Transcript Highlights:

• . section. section.
• Um,<01:47:16.480> section<01:47:16.920> three Um, section three Um, section three deals
• uh two, sec-<01:48:34.080> section<01:48:35.040> um sec- section um sec- section um one
• Uh<01:48:43.400> section<01:48:43.800> B1 Uh section B1 Uh section B1 um<01:48:45.960><
• And then section<01:50:20.880> uh<01:50:21.080> E2A section uh E2A section uh E2A is<01

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Code of Ethics.
• It's the code of ethics and the code of conduct, and within that it specifies that in the code of ethics
• This is Code of Ethics.
• It's the code of ethics and the code of conduct, and within that it specifies that in the code of ethics
• <01:54:56.880> of Education Code of Ethics and code of Education Code of Ethics and code of

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 362, which would give the Department of Education rulemaking authority over educator licensing and testing requirements, including professional education assessments. Representative Ladd argued the bill is meant to preserve New Hampshire’s higher standards for teacher preparation and to avoid lowering requirements for licensed educators, while also allowing flexibility for career and technical education (CTE) instructors who may have strong industry experience but not traditional classroom credentials. Members discussed whether the bill should preserve industry-recognized credentials and basic academic skills testing while exempting CTE teachers from content exams; DOE Director Steven Appy said an amendment would clarify that the bill applies to initial licenses, exempt CTE teachers from the content-testing requirement, and keep current administrative practice on basic skills and industry credentials in statute. The committee also noted that an executive session would be scheduled later, likely the following week, to act on the bills and amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 90, dealing with the definition of part-time teachers. Representative Ladd explained that the bill is intended to let university and community college faculty teach limited hours in high school concurrent enrollment settings, especially in subjects like math and STEM where some schools cannot find locally certified teachers with a master’s degree. He said the measure is designed to expand student access to college-level courses, not to replace fully certified teachers or reduce standards, and emphasized that the bill is limited to faculty employed or contracted by the University System of New Hampshire or the Community College System of New Hampshire, with criminal background checks and ethics/conduct rules still applying. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the discussion ended with the understanding that further action would come in executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under section 377-9, the word “may” is used, so it’s discretionary whether you want to go to Circuit
• Section 377-9 does not say that it allows us to enforce all the other matters that we have the power
• the Preamble and to the section the Preamble and to the section regarding<00:36:16.720> HRS
• Next, we have HB 423, relating to workers' compensation, to align the code with the Code of Federal Regulations
• <01:00:35.839> of<01:00:36.160> federal the code uh with the code of federal the code

