Transcript Highlights:

• Copies of driver's licenses or birth certificates and have all of these files for each of these.
• instance like MEC or uh means like that that attorneys already use in their daily practice, the certificate
• Um, if you are homeschooling your child, you have to complete a certificate of homeschool enrollment
• So, now it's by August 15th, they have to complete that certificate of homeschooling. >> What line is
• can find that section, counselor. counselor. >> Looking at section 1006, I think is where it's certificate

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 1 April, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill has evolved from a bill that had a threshold of $1,500 certificates, 1,500 of them about.
• The amendment that's before you makes it 100% income based and pushes all the certificates to people
• certificates, 1,500 of them about. certificates, 1,500 of them about.
• um<00:03:45.360> uh toward all them all the um uh toward all them all the um uh certificates
• to people with a certificates to people with a disability.<00:03:48.000> The<00:03:48.159>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 25 allows or modifies the voter certificate that is signed by voters to attest to their eligibility
• to vote at election, to provide for their certification that they maintain residence at either the address
• c><00:08:26.879> the<00:08:27.000> voter<00:08:27.800> uh<00:08:27.919> certificate
• modifies the the voter uh certificate modifies the the voter uh certificate that<00:08:28.560>
• <00:08:34.320> that provide for their certification that provide for their certification that

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , documentation and filing requirements, assessments, treatment planning, mental health clinic certification
• the next chapter is certification the next chapter is chapter chapter chapter 252<00:33:54.240> services
• mental assessments treatment planning mental health<00:38:04.000> clinic<00:38:04.319> certification
• <00:38:05.000> and<00:38:05.160> service health clinic certification and service health
• clinic certification and service specific specific specific requirements<00:38:09.079> chapter

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Um, HB 289 proposes to remove the date of disposition as a required field on a death certificate
• <00:38:45.359> And<00:38:45.599> it death certificate in Alabama.
• And it death certificate in Alabama.
• Additionally, the date of disposition is not required on a U.S. death certificate and it is not included
• Additionally, the date of disposition is not required on a U.S. death certificate and it is not included

Bills: HB161, HB146, HB289, HB290, HB31, HB146, HB289, HB290, HB31

Keywords: consumer protection, app store, age verification, parental consent, data protection, minors, HB146, ivermectin, pharmacist, standing order, prescription drug, non-patient-specific order, dispensing, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, licensed health care provider, pharmacy board, medical licensure, disciplinary action, drug access

Transcript Highlights:

• on the documents as to whether or not they should, in fact, be able to get their delayed birth certificate
• on the documents as to whether or not they should, in fact, be able to get their delayed birth certificate
• I mean, the constituency behind this particular bill are people who can't get their birth certificate
• There are numerous reasons one needs a birth certificate, from passports to driver's licenses, to proving
• There are numerous reasons one needs a birth certificate, from passports to driver's licenses, to proving

