Video & Transcript Research : 'chapter 12A'
Page 183 of 319
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (04/23/2025)
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Why are you opposed to incremental steps and maybe amending the chapter next year?
- amending the chapter uh next year? Yeah. amending the chapter uh next year? Yeah.
- Now, pharmacy operates off two chapters of law.
- <01:52:21.440>
RSA operates off two chapters of law. - RSA operates off two chapters of law.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (03/12/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- And if you look down, this is paragraph six, chapter 106, column 2.
- Now that's very deep in the woods on statutory instruction, where they talk about the chapter number,
- And if you look down, this is paragraph six, chapter 106, column 2.
- If you look down, this is paragraph six, chapter 106, column 2.
- Diana Fenton: This is paragraph six, chapter 106, column 2.
Summary:
The committee first noted that House Bill 398, concerning Holocaust and genocide studies, and House Bill 131 had already been handled previously and were off the schedule. It then took up House Bill 740, which would require the Department of Education to maintain permanent records for closed charter schools. After brief discussion about overlap with another charter-school bill that already addressed closure and records, Representative Freeman moved to table the bill. The committee voted 16-0 to table/ITL the bill, and it was placed on the consent calendar.
The main discussion centered on House Bill 557, which would require additional information on school budget ballots, including average cost per pupil, enrollment history, and teacher-to-administrator ratios. Members raised concerns that the bill was duplicative of existing law, overly detailed, costly to towns, and potentially electioneering or cumbersome on ballots. Supporters argued it would improve transparency and help voters who do not attend deliberative sessions or use online resources. The committee did not vote on the bill during the discussion; instead, members moved into caucus and later indicated they would hold the bill until Monday for further review.
Later, the committee turned to House Bill 699 on special education definitions and considered Amendment 0606H. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed with the Department of Education after hearing testimony and was intended to align state definitions with federal law and incorporate recommendations from a prior audit, including changing “functionally blind pupils” to “students with visual impairments.” Some members supported the changes as responsive to the hearing and audit, while others objected that the amendment was still confusing, had not fully addressed stakeholder concerns, and should wait for a more comprehensive special education audit. The discussion also referenced House Bill 754 and another amendment, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 699 is shown.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
House Chamber - Tue Mar 4, 2025, 9:00 AM HST - Day 25
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- chapter chapter 47-13<03:41:34.479>
for 47-13 for 47-13 for nurses<03:41:37.199>so <03 - Therefore, after its analysis, the auditor's office concluded that... professions HRS chapter 26 h-2
- states professions HRS chapter 26 h-2 states that<03:58:22.640>
the <03:58:22.800>legislature - This also includes a separability clause for Chapter 457J.
- clause<04:10:33.760>
um <04:10:34.520>uh <04:10:34.640>for <04:10:35.119>chapter
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 86 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Section 1, Chapter 564 of the Acts of 1972 is hereby...
Summary:
The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and local bills. Members adopted a resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Children’s Clinic of the Cutchins Program for Children and Families. The House also suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow consideration of petitions including a sick leave bank for Marie Mantendre and a proposal concerning golf carts in certain rural communities, sending those matters to the Public Service and Transportation committees, respectively.
The chamber advanced a number of local and private bills through suspension of rules and second or third reading. These included a Middleton charter amendment, sick leave bank bills for Candy J. Pike and Kathleen Roderick, and a senior tax deferral income-limit increase for Ipswich, which was enacted. The House also passed to be engrossed several other local measures, including bills affecting Weston, Richmond, Watertown, Malden, Medford, and Lynn. One bill concerning Lynn received an amendment from Mr. Walsh of Peabody before being ordered to engrossment.
No recorded roll-call votes were taken; actions were by voice vote, with the chair repeatedly announcing that the ayes had it. The House then adopted an order to meet again Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- taken out of the orders of the day: an act relative to the amendment of Massachusetts General Laws, chapter
Summary:
The Senate convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and first took up final passage of H. 4426, establishing a sick leave bank for Paul Starvasky of the Department of Correction. A standing vote was required for the emergency preamble, which was adopted, and the bill later passed to be enacted along with H. 4158, expanding the Select Board of the Town of Weston, and H. 4532, exempting certain affordable housing and branch library space in Dorchester from public procurement laws. All three bills were signed by the President and sent to the Governor.
