Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:07.520> more well as where to access more well as where to access more comprehensive
• Vote no." pro-choice means having access to all pro-choice means having access to all options.<00:37:
• <01:42:01.440> to improve access to improve access to care<01:42:03.199> with<01:42
• the cost and the lack of access to care. the cost and the lack of access to care.
• It provides healthcare access fund.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• hearing spans a wide range of topics that include student debt relief, vaccine policies, transcript access
• I'm here to testify on my bill, H. 1449, an act ensuring students' access to academic transcripts.
• Students should never lose access to proof of their own achievement.
• However, we work very hard in order to make sure that the center is accessible to...
• I’m here today in support of House Bill 1449, an act ensuring students access to transcripts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education heard testimony on a wide range of bills touching student access, campus safety, and institutional support. Early testimony focused on H. 4544, which would create a state Hispanic-serving institution designation to replace a lost federal designation and potentially allow future funding. Representative Kushmerek and Fitchburg State President Donna Hodge described Fitchburg’s growing Latino student population, the university’s local commitments such as the Fitchburg Promise, and argued the bill would help the institution better serve its community. Committee members asked about how the tuition-free local program is financed, and the bill was described as having no immediate funding request but allowing for future appropriations. The committee also heard support for H. 1421, a proposed John F. Kennedy Service Scholarship Program for Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Commonwealth Corps alumni, with Representative Arena DeRosa arguing that student debt discourages service and that the program would help make citizen service more accessible to lower- and moderate-income students. Members raised questions about cost, take-up, and whether the program should be capped. H. 1449, dealing with transcript withholding, drew support from Representative LeBoeuf and USPyre’s Demi Stoltz, who said withholding transcripts over small balances or non-academic fees traps students and harms workforce participation; members discussed how schools could still collect debts without blocking transcripts. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to improve study-abroad safety reporting, with Carrie Pascarello urging a centralized data system after multiple student deaths and serious incidents abroad, and members asking about how other states handle similar transparency measures. Another major topic was H. 4113 on higher education sexual misconduct. Laura G. and Ashley Freeman supported a proposal aimed at preventing “passing the harasser” by requiring disclosure of substantiated findings or departures during open investigations in hiring processes. They said the bill would improve transparency and campus safety while preserving due process, and noted Washington State has a similar law. Members discussed whether the bill should be expanded to K-12 settings and asked about the Washington model’s effectiveness. The committee also heard from Mike Canavan of AFT Massachusetts in support of a bill to create a grant program for librarians to earn a master’s in library science, noting the credential is required for the profession but is not offered by any public institution in Massachusetts. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded after all scheduled witnesses testified.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would just add one—I have already testified, but one comment is this program access.
• grants for the college support is to continue to mitigate the tuition there so that we don't have an access
• whether we talk about on program access whether we talk about on the<00:02:27.319> federal<00
• Pro problem as we go don't have a access Pro problem as we go forward<00:02:55.480> certainly
• Olander said they do not have the ability to deny access to the program because they offer it through

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:31:38.520> to historically has less access to historically has less access to specialized
• It is a program our seniors in Minnesota deserve to have access to.
• It is a program our seniors in Minnesota deserve to have access to.
• It is a program our seniors in Minnesota deserve to have access to.
• She gets access to mental health.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• all kids at school have better access to local and even organically grown food.
• <00:37:33.040> of grower you might just have an access of grower you might just have an access
• <01:09:33.040> to<01:09:33.359> healthy access to healthy access to healthy food<01:09:
• It ensures access and reduces stigma, as we've heard from multiple folks.
• Reliable access to meals improves concentration, academic performance, and well-being.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In your policy, you allow people access to the books without necessarily having access to the library
• <01:52:42.560> to you you allow people somehow access to you you allow people somehow access
• still should have a right to access still should have a right to access books<01:52:55.280> which
• He goes, yeah, probably not. the hospital has access to our reports the hospital has access to our reports
• <04:36:56.840> their ability to meaningfully access their ability to meaningfully access their

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• access for vulnerable patients. access for vulnerable patients.
• <03:26:06.160> object-level provide easily accessible object-level provide easily accessible
• precision tools, and families can access precision tools, and families can access telehealth,<04
• Visitor access was effectively closed on the North Rim overnight.
• ensures tribes can continue to access ensures tribes can continue to access important<05:50:54.720

