Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing double-digit rate increases.
• people that are needier; they're paying a higher price, and you have some folks who now have the opportunity
• We also hope that this memorial creates an opportunity during the interim for continued dialogue and
• protections into existing workers' compensation law while still allowing employers and insurers the opportunity

Bills: SB101 , SB21 , HM52 , HB132 , SB14 , SB20

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Keywords: SB 101, Health Care Delivery and Access Act, repeal of repeal, sunset repeal, delayed repeal, health care, healthcare, access to care, medical services, provider regulation, state health law, New Mexico, SB 21, Medicare supplement, Medigap, open enrollment, guaranteed issue, birthday month enrollment, health insurance, insurance regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The opportunities that we offer for students here, I haven't ever experienced the amount of things that
• And I actually had the opportunity to speak about that bill in several different settings, and when there
• was an opportunity for change, and what I often heard is that, 'Oh, you don't need that in Los Alamos
• We had the opportunity for out-of-school learning time funding to really increase.
• It takes away the opportunity to innovate.

Transcript Highlights:

• direct, in-person observation, including, for example, through the use of artificial intelligence, a digital
• Thank you, Chair Berry, Ranking Member Schmidt and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify
• “Madam Chair, first we’ll be hearing from Sam Hotson-Buller from the Economic Opportunity Institute.
• I’m Sam Hathson-Buller, Legislative Director at the Economic Opportunity Institute, and also a member
• This locks disadvantaged contractors out of the very opportunities they need to build capacity.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee heard testimony on several bills. HB 2303 would prohibit employers from requesting, requiring, or coercing employees to receive subcutaneous microchip implants, with enforcement through L&I complaints, civil penalties, and private lawsuits; the sponsor said it was a preventive labor standard and noted there was no opposition. HB 2144 would require employers to give written notice before using electronic monitoring for employee performance evaluations, and testimony split between labor supporters, who said workers should know how they are monitored, and business, local government, trucking, retail, construction, and law enforcement representatives, who raised concerns about broad definitions, safety uses, and litigation exposure. HB 2190 would expand collective bargaining rights for language access providers so missed or canceled appointments could be bargained as compensation; interpreters and union representatives supported it, saying they lose income when clients no-show, while the sponsor said the bill would clarify bargaining rights without changing employment status. The committee also heard HB 2345, a technical change to the state paid family and medical leave premium split in response to IRS guidance. Staff explained the proposed substitute would shift the employer contribution from the medical share to the family share so benefits would not be treated as taxable wages, while keeping the overall premium burden roughly the same; supporters called it a common-sense fix, and some business and school district witnesses said they wanted to avoid additional taxes and preserve program stability. The most extensive debate was over HB 2191, which would make property owners and direct contractors liable for unpaid wages and benefits in construction projects, with exceptions for government and small residential properties. Workers, unions, the Attorney General’s office, and some contractors supported the bill as a way to combat wage theft and level the playing field, while industry groups and subcontractors argued it would impose broad liability on responsible contractors, raise costs, hurt small businesses and minority-owned firms, and should be narrowed with safe harbors or right-to-cure provisions. No votes were taken; the committee held hearings on the bills and adjourned after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much for the opportunity to present today.
• The process also provides opportunities for competing Interpretation and claims, and this is a very open
• For institutions, this is an opportunity for acknowledgment of that extractive process.
• Keeley is also the founder and CEO of 360 Media, a consulting and referral study, full-circle digital
• Lastly, I want to say that this opportunity for New Mexico is critical.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to be here with you today to talk about emergency preparedness, flooding
• So I wanted to take this opportunity to share an example of how plans are put into action by focusing
• With the severe flooding that we had on the Llano in the fall of 2018, it provided an opportunity for
• There is one opportunity for a waiver for a youth camp, which is covered on the next slide.
• Chairman Metcalf, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Before I call the opposition, I just want to take this opportunity to set a quorum here and get us going
• Automation in our stores has increased, and the opportunities with it have made it very challenging for
• I think it's important that we have some statewide standard around the utility of these opportunities
• And so it's just trying to sort of regulate that opportunity there for everybody else that wants to use
• In the workplace and continue to build real pathways to opportunity as we are on this road to repair.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker rights, workplace technology, pay equity, and retail/self-checkout standards. SB 703 would require ports to collect and report information on trucking companies to help identify worker misclassification in the port trucking industry; supporters, including Teamsters and the California Labor Federation, said better data is needed for enforcement, while trucking and retail groups said they were working with the author and expected to remove opposition after amendments. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Transportation. The committee also approved a consent calendar of other measures. SB 294, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, would require the Labor Commissioner to create a template for annual employer notices about workers’ labor and civil rights, including emergency contact notification if a worker is detained or arrested. Supporters said the bill would help workers understand their rights amid federal rollbacks and weak enforcement; the California Restaurant Association opposed it. SB 7 would require notice and human review before employers use automated decision-making systems for discipline or termination, and would bar predictive use of such systems for employment actions. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or opaque algorithmic management, while HR, chamber, retail, and local government groups raised concerns about breadth, notice burdens, and small-business impacts. Both bills passed 5-0 to their next committees. The committee also advanced SB 238, which would require disclosure about workplace surveillance and AI monitoring tools, and SB 442, which sets staffing and operational standards for self-checkout, including at least one staffed lane, one employee dedicated to monitoring self-checkout, item restrictions, and a 15-item limit sign. Supporters argued both bills improve transparency, safety, and worker protections; opponents warned SB 238 could expose security practices and SB 442 could raise costs and create preemption issues. SB 464 would expand state pay-data reporting to better capture public-sector workforce demographics in line with reparations and pay-equity goals, and SB 642 would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by extending recovery periods, clarifying wage definitions, and updating pay-scale language. SB 464 and SB 642 also passed, with some opposition from county and business groups over scope and retroactivity. All measures taken up in the hearing were approved by committee, generally on 5-0 votes, and re-referred to the appropriate policy or fiscal committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to lay out this important bill.
• Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
• I appreciate the opportunity to testify on this simple but important bill.
• Amazon Pharmacy is a full-service, digital-forward pharmacy in your pocket.
• Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you all. Any questions? Senator Perry?

