Transcript Highlights:

• Local business taxes are about efficiencies.
• Local business tax was created 50 years ago to support a state recognized efficiency where the local
• And this will, I think, make them more efficient at the building department and give them the ability
• Maybe we should stop preempting the local governments and allow them to efficiently run their own communities
• of dollars in payments to Broward County and stall the implementation of a much-needed recycling education

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> SB 1612 WILL HELP FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS BE MORE EFFICIENT AND COMPETITIVE WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS
• IT'S A REAL FINE BALANCE THERE BECAUSE THE EFFICIENCIES IN THE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS, THE INNOVATION
• IMPORTANT WE FIND THAT PERFECT BALANCE, AS PERFECT AS WE CAN, BETWEEN ALLOWING FOR THE INNOVATION AND EFFICIENCY
• PEN IN THE FACT THIS IS ONE OF THE PERFECT EXAMPLES OF WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ALLOWING FOR EFFICIENCIES
• ILLNESS VERSUS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE LANGUAGE EXPANDING THE DECONTAMINATION BEST PRACTICES TO INCLUDE EDUCATION

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• get, goes back into the airport system in terms of, infrastructure investment or into aerospace education
• with some of our aerospace education programs.
• This has been a very educational topic today, and I personally would like to do the right thing.
• pay $110 or $85 on their tags each year to cover the gas tax they don't pay because of their high efficiency
• I can say that Oklahoma is the leading state on figuring out what to do as cars become more efficient

Bills: SB1312, SB1323, SB1599, SB1863, SB1932, SB1950, SB1956, SB1958, SB1966, SB1970, SB2052

Keywords: vehicle registration, automatic payments, Service Oklahoma, taxes, motor vehicle, prepayment program, memorial designation, highway, Sheriff Marty Grisham, transportation, Oklahoma Statutes, memorial bridge, dedication, Oklahoma, commemoration, memorial highway, road designation, John Skelley, motor carrier, administrative hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2856 to Education K through 16, House Bill 3012 to Transportation, House Bill Secretary: 3126
• to Education K through 16, House Bill 3135 to Transportation, House Bill 3163 to Criminal Justice, House
• HJR 5 to Education K through 16, HJR 98 to State Affairs.
• And I look for rules and laws and policy in this chamber that is effective, efficient, and most of all
• Your efficiency argument resonates greatly with me. And I think it is your best argument.

Transcript Highlights:

• education or her design, education education or her design, education administrators,<00:17:22.720
• policy and education the education policy and education finance<00:17:30.640> committees<00:17
• Education freedom accounts are built on choice, competition, innovation, and efficiency.
• education needs are prioritized. education needs are prioritized.
• I love educational choice. nonprofit. I love educational choice.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Getting early education on this stuff. Great. Representative Bowen.
• So that's 2205. 2206 is an act promoting governmental efficiency.
• Transparency, inclusivity, efficiency, effectiveness all go up.
• One of the most difficult things is to educate when we are being erased.
• It is a whole system of education that needs to be retooled. It is not.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to open meeting law, municipal meetings, town meetings, and remote participation. Senator Rausch supported S. 2205 and S. 2206, and House companion H. 3382, saying they would make remote participation in public bodies permanent and streamline open meeting law and public records complaint processes to reduce burdens on local officials. Committee members and the senator discussed concerns about complaints being weaponized, the role of the Attorney General, and whether public testimony should be presumed allowed unless a chair limits it with justification. The senator said the bills do not change public records fees and are meant to improve process and transparency. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 3342 and S. 2197, which would modernize municipal meetings, town meetings, and local elections by allowing permanent remote or hybrid participation. Supporters included Wayland officials, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, MAPC, MACC, and others, who argued that hybrid and remote options increase participation, help parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, and residents with travel or work constraints, and have worked well during the pandemic-era extensions. Municipal officials emphasized that a mandate would be costly and difficult for smaller communities because of staffing, technology, room design, cybersecurity, and uneven internet access, especially in western Massachusetts. Committee members asked about equal access, funding, and whether local discretion should remain; the chair said the committee wants a permanent solution beyond emergency rules but must balance access with local capacity. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3328, which would allow remote participation to count toward quorum for statewide appointed bodies such as commissions on women and LGBTQ issues. Supporters argued this would improve regional equity and make it easier for people outside Greater Boston to serve, while committee members noted it is a separate issue from municipal meetings and may be easier to address than broader local-government changes. Another bill, H. 4351, was supported by Rep. Brandy Fluker Reed, who described it as creating an Office of Freedmen Affairs to address longstanding racial wealth disparities affecting descendants of enslaved Americans. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3299 from Common Cause and MASSPIRG in favor of guaranteed hybrid access for public meetings with public participation components, with advocates saying it would improve transparency, accessibility, and civic engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposal is a benefit restriction bill, not a nutrition education bill.
• Education creates lasting change.
• What works is education and incentive programs.
• What works is education and incentive programs.
• So thank you for the educational and the previous one. Thank you, Chair and members.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda focused largely on child welfare, child support, homelessness, and child care. Early items included AB 2083, which would authorize a regional child care special district for Marina Valley and Paris; AB 1579, which would expand the Children’s Crisis Continuum Pilot Program to allow additional CDSS-approved residential models; and AB 1628, which would extend California’s safe surrender window for infants from 72 hours to 30 days. AB 1579 drew strong support from county human services agencies and providers who said the current crisis residential model has been financially and operationally unworkable, and opposition from youth advocates who argued the bill would move away from the original small, community-based crisis model. AB 1628 was supported by fire chiefs and child abuse prevention advocates as a way to give parents more time to make safe decisions after childbirth. The committee also took up AB 1634 on the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” specialty license plate program, AB 1643 on automatic enrollment into child support services after a support order is finalized unless a parent opts out, and AB 1708 on the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program. AB 1634 sought to raise specialty plate fees and change the distribution formula to generate more funding for child safety and injury prevention; the chair raised concerns about reallocating money away from CDSS, and the bill received a no recommendation from the chair but still advanced on a 5-0 vote with some members not voting. AB 1643 was backed by child support agencies and anti-poverty advocates as a way to reduce barriers and increase participation, while opponents argued it could undermine parental choice and raise concerns for families with domestic violence or informal arrangements; it passed 6-0 as amended. AB 1708, supported by many cities, would require more meaningful engagement with smaller jurisdictions in HHAP planning and funding decisions; the committee emphasized that it does not guarantee funding but creates a process for smaller cities to be considered, and it passed 5-0. Later, the committee heard AB 2395, which would standardize and expand access to the state child support debt reduction program for low-income parents with government-owed arrears. Supporters said the current program is inconsistent across counties and leaves eligible parents unaware of relief options, while opponents, including receiving parents and child support officials, warned that reducing arrears could harm families who are owed support and that the program should remain case-by-case. Members discussed the tension between relieving uncollectible debt and protecting custodial parents; the bill advanced 4-0. The final item shown was AB 1914, which would require local governments to include child care in planning efforts, including general plans or separate child care plans. The author and witnesses argued that child care is essential infrastructure tied to workforce participation, economic development, and disaster planning, and the bill drew support from child care and planning advocates as the committee continued its hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognizing 100 years of educating in the Crossroads region, our Victoria College.
• It's 40 for those pursuing a workforce degree and continuing on. education credit.
• This aims to enhance the efficiency of the judicial process by providing additional judicial resources
• Enable so they can get the best education.
• We're in a world where a lot of folks want to look at governmental efficiency.

Keywords: HCR65, HCR19, Senate resolutions, memorial, community impact, legislative proceedings

Summary: The recent Senate meeting primarily covered two resolutions, HCR65 and HCR19, both of which were passed unanimously with little to no opposition. HCR65 was introduced in memory of Tracy Lee Vincent of Longview, while HCR19 was presented to honor the late Terrell Lynn Roberts of Angleton. The meeting included brief addresses from several senators, who shared personal reflections on the impacts of the individuals being honored and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the community. This collaborative atmosphere showcased the members' capacity for camaraderie and respect, emphasizing the importance of human connection in legislative proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they want to make as great a service as possible, make it easy, efficient, and all those things to
• So the idea is that if you get workers back to work in a more efficient manner, you decrease that duration
• So get these resolved in a quicker fashion more efficiently.
• So I think all around it's a more efficient solution. It sounds good.
• I think we're doing well in terms of what the care is, but I think we can do it a lot more efficiently

