Transcript Highlights:

• We also have today scheduled a work session on House Bill 71, so that's on the docket for Division 3
• We'll come back at 1:00, as scheduled and duly noticed, a work session on House Bill 71.
• We'll come back at 1:00, as scheduled and duly noticed, a work session on House Bill 71.
• We'll come back at 1:00, as scheduled and duly noticed, a work session on House Bill 71.
• We can get it scheduled in on the wall inside, right to the left of Janet and by the copier.

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session continued its review of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid budget and related policy issues, with CFO Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman presenting updated materials. The discussion focused on a crosswalk between the adjusted FY 2025 Medicaid budget and the governor’s FY 2026 recommendation, plus handouts showing service additions, eligibility changes, dental rates, and other Medicaid changes since 2019. The department also said it would provide a clearer breakdown of the pharmacy cost-sharing item by general, federal, and other funds. Members asked detailed questions about the Medicaid enhancement tax, the 80% plan, and how funds are allocated between hospital payments, directed payments, and DSH uncompensated care. The department explained that the MET is being used more toward rates and directed payments to better align with federal matching rules, while DSH remains important for uncompensated care. They also noted that a pending Senate Bill 249 would keep the 80% structure and move to Senate Finance. On the trigger law, the department identified the governing provision as Chapter 342:12, Laws of 2018, and explained that if the federal match for Medicaid expansion falls below 90%, the state must notify legislative leaders and participants and the program would sunset after 180 days unless the legislature acts. The committee also reviewed current Medicaid expansion enrollment and program trends. Officials said enrollment was just under 59,000 as of March 3, with about 87,000 people enrolled over the past year and more than a quarter-million residents having used the program over its lifetime. They said enrollment has fallen from a post-pandemic high of nearly 97,000 and may eventually settle in the low 50,000s. Finally, the department discussed federal DSH funding risk, saying New Hampshire could face a significant reduction if Congress does not extend current protections, which is part of why the state has shifted more funding toward payment rates and directed payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, our next one's not scheduled. Thank you for coming. 11:15.
• Well, our next one's not scheduled. Thank you for coming. 11:15.
• schedule um that they issued and the and schedule um that they issued and the and the<03:33:43.279><c
• </c><04:41:54.280><c> that</c> retention schedule that retention schedule that exists<04:41:56.718><c
• </c> process is when the retention schedule process is when the retention schedule arrives<04:42:23.040

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from Charlotte Harding of the Conservation Land Stewardship Program, who explained that the office protects the state’s interests in conservation lands by monitoring conservation easements and related stewardship obligations. She described the program’s funding sources: a land conservation endowment held at the State Treasury and administered by the Council on Resources and Development, plus transfers from Fish and Game for easements not covered by the endowment. Members discussed how the endowment is funded when new easements are created, the program’s staffing, the loss of a state vehicle, and the need to increase in-state travel so staff can use personal vehicles for field monitoring. Harding said the office has two full-time positions and a seasonal employee, that the work is mostly monitoring rather than hands-on land management, and that enforcement issues are referred to the grantee agencies or, if needed, to the Council on Resources and Development. She also noted that the office works directly with landowners to resolve smaller issues and that stewardship has become a greater focus in the conservation community because ongoing oversight requires funding. Members asked about examples of properties under the program, including LCIP lands such as Musquash Headwaters, Hidden Valley Boy Scout Camp, and Nash Stream, and the committee did not take a motion before moving on. The committee then heard from Paul Breen and Susie Anzelone of the Pease Development Authority regarding the Division of Ports and Harbors operating budget. They explained that the authority provides finance, legal, environmental, and engineering support to the division, which operates New Hampshire’s only deep-water berth at Market Street, as well as facilities in Hampton, Rye, the Portsmouth Fish Pier, and navigational waters in the Piscataqua and Great Bay. They described the authority’s history after the closure of Pease Air Force Base, the transfer of roughly 2,400 acres, and the creation of a self-sustaining enterprise fund tied to airport and port operations. They emphasized that the division does not draw on the general fund because revenues from wharfage, dockage, parking, registration, and mooring fees cover operating costs, with any surplus retained for capital improvements and replacement. Members questioned several budget lines, including a sharp increase in overtime and workers’ compensation. Breen said overtime is driven largely by security needs at the deep-water port and fluctuates with vessel traffic, such as salt shipments, while workers’ comp is a DAS-set cost and not something the division controls. He said the budget is conservative and that if revenues fall short, capital projects would be the first items scaled back. The discussion also covered fee-setting, with Breen saying rates are reviewed against the local market and infrastructure constraints, and that some smaller facility fees had recently been increased after being stagnant for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because the issue is I have to put the schedule in for next week.
• I have to the schedule in for next week.
• schedule for Wednesday or Friday next<01:34:16.960><c> week.
• Uh, next is what does our schedule look like?
• And, uh, but I don't know what their schedule is.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we had scheduled to do executive sessions on HR 35, HP 1721, HB 1539 FN, HB 1475 FN, HB 1743 FN,
• </c><00:06:33.360><c> to</c><00:06:33.600><c> do</c><00:06:33.919><c> executive</c> then we had scheduled
• to do executive then we had scheduled to do executive sessions<00:06:35.520><c> on</c><00:06:36.240>
• </c> that they were scheduled for this week. that they were scheduled for this week.
• Okay, it is exactly 1:00, and in the interest of staying on schedule and accommodating the schedules