Bills: HB107 , HB742 , HB1639 , HB1700 , HB2071 , HB2187 , HB2402 , HB2516 , HB3211 , HB4529 , HB5342 , HB694 , HB923 , HB4655 , HB107

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: sickle cell disease, registry, health data, confidentiality, healthcare access, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, cancer, female firefighters, health study, state health services, fire protection, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health records

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to present this important legislation.
• Chairman for giving me the opportunity to lay out House Bill 4795.
• Thank you for the opportunity to lay out this bill.
• And with that, I'll just ask for an opportunity to close.
• Members, I appreciate the opportunity to lay out House Bill 1892.

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Transcript Highlights:

• , K-12, in high school specifically, have higher-ed opportunities, accelerated opportunities.
• K-12 in high school specifically have higher ed opportunities, accelerated opportunities.
• . ...and it creates opportunities.
• It's a growing opportunity. But he could still do that.
• It's a growing opportunity. But he could still do that.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I think it is in the low single digits of those.
• This isn't the last opportunity you'll have to necessarily weigh in on the issue.
• But this isn't the last opportunity you'll have to weigh in on it.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The committee heard AB 108, a budget bill junior that would amend the 2025 Budget Act to create a one-time $25 million General Fund grant program at HCAI for hospitals in immediate and significant financial distress. The bill also included a technical change related to property tax deferments for eligible low-income seniors. Finance explained that eligible hospitals would have to be not-for-profit, have less than 10 days cash on hand, show best efforts to exhaust other financing, and have a payer mix of more than 50% government payers and uninsured patients; the bill also gives HCAI expedited contracting and rulemaking authority. Members and the LAO noted the proposal is intended as a short-term bridge until July 1, while broader hospital support is expected in the May Revision and next year’s budget. Much of the discussion focused on whether $25 million is enough, how many hospitals would qualify, and whether the 10-day cash threshold is too narrow. Several senators argued the administration had not provided enough data or a clear methodology, and raised concerns about fairness compared with the earlier Distressed Hospital Loan Program, which used broader criteria and provided loans rather than grants. Members also raised broader policy issues affecting hospital finances, including Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, seismic retrofit costs, federal funding changes, and the need for better data and more immediate assessment of hospital distress. The LAO said the current proposal is narrower than the prior loan program and emphasized the need for better reporting and analysis going forward. Public commenters, including the California Hospital Association, district hospital representatives, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and county officials, supported the bill and urged additional longer-term funding for distressed hospitals. The chair and several members said the bill is a short-term emergency measure for a small number of hospitals at risk of imminent closure, while broader solutions will be addressed later in the budget process. AB 108 was then moved and passed out of committee on an 18-0 vote, with the roll held open briefly to secure remaining votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I appreciate it.
• modernize our emergency services communications, transitioning from outdated analog equipment to a digital
• regardless of whether you were in office at the time the policy was enacted or not, you now have an opportunity