Summary: The House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee met on May 7, 2026, and first deferred several measures, including House Bill 460, Senate Bill 322, Senate Bill 32, Senate Bill 22, and House Bill 561. The committee then took up House Bill 819 by Chairman Cruz, which would replace Louisiana’s current workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule with the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) by MCG as the primary guideline, while keeping the existing variance and appeal process. Cruz and MCG representative Troy Prevo argued that ODG is more comprehensive, updated more frequently, and used in many states, and said it could reduce delays, disability duration, and costs. Dr. Jason Picard, the state medical director, testified that Louisiana already uses ODG as a secondary reference in many cases because the state schedule lacks coverage for some body parts and treatments, and said the bill would not otherwise change the appeals process or care delivery. Committee members focused heavily on whether the bill would delay care or improve it. Several members questioned the private-company nature of ODG, the $400 annual subscription cost, and whether Louisiana doctors would be forced to rely on an out-of-state guideline. Rep. Glorioso and others raised concerns about preauthorization delays and proposed amendments to create tacit approval when treatment follows the schedule, require payment within 30 days, and make the carrier prove by clear and convincing evidence that care was not medically necessary to challenge it. Chairman Cruz said he was willing to work with those ideas, and the committee also discussed adding an on-ramp or legacy language so current patients would not be disrupted. Opposition testimony came from injured-worker advocates and representatives of medical and labor groups, including Joseph Jola St. and Robin Krumholt. They argued that Louisiana’s current guidelines are already working, that rates have fallen over time, and that the real problem is delay in approval rather than the content of the schedule. They said ODG is overly rigid, cost-driven, and can lead to denials that shift costs to workers, Medicaid, or private health insurance. They urged the committee to keep Louisiana’s existing system and instead adopt tacit approval under current law. The bill was still under discussion at the close of the transcript, with amendments being read and no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had some students that have completed in education.
• So I know one of the barriers was that with our education piece.
• With our education piece.
• we talk about education.
• So I know there's a lot of education.

Summary: The Tribal and State Relations Committee met at Standing Rock with tribal council members, state legislators, and agency representatives to discuss state-tribal coordination and local priorities. Early discussion focused on process concerns, including the short agenda time and the need for better communication, more advance notice, and more relevant state department staff at future meetings. Tribal leaders asked for lists of state tribal liaisons and bills affecting tribes, and state members said they would follow up, share grant and deadline information, and plan another meeting in Bismarck with program experts and agency staff. A major portion of the meeting centered on health, child welfare, law enforcement, housing, infrastructure, and sovereignty issues. Tribal speakers said rural health transformation funding and other state programs often do not fit direct-service tribes or IHS-funded systems, and they raised concerns about Medicaid, ICWA, foster care delays, human service zones, housing shortages, and the placement of Native children off-reservation. They also discussed missing and murdered Indigenous people, search-and-rescue cooperation, cross-deputization, extradition and banishment ordinances, and the need for stronger law enforcement partnerships that respect tribal sovereignty. Other concerns included poor roads, water and sewer needs in Sioux County communities, census accuracy, and the impact of data centers and other development on water and health. Economic development and regulatory issues were also discussed. Standing Rock representatives raised concerns about charitable gaming and e-pull tabs, saying the machines function like Class III gaming and have harmed tribal revenue while spreading into local businesses. They also described problems with county-issued fireworks permits and state/county liquor licensing rules that they said undermine tribal authority within reservation boundaries. In response, legislators said the committee would continue to look at these issues, and one member suggested possible legislation such as limiting e-tabs near tribal lands. The committee also heard from Joseph McNeil of Sage Development Authority about a 235-megawatt wind project on tribal, allotted, and fee land; he said federal permitting delays have stalled the project and asked for state support to help move it forward. The meeting concluded with a presentation from Dave Archambo of Wojou, a nonprofit focused on land regeneration, buffalo, food sovereignty, cultural programming, and youth wellness. He described the organization’s work on buffalo processing, gardening, fishing, hunting, language, and arts programs, and framed it as a response to historical trauma and community healing. The committee then broke for lunch and planned to resume with the Wojou presentation after the recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• Being a former special education teacher, this bill for me caught my eye.
• Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1618, a bill to be entitled an act relating to education.
• A bill to be entitled and act relating to education. Show that bill temporarily postponed.
• We fill the appointments as fast and efficiently as possible. Senator Rouson.
• A bill to be entitled and according to higher education. Show that bill temporarily postponed.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman outlining Democratic priorities such as education, health care, environmental protection, and opposition to rollbacks on child labor, book access, and gun safety. The chamber also recognized military guests and an intern before moving to the special order calendar. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight at one point in the flow, and mammogram coverage, though the Medicaid oversight bill was later taken up and passed. The Senate passed a series of bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the major measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), which tightened penalties and procedures after fatal attacks; a local government land regulation bill that streamlined comp plan review and defined impact-fee circumstances, though members raised concerns about quasi-judicial hearing limits and local costs; a vessel-related bill combining boating safety and voter-freedom provisions; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act; fleeing and eluding penalties; concealed carry and firearm possession rules for certain officers and service members; timeshare management reforms; and public education on background screening requirements. The chamber also approved bills on disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and a related fee bill, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds. The disability instruction bill drew extended debate about the use of the term “disability,” inclusion, and whether the measure was consistent with broader DEI debates; it passed unanimously after emotional testimony from the sponsor and families. The manufacturing and utility bills focused on statewide economic policy and preemption of local restrictions, while the military children bill was presented as a student-driven proposal. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to 33-3 on the firearm bill and 26-8 on the land regulation bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Continuing my education or bankruptcy?
• So to try and educate, that's where you just educate the parents: if this is recurrent, please go see
• It ensures CNAs meet high educational, ethical, and continued education standards and confirms that their
• So the question, you're asking me about my education or about their education?
• Representative Schaffner, is the biggest complaint the education or the operating room, the educational

