Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Additionally, if a speaker has written Additionally, if a speaker has written testimony,<00:07:26.319
• </c><00:28:40.799><c> HB</c> uh present the bill but as as written HB uh present the bill but as as written
• It needs to be written in a much more clear way.
• </c><01:37:27.199><c> with,</c> point that you're in agreement with, point that you're in agreement with
• We have a vast I'm in total agreement.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We will provide more information on those in our written comments. Thank you.
• We will provide more information on those in our written comments. Thank you.
• We will provide written testimony to the committee to document this.
• That is a great question that I can also refer to in written testimony.
• I'll be submitting some additional written testimony.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee hearing focused on a broad set of energy efficiency, building decarbonization, school modernization, and lighting bills. Testimony generally came from municipal leaders, labor unions, environmental groups, and advocates who supported measures such as H. 3529/S. 2294 on building energy and decarbonization, H. 3577/S. 2286 on a zero-carbon renovation fund, H. 3476/S. 2275 on healthy and sustainable schools, H. 3565 on Mass Save zero-carbon assessments, H. 3477 on clean lighting and appliance efficiency standards, and the Dark Sky bills on outdoor lighting. Supporters argued these bills would cut emissions, lower utility bills, improve indoor air quality and school conditions, and direct resources to environmental justice, gateway, and low-income communities. Witnesses emphasized that Massachusetts’ older building stock and school facilities need major upgrades, and that state funding and financing tools are needed to close gaps left by declining federal support. Mayors, labor leaders, and environmental advocates said the proposals would create local jobs, expand apprenticeships, and help municipalities and schools undertake retrofits, ventilation improvements, heat pump installations, and other decarbonization work. Several speakers also defended Mass Save as highly cost-effective while urging new funding sources beyond ratepayer bills for larger-scale building upgrades. One representative asked about the difference between current Mass Save audits and proposed zero-carbon assessments, and the sponsor explained the new assessments would include heat pumps, solar, storage, wiring upgrades, and rate-structure guidance. There was also testimony on the Dark Sky bill, with astronomers and museum representatives arguing that better-shielded, downward-facing lighting would reduce energy waste, protect wildlife and human health, and preserve night skies without compromising safety. Committee members raised concerns about pedestrian safety and whether education might be enough instead of legislation; supporters responded that the bill follows established lighting standards and targets only unnecessary glare and skyward light. On the school bill, an open-shop contractor group opposed the measure, arguing its PLA and apprenticeship requirements would restrict bidding and reduce competition, while labor organizations strongly supported the workforce standards and prevailing wage provisions. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee heard extensive testimony and several members asked clarifying questions, but the transcript does not show any final action or disposition on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• But, as written, this bill is unenforceable.
• They worked hard to fully implement their written policy, and we're here today because HHSC is actually
• I have a quote here that sounds so similar to what you said that I had written down earlier, and that
• Both HHSC and the stakeholder involved have come to a place of agreement on this bill.
• pulled together, get the citations, provide patients with a written response, quote the law, and put

Bills: HB2510 , HB3589 , HB4611 , HB4655 , HB4665 , HB4666 , HB4670 , HB4700 , HB4730 , HB4798 , HB4838 , HB5136 , HB5243 , HB5302 , HB5539

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: assisted living, healthcare, licensing, criminal offense, personal assistance, group home, regulation, health and safety, inspections, resident care, criminal background checks, adoption, parental rights, registry, vital statistics, disclosure, counseling, foster care, independent living, financial literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• The agreement that we came to is that a surcharge could be added that would allow the assigned family
• ,</c><00:16:40.560><c> we</c> other part of the law is written, we other part of the law is written,
• I think what I wanted this language written this way as well is because it would address whatever that
• </c> what why I wanted this language written what why I wanted this language written this<00:18:56.080
• , when would you look way this is written, when would you look<00:20:44.400><c> at</c><00:20:44.559><

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• For those watching on live stream, any individual organization may submit written testimony and supplemental
• We've received written testimony and other communications about the attendance at town meeting.
• This recall petition was written specifically for Sudbury and approved by Sudbury voters.
• This recall petition was written specifically for Sudbury and approved by Sudbury voters.
• And the majority of that town meeting supported the recall provision as written and voted to make it

