Transcript Highlights:

• Ten amps is what 1,200 W, the limit, represents. At 120 V, that's 10 amps.
• Good to learn a little bit more about what it would mean in real terms from Senator Rarick.
• The bill before you simply creates a fairly limited exemption to the certificate of need law.
• The bill before you simply creates a fairly limited exemption to the certificate of need law.
• <00:42:40.160> of your packets that helps in terms of your packets that helps in terms of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then I'll just speak a moment to the programs that we're looking to either improve upon in terms
• We are investing strongly into our long-term infrastructure focus this year and for the long-term.
• So, going on the long-term, we're looking for infrastructure focus, and this is the start of it.
• This gives you kind of the current use, the limitations, and the needs of these facilities.
• It's a little scary to me, but I'm sure that Bill could give you the technical terms.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing reconvened with testimony from several agencies on their capital budget requests. The Department of Environmental Services requested a little over $38 million, with major emphasis on dam repairs and design work for aging state-owned dams, including a $5.25 million match for possible FEMA BRIC funding at Pawtuckaway/Tuckaway and other projects such as Milton Three Ponds, Murphy Dam, and Lakeport Gates. DES also requested funding for state revolving loan fund matches, a Superfund match for the Savage Well site, IT and air-monitoring upgrades, and a new $750,000 cybersecurity request for water and wastewater systems. Committee members asked about FEMA eligibility, the distinction between design and construction money, and the timing and risk of banking funds if federal grants do not materialize. The University System of New Hampshire requested $20 million in state support, primarily $15 million for a major Diamond Library renovation at UNH to create a student support hub and reduce/repurpose collection space, plus $2.5 million each for deferred maintenance at Plymouth State and Keene State. The Community College System requested about $16.6 million across seven projects, led by critical maintenance, campus safety/security upgrades, IT infrastructure, parking and site improvements, HVAC replacement at White Mountains Community College in Littleton, a building management/energy system, and modernization of NHTI’s dental clinic and radiology spaces. The Department of Education requested $29.5 million, including a $4.9 million internal management platform to replace paper-based and siloed systems, plus career and technical education capital projects; Milford’s CTE project was described as being revised after repeated failed bond votes, while ConVal said its revised project would focus on modernizing existing CTE space and adding a security vestibule. Fish and Game requested $1.075 million for three facilities: Sewall Falls in Concord, the Lancaster Armory, and the Bunker Lane Barn in Durham, focusing on structural repairs, security, reconfiguration, and in one case replacement of a failing barn with a new 40-by-60 building. The department also said hatchery work is ongoing but that it is taking a cautious approach because of the planned New Hampton Hatchery and future capital needs. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources requested $9.26 million for eight projects, including campground electrical upgrades at Ellacoya and Lake Francis, White Lake water system replacement, Mount Washington fuel tank and safety work, Odiorne Point visitor center work funded through parks revenue, roofing and parking lot repairs, Fox Forest office safety upgrades, and historic site repairs at White Island and Fort Constitution. Members asked about revenue-based capital, the stability of the parks fund, and flexibility in choosing projects as bids come in. The Department of Transportation began its presentation at the end of the transcript, but its detailed requests were not yet discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, testimony, try and limit it to two minutes per testimony.
• And so, like the comments that have been made in some of the written testimony, the idea to limit the
• the scope to perhaps one art form limit the scope to perhaps one art form at<00:31:18.799> first<
• And then long term, the best place for to store this data and to make sure that it's accessible to the
• And then long term, the best place for to store this data and to make sure that it's accessible to the

Bills: HB2436, HB2438, HB2532, HB2566

Keywords: arts integration, fine arts education, public schools, cultural education, student engagement, school coordinators, Hawaii education, Hawaii Cultural Trust, income tax credit, arts funding, cultural preservation, charitable contributions, HB2532, Hawaiian flag, Ka Hae Hawaiʻi, flag display, condominium, condo association, planned community association, cooperative housing corporation