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• They will add scheduling orders.
• Sounds kind of unimportant, but a scheduling order in a judge's courtroom is about the best tool for
• In other words, the lawyers in some ways are driving parts of these schedules.
• In other words, the lawyers in some ways are driving parts of these schedules. Long time.
• In other words, the lawyers in some ways are driving parts of these schedules.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The hearing was held in Clinton Town Hall as part of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means’ budget review, with local officials welcoming legislators and noting the long agenda of many panels. The main presentation was from Secretary Terrence Reedy of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, who outlined the Healey-Driscoll administration’s FY26 proposal for the secretariat, including a $1.7 billion budget and a 7% increase over FY25. He described investments in emergency preparedness, hate-crime prevention, reentry programming, technology modernization, internships, and public safety training, while also noting some reductions driven by resource constraints, including cuts to certain grant programs and administrative costs. Committee members also raised concerns about federal uncertainty and how it could affect state budgets and public safety planning. A major portion of the questioning focused on the Department of Correction. Secretary Reedy and Commissioner Sean Jenkins said the biggest challenges are staffing, officer wellness, facility safety, and contraband—especially K2. They described steps taken at MCI Souza and other facilities, including reducing population at the maximum-security unit, changing management, removing metal products and free weights, improving screening and roll calls, adding a rapid response team, and increasing investigative and technological efforts to combat K2. They also discussed the closure of MCI Concord, saying it was driven by high maintenance costs and staffing needs, and explained that savings are being used to improve staffing patterns and address deferred maintenance over time rather than producing immediate large budget reductions. Members also questioned the budget’s impact on police training and community policing. The administration defended the increase in police academy tuition from $3,200 to $6,000 as reflecting true training costs and said it would still be subsidized by the state, while acknowledging the burden on small municipalities. They said the MPTC is expanding regional training and considering proposals such as Greenfield Community College’s. On community policing, officials emphasized uniform statewide training, de-escalation, and communication skills. The State Police also announced an outside review of the academy by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and said the next class will be split into two smaller groups to improve oversight and allow quicker implementation of recommendations. Other topics included ICE and federal immigration enforcement, with Reedy saying state law prohibits Massachusetts law enforcement from acting in a civil immigration capacity and that no state dollars were used in the Tufts-related ICE operation mentioned by a member. Senators and representatives also raised the upcoming FIFA World Cup, warning that it will require significant public safety resources and likely federal funding. Additional discussion covered restorative justice and juvenile diversion, health care costs in DOC, electronic health records, and the need for more diverse and culturally competent public safety staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's two toll schedules here. Okay.
• There's two toll schedules pass users. There's two toll schedules here.<01:06:47.039><c> Okay.
• Um, the next meeting will be whenever we schedule it, but I don't have anything right now.
• the next meeting will be<02:20:55.359><c> whenever</c><02:20:55.760><c> we</c><02:20:56.000><c> schedule
• it, but I don't be whenever we schedule it, but I don't have<02:20:57.040><c> anything</c><02:20:57.280