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• one and we don't like that section one and we don't like that section<00:14:29.680> one.
• section one. So, we have an alternative. section one. So, we have an alternative.
• I then asked the question, we're an IRS Section 115 government entity.
• <01:20:19.040> 115 question, we're an IRS section 115 question, we're an IRS section 115 government
• government entity. government entity.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up the pooled risk management program bill and reviewed a new amendment drafted with input from the Insurance Department and Legislative Services. Department witnesses explained that the proposal would move oversight of pooled risk management programs from the Secretary of State’s office to the Insurance Department, add a licensure requirement, preserve the programs’ non-insurer status, and exempt them from third-party administrator licensure. They also described a series of solvency tools in the draft, including financial reporting, risk-based capital standards, minimum capitalization, investment limits, commissioner examination and enforcement authority, rulemaking authority, merger and affiliate-transaction review, confidentiality protections, and a separability clause. A major theme of the discussion was that pooled risk management programs differ from commercial insurers because the risk remains with the member local governments rather than being backed by a state guarantee fund. Witnesses said the bill is designed to emphasize solvency over return of premium and to give the Insurance Department a regulatory “toolbox” to prevent insolvency, including a proposed $5 million excess or stop-loss coverage benchmark, optional accessible policies, and a requirement that boards vote on dividends or premium returns when capital exceeds 600% of risk-based capital. Members questioned how this approach differed from the original Secretary of State bill and whether assessments on towns would still be possible; the department responded that the new framework would allow more flexible oversight and alternatives to immediate court action. The committee also discussed why the statute should continue to say the programs are not insurers, with the department explaining that this preserves their autonomy and avoids applying unrelated insurance laws and premium taxes. Members asked about the department’s workload and were told the department believed it could absorb the new duties without additional funding. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, it's in the same section of law of OMV.
• The same section of law. Maybe we need to wait for the amendment.
• authorities' code of ordinances and their building code, you could then get that property tax exemption
• The local governing authority is going to do the implementation of all this, yes, sir.
• I came from local government, so I know unfunded mandates are not a very good thing.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs met on May 11, 2026, approved the April 27 minutes, and then took up several House bills. HB 618, by Rep. McMakin, would update Louisiana Economic Development fees and filing charges by indexing them to inflation and allowing some discretion to waive or reduce fees for small businesses; it was reported favorable. HB 732, by Rep. Owen, drew extensive discussion because it combined two issues: temporary OMV relief for a hospice-related ID problem and a suspension of the new hybrid vehicle road usage fee. Members and the OMV commissioner raised constitutional and drafting concerns about waiving or eliminating obligations, and the committee discussed how newer vehicle classifications blur the line between electric, hybrid, and gas-powered vehicles. The committee ultimately reported HB 732 favorable, with the understanding that amendments and further work would be needed before floor action. The committee also reported favorable on HB 217 and HB 214 by Rep. Henry, which would authorize local governments to grant property tax exemptions for the rehabilitation of blighted property and place the related constitutional amendment before voters. Testimony emphasized that the measure is permissive for local governments, applies only after a property is formally blighted and rehabilitated, and is intended to encourage redevelopment while preserving some tax revenue. Members discussed the exemption level, duration, and the need for clearer definitions of blight, but no objections were raised. HB 593, also by Rep. Henry, would raise the maximum service fee for OMV public tag agent offices statewide; the commissioner explained that many offices are locally operated and that the increase would help cover costs, and the bill was reported favorable. Later, HB 514 and HB 961, by Rep. Foreman, were reported favorable. HB 514 would allow local governments, by referendum, to provide additional property tax relief for seniors who meet income and freeze requirements, with phased age-based eligibility steps; HB 961 would extend a similar concept to certain homesteads held in trust. Members discussed the optional local nature of the program and the need to avoid overly broad rules. HB 908, by Rep. Mina, would increase certain Secretary of State business services fees to support operations and system upgrades; agency officials said the fees had not been comprehensively adjusted since 2013 and remained below regional averages, and the bill was reported favorable. The committee then heard an informational update on the capital outlay bill from the Division of Administration, including the use of bundled projects for universities and DOTD, the status of P1/P2/P5 funding, and available cash capacity. Finally, HB 1010, by Rep. Deshotel, was reported favorable after brief discussion; it would require assessors to report property tax collections to the Louisiana Tax Commission for centralized public reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Council will include in the new 2027 building code.
• to pilot projects up to six stories prior to the issuance of that code.
• We, you know, as we all know, the speed of government is not as fast as we want it to be.
• as opposed to six like the federal government is going to be implementing?
• We, you know, as we all know, the speed of government is not as fast as we want it to be.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services met with a quorum, adopted the June 16, 2026 minutes, and then unanimously adopted S-1 substitutes for House Bills 5570 and 5571. The chair said the committee would take testimony and likely not move to final passage that day, in order to allow more discussion and questions. The bills, as substituted, would allow local governments to permit certain multifamily buildings up to four stories to be built or converted with a single staircase, subject to conditions such as limits on units per floor, floor size, and existing fire safety requirements. A sunset provision was described as ending the statute once LARA adopts corresponding building code rules. Representatives Fairbairn and Wooden testified in support, saying the bills are intended to address Michigan’s housing shortage by making smaller infill and “missing middle” projects more feasible and less costly. They argued the current two-stair requirement drives up costs, makes land assembly harder, and limits development on narrow or irregular lots. Senators asked about stair width, emergency safety, the choice of four stories instead of six, and why the American Institute of Architects opposed the approach; the sponsors said the 48-inch stair width was intended to allow two-way movement, four stories was a compromise aligned with expected code changes, and the architects preferred rulemaking over statutory change. Supportive testimony came from Pew Charitable Trusts, which said research from New York City, Seattle, and other places found fire death rates in modern single-stair buildings to be indistinguishable from other multifamily buildings, and that modern safety features such as sprinklers, alarms, and fire-rated construction make these buildings safe. A developer from Ann Arbor and the Michigan Home Builders Association said the reform would improve floor-plan efficiency, reduce wasted circulation space, lower construction costs, and help smaller projects pencil out. Abundant Housing Michigan also supported the bills, estimating they could reduce apartment construction costs by nearly 13%. The clerk read in numerous written cards in support from business, housing, municipal, and advocacy groups, while the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union were listed as neutral. The committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is deemed to remain pursuant to Article 4, Section 5(B)(2), to House Executive Message No. 39, and
• House Bill 197 has been read as by title and is deemed germane pursuant to Article 4, Section 5(B)(2)
• House Bill 197 have been read to as by title is deemed germane pursuant to Article 4 Section 5B2.
• House Bill 198, having been read by title, is deemed germane pursuant to Article 4, Section 5.
• 61-14B-3.1 and Section 61-14B-15.1 in NMSA 1978, being Laws 1999, Chapter 128, Sections 3 and 8, as

