Transcript Highlights:

• I was a very proud mom of Haley, Ava Sharief Chambers, who graduated at the top of her class in engineering
• , civil engineering, and environmental engineering.
• I was a very proud mom of Haley Ava Sharief Chambers, who graduated at the top of her class in engineering
• , civil engineering, and environmental engineering.
• , civil engineering, and environmental engineering.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of member introductions recognizing interns, pages, and a retiring Senate employee. Leadership also announced that budget talks with the House were continuing and that senators should not plan to be in next week, with hopes of sharing more budget news soon. The chamber then moved to third reading and took up a major bill on citizen initiatives and constitutional amendments, with sponsors saying it was needed to address documented petition fraud and to protect the integrity of the process. That bill drew extensive debate. Supporters argued that recent investigations showed widespread fraud in petition gathering, that the measure would add reasonable guardrails, and that it would prevent taxpayer-funded government messaging from being used to influence ballot measures. Opponents said the bill would make it much harder for ordinary Floridians to place amendments on the ballot by adding costs, deadlines, registration requirements, fines, and felony exposure, and they warned it would chill grassroots participation and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed campaigns. After debate, the Senate passed the bill 28-10. The Senate then adopted several House amendments and concurred on a series of education and public-safety measures, including bills on stem cell therapy, student-athlete electrocardiograms, cardiac emergency planning in schools, school safety, Bright Futures and other education policy items, and educator preparation. Most of those measures passed unanimously or with overwhelming support, and the chamber also recognized additional interns and a long-serving education advocate before recessing and returning to continue with House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving next to the right, certificate, Certification recommendation in light blue.
• Moving on to the other blue, light blue, this certificate, the alternate provisional certificate, This
• These individuals earn an initial certificate and may renew that initial certificate every four years
• CTE certificates in Missouri.
• certificate one, then they can do other certificates, right?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as the historic first female, she was in Germany and beyond.
• Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as the historic first female, she was in Germany and beyond.
• Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as the historic first female, she was in Germany and beyond.
• Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as the historic first female, she was in Germany and beyond.
• Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as the historic first female, she was in Germany and beyond.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there additional soft costs for engineers, architects to design those things, and then how do those
• And then LHB is an architecture and engineering firm, a private company, that is on the team that does
• lhb is an architecture and engineering lhb is an architecture and engineering firm<00:58:11.520>
• <00:58:30.160> costs<00:58:30.480> architecture<00:58:31.079> costs engineering
• and I am not an architect or an engineer and I am not an architect or an engineer so<01:11:54.840

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Capital Investment Committee met on January 23 and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The main presentation was from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its evaluation of Minnesota’s Sustainable Building guidelines, also referred to as B3. The auditors said the guidelines apply to certain new buildings and major renovations funded with general obligation bonds and are intended to improve energy efficiency, occupant health, and environmental quality. They described the program as involving the Departments of Administration and Commerce, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research, and project teams, but found widespread confusion over who is responsible for administering and enforcing the program. The auditors reported that oversight and accountability are limited, compliance is not clearly tracked, and there is no agency assigned to ensure projects follow the guidelines or to require compliance data. They said many projects in a review of 2020 bonding projects had not begun tracking compliance, and that up-to-date data were often missing. They also found the law’s stated program objectives are outdated because the referenced energy-code provision was repealed in 2009, and that measurable goals have not been established for most of the guideline categories. The office recommended that the legislature designate a responsible agency, clarify duties in statute, require compliance monitoring and data collection, update the program’s stated goals, and direct systematic evaluation of cost and sustainability outcomes. Members asked about consequences for noncompliance, funding, and whether cost impacts should be studied first. The auditor said the requirements are legal obligations, but no real enforcement consequences have been used so far, and any consequences discussed have been mostly theoretical. She said the Departments of Administration and Commerce were receiving about $1 million combined to support the contract with the Center for Sustainable Building Research, while other state agencies were not receiving dedicated funding for oversight. In response to questions about costs, she said the overall effect of the guidelines on project costs and sustainability is still unknown, but that the legislature could direct an analysis of cost impacts before taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to have to go through the Army Corps of Engineers and a few other places, but the current
• Corps<00:03:12.720> of to go through the Army Corps of to go through the Army Corps of Engineers
• 14.519> a<00:03:14.600> few<00:03:14.840> other<00:03:15.040> places, Engineers
• and and a few other places, Engineers and and a few other places, but<00:03:16.000> the<00:03