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with several members initially absent, then later established a quorum. The committee heard multiple bills, with most testimony focusing on access to care, insurance practices, senior safety, and health care worker protections. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes, and public testimony was limited to two minutes per witness. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with no final votes taken in the portion provided. Senate Bill 2069 would create a work group to study the feasibility of a statewide acute psychiatric bed registry; the substitute shifts appointment authority to the Health and Human Services Commissioner and extends reporting and sunset dates. Senate Bill 463 would expand workplace violence protections to additional hospice, home and community support, intermediate care, and state-supported living center settings. Senate Bill 1283 would require background checks and transparency measures for senior retirement communities after testimony about the Dallas-area serial killings of elderly residents. Senate Bill 1784 would require 60 days’ written notice before medical debt is sent to collections. Senate Bill 527 would require medical insurance coverage for general anesthesia for medically necessary pediatric dental procedures for children under 13 with qualifying conditions; pediatric dentists testified that denials delay needed care. A major portion of the meeting centered on prior authorization. Senate Bill 1380 would eliminate prior authorization for a broad list of services, including emergency, primary, mental health, substance use, chemotherapy, preventive, pediatric hospice, and certain chronic-condition care. Physicians and hospice advocates supported the bill, describing delays, administrative burden, and patient harm, while health plans opposed blanket exemptions and argued prior authorization helps prevent unnecessary care and control costs. Relatedly, Senate Bill 547 would require insurers to report gold-card prior authorization exemptions to TDI and create a centralized database and annual report; TMA supported better tracking, while health plans warned of duplicative reporting and administrative cost. Senate Bill 407 would require health care facilities to honor conscience- and religion-based vaccine exemptions for employees, with testimony from a physician and vaccine-choice advocate supporting the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1383, which would regulate senior living referral agencies, allow more flexible compensation structures, and add disclosure and consumer protections; an out-of-state referral company and A Place for Mom supported it. Senate Bill 1511 would allow freestanding emergency centers to provide outpatient services in addition to emergency care, with consumer protections such as estimates, limits on facility fees, and restrictions on balance billing. The chair repeatedly announced that bills were being left pending after testimony, and no final committee action or recorded votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, only about 48% of working-age Texans have certificates or degrees beyond high school diplomas.
• We collected the certification information from the universities and university systems.
• We collected the certification information from the universities and university systems.
• Plus, obviously, those we're stacking those into not just the trade or effectively a certification, but
• Plus, obviously, those we're stacking those into not just the trade or effectively a certification, but

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:31:30.760> data extensively with birth certificate data extensively with birth certificate
• and they want to get a birth certificate and they want to get a birth certificate and<01:36:45.800
• > and familiar with the birth certificate and familiar with the birth certificate and if<01:42:25.000
• the the value of the birth certificate the the value of the birth certificate is<01:42:51.719>
• <02:02:47.480> but can't produce a birth certificate but can't produce a birth certificate

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs heard testimony on House Bill 606, as amended, a bill aimed at preventing physicians from denying medically necessary sterilizing or fertility-affecting treatment based on a patient’s age, number of children, marital status, or a doctor’s speculation about future reproductive intentions. Representative Ellen Reed, the sponsor, described the bill as a response to her own long experience with PCOS, heavy bleeding, and repeated refusals by doctors to perform a hysterectomy despite her clear wishes. She said the amendment narrows the bill to medically necessary care, adds definitions for “medical condition” and “appropriate reproductive care,” and removes earlier provisions about voluntary sterilization referrals. She also said the bill does not target religious objections, and that doctors could still refuse for medical, payment, or existing religious reasons not addressed by the bill. Committee members asked about religious freedom, informed consent versus waivers, and the scope of the new definitions. Reed responded that religion was not added to the list of prohibited reasons for denial, and that the amendment is intended to protect doctors when patients sign informed consent or waivers. She explained that “appropriate reproductive care” includes procedures such as hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy, salpingectomy, and endometrial ablation, and that the bill now focuses on medically necessary treatment rather than elective sterilization. She said the change was intended to make the proposal narrower and more tailored after earlier concerns. Several witnesses supported the bill with personal accounts of being denied hysterectomies or other procedures despite serious symptoms. Representative Lauren Selig described a decade-long effort to obtain a hysterectomy after years of cycle problems and migraines, saying doctors dismissed her concerns and treated her symptoms as normal. Jade Flad also testified in support, saying she had long been told to simply endure her cycle problems and noted that her husband was offered a vasectomy without similar barriers. The sponsor said online support was strong and that there was little or no written opposition testimony. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are things we do now and if that's what's required for certification for DRRA, then that would
• now and if that's what's<02:14:07.199> required<02:14:07.520> for<02:14:07.840> certification
• <02:14:08.480> for what's required for certification for what's required for certification
• appropriations in light of my comments, I'm going to assume that the intention is the more narrow certification
• appropriations in light of my comments, I'm going to assume that the intention is the more narrow certification

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ..about overlays and adequate grace periods for cities through no fault of their own that lose certification
• So, as I said, we received certification from state HCD.
• HCD's certification of this misbehavior does not make it right and, more importantly, does not make it
• inconsistent with state law that it overcame the presumption of validity that normally follows HCD certification
• HCD's certification of this misbehavior does not make it right and more importantly does not make it