Committee: House Rules - Legislative

Summary: The Missouri House Legislative Rules Committee held a hearing on House Bill 2243, sponsored by Rep. Bryant-Wolfen, which would repeal a 2021 provision that exempted certain manufacturing and mining-related industries from local sales tax. The sponsor argued the change unintentionally stripped counties of revenue they had already approved through local votes, shifting the burden onto ordinary Missourians and leaving local governments without a replacement source of funding. Committee members questioned whether the bill would amount to a tax increase, whether a referendum or local voter approval should be required, and whether the measure could discourage investment or job growth. The sponsor said the bill simply restores local taxing authority and noted the fiscal note showed roughly $35 million in local revenue at stake statewide. Testimony in support came from local officials from Iron County, Adair County, and St. Genevieve County, including commissioners, a sheriff, and a 911 board official. They said the exemption reduced revenue for roads, ambulance service, law enforcement, and 911 operations, forcing service cuts and higher local levies. Iron County witnesses said the loss hit a county dependent on mining and reduced ambulance coverage and sheriff funding; Adair County officials said the exemption affected expected revenue from a large solar project and other energy infrastructure; St. Genevieve County officials cited sharp monthly declines in sales tax receipts and said inflation made the loss even more severe. Supporters emphasized that these were locally approved taxes and that the affected companies still benefit from county services. Opposition came from Associated Industries of Missouri, which argued the original exemption was part of Missouri’s effort to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision and keep tax rules uniform for out-of-state sellers. The group warned that removing the exemption could make Missouri’s tax system less simple and potentially jeopardize local use-tax collections statewide, with a much larger possible revenue loss if the law were challenged. The committee chair said the hearing would continue with a hard stop for floor business, and at the end of testimony he indicated he planned to take executive action on the bill later in the week. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I just wanted an opportunity to share that because he couldn't be here. Thank you.
• With his specialists all over this country, it is buried under hundreds of pages of digital records.
• Maddie tragically lost her life in October and won't have the opportunity to make her dreams a reality