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House took up the Committee of Conference report on House Bill 944, the fiscal year 2027 transportation program and related transportation law changes. The Speaker first suspended the rules to consider the report immediately. A member from Swanton then outlined the conference committee’s main agreements, saying the House Transportation Committee was pleased with the result. The report’s major provisions included a mileage-based user fee for battery electric vehicles beginning January 1, 2027, at 1.4 cents per mile, with multiple payment options and a directive for the Agency of Transportation to return with recommendations on eventually adding plug-in hybrid vehicles. The member also highlighted shifting $1.7 million from town highway aid to state paving, an additional $300,000 from the general fund for volunteer driver and mobility programs, a recommendation to study bonding as a way to advance transportation projects, consumer-protection style rules for EV charging price transparency, and changes to dates related to the Caledonia airport sale. The member noted the conference committee accepted the Senate’s position on making obsolete Connecticut River log-drive rules obsolete. After brief remarks, the House voted on the conference report. The chair called for a voice vote, the ayes appeared to have it, and the report of the committee of conference was adopted. The House then noted that additional Senate bills might come over later and recessed until 4:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• certificates are regular, in form, and authentic.
• portions of the certificates portions of the certificates after<01:12:56.040> ascertaining
• that the certificates after ascertaining that the certificates are<01:12:58.040> regular<01:12
• Madam President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Alaska seems to be regular, in
• Madame President the certificate of the Madame President the certificate of the electoral<01:25:36.520

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, January 6, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <04:09:17.680> and authorize licensed engineers and authorize licensed engineers and architects
• There is absolutely no one in our town qualified to engineer that building or inspect it or know what
• that building or inspect it to engineer that building or inspect it or<04:11:13.520> know<04:
• Do they require any type of licensed engineer or licensed architect or anything for that matter?
• licensed engineers and licensed licensed engineers and licensed architects<04:12:50.399> could

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of WDE regulations and what the legislature has put forward, and PTSB certification, he cannot
• ,<01:09:53.040> I put forward and PTSB certification, I put forward and PTSB certification
• across the country, have been in the workforce in different types of work from manual labor to engineering
• /c><01:17:53.440> labor<01:17:53.840> to<01:17:54.719> uh<01:17:54.960> engineering
• work from manual labor to uh engineering work from manual labor to uh engineering uh<01:17:56.159

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• what you'd said, that this is supposed to be the Education Freedom Account parent satisfaction certification
• I mean satisfaction uh I'm certification I mean satisfaction uh I'm looking<01:47:36.760> at<
• He remembered testifying three years ago with an industrial engineer specializing in hygiene talking
• :55:51.160> with<04:55:51.798> uh<04:55:52.200> Industrial<04:55:53.200> Engineer
• years ago uh with uh Industrial Engineer years ago uh with uh Industrial Engineer specializing<04