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard eight bills, with testimony largely focused on local government authority, housing, and public service operations. AB 1658 would make permanent higher change-order thresholds for Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties on large construction projects; county representatives said the existing temporary authority has saved time and money, and the bill passed 6-0. AB 2263 would authorize the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to develop employee-preference affordable housing on its properties; supporters said it would help retain workers facing extreme housing costs, and it also passed 6-0 as amended. AB 2134, the Family Friendly City Councils Act, would protect city council members taking parental leave from losing their seats or having absences counted against them. Assembly Member Addis’s designee and Sunnyvale Council Member Alyssa Cisneros described the bill as a response to public pressure and privacy concerns faced by elected parents; members spoke in strong support, and the bill passed 6-0 as amended. AB 2188 would raise Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s contracting authority to $250,000 per contract; supporters said it would reduce delays and administrative costs, while questions centered on oversight and bidding safeguards. After committee amendments, it passed 6-0. AB 1768 would authorize Los Angeles and Contra Costa counties to ask voters to approve a temporary transactions-and-use tax for health care and related services in response to federal funding cuts. Supporters, including community clinics, Planned Parenthood, labor groups, and county representatives, said it would let voters decide whether to backfill major health care losses; opponents argued it would worsen affordability and tax burdens. The committee discussion highlighted concerns about equity and local control, and the bill was placed on call after a 5-2 roll call. AB 2033 would let general law cities use job order contracting for repair and maintenance projects; supporters said it would speed routine work, while AFSCME and some members raised workforce displacement and staffing concerns. It passed 8-0 as amended. AB 2415 would let the City of Folsom shift some housing obligations away from its historic district to other transit-oriented sites, with supporters saying it preserves historic character while still meeting housing goals. It passed 10-0. AB 2741, heard at the end of the meeting, would give cities a grace period to cure housing element issues involving overlay zones after a court ruling found some HCD-certified overlays noncompliant. Cities and local government groups supported the bill as a fairness measure for jurisdictions that relied on state guidance, while housing advocates and legal aid groups opposed it, arguing it would weaken enforcement and allow noncompliant housing plans to persist.

Transcript Highlights:

• Taking up tab 5, SB 1480 on temporary certification. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Taking up tab 5, SB 1480 on temporary certificates for practice in areas of critical need.
• which is really now the bill, does that by creating a simple grandfathering process for any ACN certificate
• That by creating a simple grandfathering process for any ACN certificate holder who has an active primary
• It does not guarantee them that they get a certificate to practice, as the Board of Medicine still retains

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 1082 would let providers or insurers in state-regulated commercial plans opt into the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims, with a late-filed amendment clarifying access to the state program in certain circumstances. The bill sponsor and emergency physicians said the measure would reduce litigation and improve payment resolution; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168 would centralize background screening work for the care provider clearinghouse at the Agency for Health Care Administration and update related screening rules, including sealed and expunged records for qualified entities. The sponsor said the change would speed turnaround and reduce duplication; an amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156 would move ambulatory surgical center regulation out of Chapter 395 into a standalone section of law, and it was reported favorably without amendment. SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designations change, allowing them to continue seeing current patients and potentially new patients in their existing area subject to board oversight. The committee heard support from health system representatives and reported the bill favorably. The final and most debated measure, SB 1756 on medical freedom, would require vaccine education materials and alternative schedules, expand school immunization exemptions to conscience-based objections, clarify limits on emergency vaccination orders, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin behind the counter with written information. The sponsor and supporters framed it as parental choice and access, while physicians, public health advocates, cancer advocates, and parents of immunocompromised children warned it would lower vaccination rates and increase disease risk. The committee adopted a liability-related amendment, rejected a substitute amendment that would have required consultation for exemptions, and continued hearing public testimony opposing the bill; the transcript ends before final action on SB 1756.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we do have very specific language in our roofing specifications for years of experience, certification
• <00:11:35.760> from<00:11:35.920> the<00:11:36.079> roof uh certification from
• the roof uh certification from the roof manufacturers<00:11:37.440> and<00:11:37.680> those
• When asked what qualifications include, the response was that it is about certifications from manufacturers
• qualifications include quality standards or certain amounts, the response was that it is about certifications

