31:31.719> um<01:31:32.159> I<01:31:32.280>
• <01:31:34.920> determinations<01:31:35.679> and<01:31:35.840> I<01:31:35.960

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And a poll we conducted among Title X members found that 85% of respondents reported relying on Title
• Without Title X funding, 48% of California's Title X-funded agencies report that they will certainly
• And Title X helped make that happen.
• So that's not about Title X because Title X right now, and the current design, focuses on equity, quality
• Title X. That are Title X grantees?

Summary: The subcommittee held an oversight hearing on federal actions affecting California’s public health and family planning systems, focusing first on the freeze to Title X family planning funds and then on broader CDC/public health grant terminations. Chair and members described the cuts as abrupt, harmful, and likely to create major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, contraception, STI testing, and other preventive services, while also criticizing the federal administration’s explanation that the actions were tied to DEI or civil-rights compliance. The chair thanked Attorney General Bonta for legal action and said the hearing was intended to document the real-world impacts and inform state budget responses. Witnesses from Essential Access Health, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a Central Coast clinic, and other providers said California’s Title X network serves more than half a million low-income patients annually and relies on the funds for staffing, outreach, training, mobile and school-based clinics, and confidential care. They warned that the freeze has already forced reserve spending, delayed services, and could lead to layoffs, reduced hours, longer waits, and fewer appointments, especially for sexual and reproductive health care. Public comment included support for a proposed state backfill of Title X losses, with advocates emphasizing impacts on low-income, LGBTQ+, and communities of color. On the public health side, CDPH, county health officials, and local health officers testified that the CDC’s rescission of $11.4 billion in grants would affect California by an estimated $840 million and threaten lab capacity, immunization programs, health disparities work, and data systems such as CalConnect and vaccine registries. Sacramento County and others described how the grants supported outbreak response, sequencing, community vaccination clinics, and equity-focused partnerships, and said terminations had already led to canceled appointments, stopped contracts, and layoffs. Several speakers urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state “future of public health” funding and to backfill federal losses, while public commenters from HIV, immunization, labor, and county organizations echoed concerns about workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• and Administrative Code.
• I can't remember his title. His name's Rick. And he's looking at those.
• I can't remember his title. His name's Rick. And he's looking at those.
• , the Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that states should follow, they
• The Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that states should follow.

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence for a deceased member, then approved the April minutes and heard a presentation from HHS on the Diversion Task Force and related youth services grants. Chelsea Florey described the $750,000 one-time appropriation from HB 1012, the five awarded grants, and how programs in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot are using the funds for youth diversion, including school-based groups, physical activity, and services for problematic sexual behavior. Members raised concerns about staffing shortages, family engagement, service silos, and whether diversion eligibility rules are too rigid; Florey said the task force is focused on better coordination, broader education about available services, and possible changes to diversion criteria, with the Children’s Cabinet likely to drive broader recommendations. The committee then received a North Dakota Lottery biennium report from Director Thomas Lawler, who reviewed the lottery’s history, games, retailer commissions, player programs, and revenue distribution. He reported about $67 million in ticket sales for the 2023-2025 biennium, about $16.2 million transferred overall, including roughly $13.6 million to the general fund, plus transfers to drug task force and compulsive gambling funds. Members asked about the compulsive gambling allocation and whether it is set by statute. Next, the Department of Corrections presented on criminal justice data sharing and reentry. Adam Anderson explained that jails, courts, DOCR, HHS, and other entities use separate systems with limited interoperability, making real-time communication largely manual. He outlined possible hub or point-to-point IT solutions, but noted cost, vendor, identifier, and data-definition challenges. Robin Schmolenberger followed with an update on a Medicaid data exchange project between DOCR and HHS to suspend and reactivate inmate Medicaid coverage automatically and improve care coordination, with full bi-directional exchange expected in fall 2026. The committee also heard from county representatives on 24-7 sobriety program fees and an AG opinion allowing local sheriffs to use cheaper testing options when courts waive fees. Finally, the North Dakota Racing Commission reviewed a troubling audit. Bruce Johnson acknowledged serious findings involving overspending from the promotion fund, missing grant documentation, a reversed decision on breeders fund eligibility, and repeated procurement violations. He said the commission has begun corrective actions, including monthly tracking of the promotion fund cap, stricter grant documentation, written procurement procedures, and clearer eligibility rules in condition books. Members pressed him on how the overspending occurred, whether the commission board would impose consequences, and whether statutory clarification is needed on the promotion fund limit and related spending rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• > children Alabama sends thousands of children Alabama sends thousands of children to<00:01:57.440
• The customer is in Alabama. A meaningful portion of our supply chain is in Alabama.
• lambs, an increase in 12% in Alabama lambs, an increase in 12% in Alabama sheep<00:09:36.760>
• <00:09:48.640> is this comes at a time when Alabama is this comes at a time when Alabama is
• One thing that kept coming up: there are eight different definitions of rural in Alabama code.