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 16, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• may cause them to experience self-harm content and other content that we may not want them to have access
• On campus, students don't always have access to the support they need to manage these challenges.
• Sabrina Means on behalf of the Institute for College Access and Success in support.
• All public schools must provide a 50% local match to access state bond funds.
• I was trying to find it to see if somebody had that cheat sheet so he could have access to it.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• communities that may may not have access communities that may may not have access uh<00:20:12.720
• Their site has been accessed seven times in five years.
• Of those seven accesses, in five years.
• So who's accessing this company? The insurance companies are.
• So who's accessing this company? The insurance companies are.

Bills: SF0023, SF0057

Keywords: mental health, involuntary hospitalization, examiners, public safety, Wyoming legislature, hospital pricing, healthcare transparency, public health, civil penalties, shoppable services, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fraudsters also try to gain access aid.
• They try to gain access to our 365.
• <00:10:01.839> to AI, fraudsters have access to AI, fraudsters have access to sophisticated
• As an open access organization that brings in all, we need to mitigate a balance between accessibility
• As open access institutions, they work really hard to maintain availability and access when students

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:17:23.200> Um with access and functional needs. Um with access and functional needs.
• > can<02:17:24.880> be<02:17:24.960> a access and functional needs can be a access
• Communication Access Board. So, good Communication Access Board.
• when we picked up a language access when we picked up a language access coordinator<02:48:59.920
• or 2622 relating to uh language access. or 2622 relating to uh language access.

Bills: HB676

Keywords: HB676, Hawaii correctional facilities, youth correctional facilities, adult correctional facilities, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Youth Services, inmate phone calls, prison phone calls, jail phone calls, free prison calls, free communication services, incarcerated persons, prison reform, reentry, family visitation, recidivism, video visitation, electronic messaging, commissions, ancillary fees

Summary: The committee heard three public safety bills. HB 2235 would appropriate $1.3 million for the Military Affairs and Community Relations Office to strengthen coordination on military and defense issues. Supporters, including the Hawaii National Guard and DBEDT’s military relations office, said the office helps Hawaiʻi understand federal contracting, USA Jobs, and military-related economic impacts. One member questioned why the state should fund a DoD-related office while Hawaiʻi remains under-reimbursed on impact aid; supporters responded that the office serves Hawaiʻi communities and helps prepare residents for federal jobs. The chair said she intended to recommend the bill pass with a HD1, a blank appropriation to be filled in the committee report, technical amendments, a defective effective date, and updated office title language. HB 2263 would expand Hawaiʻi family leave law to cover qualifying military exigencies. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, DBEDT’s military relations office, and the Hawaii National Guard supported the measure, saying military families often face short-notice deployments, relocations, briefings, and urgent family arrangements that require time away from work, and that aligning state law with federal standards would provide clarity and consistency. The chair said she would recommend passage with a HD1, a defective effective date, and technical amendments. HB 2291 would clarify that certain National Guard Youth and Educational Programs employees are excluded from collective bargaining, rename the program, and codify its Hawaiian name. The Hawaii National Guard said it was a housekeeping bill with no appropriation, but requested an amendment to align the bill with updated authorities and program references; the chair asked for proposed language before the later decision-making. She said she would recommend passage with a defective date and the requested amendment if provided, and then recessed the hearing until 11:30 a.m. for decision-making on all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:51.039> for reduce barriers provide safe access for reduce barriers provide safe access
• <00:26:08.240> and safely accessible and safely accessible and barrier-free<00:26:11.000><
• Our facilities are unique, and we have cabins and trails that are fully accessible to wheelchairs.
• We developed ice fishing houses that are wheelchair accessible.
• <00:42:31.040> these more disabled veterans to access these more disabled veterans to access

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Students struggle with access to information.
• Students struggle with access to information.
• Students struggle with access to information.
• Just as importantly, financial accessibility is incredibly powerful.
• > like<00:49:18.240> attainment, issues like access, like attainment, issues like access

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If they don't have THC readily accessible, ...
• This is about preserving access to safe.
• The potency, the accessibility.
• Kids should not have access to THC products, period.
• This makes access more dangerous.