Bills: HB3772, HB1656, HB4504, HB1896, HB4420, HB4421, HB4076, HB3708, HB2806, HB3540, HB1586, HB5459, HB4553, HB4535, HB3811, HB3749, HB4255, HB4051, HB5098, HB3554, HB4539, HB5274

Keywords: e-cigarettes, health and safety, regulations, directory, penalties, regulation, certification, compliance, manufacturers, FDA, nicotine, mental health, emergency detention, paramedic authority, mental illness, healthcare facility, public health, covenants not to compete, health care practitioners, physicians

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:24.800> in visit um this week for a um education in visit um this week for a um education
• And we're mainly here for education purposes.
• And we're mainly here for education purposes.
• And we're mainly here for education purposes.
• How can we help them be more efficient?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I know this bill will come back, and I plan on learning more about the costs of energy efficiency
• So I know this bill will come back, and I plan on learning more about the costs of energy efficiency
• <00:16:08.240> in about the costs of Energy Efficiency in about the costs of Energy Efficiency
• The real education started when we added to the code, and she was on the floor.
• <00:51:43.200> started requirements the real education started requirements the real education

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1/CAC 1, which concerned gubernatorial succession and incapacity. Members supporting an ITL motion said the bill was not workable as written and that New Hampshire already has a constitutional structure that has functioned for more than 200 years. Others noted the state’s two-year gubernatorial term and said the existing protections were sufficient. The committee voted 16-0 to inexpedient to legislate, and the item was placed on consent. The committee then considered House Bill 96, the energy code bill. Supporters argued that updating the code would reduce long-term energy costs, improve climate resilience, help the construction industry, and keep New Hampshire eligible for federal funding. Opponents of ITL said the bill was premature because the 2024 energy code was already under review, housing costs were a major concern, and the testimony on costs was conflicting and not well supported. The committee voted 12-4 for ITL, and a minority report was requested. House Bill 161, dealing with the Native American Affairs Commission, was also sent to ITL by a 16-0 vote and placed on consent. Members cited serious concerns about vacancies, expired terms, missing annual reports, and whether the commission was functioning effectively. Several members said the committee lacked the expertise to resolve the underlying cultural and intergovernmental disputes and that the issues were beyond the committee’s scope. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 428 and adopted Amendment 0328 by a 16-0 vote. The amendment would preserve municipalities’ ability to make administrative building-code amendments, such as permit, inspection, occupancy, and fee procedures, while still barring local governments from setting higher construction standards than the state code. Testimony emphasized that the amendment was meant to clean up and consolidate related language and make the bill administratively workable. After the amendment passed, members discussed the bill in amended form, with supporters and opponents focusing on housing costs, local control, flood protection, and the risk of inconsistent local codes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Education is going to be putting air conditioning in all the schools with the money
• A timelier and more efficient manner.
• As always, this is an ongoing education every time you get to all the different sides of these topics
• Educators and experts, including the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, have already provided
• School counselors, nurses, administrators, and educators are doing extraordinary work, but they need