Bills: HB381, HB259, HB393, HB399, SB358, SB362, SB363, SB348, SB187

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• obligates us... ...directly conflict with our own ethical code, which obligates us legally to avoid
• Thank you. [01:31:40.000] Next, emergency medical services licensure compact.
• For example, Alabama passed an AA bill in 1995.
• We are not aware of any CRNAs using the title physician, medical doctor, or MD to mislead patients in
• Furthermore, there is no effort to pursue a legal title change of any APRN group.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing to take testimony on a wide range of bills involving professional licensure, clinical practice, and public health-related workforce issues. The chair explained that no votes would be taken at the hearing and that the purpose was to gather public input. Early testimony focused on Marnie’s Law, with supporters describing the bill as a no-cost, preventive measure to require nursing education on inflammatory breast cancer after a family tragedy and arguing it could reduce misdiagnosis and save lives. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills affecting clinical decision-making and licensure compacts. Supporters of the physician ownership/clinical autonomy bills argued they would protect independent practices from corporate interference after the Steward collapse, while supporters of EMS, dental, psychology, physical therapy, and physician assistant compacts said the measures would improve workforce mobility, reduce delays, and expand access to care, especially for rural patients, military families, and telehealth users. Several witnesses emphasized that the compacts would not reduce standards and would strengthen public protection through shared disciplinary databases and streamlined credentialing. There was also testimony on bills to ensure safe medication administration and to protect the independence of complementary and alternative health care practitioners. Nursing representatives urged that only licensed professionals administer medications in hospitals, hospices, and home care settings, warning that delegation to unlicensed staff could endanger patients and nurses’ licenses. A complementary and alternative care witness supported consumer access with mandatory disclosures and limits on reserved medical acts. On the dental compact, witnesses were split: some supported portability and workforce flexibility, while others warned the compact lacked a hands-on skills exam and could weaken Massachusetts’ regulatory authority and patient safety. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on the psychology compact, physical therapy compact, and physician assistant bills, with most speakers favoring expanded interstate practice and reduced administrative barriers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Georgia<01:31:12.920> based<01:31:13.320> Folton<01:31:13.679> County<01:31:14.520
• 31:16.520> had<01:31:16.760> proposed<01:31:17.280> a$<01:31:17.520> 1.7
• c><01:31:29.360> and<01:31:29.600> decided<01:31:30.119> to<01:31:30.480> do<
• 01:31:41.199> um<01:31:41.520> again<01:31:41.719> fton<01:31:42.119> County<
• :59.159> of<01:31:59.320> why<01:31:59.440> I<01:31:59.560> brought<01:31

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on House Bill 433, which would appropriate $4 million for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the governor’s executive budget already includes $4 million for the same purpose and asked that the measure defer to that budget. Supporters, including the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the ACLU, backed the funding but urged that it be tied to a clear re-entry plan, performance measures, transparency, and regular reporting to the legislature. They emphasized that re-entry should begin at intake and involve community partnerships, housing, treatment, employment, and family reunification services. Committee members questioned the department about current re-entry services, pre-trial detainees, and how the new funds would be used. Johnson said the department’s current statewide re-entry budget is about $1.5 million to $1.7 million, separate from the larger Corrections Program Services Division budget for in-facility programs. He described the proposed $4 million as supporting a mix of services, including a pilot apprenticeship program, substance abuse treatment, navigator or warm-handoff services, and short-term transitional housing. He also said the department already tracks performance outcomes in its annual report and can provide a matrix showing the intake-to-discharge process, program contracts, and volunteer organizations. The discussion also covered pre-trial detainees, electronic monitoring, and mental health services. Johnson said the department has limited jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees but works with courts to seek supervised release when possible; he noted that many requests are denied, though electronic monitoring has improved release rates somewhat. On mental health, he said the jail is not an ideal therapeutic setting for people found unfit to proceed and suggested a secure community-based step-down facility run by the Department of Health for those needing care above what the jail can provide but below forensic-level treatment. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:31:02.159> also<00:31:02.399> say<00:31:02.559> that<00:31:02.799> when
• or<00:31:11.360> so<00:31:11.840> on<00:31:12.080> how<00:31:12.240>
• restitution<00:31:13.200> and<00:31:13.440> that<00:31:13.760> restitution<00:31
• :31:20.159> out<00:31:20.320> to<00:31:20.480> to<00:31:20.799> the<00:31
• <00:31:23.120> So,<00:31:23.279> but<00:31:23.520> I<00:31:23.600> need