Bills: HB5

Keywords: hemp, cannabinoids, regulation, occupational licenses, consumable products, marketing, criminal offenses, labeling requirements, health and safety, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:55:30.440> uh<00:55:30.599> accessing still barriers to access uh accessing still
• barriers to access uh accessing the<00:55:31.160> program<00:55:31.599> here<00:55:31.760
• <01:00:29.039> uh because they don't have access uh because they don't have access uh through
• access, then they can't gain a clinical benefit from the program.
• access, then they can't gain a clinical benefit from the program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on February 2 and first approved the draft minutes from the prior meeting, with minor corrections to the meeting date and attendance notation. DHHS Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly then gave a department update, describing the current uncertainty around federal priorities and funding, and provided two substantive reports: progress on the new Hampstead Youth Development Center and an update on the department’s review of an ALS registry proposal. She said the YDC project is underway with tree clearing, fencing, stormwater and site-prep work, and remains on track for completion by June 30, 2026 and operation by August 30, 2026. The center currently has 12 youth, and the new design is intended to provide flexibility for fluctuating census levels. On ALS, Tilly explained that HB 576 had prompted the department to examine whether a registry could be built, but the estimated cost of a HIPAA-compliant system was about $750,000. She said DHHS is reviewing whether existing data sources, such as hospital discharge data and CHIS claims data, could provide useful information, but noted both are incomplete for registry purposes. Committee members discussed whether the Rare Disease Advisory Council, Dartmouth, or existing cancer registry infrastructure could help reduce costs. DHHS said it is neutral and willing to continue exploring alternatives, while members emphasized the value of a registry and the need to consider shared infrastructure and funding. The committee also heard from Jenny Horan of the Alzheimer’s Association, who presented the subcommittee’s report on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She said the subcommittee spent the past year gathering information on dementia care, abuse and exploitation issues, caregiver strain, and available services, and is now moving into a second phase focused on identifying gaps and developing a state plan. Members asked about geriatric psychiatric capacity and long-term care availability; Horan said the state has limited capacity and that the plan will help clarify where needs are greatest. She offered to return for follow-up questions at a later meeting. Finally, Olivia May of DHHS presented the quarterly report on the 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage extension. She said New Hampshire implemented the extension after federal and state action, and the first claims data are still emerging because of reporting lags. In the initial cohort studied, 95% received some medical services during the extended period, 52.4% received mental health or substance use disorder treatment, 26.7% received preventive visits, and 3.2% received heart or hypertension services. Members asked about return on investment and whether higher federal matching rates are being used appropriately; DHHS said it claims the highest possible match based on eligibility group and will return with more data over time. The committee then heard the annual therapeutic cannabis program report from Michael Holt, who said the program had 1,475 registered patients as of June 30, 2024 and that growth has slowed, with New Hampshire having the lowest per-capita medical cannabis enrollment nationally.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, as you know, access to counsel was in the FY25 budget as a pilot program.
• We need to establish an access to counsel program. No one should have to face eviction alone.
• And it's for that reason why I fully support a statewide access to counsel bill.
• Once in the system, it becomes even harder to access health care, child care, or public benefits.
• Once in the system, it becomes even harder to access health care, child care, or public benefits.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary heard testimony on a wide range of bills, with much of the discussion focused on housing stability and maternal mental health. On H. 1924/S. 1171, supporters including Sen. Joan Lovely, Rep. Jim O’Day, physicians, advocates, and people with lived experience urged the committee to create legal protections and treatment pathways for defendants who experienced postpartum psychosis or other perinatal mood disorders within 12 months of giving birth. Testimony emphasized that these conditions are rare but severe, often treatable, and can lead to tragic outcomes if criminalized rather than addressed through screening, expert evaluation, treatment, and, in some cases, resentencing or mitigation. Committee members asked about diagnosis years after the fact and how the Illinois law has worked; witnesses said retrospective diagnosis is possible and that the Illinois model has led to some successful resentencing petitions and broader awareness. Housing-related bills drew substantial testimony. On H. 1983/S. 1071, witnesses described “zombie” subordinate mortgages that were sold years after borrowers believed they had been resolved, then resurfaced with large balances and foreclosure threats. Supporters said the bill would require disclosures and court review to prevent unlawful servicing and foreclosure practices. On H. 1952, advocates from the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, tenants, and legal services providers backed a permanent statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, citing data showing strong tenant outcomes and the importance of quality control, multilingual outreach, and full representation. On H. 1895/S. 1184, testimony supported codifying a two-tier summary process in eviction court and prohibiting defaults at the initial case-management stage. On H. 1883, a small property owner supported rent escrow as a way to protect landlords from bad-faith nonpayment while preserving tenant rights. The committee also heard testimony on bills addressing discriminatory housing covenants, tenant oversight, and homelessness. On H. 1762/S. 1080, a housing advocate supported removing void restrictive covenants from deeds, describing the Dirty Deeds Project and the lingering harm of racist language in property records. On H. 1814, tenants and advocates described harassment, retaliation, security problems, and lack of accountability in subsidized housing, arguing for an Office of the Tenant Advocate within the Attorney General’s Office. On S. 1120, multiple witnesses supported a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, saying it would affirm the right to rest and seek shelter, reduce criminalization, and extend anti-discrimination protections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that people need homes that they can afford, they need access to health care, and we know that
• Access to health care isn't just a talking point; it's a lifeline.
• Regardless of their status, if they need access to health care, we are standing up for that.
• When people lose access to preventative care, those costs do not disappear.
• It feels good to have access to something that others do not have.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to ensure our first responders have access to the most advanced tools to respond to wildfires
• We need to ensure our first responders have access to the most advanced tools to respond to wildfires
• Researchers gain access to high-quality satellite data that supports wildfire response, agricultural
• Researchers gain access to high-quality satellite data that supports wildfire response, agricultural
• RESEARCHERS GAIN ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY SATELLITE DATA THAT SUPPORTS WILDFIRE RESPONSE, AGRICULTURAL