Committee: House Ways and Means

Summary: The work session focused first on SP 492, a bill intended to give the New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services authority to lease or license property for housing and related uses. Major General David Mikolitis testified that the bill is aimed at addressing affordable housing for junior enlisted service members, especially those assigned to Pease Air National Guard Base who currently face long commutes because of the Seacoast housing shortage. He said the most likely uses would be converting limited barracks space in Pembroke or Stratford into apartment-style or extended-stay housing, and possibly allowing office/co-op space for federal civilians, though he emphasized the primary purpose is housing for junior ranks. He also said any development would likely be done by a private developer through an RFP, with costs borne by the developer rather than the department. Committee members asked about whether the bill could apply to commercial uses, how taxes would work, whether revenues would go into the general fund, and whether the concept could be expanded statewide. Mikolitis said the intent was housing only, not commercial development like a Starbucks, and that any developed property would be taxable locally rather than remain tax-exempt. He said revenues would go into a dedicated Veteran Services Property Fund and be used for facilities, not the general fund. He also explained that the department has about 20 armories statewide but sees only a few viable locations for this concept, mainly Pembroke, Stratford, and possibly one other site, because the goal is to serve personnel within roughly a 45-minute drive of Pease. He noted that a proposed seven-acre parcel near Pease had already been approved by the Pease Development Authority but still needed FAA approval, and he was not optimistic about using that land for housing because of contamination and redevelopment costs. Committee discussion ended with members indicating support for OTP, but the chair said the vote would have to wait until 11 o'clock and then closed the work session on SP 492. The committee then opened a work session on SP 627 and heard testimony from Jim Jelbert, owner of CJ Bus Lines and chair of the legislature’s transportation council, who spoke in support of the bill. Jelbert argued that the measure would allow New Hampshire to raise tolls and generate significant revenue for the 10-year highway plan without directly taxing citizens, and said the money could address congestion and safety problems, including work on I-93 in Manchester and other statewide projects. He estimated the bill could generate substantial revenue over time and said toll credits could help leverage federal matching funds. He also said improved roads would benefit businesses like his by reducing vehicle wear and improving efficiency. The transcript cuts off before any committee action on SP 627 is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, any medical management appointment to try to schedule and figure this out can cost between
• </c><00:19:42.800><c> and</c> appointment to try to schedule and appointment to try to schedule and figure
• Now, that program is scheduled to terminate here in the state in 2028.
• <00:30:02.760><c> that</c><00:30:02.920><c> program</c><00:30:03.320><c> is</c><00:30:03.440><c> scheduled
• </c><00:30:03.880><c> to</c> Now, that program is scheduled to Now, that program is scheduled to terminate

Transcript Highlights:

• Court staff collect and manage files, schedule hearings, and may contact guardians.
• 34.880><c> files,</c> Court staff collect and manage files, Court staff collect and manage files, schedule
• <c> hearings,</c><00:07:36.080><c> and</c><00:07:36.319><c> may</c><00:07:36.560><c> contact</c> schedule
• hearings, and may contact schedule hearings, and may contact guardians.<00:07:38.319><c> and</c><00:
• or shorten up my back on schedule or shorten up my comments<00:57:01.440><c> here</c><00:57:01.920><

Bills: HF3901 , HF962 , HF4428 , HF4478 , HF1775

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: foster care, ombudsperson, investigative powers, children's rights, complaint process, HF4428, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, community engagement, work requirement, work mandate, employment requirement, community service, 80 hours, half-time student, income threshold, federal minimum wage, eligibility verification, benefit suspension, benefit termination

Transcript Highlights:

• know co-chairwam and I have<00:48:38.480><c> had</c><00:48:38.640><c> some</c><00:48:38.880><c> scheduling
• </c><00:48:40.160><c> So,</c> Chair Fryberg has had some scheduling challenges.
• Sections 12 and 15 are clarifying, or actually, frankly, making coherent the filing schedule for special
• the years. 10 A20 specifies all of over the years. 10 A20 specifies all of the<00:57:19.520><c> schedules
• that you have um in in the schedules that you have um in in your<00:57:23.520><c> reports</c><00:57:

Bills: HF3698 , HF4243 , HF4239 , HF4241 , HF4242 , HF4240

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• help develop language that aligns with the intended protections, and in fact we do have a meeting scheduled
• ><00:05:08.080><c> meeting</c> and in fact we do have a meeting and in fact we do have a meeting scheduled
• ><c> Auditor</c><00:05:09.560><c> Randall</c><00:05:10.480><c> uh</c><00:05:10.560><c> later</c> scheduled
• with Auditor Randall uh later scheduled with Auditor Randall uh later on<00:05:10.960><c> this</c><00
• Um I've felt disrupts our schedules.