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 184, which would create a committee to study changing school start times. Members discussed Amendment 0394, which made the study committee’s duties more investigative and adjusted reporting recipients, including the Governor. Several members raised questions about whether the committee should review evidence-based studies, local district decisions, and existing district reports; supporters said the amendment would better allow the committee to gather information and recognize local control. The amendment passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Representative Litchfield noted that no one had testified in opposition and encouraged the future study committee to review an Oyster River School District report on school start times. The committee then took up House Bill 394, concerning cooperative school district budget committees and board member representatives. Amendment 0476 was adopted 17-0 after discussion that it clarified the bill’s language and reflected work with the School Boards Association. The committee then voted OTPA on the bill, which also passed 17-0. House Bill 738, requiring background checks for employees and volunteers at certain non-public schools or education service providers receiving public funds, was moved inexpedient to legislate. Supporters said the bill would create practical and legal problems for private citizens and homeschooling families, and the motion passed 15-2 with no minority report, placing the bill on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 235, which would amend the educator code of ethics and conduct to add responsibilities to parents. Supporters argued parents should be explicitly included in the code, while opponents said parents were already covered in existing ethics language and statute. The bill passed narrowly, 9-8. The committee then returned to House Bill 532 on alternate dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Amendment 0480H clarified that different rules would apply separately to neutral conference, mediation, and IEP facilitation; it passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Finally, the committee moved to House Bill 564, concerning adoption of school administrative unit budgets, and voted to retain the bill for further review because members said there was still confusion about how it would apply to single-district and multi-district SAUs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been to preschool here all the way up to getting an engineering degree at Tufts.
• There are a bunch of great fire engineers in Massachusetts.
• There are a bunch of great fire engineers in Massachusetts.
• There are a bunch of great fire engineers in Massachusetts. sets.
• There's even the building There are a bunch of great fire engineers in Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened a hybrid hearing focused on housing production bills, with Chairs Julian Cyr and Rich Haggerty emphasizing Massachusetts’ housing shortage and the need to produce more than 200,000 units over the next decade. The committee then heard testimony on a wide range of proposals, including social housing, starter homes and the “missing middle,” accessory dwelling units (ADUs), single-stair residential buildings, permanent affordability homeownership, and housing for people with disabilities. Several witnesses framed the bills as tools to expand supply, lower costs, and address racial and generational wealth gaps. Representative Connolly testified for H. 1478 on the Massachusetts Social Housing Program, describing publicly owned, mixed-income housing financed through a revolving loan fund. Senator Feeney testified for S. 989 on missing middle starter homes, arguing for zoning changes, incentives, and affordability tools to support smaller starter homes and duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Multiple witnesses, including housing advocates, real estate representatives, and local officials, supported the ADU trust fund bill and the single-stair study bill, saying they would reduce barriers, support homeowners, and enable more family-sized and infill housing. Some witnesses opposed bills they said would weaken ADU reforms or add new restrictions, while others urged broader deregulation to speed production. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1576/S. 1010, the Homes for Lasting Affordability bill, which would create a permanent affordability homeownership program for low- and moderate-income buyers and support small developments with long-term affordability restrictions. Testimony from community land trust leaders, legislators, and housing advocates emphasized that permanent affordability can preserve public investment, stabilize neighborhoods, and help families build wealth over generations. Senator Miranda and Representative Worrell tied the bill to closing the racial wealth gap and expanding access to homeownership for Black and Latino residents. The committee also heard testimony on S. 971, which would reform the Housing Development and Incentive Program to require more affordability in Gateway City projects. The committee additionally heard from Senator Kennedy and disability advocates on S. 1004, which would strengthen the Alternative Housing Voucher Program for people with disabilities by codifying project-based vouchers and aligning the program more closely with other voucher systems. Witnesses described long waitlists and the lack of accessible, affordable units as major barriers that can lead to homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization. No votes were taken during the hearing; the session was devoted to testimony and questions from committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• eight police officers in Foster City, closure of a fire station in South San Francisco, one fire engine
• that will be needed by cutting millions from fire departments can only be achieved by shutting down engine
• In addition, we staff eight state of California OES fire engines.
• Without our employees, we do not have an economic engine in San Mateo County.
• We're developing the right, you know, doing the right engineering, the right technology, and to make