Summary: The committee on Culture and the Arts heard several measures related to arts funding, administration, and access. Testimony was largely supportive across the agenda. For HB 2218 and HB 1815, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts supported the bills, and members discussed transition timing and administrative support, including the need for an additional year in one measure and a temporary administrative position to help with the transfer. HB 1764, the music accessibility pilot program, drew broad support from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii Public Library System, Hawaii Youth Symphony, and others, with testimony emphasizing library-based music programming, community access, and economic benefits. HB 2117, which would create an arts data mapping task force, also received extensive support, though witnesses suggested narrowing the initial scope, adding representatives from independent and charter schools and neighbor island arts programs, and ensuring adequate funding and a realistic timeline for the work. The committee also heard HB 2436 on arts integration in public schools, HB 2438 on the Hawaii Cultural Trust, and HB 2532 on the Hawaiian flag. HB 2436 and HB 2438 received support from SFCA, while the Cultural Trust bill prompted a lengthy explanation from the chair about how the proposed tax credit would work and amendments to clarify that donations to the trust and to qualifying cultural nonprofits must be made in tandem, with eligible organizations listed and updated annually by SFCA and OHA. HB 2532 drew testimony from Dr. Adam Jansen in support of protecting the Hawaiian flag as a historical and cultural symbol; he said the flag should continue to be used for solidarity, protest, inclusion, and identity. At the decision-making portion, the committee adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered. HB 2118, HB 764, HB 1815, and HB 2117 were passed with amendments, including date deferrals and technical changes; HB 764 also had its appropriation blanked out. HB 2436 was passed with amendments, and HB 2438 was advanced with substantial clarifying amendments to the cultural trust structure. The chair indicated that HB 2117 would include an interim report due in 2027 focused on music and dance, with a final report due in 2029 on arts education more broadly.

Transcript Highlights:

• So Limited. So as we look at the content of these, there really needs to be a deep dive.
• They have a sliding scale in terms of tuition but their program is not a free program.
• So that was very much intentional in the design in terms of that outdoor space.
• So yeah, we're that was very, we're very intentional in terms of the outdoor.
• Disruptions and chaos and what is going to happen with long-term budgets.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as you all consider the future, both short term and long term, I think there's a conversation to
• So many questions, but all limited. Just a couple real quick, if I may, Chair, just to find out.
• Just in terms of the way people were treated, it was a very top-down approach.
• So we helped create a staffing model that prevented that or limited that from happening.
• There's really no change in the performance in terms of weight.

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from Washington State Ferries on capital projects and workforce issues, beginning with a briefing on the agency’s long-term fleet and terminal needs. WSF officials described the history of underinvestment after the late 1990s, the current fleet reduction from 25 to 21 vessels, and the need to keep older boats in service while moving toward a 26-vessel long-range fleet and hybrid-electric operations. They said the agency is transitioning to a new vessel procurement strategy, with Eastern Shipbuilding selected to build up to three 160-car hybrid-electric ferries, and outlined a schedule that includes contract execution, about a year of design work, steel cutting in fall 2026, and several years of construction. Members raised concerns about the higher cost of electrified vessels, the length of the schedule, the adequacy of liquidated damages and incentives, the risks of building in Florida and transporting vessels to Washington, and whether the contract sufficiently protects the state from cost overruns and design problems. The committee also received an update on the Wenatchee conversion, which officials said is days away from entering service as the first large hybrid-electric ferry conversion. WSF explained that the conversion combined required midlife preservation work with propulsion upgrades and battery installation, and that the project took longer and cost more than originally expected because it was a prototype with significant lessons learned. Officials said the Tacoma and Puyallup conversions would follow later, but those decisions were being delayed until after the World Cup to avoid service disruptions. Members asked about the cost-effectiveness of the conversion, the expected fuel and emissions reductions, and what happens to engine crews during long conversion periods; WSF said crews were embedded in the project and that the conversions should reduce diesel use substantially once terminal charging is available. The meeting then shifted to workforce development, with Siegel consultants reviewing their 2021 and 2024 studies of ferry staffing, overtime, recruitment, and workplace culture. They said the earlier problems stemmed from seasonal staffing practices, low winter hours, limited career progression, a narrow maritime recruiting pipeline, and a culture that made retention difficult. Since then, they reported major improvements: staffing has increased from about 1,500 to 1,900, turnover has fallen, captain and engineer shortages have eased, and recruitment has broadened beyond the traditional maritime pool, including more women and other underrepresented workers. They credited new programs such as guaranteed hours, paid pilotage, AB-to-mate pathways, and the “Turning of the Tide” culture campaign, while noting remaining issues with communication, HR access, accountability, and quality of life. Members generally acknowledged the progress but asked whether staffing levels are now sufficient and how interchangeable crews are across vessels and routes. Finally, terminal engineering staff began a presentation on capital terminal work, starting with the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal. They described the terminal’s age, low elevation, vulnerability to sea level rise and earthquakes, and the need for replacement piles, beams, and improved vehicle circulation. The agency said it has completed a planning and environmental linkage study, is moving into NEPA/state environmental review, and has been working with the community to balance the needs of Southworth and Vashon riders with neighborhood concerns in Fauntleroy. The preferred alternative is a larger offshore dock footprint that would improve capacity and reliability while reducing impacts to eelgrass habitat. The meeting ended before the terminal discussion was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• personal privilege at the beginning of the day are for introduction of guests who are present only, or limited
• And as a limited-government conservative, that's something that I always think is good to decrease the
• And so this is a short-term loss, if you will, for a long-term future gain.
• And so this is a short term, lost, if you will, for a long-term future gain.
• the state of Arizona, and only limited to public and charter schools.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So now, rather than just being limited to one fund, which is called the Executive Orders for Disaster
• Second, it sets a clear limit and structure around the governor's executive orders pending authority
• And the limitation before was $750,000 per check, but an unlimited number of checks.
• Chair, Representative Lujan, I would disagree with that in terms of preemptive.
• It reduces long-term disaster costs by preventing...