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it’s our duty to educate that.
• and career and technical education.
• So, it works really well for an efficiency for local people to buy into what their education can look
• You're talking about career education or career exploration education, an increase of $20 million.
• They are not being educated there; they are receiving that education somewhere else.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Without access to these products, students are forced to disrupt their education and often...
• Chapter 70 education funding. Senator D. D. Domenico. Thank you, Mr. President.
• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers grant programs.
• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offer grant programs.
• One of our oldest obligations is to fund K-12 education adequately, and we are not.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate considered a supplemental appropriations bill and a series of amendments focused on education, health, transportation, tax administration, and oversight. Senator Kennedy spoke in support of increasing funding for DTA caseworkers to improve SNAP access and reduce delays, but then withdrew the amendment by unanimous consent. Senator O’Connor’s amendment adding $500,000 for Free Period to provide free menstrual products in public schools was adopted, as was Senator Miranda’s $1 million METCO transportation and student support amendment. Senator Collins briefly proposed extending paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance coverage to graduate student workers, but withdrew that amendment for later discussion. Several amendments were debated and either adopted or rejected. Senator Tarr’s proposal to create oversight of the Group Insurance Commission and fund an Inspector General review was defeated after opposition argued existing oversight was sufficient. Tarr also offered amendments on MBTA deficiency fund withdrawals and on requiring 90 days’ notice before state tax code decoupling changes; both were rejected after standing votes. Senator Driscoll’s amendment for Randolph Public Schools restroom improvements was adopted, while his veterans student loan forgiveness amendment was withdrawn. Additional amendments were adopted for Bridgewater Middle School water filtration, Uffum’s Corner Health Center, and NeighborHealth’s pharmacy technician training program for local high school students. A major discussion centered on school funding and enrollment declines. Senator DiDomenico withdrew an amendment that would have provided $100 million to address Chapter 70 funding losses tied to enrollment drops, but he and Senator Collins used the floor to argue that districts facing declining enrollment and rising costs need a broader state response. The Senate also adopted a new draft of the supplemental budget and then passed the bill to be engrossed by a roll call vote, with 35 members in the affirmative and 4 in the negative. The chamber then adjourned to meet again Monday, and did so in memory of Arthur H. Tobin, a former Quincy mayor, state legislator, and clerk magistrate.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so for all the people that show up here every day to make the Senate run efficient well as efficiently
• as efficient well as efficiently as efficient well as efficiently as possible,<00:03:11.040> I
• Education is power.
• Education is power.
• about your education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of keeping track and I've been educated of keeping track and I've been educated here<00:14:29.120
• I'm honestly I this is an educated I'm honestly I this is an educated guess,<00:40:11.280> but
• helps projects move forward efficiently helps projects move forward efficiently and<00:57:31.839
• <00:57:40.640> government, if we care about efficient government, if we care about efficient
• outreach programs to inform and educate outreach programs to inform and educate the<01:53:49.360

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on the medical management of education on the medical management of pregnant<00:35:13.440> and
• <00:48:31.640> on<00:48:31.960> how do some more clinical education on how do some
• more clinical education on how to<00:48:32.440> manage<00:48:32.960> pain<00:48:33.359>
• He then gave drowning as another example, saying that water safety is an important education area and
• <01:01:36.240> area<01:01:37.240> and<01:01:37.640> increased education area and

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 28 for a Health and Human Services Oversight Committee meeting, approved the draft minutes from February 21, and then received updates from DHHS on the sudden termination of about $80 million in federal COVID-era funding. Commissioner Lori Weaver and Trisha Tilly said the funding had been expected to continue through September 2026, but an email ending it immediately created a 15-month budget gap. They explained that most of the money supported public health work, especially epidemiology, laboratory capacity, data systems, community health workers, outbreak response, and some behavioral health supports. DHHS said it had notified contractors, was reassessing which activities could continue, and had managed to avoid layoffs for its 20 affected staff by shifting funding sources, though some contract lab staff had to leave and some work would stop or be put on hold. Senators and representatives asked about impacts on labs, staffing, and the state budget lapse, and DHHS said the water lab and testing supplies would be affected and that the department was trying to backfill where possible with other federal funds. The committee then heard a maternal mortality report from the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Alison Power and Caroline Naami explained that the MMRC reviews maternal deaths to identify contributing factors and make recommendations, and that it had completed one CDC grant and received another five years of funding. For 2023, the state recorded five pregnancy-associated deaths, including three from overdose, two from cardiovascular causes, and one homicide; the share of deaths related to substance use fell from 62.5% in 2022 to 40% in 2023. Over the 2019–2023 period, half of pregnancy-related deaths were due to overdose, most occurred postpartum, and many involved Medicaid recipients, transportation or financial barriers, and deaths at home. The committee said mental health and substance use remained the main drivers of maternal mortality, but that 79% of pregnancy-related deaths in the five-year aggregate were considered preventable. Presenters highlighted recommendations and ongoing interventions, including expanding Medicaid coverage through one year postpartum, strengthening behavioral health access, partnering with the Department of Corrections on care for pregnant and postpartum women, and continuing clinical education through the Northern New England Perinatal Quality Improvement Network. Members asked why the maternal mortality rate had declined in recent years; staff said the 2021 spike was tied to the pandemic and that recent declines likely reflected both that spike and the impact of interventions, though the small number of cases makes trends hard to interpret. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.