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :51.880> trying<03:31:52.120> to<03:31:52.239> push<03:31:52.520> here<03
• we're<03:31:53.399> going<03:31:53.479> to<03:31:53.560> have<03:31:53.640>
• to have a change of Direction<03:31:54.800> here<03:31:55.800> in<03:31:56.160> in<
• /c><03:31:56.560> um<03:31:57.120> in<03:31:57.319> in<03:31:57.439> leadership
• > from<03:31:58.319> the<03:31:58.479> White<03:31:58.760> House<03:32:00.199

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have clear educational value or involve critical thinking activities, including but not limited to coding
• Um, I think we will have an amendment, and it adds the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to our
• The Alabama Commission on Higher Education to our accountability task force.
• Alabama Commission on Higher Education Alabama Commission on Higher Education to<00:07:34.800> our
• <00:08:07.280> commission Not only has the Alabama Commission on Higher Ed, but it also has

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those conversations have led us all to really consider what this looks like or could look like in Alabama
• . ...could look like in Alabama.
• We've seen significant increases in funding for Alabama students' per-pupil funding by almost $1,100.
• What you're seeing on this screen, each of those dots represents an individual Alabama school district
• On average in Alabama, we fund kids at about $7,500 per year. fund kids at about $7,500 per year.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Title X federal funding cuts first.
• In a poll we conducted among Title X members, 85% of respondents reported relying on Title X for clinicians
• We are proud to be a part of the Title X network.
• That's not about Title X, because Title X right now, the current design focuses on equity and quality
• Because a lot, going back to being in California, most of the Title X sub-recipients use their Title

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The drug court<00:31:02.000> court<00:31:02.239> program<00:31:02.800> has<00:31
• data collection<00:31:07.679> system<00:31:08.000> for<00:31:08.320> all<00:31:
• c> Hampshire,<00:31:11.360> one<00:31:11.520> of<00:31:11.600> the<00:31:12.159
• who<00:31:23.920> whom<00:31:24.239> I<00:31:24.480> talked<00:31:24.719
• Um thank<01:31:38.080> you<01:31:38.240> for<01:31:38.399> the<01:31:38.560>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 1067-FN, which would formalize and expand mental health courts in New Hampshire and create a grant-based funding structure for them. Representative Mark Pearson, the prime sponsor, described the bill as a bipartisan, compassionate, and cost-effective approach that would connect people with mental illness to treatment and supervision instead of incarceration, while still holding them accountable. He said the proposal was developed with input from the judicial branch, law enforcement, corrections, mental health organizations, and others, and emphasized that local courts could tailor programs to their needs. Committee members questioned the bill’s fiscal note, whether the legislature had previously studied the issue, how the program would be funded, and whether the bill should more explicitly address treatment, prevention, and data collection. Representative Buzz Sher, who helped develop the bill, explained how mental health courts work, including referral, clinical and public-safety assessments, case management, goal-setting, and graduation from the program. He said existing New Hampshire mental health courts are mostly partial and county-funded, and that the bill would formalize them, set standards, and allow grant funding. He also cited data from Georgia and New Hampshire suggesting significant savings from reduced incarceration and related costs. Members also raised concerns about due process, whether people not formally charged could be swept into the system, and whether individuals with violent offenses or domestic violence histories could be diverted inappropriately. Sher responded that only people already in the criminal justice process are eligible and that courts use safety assessments to screen out most violent cases. The committee requested that Sher file supporting financial data from other jurisdictions, and he agreed to do so. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.