Bills: HB2, SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects

Transcript Highlights:

• There would be some limitation in terms of we had to create some new licenses and some cost to being
• I know that they're, at least the conversations I've had with them, they obviously be limited.
• First, the lottery term criminals used to facilitate those purchases.
• like in terms of, hey, we know.
• So, $25,740,000 from 12 terms. $25,740,000 from 12 terms. 396,000 tickets per hour.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. services for long-term care. And so I services for long-term care.
• That is one of the have a time limit.
• :18:40.000> funding<01:18:40.320> through limit the amount of funding through limit the
• <01:45:17.600> of<01:45:18.080> having um in terms of having um in terms of having
• Thank you. our um long-term care providers so that our um long-term care providers so that they<01:58

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You were asked to keep your testimony to two minutes, so please try to limit it to two to three minutes
• We advocate for the policies that support the state’s long-term budgetary strength and stability.
• So the question is about what the term property taxpayer means, I believe.
• So the question is about what the term property taxpayer means, I believe.
• the question is about what the term the question is about what the term property<00:59:06.960>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to be heard, I want to remind all participants of our time limits
• Please be mindful of these limits so that we may hear from as many voices as possible.
• Provided, however, the chairs may limit and redact testimony that includes sensitive personal information
• The insurance crisis is not limited to the Commonwealth.
• We sometimes look to a couple of SJC cases, which may allow decanting in limited circumstances.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on a wide range of state, probate, and family bills, with chairs Edwards and Day outlining strict testimony limits and accepting written testimony. Early testimony focused on H. 1911/S. 1138, which would clarify that a durable power of attorney may create a trust if that authority is expressly granted; sponsors and elder law advocates said the bill would resolve uncertainty created by the Barbetti decision and align Massachusetts with other states. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1102, a proposal to establish medical panels in Probate and Family Court. Supporters, including attorneys, parents, physicians, and advocates, said neutral three-doctor panels would help judges resolve disputed medical issues in guardianship and custody cases involving children, elders, and people with disabilities. Testifiers described cases where medical treatment was blocked or contested by one parent or guardian, arguing the panels would provide impartial expertise and protect vulnerable people. The committee also heard support for bills addressing disability discrimination in family court, military parents’ custody rights, and a shared parenting bill, H. 1710, which drew strong opposition from domestic violence advocates and others who said a 50-50 presumption could harm survivors and children. The committee also took testimony on several probate and court-administration measures. Senator Lovely supported a bill on nominee trust partition, and Senator Comerford and probate officials backed legislation to codify additional registry staff positions and modernize registry operations. Other bills discussed included foster care liability insurance, with providers warning that rising premiums and loss of coverage could force program closures; health care proxy storage and activation; access to decedents’ email accounts; uniform trust decanting; the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act; heirs’ property partition protections; a constitutional right to health care; alimony-related reforms; child-centered family law; and a right of disposition for funeral arrangements. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee repeatedly invited written testimony and follow-up questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, there were findings where, based on their limited set of data that they collected, they couldn't
• Federal compliance audits are limited in scope to address specific federal objectives.
• We know that your scope has been limited in its nature by the feds.
• These federal compliance audits are limited in scope to address specific federal objectives.
• Now, in terms of extending the scope from 25 to 26, I'm open to that conversation.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on Topok Elementary School District’s long-running noncompliance with Arizona’s Uniform System of Financial Records. The Auditor General’s office explained the USFR noncompliance process and reported that Topok had made substantial progress, correcting many deficiencies in areas such as open meeting law, procurement, payroll, attendance reporting, property control, and information technology. The district’s superintendent and staff described the corrective actions they had taken, the use of outside consultants, and their plan to maintain compliance through stronger leadership, training, and consistent procedures. Members praised the district’s progress and asked about the remaining deficiencies and the status of the 3% state-aid withholding, which the Auditor General said would be addressed by the State Board of Education. The committee then considered a request for a fourth school safety special audit, tied to concerns raised by Representative Martinez about Phoenix Union High School District and school violence response practices. The Auditor General said the proposed audit would be a new topic focused on policies and procedures for responding to credible threats of violence and allegations of staff misconduct affecting student safety, and could include Phoenix Union in the sample. Representative Martinez described a fatal 2024 shooting, weapons incidents, and concerns about district oversight. The committee approved the motion 10-0. Next, staff presented the fiscal years 2027-2028 school district performance audit schedule, describing 26 randomly selected school districts and career and technical education districts, plus 84 planned follow-ups. The Auditor General said the schedule is intended to shorten the average time between audits and that the school audits division is now fully staffed. Members asked about county coverage and the inclusion of ESA accountability, but the schedule was ultimately presented for review rather than approval. The committee also heard a detailed federal compliance audit presentation on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by DES. The Auditor General reported repeated findings involving missing provider documentation, questioned costs, and FFATA reporting errors, including a 2024 sample that led to questioning $2.88 million in costs. The office recommended stronger documentation, record retention, reporting procedures, and staff training; DES concurred and said it would correct the findings in 2026. Members discussed the limits of the single-audit scope, the possibility of a broader special audit, and the federal government’s recent actions on CCDF oversight in other states. Finally, the committee considered and discussed a special audit request for CCDF that would broaden review to provider oversight, licensing, site visits, and billing accuracy across multiple state agencies, with estimated costs of $547,000 to $625,000 and a projected report date of July 31, 2027.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, there were findings where, based on their limited set of data that they collected, they couldn't
• Federal compliance audits are limited in scope to address specific federal objectives.
• We know that your scope has been limited in its nature by the feds.
• These federal compliance audits are limited in scope to address specific federal objectives.
• Now, in terms of extending the scope from 25 to 26, I'm open to that conversation.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:26.599> inperson actually recommend limiting inperson actually recommend limiting inperson
• Because of the statute’s structure, it was fairly limiting in terms of anything outside that statute.
• Because of the statute’s structure, it was fairly limiting in terms of anything outside that statute.
• <01:17:00.639> government local control of limited government local control of limited government
• a82 adopt the definition of the terms a82 adopt the definition of the terms government<01:27:13.639

