Video & Transcript Research : 'definitions'
Page 155 of 500
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Pre-K, kindergarten screen time prohibition 3/4/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- as, I'm not sure I'm ready for a mandate that schools—which doesn't surprise you at all—but I'm definitely
- But it definitely open to having more discussion about Representative Santa Maria, any—okay, any further
- bell-to-bell bans around the country and just getting a little bit immersed in this subject and definitely
- bell-to-bell bans around the country and just getting a little bit immersed in this subject and definitely
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
House of Representatives Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature Day 11 Feb 18th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Oklahoma House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- House Bill 417 by West, Tammy, of the House and Stanley of the Senate, an act relating to definitions
- House Bill 417 adopts the federal definition of family resource centers with the addition of faith-based
- House Bill 417 by West, Tammy, of the House and Stanley of the Senate, an act relating to definitions
- House Bill 417 by West, Tammy, of the House and Stanley of the Senate, an act relating to definitions
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
2026 Session preview with House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) Feb 6th, 2026
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And so, I would say that you're definitely going to see that bill come forward.
- And so, I would say that you're definitely<00:07:53.520>
going <00:07:53.599>to <00:07:53.759 - >
see <00:07:53.919>that <00:07:54.160>bill <00:07:54.479>come definitely - going to see that bill come definitely going to see that bill come forward.<00:07:55.520>
Um <
Summary:
House Speaker Lisa Demuth reflected on the 2025 session as a difficult but productive year in a closely divided House, saying the tie forced Republicans and Democrats to work together and empowered co-chairs and committee leaders to negotiate throughout the session. She said her partnership with former Speaker Melissa Hortman showed that both caucuses could still get work done even when neither side got everything it wanted, and she expects to continue that approach in 2026 if the House remains tied. She also said she has a workable relationship with DFL leader Zack Stevenson and wants to maintain respectful decorum while still allowing strong debate and committee input.
On policy, Demuth said gun violence and public safety remain major concerns after the Hortman assassination, the Annunciation school shooting, and other high-profile violence. She said Republicans are focused on keeping communities safe, increasing penalties for firearm-related crimes, and expanding mental health supports across the state, especially outside densely populated areas. She also said anti-fraud legislation will be a major priority, noting prior bipartisan steps such as whistleblower protections and added staff for the Legislative Auditor, and she expects bipartisan action on fraud again this session.
Demuth said immigration and ICE-related legislation will likely return, referencing last year’s House File 16 and saying cooperation with ICE would make Minnesota safer. She also pointed to budget concerns, saying the state moved from an $18 billion surplus to a tighter fiscal picture and that a $5 billion spending reduction last year was a step in the right direction. She said the February forecast will be important for setting responsible priorities and emphasized that the caucus’s goal is to keep working in a bipartisan way for Minnesotans.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
February 4, 2026 - 09:00 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- I appreciate the vision and the thoughtfulness of this bill, and I will definitely be supporting it.
- 154 I APPRECIATE THE VISION AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THIS BILL AND I WILL DEFINITELY BE
- I definitely want to thank the mother who spoke, who really—that was the close.
- I definitely want to thank the mother who spoke, who really—that was the close.
Summary:
The Pre-K-12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered three bills. HB 157, School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program, would create a Department of Education program allowing school districts and charter schools to place current or retired high-performing teachers in D- or F-rated schools as mentors, with a proposed $3,000 stipend per mentor per mentee. Members questioned the funding source and contract-time implications; the sponsor said the program would use previously decategorized education funds and that mentoring could be done within existing planning, before-school, after-school, or weekend time. An amendment clarifying that the bill would use a contract template rather than a DOE contract was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably.
The committee then heard CS/HB 859, Exceptional Students and Video Cameras in Public Schools, which would require school boards to adopt policies for video cameras in self-contained ESE classrooms upon a parent request, with redaction of other students from footage. Public testimony strongly supported the bill, including emotional accounts from a parent of a nonverbal adult with autism who described past abuse in a classroom and from the Autism Society of Florida, which argued cameras are a necessary safety measure for vulnerable students and noted other states already allow or require them. Members emphasized student safety and the need to fund the policy, and the bill was reported favorably.