Bills: HF1234 , HF3528 , HF3672 , HF3679 , HF3680 , HF1944

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh I did want to let everyone know we've got a pretty tight schedule, so we're going to keep it closed
• Um we'll adjust as we have time, but we have a pretty tight schedule.
• , so we're going to keep it schedule, so we're going to keep it closed.<00:01:15.240><c> We're</c><00
• </c><00:01:28.280><c> So,</c> but we have a pretty tight schedule.
• So, but we have a pretty tight schedule.

Bills: HB0098 , HB0075 , HB0041 , HB0101

Committee: House Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• And it is fluid, and uh I think this is the fifth iteration of the schedule for this month.
• c><01:50:05.679><c> that</c><01:50:05.920><c> onto</c><01:50:06.400><c> the</c><01:50:06.639><c> schedule
• </c> and we can get that onto the schedule and we can get that onto the schedule because<01:50:07.920
• ><01:50:18.000><c> for</c><01:50:18.320><c> this</c><01:50:18.560><c> month</c> iteration of the schedule
• for this month iteration of the schedule for this month counselor<01:50:19.679><c> wouldn't</c><01:50

Summary: The committee first approved the draft minutes from September 26. Senator Gray then raised the idea of creating a continuing subcommittee or recurring agenda item on palliative care and hospice, noting that the issues are evolving and suggesting the committee revisit the idea in coming months. The bulk of the meeting focused on Department of Health and Human Services updates. Officials described contingency planning for SNAP amid the federal shutdown, including a USDA notice that November benefits may not be fully funded, letters to participants warning of possible delays, and coordination with the New Hampshire Food Bank and local pantries. They said New Hampshire serves about 42,000 SNAP households, with average benefits around $300 a month, and that the department is also preparing to transfer funds for a special fiscal committee meeting. WIC was discussed separately: officials said WIC benefits had been extended through November 7 using additional USDA funds, but that some community agency-based WIC services may need to pause while money is redirected to food benefits. Officials also outlined New Hampshire’s rural health transformation grant application under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill, describing a potential five-year, up-to-$1 billion opportunity focused on critical access hospitals, small rural hospitals, federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, and EMS. Members asked about transportation, workforce, and nursing retention; officials said transportation is included in the proposal, housing is not, and workforce supports may include lower tuition or awards but not loan repayment or traditional scholarships. They also said the final application would be submitted in early November and that priorities would be adjusted depending on the eventual federal award. Finally, Medicaid director Henry Lipman gave a quarterly postpartum coverage update. He said postpartum coverage is now nearly universal nationwide, and in New Hampshire 2,351 women had used the benefit through May 2025. He reported that mental health services were the most frequently used postpartum service, followed by preventive care, substance use disorder treatment, and cardiovascular-related care, and noted that Medicaid women have experienced a disproportionate share of maternal deaths. Committee members asked about rural distribution and the share of women receiving mental health services, and Lipman said the department would follow up with additional data. The meeting then moved into the annual update on New Hampshire’s 10-year mental health plan, with staff describing progress toward a more integrated continuum of care and improved data infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And we're ahead of schedule. Actually, ahead of schedule.
• Um, and that's difficult to do when you're also scheduling hearings and conferences and processing cases
• Um and that's difficult to do when you're<01:27:27.679><c> also</c><01:27:27.920><c> scheduling</c><01
• :27:28.320><c> hearings</c><01:27:28.719><c> and</c> you're also scheduling hearings and you're also
• scheduling hearings and conferences<01:27:29.440><c> and</c><01:27:29.920><c> processing</c><01:27:30.480

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• where he slipped deeper into drugs despite my piece of the court declaring that he was self-dosing schedule
• court declaring that he was piece of the court declaring that he was self-dosing<00:37:58.800><c> schedule
• one drugs like DMT, self-dosing schedule one drugs like DMT, psilocybin,<00:38:01.280><c> LSD,</c><00
• </c><00:59:52.160><c> in</c><00:59:52.480><c> court</c><00:59:53.040><c> for</c> custody hearing scheduled
• in court for custody hearing scheduled in court for the<00:59:53.440><c> parents</c><00:59:53.680><c