Bills: HF1051, HF16

Keywords: sacred communities, micro units, religious institutions, housing regulations, homelessness, conditional use permits, immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, sanctuary city, noncooperation ordinance, ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal immigration authorities, deportation, undocumented immigrant, undocumented person, immigration status data, data sharing, preemption, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• And so they feel they're being penalized in terms of not being able to submit for a license.
• So the bill limits the transfer... It's $100,000. It's a one-time.
• So the bill limits the transfer to $500,000.
• So it says in the, I don't know that it says it's been limited to one time, but in the event that the
• So it's limited how much amount. And it is being transferred to where?

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The New York State Senate Committee on Higher Education met on April 21, 2026, with a quorum present and considered nine bills. The committee advanced bills addressing licensing discrepancies for junior and assistant landscape architects (S.1834A), SUNY/CUNY research foundation financial reporting (S.6745), credits for volunteer firefighters and EMTs enrolled in SUNY or CUNY (S.7367), campus pool and health membership for disabled veterans (S.7784A), early licensure eligibility for dental residents in multi-year specialty programs (S.8401A), a 90-day grace period for certain social workers awaiting limited permits (S.9303), interior designer certification standards (S.9673), and a transfer of excess tuition reimbursement account funds to support proprietary vocational school oversight (S.9682). One bill, S.948 concerning occupational therapists, was held pending resolution with the State Education Department. Members asked questions on several measures, including whether firefighter/EMT credits were tied to service rather than coursework, how the dental residency bill would work in practice, and the funding source and purpose of the proprietary school supervision account transfer. Support was noted for the interior designer bill from ASID, CIDQ, and IIDA, while most other bills had no listed support or opposition memos. The committee explained that the fund transfer bill would move up to $500,000 from a tuition reimbursement account balance above $2.5 million to help the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision address oversight needs. All of the bills taken up and moved were reported out of committee, with some sent to the floor and others to the Finance Committee as indicated by the chair. Several were reported without recommendation from individual members. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please be mindful of these limits so that we may hear from as many voices as possible.
• Fat adults have more limited job opportunities because we don't look the part.
• But he was over the weight limit because of his bodybuilding.
• What's unacceptable is limiting opportunity to only one type of founder.
• They must limit their participation in society to prevent serious or fatal injury.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy public hearing on a wide range of civil rights, immigration, hate crimes, and reparations bills. Chair Edwards and Chair Day opened with strict testimony rules, including two-minute limits, written testimony options, and decorum requirements. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell testified in strong support of S. 1126/H. 1920, the Combating Hate in the Commonwealth bill, saying Massachusetts needs stronger tools to address rising hate and bias incidents. Her Civil Rights Division chief explained that the bill would give the division civil investigative demand/subpoena power, expand civil rights enforcement, close loopholes in the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, add protected classes to the hate crimes law, and require better hate-crime data reporting. The committee also heard support for H. 1954 on access to counsel in immigration proceedings, H. 4684 on law enforcement identification and public trust, and H. 1927 to exonerate individuals accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. Several bills focused on discrimination and civil rights enforcement. Supporters of S. 1248 on organizational standing said fair housing nonprofits need