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll continue to drive toward improved access to care.
• I'm thriving, and I feel like people should have access.
• I'm thriving, and I feel like people should have access, easy access to these treatments.
• There's not that easy access.
• health care, and access to insurance for that as well.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1414 by Sen. Polsky on congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) education. The bill would require the Department of Health, working with medical experts, to create and distribute CMV educational materials to expectant and new parents or caregivers through hospitals, birth centers, and OB/GYN practices. An amendment removed a section that would have required instruction for medical professionals, and the amended bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee then took up a block of confirmations. Appointees on tabs 2 through 7 were recommended favorably in one vote, and Chavon Harris was separately confirmed as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration after extensive questioning. Senators praised her leadership and experience, while others raised concerns about Medicaid redeterminations, the state’s CORE modernization project, Hope Florida, and a DCF anti-marijuana ad campaign; Harris said she would follow up on some issues and defended the agency’s work on transparency, managed care oversight, and access to care. Her confirmation was recommended favorably, with Sen. Berman noting opposition. Several health-related bills were then heard and advanced. SB 186 by Sen. Garcia expanded epilepsy training requirements for school personnel, including charter school bus drivers, and was reported favorably. SB 902 by Sen. Garcia, after amendments narrowing dental workforce provisions and allowing certain seizure rescue medication delegation to family home health aides, was reported favorably; testimony focused on medical marijuana regulation, practitioner accountability, and concerns about park and child-care proximity restrictions. SB 196 by Sen. Sharif created a uterine fibroid research database with privacy protections and was reported favorably after emotional testimony from a patient and supporters. SB 688 by Sen. Rodriguez would reestablish licensure of naturopathic doctors; it drew both support and skepticism about diagnosis and treatment boundaries, but was reported favorably. SB 1574, Maddie’s Law, would add biliary atresia screening to newborn screening and was strongly supported by parents describing a delayed diagnosis; it was reported favorably. SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel, SB 1092 on podiatric medicine and certain cellular/tissue-based products, and SB 1032 on medical marijuana registry timelines and veteran fee waivers were also reported favorably, while SB 1032 drew debate over longer renewal/supply periods. The committee then began SB 1760 on Medicaid oversight and program transparency, with the sponsor describing the bill’s creation of a joint legislative oversight committee and a legislative actuary.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the idea is to give access to safe marijuana products.
• That we do not want children to have access to these things.
• Everybody does not want children to have access to this.
• to health care, no access to certain businesses, and with a lot of our veterans... ...access to health
• We cannot cut the access off to the veterans that want to use it.

Keywords: 959, house, all