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted a substitute for House Bill 1962, then voted House Committee Substitute for HB 1962 do pass by 16-0. The substitute was described as making changes related to an epinephrine-related database and pricing. The committee then adopted a substitute for House Bill 2371 and voted House Committee Substitute for HB 2371 do pass by 16-0; the sponsor said the bill would codify existing Medicaid/state-plan coverage for a blood pressure-related issue and make the private insurance language consistent. House Concurrent Resolution 28 was also voted do pass by 16-0. The committee then heard House Bill 3457, “Maddie’s Law,” which would create an electronic medical-record alert for medically complex children so hospitals can quickly access individualized emergency care plans. Representative Burns presented the bill as a response to the death of a child named Maddie, and multiple family members and advocates testified in support, describing repeated emergency-room delays, the burden of carrying binders of records, and the need for one-click access to care plans. Questions focused on how the alert would work with existing systems, whether QR codes or bracelets might help, whether the bill should also apply to adults, and how the voluntary language fits with the goal of ensuring the information is available. An SSM Health lobbyist testified for information purposes, explaining that the STARS program is a voluntary EMS care-plan system started in 2014 and now includes about 1,800 children in Missouri and Illinois; he said the sponsor was willing to work on the language. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3401, which would require hospitals to develop workplace violence prevention plans, multidisciplinary committees, risk assessments, training, reporting, and incident review processes, while keeping the bill flexible for different facilities. The sponsor and several health care groups cited high rates of threats and assaults against emergency and hospital staff and argued that violence is a preventable workplace risk that contributes to burnout and staffing shortages. Witnesses from emergency physicians, nurses, the Missouri Hospital Association, and other medical groups supported the bill, with some suggesting the signage language be broadened or simplified. No votes were taken on HB 3457 or HB 3401 before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet in today's digital world, it is available 24-7 with few barriers.
• Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to share my part of this legislation, which is House Bill
• Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to share my part of this legislation, which is House Bill

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Missouri House met with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for March 3, 2026 by a 122-0 roll call vote. The chamber also spent a long portion of the morning recognizing special guests, including Special Olympics athletes, occupational therapy and social work students and professionals, teachers, civic leaders, and other visitors in the gallery. On legislation, the House perfected and printed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2974, which would codify telehealth access within Missouri’s licensed reciprocity law. Supporters said it would help seniors and rural residents access care and ensure reciprocity licensees can provide telehealth services. The House also perfected and printed House Bill 2934, a bipartisan St. Louis convention-center governance bill that would merge existing entities, create a new board with city, county, and state appointments, and clarify funding and tax authority for the convention district. An amendment narrowing governor appointments to two city, two county, and one at-large member was adopted before final approval. The House likewise perfected and printed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2057, a technical fix allowing Osage Beach to create an entertainment district; supporters said it would promote tourism and economic development and align the city with similar districts elsewhere in Missouri. The most contentious debate was on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1839, 2921, and 3515, which require age verification for pornographic websites. Supporters framed the measure as child protection and cited the Supreme Court’s Texas decision and the Attorney General’s enforcement rule; opponents raised privacy concerns, questioned effectiveness, and argued it could push users toward less scrupulous sites. A proposed amendment to extend the bill to firearms and ammunition websites was ruled not germane, the previous question was ordered 92-44, and the substitute was adopted. The combined bill package was then perfected and printed by a 104-16 vote with 20 present, and the House recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• accomplishes many of the Trump administration's objectives when it comes to our elections, and we have the opportunity
• And it's time to give the voters of Arizona that opportunity.
• either party of a civil action to request a change in venue if either party is an employee of the digital