Finally, the committee considered HB 561, Educator Certification, which aims to reduce barriers for experienced educators returning to the classroom by expanding temporary certificate eligibility to those with expired Florida certificates, allowing prior subject-area exam results to count for reinstatement, and updating references related to educator professional learning support. The sponsor said the bill preserves standards while making reinstatement more efficient and less costly. There was broad support from members, who noted the value of retaining experienced teachers, and HB 561 was also reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE HOSPITAL WHICH MAY NOT BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE EMPLOYER UNIT BUT IT DEFINITELY
- WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OR WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD CAUSE?
- >> I WILL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THE DEFINITION BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING THAT DEFINITION FOR WHAT HAS BEEN
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
JLCAR Administrative Rules (07/17/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm just using the language from 541A:1, XV, which is the definition of a rule, which requires a statute
- is<00:07:12.720>
the 1 Roman numeral 15 which is the 1 Roman numeral 15 which is the definition - 13.599>
rule <00:07:14.160>which <00:07:14.479>requires <00:07:14.880>a definition - of a rule which requires a definition of a rule which requires a statute<00:07:15.520>
that <00
Summary:
JCAR convened with a quorum, approved the minutes, and approved the consent agenda after removing two items for separate review: Board of Podiatry rule 2025-25 and Guardian ad Litem Board rule 2025-36. The Podiatry item concerned organizational rules deleting language on subcommittees. Committee members and OPLC counsel discussed whether the board still had statutory authority to create investigative or other subcommittees. OPLC said the prior authority had been repealed and no current statute appeared to support subcommittees for that board; members noted the issue may require a broader legislative fix. The committee then approved the Podiatry rule.
The committee next considered rule 2025-36 involving CASA advocate training. Staff said the rule requires CASA individuals to follow certification, continued-status, and ethics provisions, and noted a dispute between CASA and the board over applicability. OPLC explained the rulemaking had been delayed for years due to quorum issues and substantive discussions, and acknowledged it should have been done sooner. The committee approved the rule after brief discussion.
Finally, the committee reviewed Department of Health and Human Services rule 2560 on home visits for postpartum and newborn assessment. Staff noted the rules had expired in 2023 but the department continued reimbursement under statutory authority and the Medicaid state plan. Concerns about broad language were addressed through a conditional approval and revisions, and DHHS said it had no further comments. The committee expressed appreciation for the changes and approved the item before the meeting ended.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 1522 updates outdated statute from the 1980s by revising terminology and definitions, which
- arrangements with a third-party entity may jeopardize their CCRC certification because of an outdated definition
- SB 1522 addresses that concern by updating the 30-year-old definition of a CCRC.
- As we dove into the issue, we discovered part of the problem lies in the definition of continuing care
Keywords:
SB 500, Texas adoption law, Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child-placing agency, prospective adoptive parents, adoption records, confidential information, nondisclosure agreement, child history report, health history, social history, educational history, genetic history, termination of parental rights, permanency plan, single source continuum contractor, privacy, redaction
Summary:
The Committee on Human Services met with a quorum and first voted out Senate Bill 1589, relating to contract requirements between a single-source continuum contractor and DFPS. The motion to report the bill favorably to the full House with a recommendation that it do pass and be printed prevailed on a 7-0 vote.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 500, which would set deadlines for providing foster care adoption records, including health, social, educational, and genetic history reports, to speed adoptions. The bill’s author and witnesses from Addie’s Hope Social Services supported it, saying delays in redacted files can take months, slow permanency for children, and increase costs to the state. Members asked about redactions and sibling/family information, and witnesses explained the bill would mainly speed the preliminary file used to decide whether to proceed with placement. SB 500 was left pending.
Members also heard Senate Bill 1266, which would require regular reevaluation of the Medicaid provider support team and add written notice of provider disenrollment at least 30 days in advance. There were no witnesses, no questions, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1522, concerning continuing care retirement communities, was then laid out and supported by LeadingAge Texas and counsel, who said it updates outdated definitions, clarifies licensing and disclosure rules, and strengthens consumer protections for seniors. It was also left pending.
