Transcript Highlights:

• 20.880> 10% debt and so that when we're at that 10% debt and so that when we're at that 10% Mark
• 22.400> were<00:50:22.680> talking<00:50:23.079> about<00:50:23.680> we're Mark
• that you were talking about we're Mark that you were talking about we're only<00:50:24.400> using

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways committee held a capital budget orientation led by Legislative Budget Assistant Office staff, who walked members through the budget materials, the capital budget process, and the committee’s compare sheet. The presentation explained that agencies begin developing capital requests nearly a year in advance, submit them by May 1, and that the governor’s recommended capital budget is a reduced version of the much larger agency wish list. Members were told the agencies initially requested about $1.1 billion in projects, the catalog was trimmed to just over $400 million in general fund projects, and the governor’s recommendation in the pink book totals about $143 million in general fund capital appropriations. The committee also reviewed the prior capital budget and related statutes and committee procedures. Several specific projects drew discussion. The Department of Education’s CTE projects were explained as having been shifted into the operating budget in the prior cycle and now returning to the capital budget recommendation; members asked whether there was a backup CTE project and whether local approval had been secured for the named project. The Cannon Mountain tramway request was highlighted as a $20 million recommendation, with the presenter explaining that an earlier $18 million appropriation would be lapsed back to the general fund to help balance the budget. The Department of Corrections’ new prison project was also discussed; members were told the state has already appropriated $50 million for planning and site evaluation, but the governor’s current capital budget does not include a new prison construction appropriation because the project is not yet ready for that phase and may need to be funded differently, possibly through a separate, staggered appropriation. State Treasurer Monica Mezzapelli then presented on debt affordability and the state’s borrowing capacity. She said the state’s credit position has improved, with the debt-to-revenue ratio falling from 8.2% in 2015 to 3.8% in 2024, and explained that RSA 6-C limits debt authorization to 10% of unrestricted prior-year revenue. She noted that the Treasury’s planning assumes $60 million in annual bond issuance, with the prison-related $40 million now expected to be issued in 2026 rather than 2025 because the project is not ready to spend the funds. She said the state can still borrow more, but additional debt service must be paid from operating funds, and recommended keeping capital bonding in the $120 million to $130 million range to preserve affordability and the state’s credit rating. Members asked for clarification on the CTE funding shift, the prison schedule, and the meaning of the large agency request totals. The chair and treasurer discussed the governor’s $143 million recommendation versus the committee’s usual target range, and the treasurer said $130 million would be more comfortable than $140 million, with $135 million described as a possible compromise. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting was informational and ended with the presenters offering to answer follow-up questions as agencies come before the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• My incredible husband, Mark Rollins, and I met the first week of our freshman year at Texas A&M, Senator
• And it was so nice to get to meet Mark out at the National Finals Rodeo.
• And, you know, what we've seen, I think Michigan has gotten decently high marks for handling it well

Transcript Highlights:

• on this place house who left her mark on this place and<00:11:11.440> passed<00:11:11.760>
• Representative Mark Pearson is recognized to speak against the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Mark Pearson is recognized for parliamentary inquiry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Mark Pearson moves inexpedience to legislate.
• recommendation representative Mark recommendation representative Mark Pearson<01:27:43.960> moves