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:49 Approval of Minutes 02:06 Information Items 03:48 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 14:38 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:50 OFM – Ky Infrastructure Authority 26:40 OFM – Cabinet for Economic Development 31:50 Office of Financial Management 40:40 Remaining 2025 Meeting Dates 41:25 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and a quorum call, then the committee approved the prior meeting minutes. Staff reported several informational items, including University of Kentucky medical and research equipment purchases, school district debt issues, leasehold improvements, and Kentucky Community and Technical College System bond allocations. The committee then approved a line-item appropriation increase of $350,000 in federal funds for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Cumberland Forest Conservation Program, along with two Department of Military Affairs projects: the Ashland Readiness Center window replacement and the MATES HVAC replacement at Fort Knox. It also approved four larger maintenance-pool projects without further action: HVAC and smoke evacuation work at the Kentucky State Penitentiary, HVAC and hot water tank replacements at Oakwood, a Green Bank energy-savings performance project across state facilities, and roof replacement at Lake Barkley Lodge. Members asked about the prison project, the roof procurement process, and whether minority-owned firms receive special bidding preference; staff said capital projects are awarded through open low-bid procurement with qualification and warranty requirements, and that minority participation is preferred but not a bidding criterion. Two lease modifications were approved for Franklin County agencies: an expansion and renovation for the Auditor of Public Accounts and a downsizing and renovation for the Kentucky Workers Compensation Funding Commission. The committee also approved Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including a Monticello sewer loan, several Cleaner Water Program grants and reallocations, and a House Bill 1 water grant that required no action. Members questioned engineering costs and were told the KIA board reviews technical details and anomalies before approval. Finally, the committee approved six economic development grants: one EDF grant for V Simple in Jefferson County and five KPDI EDF grants for projects in Breckinridge, Erlanger, Todd, and Washington counties. The last action item was approval of Western Kentucky University’s up-to-$10 million general receipts revenue bond issue for athletic facilities. An informational Kentucky Housing Corporation multifamily bond item prompted concern from members about rising per-unit costs for affordable housing, and they requested further explanation from the housing corporation at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lex Brody Award, the Wahiawā Bulldog Strong Award, and the 2024 College of Education Teacher Hero Certificate
• 2024 College of Education<00:33:35.919> Teacher<00:33:36.320> Hero<00:33:36.720> Certificate
• Education Teacher Hero Certificate. Education Teacher Hero Certificate.
• Her greatest professional accomplishment was earning her national board certificate in ELA.
• Her greatest professional accomplishment was earning her national board certificate in ELA.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's cut the amount of time for approving the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for transparency
• is a recommended change of $400,000. dollars in general revenue to the agency to administer the Certificate
• Moving on to the next page, section 3, we'll see the fiscal and policy issue about the Certificate of
• Certificates, I think it's starting to pay dividends where we really actually concentrate on that.
• I understand that Texas is one of only three states that has just one organization for certification.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• now referred to as a tax certificate. now referred to as a tax certificate.
• from the Department of certificate from the Department of Revenue<01:31:22.320> Administration.
• Uh, Senate Bill 573, establishing certificate standards for facility comfort dogs.
• certification certification or<04:26:47.960> titling<04:26:48.840> could<04:26:49.120>
• And that for your colleagues, that shows up on page four." re-certification that every 3 years it's re-certification

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also been a lot of movement in certification and ...
• There's also been a lot of movement in certification and ...
• There's also been a lot of movement in certification and ...
• There's also been a lot of movement in certification and ...
• There's also been a lot of movement in certification and ...