After a brief recess, the committee heard Senate Bill 1137, which would prohibit group home consultants from referring people to unlicensed or unpermitted group homes except in limited circumstances, require disclosure of complaints, and create a Class B misdemeanor for violations. Members discussed whether consultants are regulated and noted concerns about unlicensed referral practices. The bill was left pending, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- So I appreciate and understand your intent, so I'll be up today, but I definitely want to have those
- after you talk to Vickers, kind of see where we're at on that, just to continue in support, but definitely
- Further debate. ...intent, so I'll be up today, but I definitely want to have those further conversations
- after you talk to Vickers, kind of see where we're at on that, just to continue in support, but definitely
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum present and heard a series of transportation-related bills, most of which were reported favorably. SB 532 would exempt 100% disabled veterans from paying Florida tolls. SB 1738 would allow certain counties that previously opted out of transportation concurrency to opt back in by maintaining current levels of service, though there were concerns about congestion and future growth. SB 1696 aimed to reduce transportation network company driver impersonation, allow transit authorities to contract with ride-share platforms, and permit those platforms to participate in state-funded paratransit trips. SB 1378, as amended, would allow courts to order restitution in standard leaving-the-scene crashes; the amendment made restitution discretionary and required that the driver caused or contributed to the crash. SB 1210 would increase penalties for red-light and stop-sign crashes and require bodily injury insurance for drivers who cause such crashes. SB 1820, via strike-all amendment, addressed dealer-manufacturer relations by requiring written explanations of performance measures, prohibiting retaliation against dealers asserting statutory rights, and limiting franchise termination or nonrenewal to substantial breaches. SB 1246 created a specialty license plate for safe coastal wildlife, with proceeds going to the Zoo Miami Foundation for conservation work and an amendment allowing up to 10% for administrative and marketing costs.
The committee also considered SB 574, which would allow Florida residents with Purple Heart license plates to pass tolls free of charge; the bill was amended to change the plate reference to a specialty plate and was reported favorably. SB 1662, the FDOT department bill, was substantially revised by strike-all amendment covering a wide range of transportation issues, including USF’s role in the Florida Transportation Research Institute Consortium, Florida Transportation Commission provisions, seaport and airport-related changes, strategic space infrastructure, sewer lines in rights of way, small county road assistance, aggregate supply chain programs, and Jacksonville Transportation Authority board appointments. Testimony on SB 1662 included support from USF and the Florida Public Transportation Association, which raised concerns about added oversight and bureaucracy for transit systems. Most bills received support from affected stakeholders, and several were amended before final favorable votes.
Roll calls were taken on each measure, and all of the listed bills were reported favorably by the committee. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on several bills, and the committee adjourned after a brief personal privilege remark from Chair Collins.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- By expanding the definition of farm products and in the hands of the producer to much more encompassing
- definitions.
- HB 255. verifies the definition of farm products under the tax code to ensure. fair and consistent treatment
- This makes absolutely sure that by anybody's definition of what would be considered a capital gain, which
Keywords:
school district, ad valorem tax, local revenue, tax collection, education funding, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure, Texas-Mexico border, ad valorem taxation, farm products, livestock, timber, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer, constitutional amendment
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on State & Local Government (2-12-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- First of all, we add the intern to the definition of employee and exclude intern from the definition
- First of all, we add the intern to the definition of employee and exclude intern from the definition
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00
Attendance Roll Call: 00:08
Senate Bill 79 (Sen. McDaniel): 00:48
Senate Bill 67 (Sen. Nemes): 08:09
Adjournment: 12:43, 958, all
Summary:
The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first took up Senate Bill 79, sponsored by Senator McDaniel, with testimony from McDaniel and Deputy Secretary Robert Long of the Personnel Cabinet. They described the bill as a cleanup measure for personnel law that would, among other things, add interns to the definition of employee while excluding them from full-time employee status, remove the Personnel Cabinet secretary as an ex officio member of the KERS Board, clarify personnel board membership and grievance rights, limit appeals of satisfactory-or-above evaluations, address layoffs and reemployment rights, allow leave donation in certain resignations or retirements, restrict remote work from outside Kentucky without approval, permit deductions for unreturned state equipment, and make DJJ facility supervisors non-merit positions. The committee voted on SB 79 and passed it with favorable expression.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 67, presented by Chair Nemes, an elder property tax bill. The bill would freeze the assessed value of a primary residence for homeowners age 65 or older until the property is no longer their primary residence, while still taxing at the current rate. Nemes said the measure was intended to help seniors on fixed incomes and noted a fiscal analysis showing little to no direct revenue loss, though it could reduce projected budgeted growth in property tax revenue. Committee discussion noted a local impact and a statewide budget impact estimate of about $4 million for the first two fiscal years. SB 67 also passed with favorable expression, and the committee adjourned.