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, leaves of absence, guest introductions, and memorial remarks honoring former Representative Carolyn Gargas of Hollis, who was remembered for her long House service, work on child and family issues, and community involvement. The House then adopted a consent calendar and approved a motion to withdraw House Bill 431, which would have created a commission to review draft rules on minimum standards for public school approval and state academic standards; the motion failed after a roll call vote, so the bill remained in play. The House next took up House Bill 109-FN, relative to false reports to law enforcement. The majority supported the bill as a way to add penalties for knowingly false reports about law enforcement officers, arguing officers deserve protection from false accusations and that the knowingly standard is a high bar. The minority opposed it as duplicative of existing law and warned it could chill legitimate complaints against police. After debate and a division vote, the majority committee report of ought to pass was adopted, 198-173. The House also considered House Bill 218-FN, which would provide victims of crime a free police report. The committee amendment changed the bill so victims would receive a written confirmation that a crime occurred rather than the initial police report, to avoid conflicts with right-to-know law and active-investigation confidentiality. Supporters said the change was a small but important clarification agreed to by law enforcement and domestic violence advocates, while opponents argued the original language was already workable and that the floor amendment was unnecessary. A division vote was requested on the amendment, and the transcript ends during that debate before the final outcome on HB 218 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• With this year marking the 4,724th year, many Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House briefly recessed, then took up a message from the Governor recommending legislation to validate certain proceedings of the town of Stowe; the matter was referred to the Committee on Election Laws. The House also adopted a resolution recognizing the Asian American community’s Lunar New Year celebration on February 17, 2026, with remarks describing the cultural significance of the holiday and the Year of the Horse. The chamber then approved a series of routine orders extending committee reporting deadlines, including for the Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Education, Housing, Labor and Workforce Development, Municipalities and Regional Government, and Revenue committees. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 for two petitions, one concerning the sale of parrots and another concerning consumer protections for low-valued legal tender scarcity. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling reported several bills for House consideration, including measures on veteran property tax workoff amounts, infectious disease-related health impairment, Worcester Regional Retirement System quorum rules, senior property tax exemptions and related local tax relief, a Leominster civil service exemption for certain police positions, a Chelmsford bridge naming, and a Groton charter amendment; the House suspended Rule 7A, read the bills for a second time, and ordered them to a third reading. On final action, the House passed to be enacted a bill amending the Agawam charter and a bill authorizing Arlington to place a ballot question on increasing off-premises alcohol licenses. It also engrossed a bill directing the Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Angel G. Rivera and a bill providing for a town administrator in Hopkinton. The House then adopted an order to meet the following Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, I have Mark, Representative Johnson, and Representative Feld's presence.

Bills: SB311, HB371

Keywords: pesticide, licensing, agriculture, landscaper, grain inspector, record keeping, Delaware agriculture, certified applicators, regulatory compliance, HB371, Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Act, farmland preservation, agricultural lands, agricultural preservation district, Farmland Preservation Advisory Board, county advisory board, Delaware Foundation, Department of Agriculture, DNREC, planning and zoning

Summary: The House Agriculture Committee met with a quorum present and considered three bills. Senate Bill 53 would codify and continue the Farm to Community Program if federal support is reduced or unavailable, prioritize Delaware farmers, and require reporting and transparency. Testimony in support came from the Delaware Farm Bureau, the Academy of Medicine and Public Health, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jimmy Crone, who said the department supports the bill. Members raised no questions, and the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. The committee then heard Senate Bill 311, a Department of Agriculture maintenance bill updating Title 3 provisions related to plant industry and pesticides. The bill removes an outdated $100 license fee, requires certified private applicators to keep pesticide application records available for inspection, expands the definition of landscaper to include commercial entities installing their own nursery stock, and removes a good-character requirement for grain inspector applicants. With no public comment or questions, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. Finally, House Bill 371, sponsored by Representative Vanderwyn, would streamline the Agland Preservation Act by eliminating a redundant county advisory board step for farmland preservation districts. Representative Vanderwyn and Deputy Secretary Crone explained that the advisory boards were more useful when the program was new, but now the county planning and zoning commissions and the Department of Agriculture already provide the needed review. After brief discussion, with no public comment, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll mark it as a do pass. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, members.