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The EAC does, though, continue its core programs, one of which is the voting system certification program
• There's also certification for electronic poll books that the EAC provides, and also field services for
• So that actual act of showing a document, so a document would usually be a birth certificate, for example
• It could be A document, so a document would usually be a birth certificate, for example.
• So as long as it's received before certification of the election, it will be counted as long as it was

Summary: The House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee held a virtual work session focused first on federal actions affecting elections. A representative from NCSL reviewed recent U.S. Supreme Court and pending cases, including a redistricting/Voting Rights Act case and a case on whether mailed ballots received after Election Day can be counted. She also discussed a Trump executive order directing USPS to draft mail-ballot rules, the federal SAVE system’s expanded use for voter list maintenance, DOJ requests for unredacted voter rolls, and reduced federal election-security support. Committee members asked about proof of citizenship requirements, whether DOJ requests are compulsory, and how federal election funding and grants may be changing. The Attorney General’s Office then described Washington’s litigation challenging two election-related executive orders and DOJ’s lawsuit seeking unredacted voter registration lists. State lawyers said courts have already enjoined parts of the executive orders, including documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements and voting-system changes, and have upheld Washington’s ballot-receipt deadlines so far. They said DOJ’s voter-roll demands have been rejected by multiple courts and that Washington’s position is that state law limits disclosure of sensitive voter data. Members asked about the legal basis for DOJ’s requests, the risk of immigration-enforcement use, and whether attestation on registration forms counts as proof of citizenship; the office said it does under state law and that no evidence of mass voter-fraud problems in Washington has been shown. Deputy Attorney General Todd Bowers then gave a broader overview of the Attorney General’s federal litigation, saying Washington has filed 61 cases since January 2025, often with other states, and has had notable success obtaining preliminary injunctions and favorable summary judgments. He highlighted cases involving election rules, environmental and energy disputes, public health funding, student loans, housing, and data privacy, and said many challenges involve executive-branch conditions added to congressionally appropriated funds. He also described a growing number of federal audits and inquiries directed at state agencies. Finally, Office of Equity Director Megan Matthews discussed how federal actions are affecting state and local equity work, community organizations, and public confidence. She said the office is coordinating more closely with the Attorney General, governor’s office, other agencies, and local governments through the immigration subcabinet, while also working on data privacy, Keep Washington Working compliance, and community outreach. Committee members asked about the office’s human-trafficking work and how it is encouraging agency compliance; Matthews said the focus is on clearer guidance, technical support, and consistent expectations across agencies. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• who had a lifetime restraining order on them, was allowed to be notified and to sign her death certificate
• would you then be allowed to be notified of their death and be allowed to sign off on the death certificate
• perpetrator who had a lifetime restraining order on them was allowed to be notified and to sign her death certificate
• Due to this law, notified and to sign her death certificate by state law.
• would you then be allowed to be notified of their death and be allowed to sign off on the death certificate