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Summary: The committee held a hearing on several late-file local bills, with testimony focused mainly on municipal governance and election-related home rule petitions. Representative Silver supported H.5556 for a Fall River polling place change, saying the locations were reviewed by the Secretary of State’s office and supported locally to improve accessibility, especially for voters with disabilities. Testimony also supported H.5539 for Danvers recall elections and S.3118/H.5542 concerning the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, where witnesses said a candidate was improperly left off the ballot due to an administrative error and should be allowed to fill the full three-year term. Most of the hearing centered on H.5521, Sudbury’s recall-election petition. Supporters argued the measure was lawfully adopted at a heavily attended special town meeting, reflected local self-government, and provided an accountability tool for elected officials. They emphasized that recall provisions are common in Massachusetts and said the bill’s safeguards, including signature thresholds and election procedures, were reasonable. Several Sudbury residents and former officials described the meeting as well-publicized and broadly participatory, and urged the committee to respect the town vote. Opponents, including the Sudbury League of Women Voters, former officials, and residents, argued the bill was rushed, lacked public review, and should go through a fuller charter process. They objected to the absence of stated grounds for recall, the low 10% signature threshold, the short three-month waiting period, and the simultaneous successor-election feature. One witness asked that the bill be sent for further study rather than approved as written. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed by inviting written testimony and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I'm in total agreement. I really question what benefit it has to a... ...total agreement.
• And they came and they were going to assess 100%, whatever it was, but they came to an agreement that
• And they came and they were going to assess 100%, 100, whatever it was, but they came to an agreement
• And, you know, I've written them down now.
• Are we all in agreement with that then?

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met to begin its study of the feasibility and desirability of revising the content of the real estate tax statement to improve property tax transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive under House Bill 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, and the Legacy Fund portion of that credit. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual tax cycle, from county budgeting and valuation notices to budget hearing notices, levy certification, cap calculations, and final tax statement mailing. They emphasized that counties and auditors do extensive coordination with taxing districts and neighboring counties, and that the process is labor-intensive and often manual. Members discussed the limited public response to budget notices and tax statements, the difficulty of explaining the legislative tax relief line, the 3% cap and valuation issues, and whether more frequent assessments or different timing would improve understanding. Several members and witnesses noted that many taxpayers only engage when they receive their final bill, and that clarity may be more important than adding more detail. NDACO also presented a rough cost survey from eight counties, estimating an average tax statement cost of about 74 cents and a statewide total near $600,000 for printing and mailing tax statements alone, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing. Witnesses noted that House Bill 1176 added other mailings and notices, increasing county workload and cost beyond the statement itself. The committee then heard from software vendors, who explained how their systems handle tax billing, budget notices, valuation notices, primary residence credit processing, and tax levy calculations, and they identified the 1600/1685 primary residence credit and discount interaction as a current programming challenge. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• key part, I think, for the development of these projects: having those kinds of power purchase agreements
• The way that the state law was written, an SMR with on-site temporary storage would have been precluded
• We also, in order to enable that, offer long-term power purchase agreements as well as other types of
• agreements to enable this power to be provided. ...purchase agreements as well as other types of agreements
• And so to date, in terms of our power agreements, we've made a lot of agreements with different customers

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, it's poorly written.
• Oh, it's poorly<00:05:00.880><c> written.
• Uh thank you for taking poorly written.
• SB 213, as written, would, I think, violate the settlement agreement because currently the process that's
• . violate this settlement agreement.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Our service level agreement with ourselves is that we will get back with that taxpayer within 24 hours
• Our last accomplishment is our administration of online written tests.
• This year, we implemented online written testing.
• meet the written test requirement.
• Our goal is to provide accessibility for written tests across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're having to stand up programs, MOUs, and our governmental agreements.
• They're having to stand up programs, MOUs, and our governmental agreements.
• You've got automatic rollover systems for mutual aid agreements between law enforcement organizations
• knowing that blueprint, without you having those floor plans, because that poor school that had it written
• down, probably hadn't had anything done to it, poor school that had it written down probably hadn't