NY
Transcript Highlights:
- Ohorpe, Kruger creates the offense of defrauding the government in the first degree, expands the definition
- of conspiracy in the fourth degree, relates to expanding the definition of tax fraud acts.
- And the fourth degree relates to expanding the definition of tax fraud acts. Thank you.
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee met on March 5 and moved a series of bills, with brief discussion on most measures and several members noting support for the proposals. Bills advanced included loan forgiveness and reimbursement for attorneys serving Indigenous clients (S161A), a study of lithium-ion battery fires and prevention (S257), annual housing and zoning reporting to the Department of State (F919A), a temporary state pesticide commission (S1368), an emergency repair pilot program for hazardous building code violations (S1838), a searchable veterans resources database (S2070), Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution (S2587), expanded fraud and tax-fraud provisions (S32), a NYSERDA rebate program for lithium-ion batteries for mobility devices (S3560), directing certain fines and penalties to a conservation enforcement account (S4033B), Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day (S4152A), expansion of Fresh Connect to supermarkets and grocery stores (S4162), restrictions on executive-branch contracting during a hiring freeze (S473), real-property transfer documentation and forgery-related protections (S5177), changes to retirement beneficiary options after a beneficiary’s family offense conviction (S6750), and a deposit placement program for public monies (S8357). Several bills were described as addressing fraud, housing, veterans’ services, public safety, and commemorations, and members generally spoke in favor of the measures.
A few bills drew more specific comments: supporters emphasized the importance of honoring Fred Korematsu and recognizing the injustice of Japanese American detention, and the fraud-related bill was framed as a response to white-collar tax fraud and government losses. The real-property bill was highlighted as a response to mortgage and deed fraud affecting homeowners. On the housing reporting bill, there were three negative votes, and on the pesticide commission bill there were two members without recommendation. The lithium-ion battery rebate bill also drew several negative votes, while most other measures passed with little or no opposition.
By the end of the meeting, the committee had completed its agenda and announced it would resume more regular meetings, while noting that the state budget process would continue to affect scheduling.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate Chamber Jan 20th, 2026 at 04:07 pm
New Mexico Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Legislative Council Drafting Number 232239, a bill amending commitment procedures and providing a definition
- An act relating to commitment procedures, providing a definition for harm to self and harm to others
- disperse award amounts, providing powers and duties, providing additional award criteria, adding definitions
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (01/28/2026)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- So those are the definitions we follow.
- So those are the definitions we follow.
- Your definition kind of left me in the clouds. Dr.
- I There is a cost, definite cost benefit.
- Um, I'm happy to take any questions. nature, but that definitely applies to nature, but that definitely
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 118 May 12th, 2026
Colorado House Floor Meeting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on State and Local Government - 04/09/26
State and Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- And I'm worried about the broad definitions literally touching every scope and aspect of automation of
- So all of the definitions<00:12:50.160>
that <00:12:50.280>are <00:12:50.520>you - <00:12:50.640>
see <00:12:50.880>here definitions that are you see here definitions that - And there are parts of the definition that we— there's a whole bunch of...