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a late-file hearing on several bills, with Chairs Michael Day and Lydia Edwards outlining hearing rules, testimony limits, and written-testimony procedures. The first bill discussed was H. 4876, a proposal to strengthen supports for survivors of abuse. Representative Carol Faiola testified on behalf of a constituent who described how a lifetime restraining order was effectively undermined after a family member’s death, arguing the bill should limit abusers’ legal standing after death, improve survivor notification and privacy protections, expand coercive-control definitions, and create education and resource programs. The committee then heard testimony on H. 5111, which would strengthen the Massachusetts Antitrust Act. Representative Dave Rogers and Attorney General’s Office antitrust chief Anthony Mariano said the bill would give the state more tools to pursue anti-competitive conduct, including conduct with multi-state effects, while allowing enforcement even when federal authorities are also involved. They said it would increase penalties, clarify that invitations to conspire are violations, protect labor markets, remove limits affecting some housing transactions, and extend the statute of limitations. The committee also heard support for a related “universal 1983” bill, S. 2976/H. 2976, creating a state cause of action for constitutional violations by federal, state, or local officers acting under color of law; supporters said it would fill gaps in remedies against federal officers while preserving qualified immunity. Testimony also supported H. 4783, a bill affirming the rights of people experiencing homelessness. The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless said the measure would push back against growing criminalization of homelessness, especially after the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision and local encampment bans, and would protect the use of public spaces without discrimination based on housing status. On H. 4826, condo owners and advocates said Chapter 183A is outdated and leaves owners with too little say and too few remedies against mismanagement, citing problems such as unsafe water, major assessments, and lack of meaningful dispute resolution. The committee also heard strong support for H. 5116, renaming the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court the Judge Leslie E. Harris Courthouse, with testimony from family members, legislators, attorneys, and community leaders describing Judge Harris’s mentorship, community service, and commitment to second chances. Later testimony covered S. 2975, a bill to deter ICE courthouse arrests and protect access to justice; CPCS, law students, and defense advocates said courthouse arrests chill participation by defendants, witnesses, and victims and disrupt pending cases. The committee also heard support for H. 5244, repealing an archaic law criminalizing concealment of a child’s death, with advocates arguing it has been used to punish pregnancy loss and should be removed. The hearing concluded with additional testimony in favor of S. 2976 and more support for the Judge Harris courthouse renaming, after which the chairs closed the hearing and reminded the public how to submit written testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• thousands of dollars annually on professional development and training programs internally and certifications
• sustainable... 100% affordable housing, helping us achieve passive house and other sustainability certifications
• Mass Save funding, approximately $175,000, is essential to achieving this passive house certification
• . $175,000 is essential to achieving this passive house certification and offsetting the attendant construction
• development team, those incentives were crucial in allowing the project to pursue both passive house certification

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on the value of Mass Save, with opening remarks emphasizing that despite past criticisms the program has delivered major energy, cost, climate, and equity benefits. The chair cited large avoided system costs, strong benefit-cost ratios, and recent legislative changes that set emissions goals, restricted fossil-fuel equipment incentives, and increased focus on low- and moderate-income households. Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahoney testified that Mass Save has weatherized hundreds of thousands of homes, reduced bills, avoided emissions, and that the current plan includes budget controls after the DPU ordered $500 million removed from the approved budget. She said the governor’s proposal to have only electric utilities administer the program was intended to reduce administrative costs and align with current implementation trends. Members questioned Mahoney about what counts as marketing and administration, and she said the category includes traditional advertising as well as community-based outreach, customer resource centers, and other customer engagement work, much of it in low- and moderate-income communities. She said administrative and marketing costs are under 5% of the budget, while more than 80% goes to incentives and direct program delivery. Several witnesses then focused on workforce and contractor impacts. Dave Betcher of Abode Energy Management and Rick Taglienti of Rogers Insulation said Mass Save sustains small businesses, creates careers, and supports thousands of jobs; both warned that budget cuts would reduce hiring, training, and work in homes and businesses. They also described a broad ecosystem of suppliers, trainers, and service providers that depends on stable program funding. Other witnesses addressed cost-effectiveness, affordability, and emissions. Anna Johnson of ACEEE said Massachusetts remains a national leader, with Mass Save returning about $2.80 per dollar invested, reducing peak demand, and lowering bills for participants, especially through weatherization and heat pumps. Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said the program is statutorily required to be cost-effective and has avoided billions in supply and infrastructure costs for all ratepayers, including nonparticipants, by lowering overall demand and peak prices. Amy Boyd-Rabin of the Environmental League of Massachusetts argued that efficiency is the cheapest way to meet climate targets and that cutting the budget would force more expensive power generation. The hearing also featured testimony on equity and housing: Mary Wampo described historic under-service to renter-heavy and lower-income communities and said recent reforms, including designated equity communities and performance incentives tied to equity, are helping correct that imbalance; Brian Biot and James Collins of LEAN/ABCD described low-income delivery systems and wraparound services; Barney Heath and John Nannari said Mass Save incentives are essential to affordable housing, passive house construction, and keeping projects on time and on budget. The final witnesses highlighted Connected Solutions and electrification: Sunrun’s Bronte Payne said the virtual power plant program saved more than it cost and helps avoid peaker plants and grid upgrades, and Highland Electric Fleets’ Ben Sondaga said electric school buses can provide similar grid benefits while lowering transportation costs for districts.