Bills: HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM18, HM21, HB10, HB11, HB12, HB13, HB14, HB31, HB50

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 1. Are there any amendments? There are none. Section 9. End of section 9. End of bill.
• Section 1. Are there any amendments? There are none. Section 9. End of section 9. End of bill.
• Section 1.
• Section 1.
• Section 1.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ASWB has been working closely with the Council of State Governments, the Department of Defense, and a
• Massachusetts can lead where the federal government continues to fail.
• This section does not apply to requests from federal, state, and municipal agencies.
• Now it's taken on a different role, given the federal government...
• I personally buy all my textbooks secondhand online and these access codes make that impossible.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education heard testimony on a broad set of bills focused on making public higher education more affordable and accessible, protecting student information, and changing social work licensure rules. Chair Rogers and Senator Comerford opened by emphasizing the committee’s focus on financial aid, tuition and fee waivers, scholarships, admissions, and institutional changes, and they reminded witnesses about the three-minute testimony limit. No votes were taken during the hearing. A large portion of the hearing centered on the “Super Act” (H. 1423/S. 218), which would eliminate the master’s-level social work licensing exam and create grant support for social work internships. Supporters—including students, practitioners, educators, and advocates—argued that unpaid internships and the exam create financial barriers, worsen workforce shortages, and disproportionately affect Black, brown, older, ESL, and other marginalized candidates. Opponents from the Association of Social Work Boards argued the exam is a necessary public-protection standard, helps maintain uniform licensure, and is important to the social work licensure compact; they said workforce shortages should be addressed through pay, working conditions, and caseloads instead. Committee members asked detailed questions about compact participation, exam accommodations, and how other states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut have handled similar changes. The committee also heard extensive testimony in favor of debt-free public higher education bills (H. 1436/S. 929). Witnesses, including students, faculty, advocates, and Senator Eldridge, said Massachusetts should expand on free community college by covering tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges and universities, with additional aid for living costs for lower-income students. Supporters said student debt delays homeownership, family formation, and career entry, and that the state should use Fair Share revenue to invest in public higher education. Some committee members voiced support but also raised concerns about prioritizing K-12 funding and the cost of expanding free college further. Several witnesses also supported bills to extend tuition and fee waivers to young adults raised by grandparents or other kinship guardians outside the DCF system, arguing that these students face the same trauma and financial barriers as foster youth but do not receive the same benefits. Representative Donato, Joseph O’Leary, Shauna Manning, Sandra Vecchio, Karen Gardner, Judy Walter, Elaine Arsenault, and others described the financial strain on grandparents raising grandchildren and urged parity with DCF-related waivers. In addition, Senator Jake Oliveira testified for a bill to protect public higher education student directory information from data mining and unauthorized sharing, and Deirdre Cummings testified for an open educational resources bill to reduce textbook costs. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on kinship care and college access, with committee members thanking witnesses and indicating follow-up on some bill language issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• So your to go through all local uh code.
• to repeal this section of the law. to repeal this section of the law. >> Questions?
• several sections to go in. several sections to go in.
• So section two, which is on the second page.
• was a replace all after section two was a replace all after section two of<02:15:06.800> the<02