Bills: SB1734, SB1630, SB1894, SB1975, SB1432, SB1437, SB1812, SB346, SB1250, SB710, SB1489, SB2045, SB1614

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, schools, public school districts, education technology, edtech, student privacy, FERPA, data privacy, data security, emerging technologies, machine learning, generative AI, classroom technology, instructional technology, teacher oversight, human-in-the-loop, student data, parental consent, opt-out

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Walsh from USF waiving in support seeing no further public testimony members.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I feel like if we if we had an FFA program at OSM- that we might get closer to that 288 mark, and

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm here, and please mark Senator Lang present when she arrives.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Humphrey first made his mark on the national stage when he attended, as mayor of Minneapolis, the 1948

Transcript Highlights:

• Gonzales, Mark Gonzales, Hadwick, Paney, Herabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Cora, Krell.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27th, where more than

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Overmount Victory National Historic Trail also passes through the area where the museum now sits, marking
• Led by Mark Etinger, board president, the generosity of the board of directors and the friends of the
• The removal of this brutal dictator marks a pivotal moment in the long struggle against a regime that
• The removal of this<04:51:51.920> brutal<04:51:52.320> dictator<04:51:52.798> marks<
• While Operation Enduring Freedom marks an historic strategic victory, all comes at a solemn cost.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For this this bill misses the mark.
• Mark Prebble. [clears throat] >> Still morning. >> Good morning, Mr.
• Um, my name is Mark Brabble. I live in Moultonboro.
• <02:33:53.920> Mark See none. Thank you very much. Mark See none. Thank you very much.
• I live in my name is Mark Brabble. I live in Moltenboro. Moltenboro.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a SARCOP program that we have added into the work, but when they go to a house, they mark it that
• <00:10:52.880> a<00:10:52.920> house,<00:10:53.320> they<00:10:53.480> mark
• <00:10:53.760> it when they go to a house, they mark it when they go to a house, they mark