The chamber also adopted a Senate resolution commending Hope and Comfort Incorporated for observing Hygiene and Security Awareness Week. In addition, the Senate ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed S. 1859, a retirement bill for Walter L. Gertner, a former Attleboro firefighter, and H. 360, a bill further regulating certain on-premises alcoholic beverage licenses in Holyoke. The Senate also suspended rules to advance a petition concerning purchase of out-of-state service and referred it to the Committee on Public Service, and received a House bill revising the charter of the town of Millis, which was ordered to a third reading.
The Senate referred a House petition on expanding access to the family self-sufficiency program to the Committee on Housing. Members then adopted a motion to adjourn in memory of Stephen E. Strum, with a brief remembrance read into the record. Finally, the Senate adopted an order to meet again the following Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned.
NY
Transcript Highlights:
- And that's my chapter 4 55, a laws of my time. Mr. Harkham, second, Mr.
Summary:
The transcript appears to be a committee vote session on many bills across a range of subject areas, including media rules, highway law, education, health, social services, business, insurance, real property, arts and culture, banking, navigation, and vehicle traffic. For each item, a senator moved the bill, another seconded it, and the chair repeatedly announced that the motion carried, with bills being reported out of committee. The transcript is heavily garbled, so many bill titles and bill numbers are unclear, but the overall pattern is consistent: sequential consideration and reporting of numerous measures.
Most items were approved without recorded opposition, though the transcript occasionally notes “all in favor” or “all in favor, opposed,” suggesting routine voice votes or unanimous consent. A few specific references are legible, such as the highway law, education law, health law, insurance law, social services law, business law, and arts and cultural affairs law, indicating the committee was processing amendments or related bills in those areas. The session also includes repeated references to particular sponsors or bill numbers, but the text is too distorted to reliably identify them all.
No substantive debate, testimony, or amendments are clearly described in the transcript. The main action was procedural: motions, seconds, and repeated announcements that bills were reported out. The meeting ends with additional garbled references to later bills, again suggesting continued routine reporting of measures rather than extended discussion.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- It's like, so you can read the first chapter of War and Peace.
Bills:
SB1308
Keywords:
foreign adversary, consumer fraud, technology security, critical infrastructure, Arizona attorney general, fraud office, appropriations, 1182, all
Summary:
The Science and Technology Committee heard Senate Bill 1308, which would create a Foreign Adversary Fraud Office within the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and litigate consumer fraud involving technology produced by foreign adversaries. The bill also establishes a Foreign Adversary Fraud Fund, includes a $500,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026-27, and directs excess balances to a Foreign Adversary Technology Rip and Replace Fund administered by the Department of Homeland Security to help remove and replace vulnerable technology in state systems and critical infrastructure.
A representative from State Armor and an attorney with experience in the Attorney General’s consumer litigation unit testified in support. They argued the measure would protect consumers from undisclosed security vulnerabilities in products such as cameras and routers, citing examples of hacked or relabeled foreign-made devices and saying the cases could generate restitution and penalties that would more than offset the initial appropriation. They also said the bill would help governments avoid buying products with hidden risks and would support replacing vulnerable equipment in public systems.
Members asked how the rip-and-replace fund would be used and who would identify critical infrastructure for replacement. Testimony indicated the Department of Homeland Security would administer those funds and identify the infrastructure, while the Attorney General’s office would use the appropriation to pursue cases. After discussion, the committee voted 8-0, with one member absent, to give Senate Bill 1308 a due pass recommendation.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
February 4, 2026 - 01:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a meaty subject and it's not often any member does a bill that deals with Chapter 287.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Limiting access to child care center facilities discussed 3/4/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- unfamiliar I'd have to kick it to House research on this because I don't know what violations of this chapter
- 01:21:50.480>
violations <01:21:51.040>of <01:21:51.360>this <01:21:51.760>chapter - <01:21:52.800>
um <01:21:53.520>lead what violations of this chapter um lead what violations - of this chapter um lead to.<01:21:54.080>
I <01:21:54.239>don't <01:21:54.400>believe - > default But I do not know if there is a default civil cause of action for violation of this chapter
Summary:
The committee took up House File 3415, a bill aimed at limiting immigration enforcement activity at child care centers. House Research explained the DE1 amendment, which defined key terms and barred child care employees from consenting to civil immigration enforcement entry without a judicial warrant, while requiring officials to identify themselves and state their purpose; the amendment also clarified that it would not block officials administering child care programs. After brief debate, members adopted the DE1 amendment.