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard presentations on Arizona’s school safety interoperability communication systems, beginning with remarks from Senator Kevin Payne, who described the program as a response to school shootings and 911 overloads, and said the goal is to let schools trigger a panic-button alert that immediately shares video, floor plans, and location information with law enforcement and other responders. Several members echoed support for the concept, while also raising concerns about whether the systems are actually working as intended and whether school resource officers remain necessary or should be supplemented by technology. Auditor General Lindsay Perry summarized the JLAC-directed special audit, explaining that the office reviewed whether fund expenditures were authorized, whether purchased systems met statutory requirements, and whether procurement followed applicable standards. She said the office had tested a sample of systems with vendors, schools, and law enforcement, and that some agencies had not provided requested follow-up information. Members questioned Pinal County’s lack of response and the status of its reports and payments, and committee leaders criticized the county sheriff’s claim that the committee had treated staff unfairly. Representatives from Mutualink, Motorola Solutions, and Navigate 360 then defended their systems and described implementation challenges. Mutualink said its platform connects schools, dispatch, and responders across jurisdictions and claimed it can reduce response times, but acknowledged that implementation depends on training, infrastructure, and cooperation among schools and agencies. Motorola said it had deployed systems in Maricopa and Yuma counties and that some delays stemmed from school participation and procurement issues. Navigate 360 highlighted Cochise County as a success story, saying 60 of 69 schools were implemented and that the company had added maps, emergency management tools, and training support after audit findings. Members repeatedly pressed the vendors on statutory criteria, procurement practices, rural infrastructure, and why some counties or schools were not fully operational; the vendors generally said the biggest barriers were local readiness, training, and interagency coordination rather than the technology itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's clear that there is a lot of agreement.
• It's clear that there is a lot of agreement about focusing on reentry and doing the back end of crime
• And it's clear that there is a lot of agreement about focusing on reentry and doing the back end of crime
• It requires written notice at least 30 days for medical parole and medical treatment.
• It requires written notice at least 30 days for medical parole and medical treatment.

Bills: HB54 , HB55 , HB125 , HB133 , HB158 , HB161 , HB168 , HB169 , HB191 , HB245 , HB280 , HB296 , HB399 , HB821 , HB995

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, sex offender, sex offense, child predator, registry, registration, notification, supervised release, probation and parole, parole, juvenile offender, victim under 13, community notification, lifetime registration, failure to register, venue

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I've written most of the articles on there. Yeah, I'm just kidding.
• So it had to be incredibly well written because if you just say primarily not to, it's pretty easy to
• But it has to be very carefully written by the sponsor, probably. Representative Smith? To inquire.
• Yeah, what it would do would be to prohibit the university system from putting into its agreement at
• But we would prefer that it be structured in terms of what the agreement can and can't include, as opposed

Committee: House General Laws

Transcript Highlights:

• this original agreement that was made when the monopoly in theory doesn't exist anymore?
• So it has been very difficult and it's actually a nationwide agreement.
• An old-school TV with rabbit ears and the instructions, you remember this, written in cursive.
• These rules were written for a world of voice communications, phone calls, at the time work communications
• Thousands of comments have been submitted to the CPC so far, and more than a thousand of those written

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Mar, along the same lines, the way this is written, if this EpiPen program went away,
• What would happen if the program was dissolved, given how this is written?
• </c> the same lines the way this is written the same lines the way this is written if<03:44:38.760><c
• </c><03:45:01.760><c> that's</c> written based on how it's written that's written based on how it's written
• To enter into the agreement to get the free epipens? We're not trying to require them. Okay, right.

Summary: The Finance Division 2 hearing took testimony from the director of New Hampshire Police Standards and Training on the agency’s budget request and operations. He described the agency’s role in setting hiring, education, certification, and discipline standards for police, corrections, probation and parole, and court security officers, and noted that the agency runs the full-time, part-time, corrections, and court security training programs. He also outlined the agency’s staffing, facility, and budget request for FY 2026-27, including a request to keep funding level with the governor’s recommendation while shifting funds to support an IT manager position by defunding a vacant administrative slot. The agency requested several statutory changes in Chapter 106, including clarifying the definition of police misconduct, allowing a temporary member on the Conduct Review Committee, clarifying reporting requirements for misconduct allegations, and codifying the Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. The director also reviewed new responsibilities added in recent years, including crisis intervention training, statewide accreditation, the Conduct Review Committee, and increased annual in-service training requirements. He explained that crisis intervention funding is carried in a continuously appropriated, non-lapsing account and that some budget lines were reclassified, including software and janitorial services, to reflect actual spending needs. Members asked about national standards, the different academy tracks, crisis intervention funding, maintenance and contract changes, temporary positions, and the court security training program. The agency said it coordinates with national peers through IADLEST, that the part-time and corrections academies are longstanding programs, and that the new court security academy can be delivered either as a full academy or as in-service training depending on resources. The director also said the agency has been running extra full-time academies because of high vacancy rates, but expects to return to three full-time academies this year, with two corrections academies and one or possibly two part-time academies. He also explained the current approach to misconduct records and public disclosure, saying sustained findings under RSA 106-L are heard by the council and published, replacing the older, less standardized exculpatory list process.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it was a mutual agreement, as well as with the property owners that were affected by it.
• So I'm just curious, in Pierce County, are there layers of other committees and agreements?
• Yeah, I think the way that we try to do that is through a master agreement, interlocal agreement with
• So those are all worked out in the master agreement, and we have one of those with each of the cities
• So those are all worked out in the master agreement, and we have one of those with each of the cities