- <00:30:22.800>
Um the definitions in the bill. Um the definitions in the bill.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Human Services - 03/11/26
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- However, in his report, he definitely, uh, spent a lot of time and effort focused on the Department of
- However, in his report, he he definitely,<00:03:26.400>
uh, definitely, uh, definitely, uh, spent - of a partnership a the definition of a partnership a policy.<00:08:57.520>
Um <00:08:58.040>- This section modifies the definition of service for the purposes of EVV to include all services provided
- This section modifies the definition of service for the purposes of EVV to include all services provided
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- of what is quote held a definition of what is quote unquote<00:58:48.240>
a <00:58:48.480> - Several months ago, overnight, the Department of Justice changed their definition of what a sanctuary
- So, okay, definitely questions of anti-commandeering there. >> Um, going off on another tangent here.
- >> definitely questions of >> definitely questions of anti-comandeering<01:29:33.120>
- >
represented Definitely uh they're over represented Definitely uh they're over represented in
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on the impact and legality of federal immigration enforcement efforts in Hawaii, with Chair Carl Rhodes framing it as the sixth and final interim briefing in a series on the rule of law and local effects of federal actions. He said the discussion would focus on due process concerns, questioning and detention of citizens and lawful immigrants, free speech issues, and pressure on state and local law enforcement, and noted the issues may be revisited in the 2026 regular session. There was no public testimony or committee vote; only invited speakers presented.
Dr. Amy Agayani opened by arguing that immigrants are integral to Hawaii’s history, economy, and communities, and contrasted that with what she described as harmful narratives portraying immigrants as criminals. She cited figures that one in five Hawaii residents is foreign-born, that immigrants make up about 20% of the labor force and over 27% of entrepreneurs, and that roughly 40,000 people in Hawaii are undocumented, many of whom may have pathways to legal status but face language, information, and court barriers. She also said federal enforcement has expanded beyond undocumented immigrants to include citizens and lawful residents, and warned that attacks on birthright citizenship and visa categories could affect many families.
Matina Mock of the legal clinic emphasized the complexity of immigration law and the severe lack of legal representation, noting a nationwide backlog of 11.3 million immigration-related applications and 3.4 million court cases, plus about 1,400 pending immigration cases in Honolulu with only two immigration judges. She said Hawaii has only six or seven nonprofit immigration legal service providers, and that represented clients are far more likely to obtain relief. Mock described a recent case involving a lawful student visa holder who was transferred among multiple federal facilities before being brought to Honolulu without clear notice, which she said illustrated due process violations. She also said ICE activity in Hawaii has sharply increased, with about 150 arrests from January to July 2025, a 380% increase over the same period in 2024, and that many detainees have no criminal record.
Stephanie Haro Sevilla and another clinic fellow described 2025 enforcement as a major shift driven by a January executive order, the end of prior limits on arrests in sensitive locations, and arrest quotas they said require 3,000 arrests per day nationwide. They said this has led to arrests without warrants or probable cause, broader targeting of people with minor offenses or no criminal history, and the use of resources from other federal agencies and local law enforcement for civilian immigration enforcement. They also said the federal detention center in Honolulu is holding roughly 40 to 80 civilian detainees on any given day, often in conditions they characterized as prison-like, and warned that the current escalation could eventually affect lawful permanent residents and naturalized citizens. The speakers urged the public to support immigrant-rights advocates and local protective policies and funding measures.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Dedicated Funds (09/24/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- We've looked; they were color at the time, but you could see the difference in the definition of the
- <00:11:38.320>
So <00:11:38.560>we <00:11:38.800>we're definition of the flags - So we we're definition of the flags.
- So, we can talk offline about what's the best way to present it, but you definitely can note it in the
- <00:18:30.160>
can to present it, but you definitely can to present it, but you definitely
Summary:
The meeting began with approval of partial minutes, with members noting that DHS/HHS material was not yet included and that the minutes would be finalized later. The committee then heard from the General Court about several dedicated funds. Testimony explained the Joint Legislative Historical Fund, which receives a $25,000 annual general fund appropriation and transfers from visitor center sales above a $50,000 threshold, and is used for portrait maintenance, chamber work, Hall of Flags upkeep, and other historical preservation needs. Members also discussed the preservation of the Civil War flags in the Hall of Flags, with the General Court stating the flags are monitored through annual high-definition photos and that no immediate stabilization project is planned. A question about Union cemeteries was raised but the witness said he had no knowledge of federal funding for them.