The bill author, Representative Sensor Mura, said the measure was intended to address fear and disruption in child care settings caused by recent immigration enforcement activity and to keep those spaces safe for children and families. Supporters, including a pastor, a Children’s Defense Fund representative, parents, child care workers, and an ACLU policy counsel, testified that immigration enforcement near daycares has caused fear, staff absences, lockdowns, and emotional harm to children. They argued the bill would not stop lawful enforcement but would require warrants and basic identification before entry, protecting children from witnessing raids or arrests and giving providers clear rules.
Several witnesses described specific incidents involving ICE activity near Spanish immersion daycares in Minneapolis and St. Paul, including staff members being detained, parents organizing safety watches, and children showing distress. Testimony emphasized that many affected children are U.S. citizens in immigrant families and that visible enforcement can create toxic stress and separation anxiety. No final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided beyond adoption of the DE1 amendment and continuation of testimony.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Judiciary Committee Jul 1st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 518 is in alignment with the Task Force Report, Chapter 18, pages 633 and 634, recommending
- of her committee, that there are a lot of bills in this space and we've got to figure out how to chapter
- forward, because I think that it's probably unlikely that all three are going to eventually get chapters
- Tim Madden, representing the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, in support
- we don't want different rules, and certainly I don't think three different bills are going to be chaptered
Summary:
The committee met as a subcommittee without quorum at first, then later established quorum and continued hearing several bills. SB 27, the annual CARE Court cleanup bill, would require courts to consider CARE referral for certain misdemeanor defendants found incompetent to stand trial, combine some hearings, allow limited data sharing among licensed medical professionals, and expand eligibility to include mood disorders with psychotic features. Supporters said it would clarify the meaning of “clinically stabilized,” streamline the process, and help more severely ill people receive treatment; opponents argued it would expand CARE Court too broadly, strain county resources, and divert attention from housing and voluntary services. The bill passed to the Health Committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call.
SB 82, dealing with so-called “infinite arbitration clauses,” would limit consumer contract arbitration provisions to disputes arising from the product or service actually purchased. The author and supporters said the bill would stop companies from forcing arbitration in unrelated claims and would not ban arbitration itself. Opponents from business and banking groups argued the language was too restrictive, could create litigation over related transactions, and should be clarified as prospective only. The committee approved the bill and placed it on call after a roll call vote.
The committee then heard two reparations-related bills. SB 437 would direct CSU to develop a genealogical methodology and framework for verifying descendants of enslaved people, with oversight, reporting, and guardrails tied to recently allocated state funding. Supporters said the bill would create a fair, evidence-based process; opponents, including professional genealogists and reparations advocates, argued the work is already well understood, the bill is unnecessary, and it could delay action. SB 518 would create a Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within state government, with divisions for genealogy, property reclamation, outreach, and legal affairs. Supporters framed it as needed infrastructure to implement reparations recommendations; opponents objected to locating it in the Department of Justice, warned about data privacy and law enforcement control, and criticized the inclusion of broader communities. Both bills were moved to Appropriations and placed on call. The committee also heard SB 52, the End AI Rent Hikes Act, which would prohibit the use of algorithms to collude on and artificially inflate rental prices; the author and supporters described it as a response to AI-assisted rent fixing in California’s housing market.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division I (03/11/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- although House Bill 157 grants the commissioner overall civil penalty authority, there are other chapters
- penalize without warning, and so we were adding to that list in 273 to make it square with these other chapters
- penalize without warning, and so we were adding to that list in 273 to make it square with these other chapters
- penalize without warning, and so we were adding to that list in 273 to make it square with these other chapters
- penalize without warning, and so we were adding to that list in 273 to make it square with these other chapters
Summary:
The committee first discussed a proposed increase to the annual elevator certificate fee in the Department of Labor. The commissioner said the fee had been $50 for years and generated just under $300,000 annually, while the Inspection Division’s broader revenue far exceeded its expenses. Members noted the fee only covered the certificate, not the inspection itself, which is billed separately at $100 per hour. After comparing the fee to neighboring states and discussing the department’s revenue and staffing, the committee agreed to rewrite the language to set the fee at $75 and to vote on an amendment later.
