Transcript Highlights:

• have 80 commercial health insurance have 80 commercial health insurance companies<00:17:00.720><
• financial benefit for the insurance financial benefit for the insurance companies<00:38:00.560><
• Administration so the insurance Administration so the insurance companies<00:38:15.760> cut
• for the providers and for the insurance for the providers and for the insurance companies<00:38:
• the insurance necessary sorry the the insurance companies<00:43:18.720> are<00:43:18.880>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 233, which would impose transparency and reporting requirements on the New Hampshire Vaccine Association. The prime sponsor, Representative Comto, said the bill and a proposed amendment were intended to increase public access by requiring a physical meeting location, making meetings available online, and publishing a complete list of vaccines and pharmaceutical products purchased. She argued the association should be more transparent because it is involved in vaccine purchasing and public trust is important, especially given controversy around vaccines. Committee members questioned the sponsor about the association’s legal status, who sets vaccine requirements, whether other private entities would be covered, and whether the proposal should instead apply more broadly to all meetings or include recordings. The sponsor said the association was created by the legislature, that childhood vaccine requirements come from DHHS and CDC-related processes, and that she would be open to broader recording requirements. Some members raised concerns about misinformation and whether requiring answers to public questions could be problematic in a contentious policy area. Patrick Miller, executive director of the Vaccine Association, and attorney Mark McHugh testified in opposition. They described the association as a not-for-profit voluntary corporation created by statute in 2002 to serve as a funding mechanism for the state’s universal childhood vaccine purchase program, with no policymaking role and no public funding. They said the association already posts notices, agendas, minutes, and allows public webinar access and comments, while also providing annual audits and reports and other statutory reporting. They argued HB 233 would impose unnecessary administrative costs on a private entity, interfere with its limited charitable purpose, and ultimately increase costs borne by insurers, employers, and consumers. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, actually, let's see where's the insurance page, page two or page four?
• <00:12:20.720> uh in front of you from the insurance uh in front of you from the insurance
• Seeing none, all in favor of our estimates for column F insurance tax, raise your hand.
• The only requirements we have are the State Building Code, which is essentially a fire and safety code
• > at essentially uh a fire and safety code at essentially uh a fire and safety code at its<04:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in a work session on revenue estimates and reviewed updated spreadsheet pages for several tax categories, using prior agreements and new testimony to refine FY 2025-2027 estimates. Early discussion covered insurance tax estimates, where members reviewed a letter from the insurance commissioner saying he was comfortable with the numbers provided; the committee accepted those estimates without opposition. Members also discussed utility property tax, with testimony about recent infrastructure buildout, tariffs, depreciation, and the difficulty of forecasting future growth. After debate over whether to use the average of high and low estimates or lean lower, the committee unanimously adopted the utility property tax numbers. The committee then turned to real estate transfer tax and communications tax. For real estate transfer tax, members cited county input, housing market conditions, interest rates, lumber costs, and uncertainty about future policy; they agreed to use the averages and adopted those estimates unanimously. For communications tax, members noted the decline in landline-based revenue and the shift to data services. After discussion of whether to use the low estimate or the average, the committee settled on the average with a small rounding-down adjustment when the figure ended in .5, and adopted the numbers unanimously. The chair also clarified that these estimates remain subject to change until the final resolution is adopted. The committee next accepted interest and dividends estimates as presented, with members noting the decline in that revenue source and the lack of additional information beyond the department’s analysis. Finally, the committee began discussing tobacco tax revenue, with members noting long-term declines in smoking, offsetting effects from out-of-state sales, and a suggestion to take a slightly conservative approach by reducing the average by 0.5. The transcript cuts off during that discussion, so no final vote on tobacco is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:34.199> as Beed uh administering the tax code as Beed uh administering the tax code
• guess we have petroleum and insurance guess we have petroleum and insurance premium<00:14:50.199
• It's a long overdue improvement to the sales tax code.
• It's a long overdue improvement to the sales tax code.
• It's a long overdue improvement to the sales tax code.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• nutrition and fitness, and promoting transparency, affordability, access, and freedom in healthcare and insurance
• I head up the nonprofit health code, and I am just, I didn't expect to hear what I heard this morning
• I'm with the nonprofit Health Code. Great, super. Thank you for coming. Thank you for your support.
• Introduced smart label allowing consumers to access detailed nutritional information via QR codes.