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received a budget and program update from Kentucky Emergency Management on the state’s urban search and rescue buildout. Eric Gibson and Doug Hargrave said the legislature’s funding was used to create FEMA-type urban search and rescue capacity, including Kentucky Task Force 1 and 2, the incident support team, and the helicopter aquatic rescue/hoist team. They emphasized that the effort is not just equipment purchases but also training, credentialing, warehouse and training-facility development, canine program expansion, and coordination with local search and rescue agencies across the Commonwealth. Gibson reported that the agency executed 99.4% of the $16.175 million appropriation by the end of the fiscal year and said the team met its readiness target ahead of schedule, with equipment already being deployed in recent flood response operations. He also said $500,000 per year was set aside for local search and rescue grants, with about $482,000 awarded to 29 teams in one year and $490,000 to 36 teams in the next, averaging about $20,000 per grant. Several members urged the committee to consider increasing support for local responders in future budgets, noting rising equipment costs and the importance of local teams as first on scene. Members asked about staffing, coverage, and benefits. Gibson explained that the task force is a mixed workforce of full-time fire personnel loaned from local departments, professional service staff such as doctors and engineers, and temporary deployment staff, with workers’ compensation coverage provided through KYEM and/or home agencies depending on the arrangement. He also said local search and rescue members are not currently included in line-of-duty death benefits. In response to questions about coverage and deployment, he described the two task force locations as designed to keep resources within roughly 100 miles of every Kentuckian. The discussion also turned to recent flood response and disaster recovery. Gibson said the state had mobilized up to 24 teams over the weekend, documented roughly 60 to 80 water rescues or assisted evacuations, and was seeing significant damage in counties such as Cumberland, Clinton, and Metcalfe, including agricultural losses. He said several counties were meeting FEMA public assistance thresholds and that the state was preparing a broader relief request that could include FEMA, SBA, and USDA assistance. He also updated members on efforts to claw back and reallocate unused “strained fiscal liquidity” funds by the statutory deadline, saying notices were sent and funds were redirected where possible to unmet local needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just make sure it ends with a question mark. Okay.
• Next up we have Kurt Lange, and going to be followed by Mark Christo. Good afternoon.
• Mark Christo. And on deck we have Samuel Hurtado. Good afternoon.
• My name is Mark Christo, members of the committee. Nice to be here.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a long public hearing focused mainly on two sets of issues: proposals to amend or repeal the MBTA Communities Act, and bills to allow local rent stabilization. Committee chairs opened by explaining the hearing would be tightly managed because of the very large number of speakers, with testimony limited to two minutes per person and written testimony still accepted by email. Members and witnesses were called in a mix of in-person and virtual order throughout the hearing. On the MBTA Communities Act, several legislators and local officials argued the law is too rigid and should be revised to account for local conditions. Speakers from small, rural, or infrastructure-limited communities such as Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, Winthrop, Dracut, Carver, Rehoboth, and others said the law’s one-size-fits-all approach does not fit towns with limited water, sewer, transit access, or buildable land. Some filed bills would repeal the law, exempt certain communities, or create appeals processes based on infrastructure, environmental, or historical constraints. Supporters of the law’s changes emphasized local control and the need to avoid forcing development where communities believe it is impractical or inconsistent with town character. A large portion of the hearing was devoted to rent stabilization legislation, especially S. 1447 and related House bills. Supporters included legislators, city councilors, tenant advocates, labor leaders, housing nonprofits, public health organizations, and residents who described sharp rent increases, displacement, homelessness risk, and the strain on working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. They argued local-option rent stabilization would let municipalities cap excessive increases and prevent no-fault evictions while preserving flexibility for local conditions. Opponents, including small landlords and property owners, said rent control would discourage investment, worsen housing quality, burden responsible owners, and drive small landlords out of the market. Some witnesses also supported a Cape Cod/Island transfer fee bill and a suburban infrastructure fund, arguing those would provide local revenue for housing or roads. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Mark Martinez, Ariel Nelson, and Courtney LeBahn, the panel is on deck.
• And Mark Martinez, Ariel Nelson, and Courtney LeBahn, you know, the panel is on deck.
• We now have a panel of Mark Martinez, Ariel Nelson, and Courtney LeBahn, or Libon.
• My name is Mark Martinez, and I'm a housing attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of landlord-tenant and home rule bills, with most testimony focused on rent stabilization, tenant opportunity to purchase (TOPA), tenant fees, access to counsel, algorithmic rent fixing, and tenant protections in subsidized housing. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty outlined the hearing procedures and noted that written testimony could also be submitted. Several members and invited speakers emphasized that the committee was hearing from both local officials and residents affected by housing instability, especially in Somerville and other communities facing high rents and displacement. Supporters of rent stabilization and local-option rent control argued that Massachusetts needs tools to prevent displacement while new housing is built. Senator Eldridge, Senator Jalen, Somerville officials, tenant organizers, and residents described steep rent increases, no-fault evictions, and the loss of naturally occurring affordable housing. Somerville’s home rule petition was described as allowing annual increases tied to CPI plus 2%, capped at 5%, with exemptions for owner-occupied two- and three-family homes and a 15-year exemption for new construction. TOPA supporters said it would let tenants or their designees buy buildings before speculative buyers, preserving affordable housing stock; opponents, including small landlords and property managers, argued rent control would reduce supply, discourage investment, and that TOPA could delay sales and harm properties. The committee also heard testimony on bills to curb junk fees and regulate tenant charges, including limits on late fees, lease renewal fees, payment portal fees, attorney’s fees, and other add-on charges. Advocates said these fees can add hundreds of dollars a month and disproportionately harm low-income renters and renters of color. Another major topic was algorithmic rent fixing: Senator Moore and Representative Sabadoza said landlords should not use software such as RealPage to coordinate pricing, citing federal antitrust actions and arguing that competition is essential to lowering rents. Additional testimony supported a statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, with legal services providers saying representation dramatically improves outcomes and can save the state money, and a bill to create an office of tenant protections to better enforce sanitary code violations. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do think that it is important that we mark the moment.
• As we mark this 250 years of independence, let us honor all of those who fought, all of those who died
• them do it—but the reality is there are vultures and predators and financial entities making their mark
• THEM DO IT BUT THE REALITY IS THERE ARE VULTURES AND PREDATORS AND FINANCIAL ENTITIES MAKING THEIR MARK