The committee then took up Section 139, which would expand the list of labor-law violations that can be penalized without first issuing a warning. The Department explained the change was meant to align House Bill 157 with other chapters, including youth employment and workers’ compensation provisions, where immediate civil penalties are already allowed. The section was accepted unanimously.
A longer discussion followed on the Second Injury Fund. The commissioner explained that the fund reimburses insurers for certain workers’ compensation costs tied to claims involving pre-existing conditions, is financed by assessments on insurers, and requires notice within 100 weeks of injury plus a $10,000 deductible before reimbursement. He said the fund currently holds roughly $16 million to $22 million, one full-time employee administers it, and total staff involvement is about five to six people. Members questioned whether the fund should be sunset, but the department said the current House Bill 2 language does not propose a sunset; instead, it addresses increased hearing and litigation burdens after a recent Supreme Court decision. Sections 140 and 141, dealing with hearings, were then accepted unanimously. The committee also briefly discussed fines for late insurance coverage reporting, with the department noting the current rubric allows up to $50 per day but uses $112 per day, and members suggesting a lower amount.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- So we regard the proposed addition of a new chapter for registration of doulas as essentially seeking
- this category of birth attendants not currently regulated under the Midwife statute, which is HRS chapter
- 20:01.199>
new regard the proposed addition of a new regard the proposed addition of a new chapter - 02.920>
registration <01:20:03.560>of <01:20:03.840>douas <01:20:04.840>as chapter - for registration of douas as chapter for registration of douas as essentially<01:20:05.600>
seeking
Summary:
The House Health Committee held its first hearing of 2025, with Chair Greg Takayama and Vice Chair Representative Leoy opening the meeting and outlining housekeeping rules, including a two-minute limit for testifiers and Zoom etiquette. The committee first heard HB 303 on health care preceptors. The Department of Health, Department of Taxation, University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, and several health care organizations supported the bill, saying the existing preceptor tax credit program has been successful and that expanding eligibility to additional professions and students would help address workforce shortages. In response to questions, the Department of Health said the annual tax credit cap is $1.5 million, about 650 to 670 credits are currently used each year, and the bill applies only to unpaid preceptors. The committee then moved on to HB 441, which would raise cigarette taxes. The Attorney General, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Hawaii Public Health Institute, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and others supported the measure as a way to reduce smoking, especially among youth, and to support tobacco control and cancer-related programs. Opponents, including the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Cigar Association of Hawaii, argued the tax is regressive and unreliable as a revenue source. The Department of Health noted the last cigarette tax increase was in 2011, and one witness urged a larger increase than proposed. No vote was taken on either bill in the portion of the hearing provided.
The committee also heard HB 557 on telehealth. The Department of Health supported the bill so long as it did not displace executive budget priorities, and the Hawaii State Health Planning and Development Agency and Hawaii Primary Care Association supported it. HPCA said the bill would conform state insurance law to recent Medicare changes expanding audio-only telehealth coverage beyond mental health services, and it emphasized access for rural residents, kupuna, and people with disabilities. HMSA opposed the bill as written, saying it strayed from the intent of Act 107 and that audio-only telehealth should remain limited because of quality-of-care concerns, though it supported continued access and asked for a different amendment approach. A telehealth provider also testified that payment disparities limit provider expansion and that audio-only access remains important for patients with serious illness. The hearing ended in the excerpt before any committee action or vote on HB 557.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 4 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Chapter 56 of the Acts of 2008 is hereby repealed. Section 2.
Summary:
The House opened with the Wellesley High School girls’ swim team leading the Pledge of Allegiance and being formally recognized for winning its sixth Division Two State Swim and Diving Championship. The chamber also received a resignation letter from Representative Natalie M. Blais of the First Franklin District, effective January 19, 2026, which was placed on file.