Bills: SB 25, SB 314

Keywords: nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• If they violate health code, they can be shut down. Absolutely, Mr. President.
• I move that Senate Bill 111, Motor Vehicle Code Personal Information, do now pass, and I ask unanimous
• Madam President, Senator, and I did not hear this in committee, what does this do for insurance in the
• I didn't pick up on it earlier, but does this help us with insurance coverage for our young people?
• Does this help us with insurance coverage for our young people?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS COMMITTEE TENDS TO HANDLE A RANGE OF ISSUES RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FLORIDA BUILDING CODE
• LOCAL PROGRAM WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ON SO ESSENTIALLY BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THAT INSURANCE
• NEED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE, WE BASICALLY DECIDED TO DO A JOINT RFA SO A JOINT APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT
• OF THOSE AFFORDABLE EXCUSE ME, THOSE COMPLEXES THAT PROBABLY ARE NOT UP TO CODE.
• WHEN IT COMES TO AS WE BUILD UP THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THESE AREAS, KNOWING THAT THEY NEED TO FIX CODE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are awarded funding based on the local child care and development planning council's priority zip code
• are awarded funding based on the local child care and development planning council's priority zip codes
• , the amount of funding available for each zip code, and then, in order of highest-scoring applications
• ... ...to amend the Welfare and Institutions Code to include participation in CalWORKs program activities
• This meal reimbursement COLA is tied to the child care code.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• alternative compliance option for the new solar home mandate under Title 24 of the state's building code
• These new standards could go into effect beginning with the first triennial edition of the building code
• building... ...and included a six-year moratorium on the proposal or adoption of new state building code
• I got a text from the insurance company.
• I'm like, my daughter must have done something because my insurance just went up 300 bucks, right?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1788, homeowners, renters, insurance, cancellation, non-manual.
• SB 1562, public building, safe fire code. SB 1565, registrar of contractors recovery fund.
• SB 1771, health insurance requirements essential benefits. SB 1772, state agencies tribal liaison.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:04:51.119> Right risk mitigation for insurance. Right risk mitigation for insurance.
• We're paying for insurance products.
• <01:29:58.360> was come from and that health insurance was come from and that health insurance
• We're paying for insurance<01:30:39.199> products. insurance products. insurance products.
• <01:44:06.480> plans hospitals but also the insurance plans hospitals but also the insurance

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And do optometrists carry currently do they carry medical malpractice insurance?
• And it's like a liability insurance because it's my understanding that medical malpractice insurance
• insurance.
• Let them fight and not have to worry about insurance. Worry. Thank you. Thank you.
• Distributors with potential insurance issues and the administrative issues that they have.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The point was to cover Americans with insurance and to help people access care.
• The point was to cover Americans with insurance and to help people access care.
• It's my hope that we can unify around the principle of keeping as many people insured as we can.
• We must protect insured as we can.
• Code that we have to apply by.

Bills: HF3439, HF3763

Keywords: Medical Assistance, Medicaid, MNsure, MinnesotaCare, disability determination, expedited eligibility, state medical review team, compassionate allowance, rare disease, home and community-based services, long-term care, managed care, county-based purchasing, eligibility redetermination, periodic data matching, death master file, Social Security Administration, program integrity, income eligibility, asset test

Summary: The House Health Finance and Policy Committee met on March 4, 2026, approved the minutes from its February 25 and March 2 meetings, and then heard a presentation from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Medicaid eligibility changes in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR1/OB3). The presentation focused on provisions affecting Medicaid expansion adults ages 19 to 64, including new work and community engagement requirements, changes to retroactive eligibility, quarterly death master file checks, address verification requirements, six-month redeterminations for expansion enrollees, and new limits on some lawful permanent residents and other immigrant groups. Castanza also discussed state implementation issues, including the need for new data-sharing systems, system modernization, outreach, and options for helping people transition to other coverage if they lose eligibility. She said the work and community engagement rules take effect January 1, 2027, with states given flexibility on look-back periods, consecutive versus nonconsecutive months, and optional hardship exemptions, and noted that CMS guidance is not expected until June 2026. She also described federal support for implementation, including $200 million in grants and a 90% federal match for eligibility system work, while warning that the fast timeline could lead to coverage losses, churn, and challenges for special populations such as caregivers, people with behavioral health conditions, incarcerated individuals, and rural residents. She further explained that an erroneous payment provision could expose states to federal recoupment later if eligibility errors increase. During member questions, Representative Beerman asked about the overall size of the Medicaid cuts and the cumulative national impact; Castanza said estimates vary by state and cited KFF analysis suggesting states could lose 4% to 19% of federal Medicaid revenue, with a newer RAND analysis recently released. Beerman also asked about the history and effectiveness of state work requirements, but that discussion was not completed in the excerpt. Representative Elkins noted the presentation was not initially posted on the committee website, and the chair said it had since been posted.