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, with no applications for the grants, no itemized reports, no written reports.
• I'm still not sure, positive about the written contract part of it.
• I would not have gotten into a deal without a written contract, so I'm not exactly sure what happened
• So the report says that there was a procurement office finding in 2024 for a lack of written contract
• So the report says that there was a procurement office finding in 2024 for a lack of written contract

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a list in my written testimony that have done it the same way, so I think we just...
• There's a list in my written testimony that have done it the same way, so I think we just...
• Uh, the legislation as written, I agree, does not go far enough.
• Um, I think even the form itself is flawed, um, the way they have it written up.
• I will defer back to our written testimony that we filed for the prior bill, as directed.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• So you're saying written findings, the bill says substantial evidence in the record.
• Written findings does seem like the most discretion possible.
• I think the written findings provide more clarity so everyone's on the same page.
• I think the written findings provide more clarity so everyone's on the same page.
• So that is in this language, and that includes that kind of written finding.

Summary: The committee began without a quorum and first heard AB 748, which would create pre-approved housing plans for single-family homes and small multifamily projects under 10 units, with delayed implementation for smaller cities and counties. The author said the bill is modeled on the state’s ADU preapproval process and is intended to make housing approvals ministerial and faster. Support came from housing and business groups, while several cities opposed it. Senators raised concerns about local control and whether small or rural jurisdictions have the staff and infrastructure to implement the program, but the author emphasized that local agencies would still control the plans and land-use decisions. No vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee then heard AB 1621, which would tighten timelines and accountability for post-entitlement permits, limit plan-check resubmittals, and restrict field changes unless needed for health and safety. The California Building Industry Association and many housing groups supported the bill, arguing that permitting delays raise costs and slow housing production. The League of California Cities, counties, and several local governments opposed it, saying the two-plan-check limit is too rigid and that the bill could create litigation risk and reduce local flexibility to ensure code compliance. Members debated the proper standard for additional review and whether the bill should allow exceptions for state mandates; the author said the bill was meant to stop endless back-and-forth while preserving health-and-safety exceptions. The bill was recommended for a due-pass motion to Appropriations when quorum is reached. AB 2748 was next, proposing a three-year delay in the new electric-vehicle readiness requirements for 100% affordable housing projects, keeping the older 40% standard during that period. The author and affordable housing advocates said the change would reduce costs and help scarce housing dollars go further, while opponents from environmental, transportation, and clean-energy groups argued the current code is already cost-effective and that the bill would create a double standard and reduce EV access for low-income residents. Senators discussed whether the bill should require additional EV-capable infrastructure if projects use the older standard, and several members said they supported the bill but urged continued work on amendments. The committee also heard AB 1732, which would expand CEQA streamlining to student housing projects at public universities and community colleges with long-range plans. The author and student housing advocates said campus housing shortages are driving student homelessness and that the bill would help projects move faster; some senators supported the concept but questioned the bill’s geographic limits and whether labor standards or rural-campus criteria might be too restrictive. The meeting also included AB 1738, which would require jurisdictions to offer virtual inspections for certain simple home inspections. Supporters said remote inspections save time and money and have been used safely in California, while one senator said she could not support virtual inspections for more complex items like roofs and solar work. No final votes were taken during the transcript, and several bills were held pending quorum or further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• company, and they said, we're not sure where the law actually is in Minnesota because of the way it's written
• company, and they said, we're not sure where the law actually is in Minnesota because of the way it's written
• company, and they said, we're not sure where the law actually is in Minnesota because of the way it's written
• from all sides of the um agreement from all sides of the gambling<00:41:47.560><c> debates</c><00:41
• Those agreements are only in standards.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• :23:17.760><c> current</c><00:23:18.040><c> language</c><00:23:18.760><c> as</c><00:23:19.040><c> written
• ,</c> Um the current language as written, Um the current language as written, however,<00:23:20.480><
• </c><00:57:22.560><c> assigned</c> already had a grant agreement assigned already had a grant agreement
• Madam Chair, Senator, for the most part the way the language is written, it's just intended to go back
• it's just intended to go back is written it's just intended to go back and<00:58:58.080><c> impact</

Bills: HF3599 , HF3761 , HF3523 , HF3515 , HF573

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: water treatment, infrastructure, municipal funding, bond issuance, Becker, sewer improvements, sanitation, Hibbing, state bonds, infrastructure funding, capital investment, safety improvements, mobility, U.S. Highway 12, bonds, transportation funding, trails, Prior Lake, bond funding, recreational improvements