The House then acted on several procedural and local matters. It adopted committee reports extending reporting deadlines for the Education and Public Service committees to March 18, 2026, and advanced three bills to third reading: a Boston Police age-waiver bill for Louis Cabral and sick leave bank bills for Marnie Jean Goldstein and William Blaylock. The House also passed to enactment charter amendments for Provincetown and Greenfield, concurred in a Senate amendment to a Wellesley land-conveyance bill, and engrossed bills concerning the Dalton Fire District Board of Water Commissioners and Milton alcohol licensing.
On House No. 4717, relating to the annual town meeting for Orange, the House adopted an amendment offered by Representative Walsh and then passed the bill as amended. Later, on House No. 1110 concerning subprime loans, the House adopted an amendment discharging the bill from the Bills in the Third Reading committee and referred it to the Committee on Ways and Means. The House also adopted a special adjournment in memory of former Representative Salvatore Semino and adjourned to meet Tuesday at 11 a.m. in informal session.
NY
Transcript Highlights:
- And that's in much, Chapter 747, the law is 0.23.
Summary:
The meeting was a lengthy floor session in which Senator Loo’s Senate Bill 82B and a large number of other bills were taken up and reported. The transcript repeatedly notes bills being moved and seconded by various senators, with most items described as enacted or reported under different laws, including Education, Labor, Capital, Executive, Vehicle and Traffic, Tax, General Business, Social Services, Public Service, Public Health, Retirement and Social Security, Local Finance, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Civil Service, Penal, Judiciary, Senate, and Supreme Court-related laws. The discussion appears to have been a rapid series of bill readings and motions rather than substantive debate on the merits of each measure.
For many of the bills, the record states that there was no opposition or that the bills were reported after a voice vote. A few items note opposition before being reported, but no detailed arguments or testimony are included in the transcript. The session also references amendments and chapter-law updates, suggesting the chamber was processing a broad package of legislative actions.
The main action taken was the reporting of the bills, with the transcript indicating that the measures were advanced out of the chamber or committee. No roll-call vote details, amendments adopted, or defeats are clearly described beyond the repeated “all in favor, opposed?” style of proceedings and the final statement that the bills were reported.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- problem that I feel is a problem in Kansas City that is the final thing on here, and that dealt with Chapter
Summary:
The Committee on Local Government met in executive session and first considered House Bill 3143 by Representative Parker. After a roll call vote, the committee voted 12-0 to do pass the bill.
The committee then took up the Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1023 and a committee substitute ending in 0.09C. The chair and members explained that the substitute combined several library-related measures with other provisions, including changes to political subdivisions, municipal candidacy language, city-county library boards, dissolution of a public water supply corporation, and a Kansas City liquor-sales issue tied to Chapter 311. Members discussed concerns about mixing unrelated topics into the bill, especially the Kansas City liquor provision and the state preempting local control, while others noted the language cleanup and removal of special carve-outs. Representative Reedy also flagged a salary commission language issue involving assistant prosecuting attorneys, suggesting it could be fixed on the floor.
The committee adopted the substitute by voice vote and then voted on House Committee Substitute for Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1023. The bill received a do pass recommendation by an 8-4 roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Jan 22nd, 2026 at 09:08 am
House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources
TX
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 03/02/26
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- :22:56.639>
provided <01:22:57.040>under <01:22:57.280>this <01:22:57.440>chapter - <01:22:58.159>
The rights provided under this chapter. - The rights provided under this chapter.
- are also encouraged to identify, prevent, and reduce prohibited discriminatory conduct under this chapter
- are also encouraged to identify, prevent, and reduce prohibited discriminatory conduct under this chapter
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
CPC Public Hearing - Thu Feb 26, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Consumer Protection & Commerce
Transcript Highlights:
- that, in the context of a distressed property sale, compliance was observed with the requirements of Chapter
- that, in the context of a distressed property sale, compliance was observed with the requirements of Chapter
- that, in the context of a distressed property sale, compliance was observed with the requirements of Chapter
- that, in the context of a distressed property sale, compliance was observed with the requirements of Chapter
- that Sale, a distressed property sale, that compliance was observed with the requirements of Chapter
Bills:
HB1946, HB1515, HB1514, HB1648, HB1644, HB1619, HB1571, HB1810, HB2475, HB1645, HB2301, HB1889, HB1840
Keywords:
time shares, registration, renewal, real estate, Hawaii, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, workers' compensation, functional capacity examination, occupational therapy, physical therapy, employer responsibilities, injured workers, medical stabilization, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, healthcare providers
Summary:
The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 26, 2026, and heard several bills, mostly in the areas of workers’ compensation and consumer protection. HB 1946 HD1 on timeshare registration renewal drew support from DCCA’s timeshare program and major industry groups including Hilton Grand Vacations, the American Resort Development Association, and Marriott Vacations Worldwide, with no opposition noted. HB 1515 HD1, which would allow an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination without employer permission, was supported by DLIR and the Department of Human Resources Development and had no other in-person testimony; the bill was then moved on without questions.