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gifted Academy who work together to create a learning environment that gives these students the opportunity
• House Bill 2010, digital goods seller requirements enforcement.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Administrator Alberto Gonzalez at ITS to explore options with IT vendors to implement things like digital
• They have exhausted their many opportunities and are hopeful that they can secure land.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations for the Department of Administration and the Permanent Building Fund. For Administration, analysts reviewed the agency’s divisions, staffing, dedicated-fund structure, recent budget growth, and the governor’s and JFAC’s recommended changes. The department requested shifts of utility costs from the general fund to dedicated funds, three new positions and funding for Medicaid procurement and contract management, transfers of some positions between divisions, and one-time IT replacement funding. Members also discussed office-space utilization, vacant buildings and land at Chinden and elsewhere, and the department’s efforts to consolidate space and reduce general fund reliance. Director Bailey said the department has reduced or repurposed positions, closed duplicate printing operations, is exploring digital workflows and AI tools, and is trying to move toward a fully dedicated-fund model. He also explained the decision to remove GLP-1 weight-loss coverage from the state health plan due to rapidly rising costs, while noting diabetes coverage remains in place. Committee members questioned the need for higher-level procurement staff for Medicaid contracts, the role of Deloitte and the Department of Health and Welfare in the process, and the status of the MMIS procurement, which Bailey said is currently stayed by the courts after a legal challenge from the second-place vendor. He said the delay will affect MMIS implementation and, in turn, the timing of the broader managed care rollout. Members also asked about vacant state office space, the possible sale of older buildings, and whether agencies such as ITD and Health and Welfare could be moved into state-owned space to reduce lease costs. Bailey said the department is actively working on those facility-planning questions and that agencies at Chinden are paying rent for occupied space. The committee then reviewed the Permanent Building Fund budget, which finances state construction, repairs, and deferred maintenance through dedicated revenue sources and interest earnings. Analysts highlighted the fund’s multi-year project structure, the large deferred maintenance program funded in prior years, and a proposed one-time transfer of $33.75 million in canceled capital project balances to the general fund. They also described a possible redirection of fiscal year 2027 interest earnings to the general fund and a recommended new capital project for an Idaho National Guard readiness center. Administrator Barard reported that the Division of Public Works is managing 595 active projects, with most FY 2025 projects under construction, in design, or complete, and said the division continues to face labor shortages and rising construction costs. Members asked about canceled projects, including the North Idaho reentry center, the Carnegie Library purchase, the ISU pedestrian crossing, the Idaho State Police Lewiston facility, and other projects; staff said some are unlikely to return soon, while others may come back once land or other prerequisites are secured. The committee concluded the hearing and announced it would meet the next day for the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Office of the State Public Defender.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't imagine many are going to speak against this, so I want to take this opportunity to explain why
• I recommended that we exempt broadcasters and certain billboards, both analog and digital, from this

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of tax, economic, judicial, education, and health-related bills, often after adopting technical or clarifying amendments. Major measures included Engrossed Senate Bill 6347, which restores recent estate tax changes while preserving last year’s increase in the exclusion amount and inflation adjustment; Substitute Senate Bill 6289, directing the Department of Commerce to create a statewide economic development and competitiveness strategic plan; and Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6162, expanding and simplifying senior citizen property tax relief. Senators supporting these bills emphasized tax administration, economic growth, and relief for seniors, while opponents raised concerns about regressivity, revenue losses, and tax shifts to other taxpayers. The chamber also passed bills extending or clarifying tax preferences and fees, including Senate Bill 6244 (extending a hazardous substance tax exemption for agricultural crop protection products), Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6113 (technical corrections to Department of Revenue tax law guidance, after removing a disputed section on advertising tax invalidation), Senate Bill 6114 (defining “fixture” and “affixed” for real estate excise tax purposes), Senate Bill 5970 (making a senior citizen center property tax exemption permanent), Senate Bill 5832 (raising the motor vehicle arbitration fee to support the Lemon Law program), and Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6262 (expanding the vehicle weight threshold for transportation benefit district fees). Debate on these measures centered on whether they were modest administrative updates or additional burdens on taxpayers and businesses. Several non-tax bills also advanced. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6086 strengthened security for judicial officers and court personnel, with amendments clarifying terminology and adding industrial appeals judges to the definition of judicial officers. Substitute Senate Bill 5961 transferred early literacy programs, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read, from DCYF to OSPI. Senate Bill 5868 added one superior court judge each in Skagit and Yakima counties, and Substitute Senate Bill 5923 reclassified a Skagit County hospital as a critical access hospital to improve reimbursement and help it remain viable. The Senate also passed Substitute Senate Bill 5520, revising the Wrongly Convicted Persons Act to improve compensation procedures, despite debate over whether to include civil detention-related claims. Most bills passed by constitutional majorities, with a few recorded nays and one division vote on an amendment; the Senate then adjourned until the next scheduled session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><04:01:54.159><c> for</c> would uh help provide an opportunity for would uh help provide an opportunity
• So this provides them that opportunity.
• them that opportunity.
• It just provides the opportunity.
• </c><05:21:13.920><c> for</c> kind of uh push uh an opportunity for kind of uh push uh an opportunity