Summary: The hearing began with a vote-only agenda and then focused first on San Mateo County’s request to restore in-lieu vehicle license fee (VLF) funding. County officials, city leaders, labor representatives, nonprofits, and public safety advocates argued that the loss of roughly $157 million would force major cuts to homelessness services, housing assistance, mental health programs, libraries, parks, fire and police staffing, and other local services. They described the current formula as outdated and unfair, tied to school funding and basic-aid dynamics that no longer work for San Mateo County, and urged both an immediate budget restoration and a permanent legislative fix. The Department of Finance said the payments are discretionary, not statutorily required, and noted the administration does not view the expenditure as sustainable in the current fiscal climate. Committee members expressed sympathy, questioned the formula, and said they would keep the issue under consideration; the committee later voted to move the two vote-only items on the agenda. The committee then received an update from the Department of General Services on state property redevelopment, including the Hillcrest DMV site in San Diego, the Fell Street DMV site in San Francisco, and other state-owned properties. DGS explained that Hillcrest is not currently an active project, while the Fell Street project shifted from an integrated DMV-housing plan to a more feasible relocation of the DMV into leased commercial space, with a budget change proposal pending. Members pressed DGS on the slow pace of redevelopment, the potential for housing on state sites, and the costs and feasibility of adaptive reuse. DGS said many state buildings are aging and that adaptive reuse depends heavily on building design, floorplate depth, light, and risk from unknown conditions behind walls. The Government Operations portion then turned to the California Education Learning Lab, which supports intersegmental higher education innovation grants. The Lab asked for permanent restoration of $4 million in ongoing funding and a move of its home agency from the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to GovOps, along with technical trailer bill changes. Supporters said the program has funded more than 120 projects reaching thousands of faculty and hundreds of thousands of students, including work on generative AI in higher education. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the restoration and continuing the wind-down, citing the state’s projected deficit and suggesting the California Education Interagency Council could pursue non-state-funded grant opportunities instead. The committee held the item open. Finally, GovOps presented the new California Education Interagency Council staffing request, seeking four ongoing positions to support the council, with funding already included in last year’s budget. The department said the governor has appointed Debbie Cochran as executive officer and that the remaining positions are being recruited. Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee began questions about how the council will be staffed and organized.

Transcript Highlights:

• In these types of social engineering experiments, and as a result of this coordinated effort nationally
• I budgeted $195 a foot, and we're still going to have to do some value engineering.
• I took a cut in pay as a graduate engineer because I had to sell my fireworks business. Right.
• He has a degree in civil engineering.
• . engineering, Outstanding Alumnus of Dwight Look College of Engineering, and Distinguished Alumnus of

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• He understands that the most powerful engines are built, not bought.
• studies with dedication and perseverance, graduating cum laude and earning degrees in electrical engineering
• That journey brought him to the United States, where he earned his master's degree in electrical engineering
• Educational Foundation, he offered annual scholarships to Filipino students who showed promise in engineering
• Filipino American Fund, he supported high school students in their journey to pursue degrees in engineering

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly met in session after a quorum call and proceeded through a lengthy floor file with many ceremonial guest introductions before taking up legislation. Members welcomed student groups, interns, sorority and civic organization members, and other visitors, including groups focused on coastal protection, youth tobacco prevention, and disability advocacy. The chamber also observed a birthday acknowledgment and later held an adjournment in memory for Dado Banatao, honoring his life, engineering achievements, philanthropy, and support for Filipino American students. On the floor file, the Assembly considered several measures. AB 2323 by McKinnor, on modernizing public notice, passed 57-0. ACR 149 by Hart, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy, drew extensive debate over coastal protection, housing, access, and the role of the Coastal Commission; it was adopted by voice vote after 46 co-authors were added. AB 2011 by Hart, codifying federal mental health parity standards in state law, passed 46-5. AB 2691 by Addis, expanding disqualifying felony convictions for elected office to include sexual assault and human trafficking, passed 53-0. The Assembly also adopted HR 31 on Denim Day and sexual assault awareness after emotional testimony from multiple members about personal experiences, survivor support, victim-blaming, and the need for accountability and prevention; 68 co-authors were added before the resolution passed by voice vote. Additional bills passed included AB 1621 by Wilson on housing approval timelines (64-0), AB 1704 by Mark Gonzalez on studying low-embodied-carbon building material costs (58-0), AB 1916 by Lee on including ASL interpreters in the certified interpreter definition (59-2), AB 2559 by Ward on refundable construction and demolition deposits (61-0), AB 2663 by Rogers as an urgency alcoholic beverage sunset extension (64-0), and AB 2731 by Addis expanding on-sale alcohol licenses in Santa Cruz County (63-0). The consent calendar was also adopted 64-0, and the House adjourned until April 30 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a special contract with DFA, and they let us amend it because we felt we could do a few engineering
• Over 75 projects have to have engineering designs, so we now have four engineering firms that we're working
• signed up for everything, and we're still worried we won't be able to get the 50 even with our own engineer
• We hit the state engineers.
• Working with the Army Corps of Engineers on that La Madana Arroyo to, you know, repair it.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, I would say we are trying to mirror what the Army Corps of Engineers allows with that proximity
• As a civil engineer, I've had many projects that have a...
• As a civil engineer, I've had many projects that have a half acre of wetland adjacent to a gas station
• And then one last thought is, as a stormwater engineer, I understand that wetlands provide treatment
• development is going to have to, separately from the wetland impacts, address through its local engineering