explicit authority to bring discrimination complaints in their own names, especially as federal protections are under attack. On H. 1246, advocates urged adding sex and gender as protected classes in the hate crimes statute, arguing women are not protected under current state law. H. 1820 drew testimony for protections against height and weight discrimination. H. 1995 would regularize sentencing for hate crimes by requiring diversity awareness training for both convictions and continuances without a finding, and H. 1056/H. 1589 would broaden hate-crime victim standing and require restitution to be used to repair harm. H. 1886 would clarify that defense-based social service staff are exempt from mandated reporter obligations when working under attorney-client privilege. The committee also heard testimony on H. 1889/S. 1064, a bill to eliminate disparate impact. Environmental justice advocates, fair housing attorneys, and community members argued that neutral policies can still produce discriminatory outcomes and that Massachusetts should allow state-court claims and a private right of action to address them. Committee members raised concerns about litigation floodgates, punitive damages, and the scope of protected classes, while supporters said the bill would mainly target systemic harms and injunctive relief. Additional testimony supported H. 1922/S. 119, the Fair Investment Act, which would create civil rights protections in venture capital and other investment settings for founders and investors, especially women and minority entrepreneurs. The hearing also included testimony on H. 1683, the Sex Trade Survivor Act, which would expand vacatur and expungement relief for trafficking survivors, remove archaic offenses from the code, and create an interagency commission; supporters emphasized reducing barriers to housing, employment, and reentry. Finally, the committee heard extensive support for H. 1753/S. 1181, establishing a commission to study reparations in Massachusetts. Testifiers described the state’s history of slavery, redlining, and ongoing racial disparities, and urged the committee to report the bill favorably. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those providing testimony will be given specific time limits, which must be strictly observed.
• limits which must be strictly observed. limits which must be strictly observed.
• In closing, 2959 does not hide evidence or limit assessors. It protects confidential data.
• In closing, 2959 does not hide evidence or limit assessors. It protects confidential data.
• <00:57:37.920> he the data be um uh what was the term he the data be um uh what was the term

Bills: HF3676, HF2959, HF3233

Keywords: Safe at Home, address confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, victim privacy, survivor protection, confidential address, protected address, secret address, identity protection, residential confidentiality, program participant, nondiscrimination, court disclosure, protective order, service of process, driver's license, state ID

Transcript Highlights:

• And I will say I've broken it out where manage medical assistance focus, then a long-term care focus
• Standardized performance measures for long-term care are relatively new.
• An update measures the percentage of long-term care Persis Pence who have documentation of in a long-term
• care program in 2014, about 40% of long-term care and release for in the community.
• So seeing how hi of population the Medicaid covers in terms of births statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've chosen not to limit, I have chosen to limit.
• However, Code Red provides for limited coverage.
• The rain fell in remote areas with limited gauge data.
• It's for a limited time.
• So I guess building a sustainable capacity for long-term community support by investing in long-term

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that one space per unit without limiting that one space per unit without limiting that<00:28:51.720
• language potentially about short-term language potentially about short-term rentals<00:49:11.119
• and door after door being a short-term and door after door being a short-term rental<00:52:48.040
• <00:54:12.400> renting new Adu and then short-term renting new Adu and then short-term renting
• <00:55:37.599> and is actually going to be long term and is actually going to be long term

Keywords: 1189, house, all