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Governor’s Message 767, the nomination of Kanoi AD Jackson to serve as circuit court judge for the Third Circuit. The chair announced that the committee would not vote on the governor’s message or two judge nominations until Tuesday, April 15, but planned to vote that day on two Defender Council items. Testimony on Jackson’s nomination was limited to two minutes per speaker, and the hearing was conducted partly by Zoom. Supporters emphasized Jackson’s qualifications, work ethic, judicial temperament, and community ties. Testifiers included the West Hawaii Bar Association, family members, a retired teacher, retired Judge Robert Kim, and the Hawaii State Bar Association. The West Hawaii Bar Association said Jackson received high marks from its review process and that the Third Circuit needed a permanent judge for stability. Judge Kim and others praised her preparation, intelligence, humility, and experience as a prosecutor and litigator. Jackson also spoke in her own behalf, acknowledging that her background is primarily criminal rather than civil, but saying she is committed to learning the civil docket and serving the community if confirmed. Members questioned the Hawaii State Bar Association about the basis for its support, including how many members responded and whether concerns were raised about Jackson’s lack of civil experience. HSBA said it uses a confidential review process, receives both positive and negative comments, and does not track votes or percentages, but its board voted to support her. Judge Kim responded that judges can learn new areas of law, that civil dockets can be managed with benchbooks and help from other judges, and that Jackson’s trial experience would serve her well. No vote was taken on Jackson’s nomination during this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• it allows the responsible party and the party that needs to be restored to come up with a payment schedule
• agreement, and as long as the responsible party is meeting their obligations under that scheduled payment
• up with restored to homeless uh to come up with a<01:49:50.280><c> payment</c><01:49:50.800><c> schedule
• agreement and as long a payment schedule agreement and as long as<01:49:53.599><c> the</c><01:49:53.800
• payments they would not be scheduled payments they would not be subject<01:49:59.280><c> to</c><01:49

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• members or a public health nurse talked to them in the clinic or in the community and helped them schedule
• members or a public health nurse talked to them in the clinic or in the community and helped them schedule
• The first appointment was scheduled for September 6th.
• for September 6th the was scheduled for September 6th the morning<00:52:54.920><c> of</c><00:52:55.119
• Senator Abeler: Dermatologist, driving in, well, just kind of schedule.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I am one of the people who are on the records disposition panel, so all of the records retention schedules
• from agencies cross my desk, and I review and approve agency's retention schedules.
• Chair. records retention schedules from records retention schedules from agencies<01:24:30.920><c> cross
• </c><01:24:35.520><c> and</c> approve agency's retention schedules and approve agency's retention schedules
• Official records may only be destroyed pursuant to that retention schedule, and even then the government

Bills: HF25 , HF1 , HF428

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: pregnancy support, women's health, maternity homes, nonprofit organizations, grant funding, abortion, family services, Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices

Transcript Highlights:

• the gap, ensuring that many more Minnesota students, regardless of where they live or the class schedule
• </c><00:19:49.280><c> that</c><00:19:49.400><c> they're</c> uh or the class schedule that they're uh
• or the class schedule that they're able<00:19:49.720><c> to</c><00:19:49.799><c> sign</c><00:19:50.000
• We'll say a little bit about it in a few, but to give you coming attractions, we do have a schedule for
• what is put forward when the schedule what is put forward when the contract<01:17:01.520><c> is</c><

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you all right, we're going to stay on schedule here and we'll move to one-minute closing statements
• Thank you all right, we're going to stay on schedule here and we'll move to one-minute closing statements
• Thank you all right, we're going to stay on schedule here and we'll move to one-minute closing statements
• Thank you all right, we're going to stay on schedule here and we'll move to one-minute closing statements
• here and we'll move to stay on schedule here and we'll move to<00:28:51.880><c> one</c><00:28:52.240

Transcript Highlights:

• it, families are often unable to use all of those approved hours because of provider shortages, scheduling
• Scheduling a doctor's appointment, acquiring the necessary information, and presenting it to the court
• Scheduling a doctor's appointment, acquiring a note necessary information, presenting it to the court