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior day’s journal, and then processed a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate or Assembly versions for third reading. The chamber also adopted the resolution calendar with exceptions and took up several resolutions and ceremonial recognitions, including a resolution mourning Hudson Talbott, a Dairy Month resolution highlighting New York’s dairy industry, and introductions honoring Niskayuna academic teams, Gabriella Scheer for receiving the Liberty Medal, the Hartstein family’s civic engagement, and Diana Cochran’s advocacy for safe firearm storage. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed many bills on topics including insurance, public health, education, labor, social services, banking, local government, veterans, public service, consumer protection, criminal procedure, cannabis, parks, taxation, election law, and highway matters. Several members explained votes on notable measures: support for acupuncture insurance coverage, consumer protections for doorbell-camera data sharing, expanded protections in debt collection cases, trauma-informed procedures for sexual assault survivors, a Legionnaires’ disease awareness program, changes to mandatory minimum sentencing, and universal safe storage of firearms. A number of home rule and local authorization bills were also approved, including parkland alienation measures and local tax exemption authorizations. Most measures passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew recorded opposition. Notable roll calls included the consumer debt uniformity bill, the mandatory minimum sentencing bill, the safe storage/firearms bill, and the public housing and public health measures, each with more divided votes. The chamber also accepted a lengthy Rules Committee report sending many additional bills directly to third reading, and then began the supplemental calendar, passing at least the first items before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• and to celebrate a remarkable woman whose brilliant spirit and unforgettable presence left a lasting mark
• Whose brilliance, spirit, and unforgettable presence left a lasting mark on all who knew her.
• Representative Mark Wright. Thank you, Mr. Speaker Pro Tem.
• Representative Mark Wright. Thank you, Mr. Speaker Pro Tem. members this Thank you, Mr.

Bills: HR320, HR321, SCR55, SCR69, SCR75, SCR77, SCR78, SCR79, SB259, SB295, SB312, SB348, SB444, SB485, HR73, HR118, HR144, HR196, HR237, HR249, HR260, HR267, HR272, HR278, HCR85, HCR100, HCR105, HCR107, HCR114, HR245, SCR5, SCR29, SCR33, SCR37, SCR63, SCR30, SCR40, HB62, HB193, HB210, HB220, HB246, HB364, HB420, HB475, HB584, HB622, HB772, HB784, HB949, HB953, HB1043, HB1070, HB1092, HB1134, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1214, HB119, HB129, HB233, HB283, HB538, HB789, HB850, HB870, HB1236, HB1241, HB54, HB137, HB321, HB368, HB386, HB414, HB431, HB552, HB555, HB578, HB590, HB593, HB618, HB638, HB670, HB692, HB707, HB708, HB715, HB718, HB732, HB741, HB748, HB776, HB796, HB807, HB822, HB848, HB856, HB887, HB888, HB917, HB921, HB1082, HB1243, HB1246, HB378, HB509, HB1090, HB1259, SB80, SB131, SB143, SB251, SB254, SB279, SB367, SB384, SB388, SB389, SB398, SB408, SB431, SB468, SB469, SB496, SB4, SB52, SB57, SB83, SB145, SB152, SB194, SB276, SB319, SB333, SB448, SB450, SB465, SB484, SB501, SB509, SB149, HR168, HB463, HB998, SB123, SB353, SB479, SB495, SB82, SB97, SB283, SB326, SB518, SB197, SB268, HB901, HR20, HR74, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB89, HB74, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB956, HB1117, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB208, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB379, SB382, SB387, SB401, SB441, SB449, SB487

Keywords: Arsenal, Arsenal F.C., Premier League, English football, soccer, football club, Mikel Arteta, Emirates Stadium, North London, Tottenham Hotspur, Gunners, sports resolution, commendation, celebration, championship, silverware, Louisiana House Resolution, ceremonial resolution, domestic violence, forensic medical examinations

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Fenster-Maker on behalf of Earthjustice, echoing many of the comments and concerns about the MDI
• Chairman, Mark Murray, with Environmental Group California, is against waste in the rare position of
• Mark Fooksevich, on behalf of Streets for All, align our comments with the California Transit Association
• Chair Bennett, Mark Fooksevich, on behalf of Streets for All, align our comments with the California

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.