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee heard and acted on several bills related to wetlands, emergency management, fishing licenses, disaster recovery, the Florida Keys, brownfields, wastewater treatment, and spring protection. HB 1175 on mitigation banking drew the most discussion, with supporters saying it would create more predictable release of mitigation credits and help address shortages, while opponents warned it could weaken watershed-based wetland protection and allow credits to be used farther from the impact site. The committee adopted a strike-all amendment making the changes prospective after July 1, 2025, and then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by a 12-3 vote. The committee also considered HB 1535, a broad emergency management strike-all that would expand local storm-preparedness information, debris removal coordination, shelter planning, permitting procedures after storms, limits on post-storm fee increases and moratoria, and changes to election procedures after disasters. Members raised questions about FEMA coordination, shelter standards, impact fees, and the 100-mile post-storm land-use restrictions. After adopting the strike-all, the bill was reported favorably with committee substitute on a 17-0 vote. HB 673, which would extend the same fishing-license convenience to freshwater guides that saltwater captains already have, and HB 705, which extends a public-records exemption for disaster recovery assistance applicants, were both reported favorably without amendment. Later, the committee approved HB 995 for the Florida Keys, which combines affordable-housing incentives, a Habitat for Humanity bond exemption, an extension of the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, and a modest increase in hurricane evacuation time to allow additional residential permits; it was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. HB 733 on brownfields received a technical strike-all and was also reported favorably. HB 645 creating a general permit for distributed wastewater treatment systems passed unanimously, and HB 691 on a reclaimed-water project tied to Outstanding Florida Springs passed 16-1 after concerns were raised about cost, water quality, and whether the bill could broaden the intent of existing spring-protection law. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I come from a military background, and actually as an engineer in the Navy, and had been working in the
• We are not a database or a search engine.
• That’s that defensive engineering answer that you hear about.
• That's that defensive engineering answer that. represent Bonco is it depends, right?
• That's that defensive engineering answer that you hear about.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and automation in Florida government. Panelists from Worldwide Technology, OpenAI, the James Madison Institute, and the Florida Digital Service described AI as a tool to improve efficiency, constituent services, fraud detection, translation, HR workflows, public safety, and regulatory review, while emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace workers. They also stressed the importance of data readiness, workforce training, governance, and having existing technology systems and policies in place before broader deployment. Members asked about public records concerns, vendor vetting, model integrity, and how to balance innovation with privacy and security. Chief Schoonover said agencies are already using or exploring AI in areas such as Medicaid analysis, environmental data, emergency management, tax forms, and child support, and noted that the Digital Service publishes prohibited vendor and application lists. OpenAI discussed its red teaming, safety evaluations, privacy controls, and government products such as ChatGPT Gov, and said it does not train on personal data or target users with ads. The committee also discussed concrete examples of efficiency gains, including reduced call times, faster translation turnaround, and streamlined HR classification work, as well as concerns about job disruption and constituent access. In closing, members raised data center infrastructure and energy needs, with panelists noting that AI depends on substantial compute, power, cooling, and utility capacity. The chair concluded by encouraging continued dialogue and noting that future AI legislation should be targeted to specific problems rather than overly broad.