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Spa Code, International Residential Code, and National Electrical Code.
• regular codes. regular codes.
• code.
• 2024 is a better code. It's a more relaxed code.
• <01:02:20.480> It's code. It's a more relaxed code. It's code. It's a more relaxed code.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is under MGL Chapter 6, Section 4, a member of the Governor's Council is reimbursed for travel
• I am the Vice President of State and Local Government Affairs for Suffolk.
• Bill 2112 suggests improvements to the Massachusetts regulations and associated building codes.
• not touched upon in the building code.
• Governments and regulators must drive research toward modern methods. Other species.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint committee held a public hearing on several bills covering state administration, land/public housing redevelopment, construction safety, memorialization, records management, rural grant equity, and animal research. Testimony in support of H. 3329 described an inequity in the Governor’s Council reimbursement statute, which currently cuts off travel, meals, and lodging reimbursement after four terms; the witnesses argued this disproportionately burdens members from western Massachusetts and creates geographic and economic barriers to service. The Boston Housing Authority supported legislation for the Brighton/Faneuil Gardens area, saying it would allow a mixed-use redevelopment that replaces all existing public housing units one-for-one, adds new affordable housing, creates replacement rehearsal space for displaced musicians, and preserves prevailing wage standards. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 2112, a construction safety bill. Suffolk Construction, Boston building trade representatives, and local inspectors testified that the measure would strengthen training, site safety standards, oversight of high-risk work, and enforcement, while helping protect workers and the public and improving retention and recruitment of inspectors. Witnesses said the bill would align Massachusetts more closely with higher safety standards in other states and build on lessons from past construction-related incidents. The committee also heard support for S. 2162, which would create a COVID-19 memorial; the witness emphasized the scale of pandemic deaths in Massachusetts and the educational value of public memorials. Other testimony addressed H. 3321, which would modernize records preservation for registers of deeds by reducing reliance on costly microfilm in an increasingly electronic system; the witness said current law is outdated and expensive. H. 3311, aimed at advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants, drew support from town officials in Leyden and Ashfield, who said small towns lack staff for grant writing and should be evaluated more on need and regional impact, especially for climate and public safety projects. Finally, S. 2117, concerning animal research, was supported by an animal welfare advocate who urged prohibiting state funds for animal experiments and shifting to non-animal research methods. After the hearing concluded, the chairs noted that additional hearings and polling votes would follow, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Local Government.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Local Government.
• Yet the rules governing how that information is collected, processed... ...in our state.
• But we also want to make sure that we go up to code because we haven't updated these codes in 40 years
• And so we're again looking at this with the new fresh code of...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that part is in the compensation part of Section, Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution.
• And so we're adding an additional section in Article 10, Section 23.1, which creates the Compensation
• It is governed by the law.
• So within that section of law, there's a section of law for the state, which was changed last year to
• is doing what government is supposed to do.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered several bills, mostly dealing with open meetings, public records, election administration, and local government notice requirements. Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Jenkins would authorize electronic voting under the Open Meetings Law and apply retroactively to validate prior electronic votes; after brief discussion and support from the Louisiana Municipal Association, it was reported favorably. House Bill 1052 by Rep. Spell would exempt certain child advocacy center and multidisciplinary team work product, forensic interviews, and related sensitive records from public records disclosure to protect child abuse investigations; testimony from child advocacy organizations emphasized the need to prevent misuse of records and preserve court-controlled access, and the bill was reported favorably. Senate Bill 289 by Sen. Abraham, concerning confidentiality of certain university records and negotiations, was amended to clarify protections for proprietary research, donor confidentiality, and limited confidentiality for industry negotiations, then reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 218 by Sen. Talbot, allowing alternative certification programs for election officials if approved by the State Board of Election Supervisors, and Senate Bill 220, a technical correction regarding the official journal of the state, were both reported favorably. Senate Bill 161 by Sen. Seaball, repealing a requirement that certain high-salary unclassified state employees register vehicles in Louisiana, was also reported favorably after questions about its scope and purpose. The committee then took up House Bill 1193 by Rep. Sawyer, which authorizes the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to use indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracts for maintenance and emergency work. CPRA officials said the model would speed small repairs and pre-construction tasks, improve efficiency, and mirror a similar DOTD approach; an amendment narrowed the public-records language and excluded design-build contracting. Members raised concerns about public records transparency and inclusion of minority and small contractors, but the bill was reported favorably as amended. House Bill 249 by Rep. Green, a constitutional amendment creating an independent compensation commission for elected officials and tying adjustments to CPI, drew extensive debate over removing the legislature from setting salaries, the appointment structure, and whether the state could afford automatic increases. After opposition from several members and a roll-call vote, the bill failed to be reported, 6 yeas to 9 nays. Because HB 249 failed, the companion enabling bill, House Bill 248, was deferred. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 997 by Rep. Edmondson, which would let parishes, municipalities, and school boards use their own websites as an alternative to newspaper publication for public notices. Supporters from the Police Jury Association argued the bill would reduce duplicative costs, preserve all existing notice requirements, and simply add a third option alongside newspaper publication and newspaper-hosted digital publication. An amendment narrowed the bill to parishes, municipalities, and school boards, removing other political subdivisions. Members questioned transparency, enforcement, record retention, and whether the change would undermine newspapers; supporters said courts would still enforce notice requirements and that local governments already maintain the records. The bill remained under discussion at the end of the transcript, with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Senator Kesh, if you would do that section by section or maybe there's only one section, but just
• In section B, or I guess section B of that same section, the city of Weisetta may expend increments generated
• In section 14 article 9 section 11.
• section B or in I guess section B of section B or in I guess section B of that<00:08:33.599>
• But when you add on top of it all the things that government does to the cost of housing, from the code