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing opened on House Bill 192, which concerns the Joint Committee on Employee Classification process for state employee positions. Representative Peter Schmidt explained that the bill is a procedural step to send already-reviewed classifications to Korn Ferry and then into statute and the budget. Department of Corrections staff and Commissioner Helen Hanks testified that one Deputy Director of Medical Services position had been omitted from the bill by mistake even though it had already gone through the JCEC process, and they asked for an amendment to add it. Hanks clarified that the position is an existing classified job being converted to unclassified status, not a new position. The committee discussed how the amendment would work and the quorum requirements for the JCEC, then closed the hearing on HB 192 after no further testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 435, sponsored by Representative Don McFarland, which would clarify professional engineering licensure law. McFarland said the bill is intended to make clear that work in IT security, electronics, digital systems, computing, and software is not the practice of engineering requiring a professional engineer license, while preserving licensure requirements for fields such as civil, structural, and building-related engineering. He said he had consulted with the American Council of Engineering Companies and that the bill is meant to remove ambiguity and legal risk, not deregulate engineering. Several members with engineering backgrounds spoke in support, describing the distinction between licensed PE work and other technical fields, and one member noted that software development and regulated software work typically do not require a PE license. The committee voted ought to pass on HB 435 by a roll call of 16-0 and placed it on consent. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 210, which would create a commission to study the New Hampshire state flag. Representative Tom Corman argued that the current flag is a generic “state seal on a blue bedsheet” and does not meet common vexillological design principles such as simplicity, meaningful symbolism, limited colors, and distinctiveness. He said the proposed commission would include legislative members plus representatives of the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New England Vexillological Association, and would review the flag’s history and recommend whether to redesign it and how to do so. He also indicated he intended to add language to avoid costs, but the bill discussion was not completed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Earlier this morning, they had the opportunity to perform a couple of selections for the governor this
• And then we're not afforded those same opportunities, but we're also a group that may be criminalized
• ,</c><01:31:32.639><c> but</c> afforded those same opportunities, but afforded those same opportunities
• We needed to update the code around how we handle digital assets when it comes to unclaimed property.
• This just identifies and defines what digital assets are under the Treasury Department.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But again, the chairs have this in digital form, and Cassie now has it in digital form too.
• But you do have the opportunity.
• But my gut feeling is there's an opportunity there.
• And there's opportunity there too as well.
• That, there's a real opportunity, I think, there. There's a real opportunity, I think, there.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The commission met for an open discussion focused on developing recommendations for its report on correctional consolidation and collaboration. Chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger said the group is moving from information-gathering into idea generation, with a report due to the legislature by the end of September. Members discussed whether recommendations should be broad “guardrails” or more specific proposals, and several urged that future recommendations be grounded in firsthand experience, data, and written submissions from agencies and stakeholders. A major theme was how to create a more integrated correctional and reentry system. Participants raised the need to hear more from reentry centers, minimum-security and pre-release facilities, probation and parole, and the judiciary. Ideas included expanding step-down pathways, improving coordination among DOC, sheriffs, probation, and parole, standardizing programming and outcomes data, and better educating judges about available programs at sentencing. There was also discussion of whether the sheriff’s role should be expanded beyond the current two-and-a-half-year House of Correction limit, with questions about sentence structure, good-time credits, and how such a change would affect security and reentry outcomes. Members also emphasized the importance of consistency, transparency, and minimum standards across facilities. Several speakers said the system remains fragmented and that different counties use different definitions, practices, and program models. Suggestions included reviewing prior commission reports, looking at other states and even European models for best practices, and considering regional hubs or specialized facilities for behavioral health, workforce development, and reentry. The chairs noted that the commission has already toured several facilities and plans more visits, including Framingham and Bridgewater, and that future hearings will include unions and other stakeholders. The discussion also touched on restrictive housing, mental health, and contraband K2. Members cited recent suicide concerns and expert reports suggesting some units function like restrictive housing even if not labeled that way. There was broad agreement that custody conditions, programming access, and institutional culture affect trust and rehabilitation. No formal votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working session to surface ideas and frame possible recommendations for later drafting.