Transcript Highlights:

• premier places in the nation to come get immunotherapy, where we take your own immune cells, we either engineer
• We either engineer them or we take them out of the tumor.
• we're all growing across the state, I foresee, within 10, 15 years, this is a $10 billion economic engine
• all types of research within all types of cancers, and really being the economic and clinical care engines
• So these CAR-T patients, where you engineer T-cells and can rescue patients that otherwise are at end

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee held a panel discussion on Florida’s cancer research and funding programs, including the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, the James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program, the Bankhead-Coley Research Program, and Live Like Bella. Dr. Ladapo and leaders from Moffitt, Sylvester/University of Miami, UF Health, and Mayo Clinic described how state funding has helped Florida’s four NCI-designated cancer centers expand research, recruit faculty, increase clinical trials, and build collaborations. They emphasized that the programs are intended to improve cancer care statewide, support innovation, and encourage more institutions to pursue NCI designation. The Governor’s budget recommendation was noted as including additional funding, and members asked about the cost and requirements of becoming NCI-designated and eventually comprehensive. Panelists said NCI designation requires major infrastructure, compliance, research, and training investments, with de novo development estimated at about $1 billion. They described Florida’s collaborative model as unusual nationally, with annual symposia, shared pilot funding, and joint projects across the four centers. Members also asked about rural access, home-based care, and recruitment/retention. Mayo described its “Cancer Care Beyond Walls” home-treatment model and said it could expand to rural counties within months; Moffitt and UF discussed mobile screening, satellite sites, and affiliations with local hospitals and practices. Several members raised concerns about workforce shortages, licensure delays, and the need to reach underserved areas. The discussion also covered outcomes, data reporting, and the broader economic impact of the cancer centers. Panelists cited growth in jobs, federal research funding, and clinical trial enrollment, and highlighted advances in immunotherapy, CAR-T, TIL therapy, carbon ion therapy, AI-driven screening, and the firefighter cancer initiative. They said the Florida Cancer Data System is being expanded to track recurrence and quality-of-life measures. Members also asked about philanthropy, medical tourism, and federal funding risks, including possible indirect cost reductions that could affect research budgets. The meeting ended with general support for continued investment, while some members noted an ongoing policy debate over whether future cancer research dollars should be concentrated in the four NCI centers or spread more broadly across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• certification requirements are minimal certification requirements are minimal and<02:50:37.840><
• <02:57:44.080> for and and the costs for certification for and and the costs for certification
• I'm the state highway maintenance engineer for the Department of Transportation.
• As part of that certification, what it does is it says they have a limited liability relief.
• What it does do is it is a certification program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1596, which would raise New Hampshire’s cigarette excise tax from $1.78 per pack to about $2.80, using an inflation-based adjustment since the rate was last set in 2008. Representative Jerry Stringham, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure would keep New Hampshire competitive with neighboring states, generate revenue, and help offset other budget pressures. He also described the bill as repealing an income-based premium charge in Medicaid/CHIP-related programs and restoring cuts to the University System of New Hampshire, arguing that the combined package would still leave the state in a positive fiscal position. He said the tobacco tax increase would likely have some cessation effect but would remain low relative to other New England states, and he cited prior testimony from health groups supporting a larger increase. Members questioned the sponsor about how the new rate was calculated, the prior tobacco tax reduction and restoration, whether tobacco companies would absorb or pass on the tax, and the fiscal note’s estimates for Medicaid premium revenue and UNH funding. Stringham said he used Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation data, that the earlier 10-cent reduction did not produce the expected sales increase, and that the current bill would eliminate the premium charges now in the budget. He later clarified that the Department of Medicaid Services had updated the revenue estimate, but said the bill still showed a surplus overall. He also said the federal government already imposes a $1-per-pack tax and that New Hampshire would remain below neighboring states even after the increase. Two public witnesses testified in opposition to the tax increase. Anna Bettincourt, a tobacco category manager, argued that higher tobacco taxes would unfairly target smokers, reduce New Hampshire’s tax advantage, and likely shift purchases to other states or illicit markets rather than reduce use. She said tobacco companies generally do not lower prices and that Massachusetts’ flavor restrictions had not eliminated sales. In response to questions, she maintained that a smaller increase would still be harmful and that enforcement problems make bans ineffective. The sponsor and some members countered that smokers impose higher health costs and that tobacco taxes are a policy tool for both revenue and public health. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a major economic engine, a workforce pipeline, and a research driver that supports nearly >>
• It's a major economic engine,<00:21:38.559> a<00:21:38.720> workforce<00:21:39.200>
• pipeline,<00:21:39.760> and<00:21:40.000> a engine, a workforce pipeline, and a engine