The committee also reviewed the visitor center revolving fund and noted that the accounting presentation is confusing because transfers are netted out so the fund ends each year at $50,000. Members suggested the narrative should clearly identify the transfer amounts and actual revenue, and staff agreed to note that in future reporting. The General Court then described its special legislative account as a stability reserve for capital and emergency needs, citing past uses such as the plaza ADA renovation, the legislative parking garage, and moving operations to One Granite Place. Members asked about interest earnings and were told the account is held in the treasury and any interest goes to the general fund unless statute directs otherwise; no additional funding was recommended at this time.
The Department of Administrative Services then presented the law enforcement memorial fund, explaining it is a long-standing leftover construction fund with a small balance that has not been needed because the New Hampshire Law Enforcement Memorial Officers Association privately funds memorial upkeep and plaques. Members discussed whether the state should transfer the remaining money to the nonprofit, but no decision was made; the department said it would research whether such a transfer is legally possible. The department also reviewed the former land conservation endowment fund, now moving to Fish and Game under House Bill 2, and explained that it primarily covers administrative costs, management fees, and investment losses for a long-term conservation program. Members asked about the fund’s large balance and the increase in expenses, and were told the fund is intended to last indefinitely and that future reporting will shift to Fish and Game.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (04/22/2025)
Energy and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh they're definitely issues, related.
- Uh they're definitely issues, but<00:13:41.279>
they <00:13:41.600>pale <00:13:42.399> put together at long last a definitive put together at long last a definitive plan<01:11:34.320>- But the utilities definitely have invested a lot of time, and UNATIL is leading the project.
- But the utilities definitely maybe not.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Children and Family Law (04/01/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:21:31.199>
be the latter, there will definitely be the latter, there will definitely be - Yes, it was definitely a H.
- definitions of child endangerment. definitions of child endangerment.
- That's why I believe that it is important to have these definitions.
- The speaker continued that this is why it is important to have these definitions.
Summary:
The subcommittee met to continue its review of recommendations for New Hampshire’s family court, with the chair emphasizing a collaborative approach and noting that the group would focus on the origins of the family division, recurring problems identified in earlier reports, and comparisons with other states. Members discussed organizing testimony into three broad topics: the court hearing process and pro se litigant preparation, mediation/arbitration/counseling, and the interaction of domestic violence issues with family court and related criminal proceedings. The chair also noted that the subcommittee would not meet again for two weeks and encouraged members to review materials from Judge Michael Mace and NCSL research on other states’ family court systems.
Attorney Heather Culp, senior administrator for the judicial branch’s circuit court, testified about New Hampshire’s ADR programs. She explained that the Office of Mediation and Arbitration, created by statute in 2007, oversees more than 12 statewide ADR programs across the Supreme, Superior, and Circuit Courts, including family division programs such as divorce-parenting mediation, neutral case evaluation, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and voluntary adoption mediation. She said the divorce-parenting mediation program is the largest family division ADR program, with about 3,400 mediation sessions in 2023 out of roughly 6,700 cases, and that most cases involving minor children are referred to mediation soon after the first appearance session.
Culp described the family division process as beginning with a first appearance session led by a case manager, who provides information, helps with paperwork, and schedules mediation, usually within 30 to 45 days. She said mediation is strongly encouraged in parenting and divorce cases, but there is no requirement to reach agreement, and parties may settle some issues while leaving others for court. She also explained that mediation is prohibited or limited in certain domestic violence cases: cases with active civil protection orders may proceed only with both parties’ consent and possible safeguards, while cases involving criminal protective orders are not sent to mediation. Mediators in court-referred family cases are contracted with the court and must be certified by the executive branch’s mediator certification board; mediators do not communicate with judges, except through a brief ADR report noting whether the case settled or what the next procedural step is. Members asked about referrals, timing, and the meaning of “neutrals,” and Culp said the court uses in-house contracted neutrals for family division ADR and does not refer divorce-parenting cases to outside providers.