Transcript Highlights:

• the subcommittee uh for building codes the subcommittee uh for building codes we're<01:53:56.360
• This, I believe, is the municipal amendments to the building code, correct?
• It might be that the building code talks about inspectors, and each town can appoint its code inspectors
• It might be that the building code talks about inspectors, and each town can appoint its code inspectors
• 23-31 which says that the building code 23-31 which says that the building code shall<05:16:58.958

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:

• Finally, most insurers and Medicare do not cover naturopathic care, leaving the patient with hundreds
• It prohibits the cancellation of residential insurance policies on the basis of providing childcare.
• We have an amendment, bar code number 1, 1, 2, 5, 0, 3. You're recognized to explain the amendment.
• Current law requires both hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to provide patients and insurers
• The issue is that we know we have insurance. You all have insurance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, most insurers and Medicare don't cover naturopathic care, leaving the patient hundreds, perhaps
• treat any disease with largely unproven nostrums, Jann Bellamy: inadequate education training and no insurance
• It prohibits cancellation of residential- Representative McFarland: insurance policies on the basis of
• Seeing no questions, we have an amendment bar code number 112503.
• The issue is that we know—I have insurance. You all have insurance.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have some of the wealthiest zip codes, and I have some of the most complicated and struggling cities
• We provide reimbursement for eligible losses to property insurers in the state above certain levels.
• So if you think of a giant stack of liability that an insurance company will have, they've got a lot
• We provide reimbursements for losses that get up to that level for an insurance company.
• So we have cash payments that we get from premiums that the insurers pay us.

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met with a quorum and began with member introductions and remarks from the chair emphasizing the committee’s focus on government efficiency, accountability, and oversight of executive branch agencies. Members shared their districts and backgrounds, with several noting hurricane recovery in their communities and a shared interest in reducing bureaucracy and improving service to Floridians. The committee’s only presentation was from Chris Spencer, Executive Director of the State Board of Administration, who gave an overview of the SBA’s governance structure, investment responsibilities, and divestment policies. He explained the SBA’s management of more than $257 billion in assets, including the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and Florida PRIME, and reviewed the Protecting Florida’s Investments Act restrictions covering Northern Ireland, Cuba, Venezuela, Israel, Sudan, Iran, and China. He also described the implementation of HB 7071, including the required divestment from direct holdings in Chinese companies, and said the SBA had reduced its direct Chinese holdings from 33 companies totaling over $172 million to 13 companies totaling about $64 million, with completion expected ahead of the September 1, 2025 deadline. Members asked detailed questions about the Israel boycott list, Morningstar and MSCI, how the SBA gathers information, whether Cuba’s federal designation changes affect Florida law, how companies are removed from scrutinized lists, and whether divestment timing could affect returns. Spencer said the SBA uses public and paid research sources, gives companies a 90-day cure period in some cases, and brings list changes to the trustees for approval. He also explained that the China benchmark change is intended to reduce passive exposure while still allowing active investment decisions, and said the PFIA restrictions have had a modestly positive overall effect on pension performance. The chair also asked about the Florida Retirement System funded ratio and the CAT Fund’s capacity; Spencer said the pension fund is at 80.7% funded, that actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly, and that the CAT Fund currently has more than $10.5 billion in liquid claims-paying capacity and is expected to remain well positioned for hurricane losses. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• those codes.
• Um, last year's bill, um, disaggregated those two codes into six distinct new codes, um, that are instead
• Um and those codes don't counseling.
• codes into um, six distinct new codes codes into um, six distinct new codes um,<00:37:41.440>
• , we're not experts in the criminal code, we're not experts in the criminal code, so<00:39:23.040

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't bill insurance, and we don't charge Families, it's about a 2 to 2.5-hour appointment with our
• We have instituted based on some code adjustments last in last year's legislative session.
• We can't use alternative insurance companies for those folks.
• tort claims liability insurance.
• It only has to bear the cost of governmental tort claims insurance.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• said I should not have an opportunity to even reunify with my child due to Welfare and Institutions Code
• Our goal sometimes does not align with the penal code that defines the violent felonies and the bypass
• But unfortunately, our WIC code and our definition of violent felonies often provide that those families
• So the only felonies that apply are the ones that are specifically listed in the Penal Code as violent
• Nutritious meals cost significantly more at the grocery store, skyrocketing gas prices and auto insurance

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was just in the department rec coded the wrong area, and so in our Gov Rec, we coded the correct area
• Coded the wrong area. And so in our Gov Rec, we coded the correct area.
• So just had to, you know, a coding error occasionally happens. It's not a big deal.
• This is not just authority to make sure that we can pay all of our state employee health insurance claims
• That we can pay all of our state employee health insurance claims.

Keywords: 959, house, all