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is coded A1.
• The first engrossment as amended. amendment is coded A13. I recognize a amendment is coded A13.
• The amendment is coded A14. I recognize a member from Ramsey, Representative Her. Mr.
• The amendment is coded A12. I recognize a member from Olmsted, Representative Leebing.
• <00:10:16.240> and subsidized by the federal government and subsidized by the federal government

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• lawsuit and a uh state or government lawsuit and a uh state or government entity<00:38:09.079>
• Architects to perform building code Architects to perform building code inspections<03:10:08.040
• > as government efficiency in government as government efficiency in government as shown<03:14
• <03:14:17.080> government a commission on govern government a commission on govern government
• <03:25:22.920> which the United States code which the United States code which applies<03:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NDC is the National Drug Code.
• Section 2 Absolutely, and that's a great point.
• Section 9 That's a great question.
• Section 10 I think it's a great effort in transparency.
• Section 11 All right. Okay, so we said we would come back to page seven. Section 12 Yep, go ahead.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The working session focused on the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Affordability Board’s budget request and its recent work. Early discussion centered on a technical question about a statutory dedicated fund for donations: members asked why the budget did not show a line item for accepting donations, and DHHS CFO Nathan White explained that the statute already authorizes the fund, but because no revenue has been received yet, it does not appear in the budget. He said any future donations would go through the normal process under RSA 14:30-a, with fiscal committee and Governor and Council approval and a memo to the Department of Revenue Administration. The chair clarified that the account was not a prerequisite to soliciting donations, and White said the fund would supplement, not replace, General Fund support. Kirk Williamson, the board’s executive director, then presented the board’s mission and budget. He said the governor’s budget provides about $256,500 in the first year and slightly more in the second, all General Funds, and that the board had distributed a technical amendment to continue the executive director position. He described the board’s role as analyzing prescription drug costs, identifying savings opportunities, monitoring market trends, promoting transparency, and making recommendations to the legislature and public payers. He also emphasized that the board operates publicly, with live-streamed meetings and a stakeholder advisory council that includes unions, state agencies, Medicaid, corrections, higher education, and other stakeholders. A major topic was the board’s estimate of $6 million in potential savings, based on Medicare’s newly negotiated prices for 10 drugs. Williamson explained that the board used those federal negotiated prices as a benchmark to estimate what New Hampshire public payers might be missing by not having similar leverage, and said the board is trying to build evidence for future recommendations rather than directly setting prices. Members asked how those potential savings could become actual savings, and Williamson said the board is sharing findings through its advisory council and feedback loops, though it has not yet sent a formal recommendation letter to specific purchasers. He also discussed the difference between pharmacy-benefit spending, which relies heavily on PBM-negotiated rebates, and medical-benefit spending, which is administered differently and is being added to the board’s next report. Williamson highlighted other work, including a model on Humira and a pending legislative effort to improve biosimilar competition, plus a proposed state-backed pharmacy savings card that would be no cost to the state and could save users about $240 per prescription based on Connecticut’s experience. No votes were taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:11:02.159> under<01:11:02.560> section the bill here on section under section the
• bill here on section under section three. three. three.
• county government. county government.
• So, what this section does is ensure that the rules governing the use of one's home for family or group
• and County government. and County government.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, lines 1.24 through 2.7 insert a section that conforms with Article 4, Section 2 of the delete
• And that concludes the A11 amendment. a section that conforms with um Article a section that conforms
• 4, Section 2 of the delete everything. 4, Section 2 of the delete everything.
• Um<00:04:47.760> that<00:04:48.400> section<00:04:49.520> uh Um that section uh
• to the local governments. to the local governments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all