The committee spent substantial time on HB 1514 HD1, which would streamline workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation by clarifying provider selection and requiring vocational plans within 90 days. DLIR supported the intent but asked for amendments, saying the 90-day deadline was too rigid given case-by-case complexity, limited staffing, and the need for coordination among injured workers, employers, and counselors; members discussed possible extensions and whether a 120-day timeline or other flexibility would be better. Testimony on the bill included one individual in support and seven in opposition.
HB 1648 HD1, concerning workers’ compensation and physician dispensing of non-prescription drugs, drew support from DHRD and comments from DLIR and industry witnesses. DLIR said the bill should be narrowed so it does not restrict medically necessary over-the-counter medications or oral guidance from providers, while Aloha Billing Company and Solera Integrated Medical Solutions urged tighter limits on physician dispensing and raised concerns about pricing abuse through average wholesale price. Members discussed clarifying the bill’s language so it targets written prescriptions rather than oral advice. HB 1644 HD1, requiring a standardized disclosure form for residential solar contracts, received support from the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative, while DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection supported the consumer-protection goal but proposed stronger remedies, including a three-day cancellation right, voidability for missing disclosures, and possible lender liability; members questioned how those remedies should apply to lenders, and no vote was taken on the measures in the portion provided.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Funding (02/25/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- the town out in accordance with the provisions of RSA 763, as enacted on November 3, 1999, under Chapter
- the town out in accordance with the provisions of RSA 763, as enacted on November 3, 1999, under Chapter
- the town out in accordance with the provisions of RSA 763, as enacted on November 3, 1999, under Chapter
- the town out in accordance with the provisions of RSA 763, as enacted on November 3, 1999, under Chapter
- the town out in accordance with the provisions of RSA 763, as enacted on November 3, 1999, under Chapter
Summary:
The Education Funding Committee met to review a large package of bills, with the first four—HB 717, 742, 773, and 603—focused on special education aid, formerly called catastrophic aid. Chair Ladin explained that the committee needed to move a special education bill forward by March 4 and was trying to determine which bill would serve as the vehicle. He described the current formula and the difficulty of estimating the fiscal impact of lowering the threshold from 3.5 times the statewide average cost per pupil to a lower level, noting that DOE did not have reliable data on how many students would fall into the lower-cost bands. The committee also noted that several other bills in the package addressed SWEP and adequacy issues, and that HB 510 dealt with due process rather than funding.
Mark Mello of the Bureau of School Finance testified that the department only has reliable data for special education expenditures above $70,000 per student, since claims are submitted for reimbursement at that point. He said the bureau was trying to estimate how many students might fall between 2.5x and 3.5x or 3x and 3.5x the average cost, but that the basic answer was they did not know and that any estimate would be difficult. He explained that moving the threshold from 3.5x to 2.5x would create a minimum additional cost of about $13.6 million based on existing claims, not counting new students who would enter the range. Members discussed whether districts already had the underlying data, whether a survey should be required, and how districts know when to begin tracking costs for reimbursement.
The committee also discussed proration and the state’s share of special education aid. Mello explained that the current 80% state share is modeled in the formula, but the actual payment has been prorated because appropriations have not matched the statutory liability; he said the state liability was about $50 million, while the budget had provided $34 million, resulting in a 68% payment rate. HB 742 was described as a bill that would eliminate proration by paying the liability directly from the education trust fund with an overflow mechanism. Members also discussed possible alternatives such as changing the state share, using a lower threshold in a transition period, or requiring districts to submit data. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the committee was still in discussion and considering which bills to advance.