Bills: HB1974, HB1853, HB1973, HB1574, HB2619, HB1966, HB1643, HB1671, HB2558, HB1854, HB2173, HB1575, HB2229, HB1535, HB1978, HB2508, HB1549, HB2187, HB1550, HB1977, HB2314, HB1871, HB2319, HB1591, HB1858, HB1898, HB2372, HB1765, HB2012, HB1706, HB1962, HB1963, HB1975, HB2009, HB2083, HB2224, HB1877, HB1959, HB1626, HB1665, HB2488, HB2456, HB2548, HB2207, HB1832, HB2079, HB1985, HB1618, HB2486, HB2242, HB2045, HB1703, HB2236, HB2480, HB1976, HB2287, HB2288, HB1777, HB276, HB1660, HB1676, HB1605, HB1751, HB1967, HB2383, HB2340, HB1946, HB2268, HB1950, HB2156, HB2118, HB1859, HB1863, HB1996, HB2114, HB2423, HB2429, HB2475, HB2534, HB2545, HB1813, HB1941, HB2474, HB2583, HB1576, HB1886, HB1939, HB2540, HB2590, HB2000, HB2163, HB2386, HB1691, HB1680, HB2516, HB1993, HB2442, HB1510, HB1958, HB1692

Keywords: HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency

Transcript Highlights:

• Buffer zones reduce the risk of pollen drift that could impact non-hemp crops or organic certifications
• They have to have a USDA license, their certificate of analysis for THC compliance, and identification
• 57.280> um license. they have to uh have their um license. they have to uh have their um certificate
• <01:23:58.560> of<01:23:58.880> analysis certificate of analysis certificate of analysis

Bills: HB1974, HB1853, HB1973, HB1574, HB2619, HB1966, HB1643, HB1671, HB2558, HB1854, HB2173, HB1575, HB2229, HB1535, HB1978, HB2508, HB1549, HB2187, HB1550, HB1977, HB2314, HB1871, HB2319, HB1591, HB1858, HB1898, HB2372, HB1765, HB2012, HB1706, HB1962, HB1963, HB1975, HB2009, HB2083, HB2224, HB1877, HB1959, HB1626, HB1665, HB2488, HB2456, HB2548, HB2207, HB1832, HB2079, HB1985, HB1618, HB2486, HB2242, HB2045, HB1703, HB2236, HB2480, HB1976, HB2287, HB2288, HB1777, HB276, HB1660, HB1676, HB1605, HB1751, HB1967, HB2383, HB2340, HB1946, HB2268, HB1950, HB2156, HB2118, HB1859, HB1863, HB1996, HB2114, HB2423, HB2429, HB2475, HB2534, HB2545, HB1813, HB1941, HB2474, HB2583, HB1576, HB1886, HB1939, HB2540, HB2590, HB2000, HB2163, HB2386, HB1691, HB1680, HB2516, HB1993, HB2442, HB1510, HB1958, HB1692

Keywords: HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency