Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, some of the other ones is the floor now on deductions, the bonus depreciation deductions, and so
• </c> deductions, the bonus depreciation deductions, the bonus depreciation uh<00:54:06.960><c> and</c
• Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to hear this.
• I know you've got a busy schedule and you're hearing the governor's bill. I appreciate it.
• </c><01:50:32.960><c> and</c> know you've got a busy schedule and know you've got a busy schedule and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so in terms of what I'm going to do today, we have a schedule in terms of the different departments
• Okay, so in terms of what I'm going to do today, we have a schedule in terms of the different departments
• I</c><00:20:43.000><c> do</c><00:20:43.159><c> have</c><00:20:43.280><c> a</c><00:20:43.440><c> schedule
• </c><00:20:44.000><c> in</c> today we have I do have a schedule in today we have I do have a schedule
• is going to be for the services schedule is going to be for the services that<01:08:51.719><c> they<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductory remarks for new and returning members of the House Commerce Committee, led by Chairman John Hunt. Members briefly introduced themselves and their backgrounds, and several noted the committee’s bipartisan, collegial tone. Hunt explained the committee’s structure and traditions, including the division into three subcommittees: banking and business, consumer protection, and liquor commission matters, with insurance now handled as a single area. He also reviewed basic hearing procedures, including decorum, questions for information only, and the committee’s practice of moving bills through subcommittees before full committee executive sessions. The committee then heard an overview from the New Hampshire Insurance Department, led by Commissioner DJ Bettencourt and staff. The department described its mission as promoting a safe and competitive insurance marketplace and emphasized consumer protection, market competition, and affordability. Officials outlined the department’s responsibilities, including licensing insurers, producers, adjusters, and TPAs; reviewing insurance forms; regulating companies and market conduct; overseeing financial solvency; and investigating insurance fraud. They also noted that the department is self-funded through assessments on insurers, collects premium taxes and fees for the state, and returned more than $2.7 million to companies in fiscal year 2024 due to underspending. The presentation also covered the broader regulatory framework for insurance, including the role of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in promoting uniform standards across states and territories. Officials said New Hampshire licenses about 1,200 insurance companies and roughly 245,000 producers and adjusters, and that the department’s financial examinations are part of an accreditation system used nationwide. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided; the session was primarily organizational and informational, with the insurance department presentation beginning the committee’s substantive work for the term.

Transcript Highlights:

• energy projects come on and the personal property is added to the tax rolls, over time as that depreciates
• Over time, as that depreciates, the tax burden is shifted over onto residents and other businesses in

Summary: House Finance heard briefings on several tax and housing-related bills, including HB 1717 on a local sales and use tax remittance program for affordable housing, HB 1859 on expanding density bonuses for housing on religious organization property, HB 1960 on a renewable energy excise tax, HB 2133 on making a senior citizen center property tax exemption permanent, HB 2135 on extending a disabled veterans housing sales tax preference, HB 2140 on tax treatment for land transferred to government entities, HB 2442 on a broad package of local tax and levy changes, and HB 2559 on a local option short-term rental tax for affordable housing. Staff also described multiple proposed substitutes and amendments, many of them technical or aimed at shifting administrative duties, changing tax credits, or requiring voter approval. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute for HB 1717 and reported it out unanimously with a due pass recommendation. HB 1859 was also reported out with a due pass recommendation after members discussed added flexibility for affordable housing on faith-owned land. For HB 1960, the committee adopted amendments clarifying tax administration and JLARC review, rejected an amendment that would have adjusted property tax levies to offset shifts, and then advanced the bill on an 11-4 vote. HB 2133 and HB 2135 both received technical amendments and were reported out unanimously, with members emphasizing the value of permanent or extended tax preferences for senior centers and disabled veterans. The committee then advanced HB 2140, which narrows tax consequences when land is transferred to a governmental entity and is used for current-use purposes, with members describing it as a fix for unintended burdens on landowners and farmers. HB 2442, a large local government finance package, drew the most debate; amendments to make new taxes credits against state taxes and to require voter approval were rejected, and the bill passed 9-6. HB 2559, which would allow a local option excise tax on short-term rentals to fund affordable housing, also saw rejected amendments on state tax credits, local control, and voter approval before passing 9-6. Throughout, supporters framed the bills as tools for local governments and affordable housing, while opponents argued they would increase taxes and should require direct voter approval or state offsets.

Transcript Highlights:

• something beneficial in the short run at the risk of having a long-term consequence that is going to depreciate
• and devalue the work of... ...that is going to depreciate and devalue the work of skilled workforce
• can't send this to the governor if we are going to have some kind of long-term economic harm and depreciation
• send this to the governor if we are going to have some kind of long-term economic harm on and depreciation

Summary: The committee hearing covered a long agenda of local government and housing-related bills, with the chair repeatedly noting the committee was operating without a quorum for much of the meeting. Several measures were heard with no opposition, including AB 2639 on Merced County flood control coordination, AB 1788 on allowing best-value contracting for general law cities and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, AB 2058 on reducing duplicative permitting and inspection costs for factory-built housing, AB 2576 on clarifying historic resource protections in a housing law, AB 2568 on increasing the compensation cap for water district board members, AB 2224 on updating county recorder fees and requiring electronic recording, AB 2469 on water-supply review and cost responsibility for data centers, and AB 2397 on requiring local governments to justify denials of certain housing-finance decisions. Most of these bills were presented as targeted fixes to improve efficiency, reduce delays, or modernize outdated statutes, and the authors generally requested aye votes and noted committee amendments where applicable. The most extended debate centered on AB 1751, which would streamline approval of qualifying townhome projects while setting a $28 hourly minimum wage floor for construction workers on covered private projects. Supporters argued the bill would expand homeownership opportunities, raise wages for largely non-union residential workers, and preserve existing prevailing wage law while adding enforcement tools and developer liability. Opponents, including several building trades and labor organizations, argued it would undercut prevailing wage standards, create a race to the bottom, and potentially affect wage-setting more broadly. Committee members asked detailed questions about land-use barriers, the relationship to prevailing wage, and whether the bill would affect unionized work; the author and supporters responded that it applies narrowly to private for-sale townhome projects and does not alter prevailing wage requirements. AB 2469 also drew a substantive split. Supporters said data centers should be required to provide water-supply assessments before approval, pay for infrastructure they trigger, and account for impacts on overdrafted groundwater basins and local ratepayers. Opponents from the Chamber of Commerce, Data Center Coalition, counties, and tech groups argued existing law already covers water planning, that the bill imposes unique and burdensome requirements on one industry, and that some reporting provisions could raise security concerns. The author responded that the bill is about front-end planning and local accountability, not daily reporting, and emphasized the hyperlocal strain data centers can place on small water systems. No final votes were taken during the hearing because the committee lacked a quorum, though members repeatedly indicated support or intent to vote aye once a quorum was present.

Transcript Highlights:

• something beneficial in the short run at the risk of having a long-term consequence that is going to depreciate
• and devalue the work of, That is going to depreciate and devalue the work of skilled workforce in the
• send this to the governor if we are going to have some kind of long-term economic harm on and depreciation
• send this to the governor if we are going to have some kind of long-term economic harm on and depreciation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• including overnight care, making them essential for wage workers and those with non-trials. traditional schedules
• I'm limited to only capturing costs for true depreciation, mortgage interest, property tax. tax with
• You would have taken deferred maintenance, whatever component depreciation that is.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• like you came from the corporate world—you have a list of assets and you understand where the depreciation
• like you came from the corporate world—you have a list of assets and you understand where the depreciation
• like you came from the corporate world—you have a list of assets and you understand where the depreciation
• importance of having a comprehensive list to them. ...of assets, and you understand where the depreciation
• your audit, which I totally appreciate, and I appreciate the four-year time scale or the four-year scheduling

Bills: HF1060, HF1062

Keywords: sports facilities, Minnesota, legislative commission, financial oversight, accountability, HF1062, driver and vehicle systems oversight committee, MNLARS, VTRS, vehicle title and registration system, driver's license system, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, MN.IT, legislative oversight, transportation finance, state government, committee repeal, sunset provision, information technology audit, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• New Hampshire farms have negative cash net cash from operations, which means that there is no depreciation
• ><01:39:26.040><c> non-</c> income tax principal on land non- income tax principal on land non- depreciable
• depreciable depreciable expenses<01:39:29.440><c> so</c><01:39:29.719><c> for</c><01:39:30.159><c> for
• c><02:52:34.920><c> have</c><02:52:35.080><c> a</c><02:52:35.439><c> caucus</c><02:52:35.920><c> scheduled
• </c> We have a caucus scheduled at 1:00, and I propose we move it to like 1:10 so people can stretch

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee held a hearing on several bills and announced at the outset that no votes would be taken because the measures would go to divisions later. The first major bill, HB 197, would require the state to pay 7.5% of political subdivision employer pension contributions for teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Representative Mike Edgar, the prime sponsor, argued the state had repeatedly reduced and then eliminated its promised share of retirement costs, shifting the burden to municipalities and property taxpayers. He said the bill would partially restore that commitment and provide relief to local governments, businesses, and taxpayers. Several witnesses testified in support of HB 197, including Representative John Cluder, Bradford selectman Marlene Fryer, the New Hampshire Municipal Association’s Margaret Burns, and Epping representative Mark Fone. Supporters said the bill would help with property tax pressure, school budgets, and municipal hiring, and they emphasized that much of the retirement cost reflects unfunded liability decisions made at the state level rather than by local governments. Committee members questioned whether the bill would change local incentives to control costs and how it would affect hiring and compensation. Burns said the state contribution would function as property tax relief because it offsets existing municipal expenses, and she noted the state is already on a long-term schedule to pay down the retirement system’s unfunded liability. After closing the hearing on HB 197, the committee opened a hearing on HB 97, introduced by Representative Tom Buco. He said the bill would continue funding for delayed and deferred wastewater projects and help municipalities finance expensive wastewater infrastructure, which he tied to housing development and local debt planning. No action or votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> normal fee schedule which is 61.25. normal fee schedule which is 61.25. and<00:21:58.000><c> then
• can only be open for dinner and not lunch because they don't have the personnel to staff a full schedule
• So that I think has kind of schedule.
• So, uh, yes, I am planning on scheduling a meeting for next Tuesday.
• ><c> for</c><04:55:41.360><c> next</c> scheduling a meeting for next scheduling a meeting for next Tuesday

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 110, as amended by the Senate, which would establish fees for alteration-of-terrain applications and direct the Department of Environmental Services to adopt rules for a permit-by-notification process for certain projects. Trisha Milo introduced the bill for Senator Lang and noted that the department had worked on the amended language. Matt Mayberry of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association said the industry strongly supported the bill, describing it as a public-private partnership that would speed review for developers without affecting local control, with builders paying the costs rather than taxpayers. Members focused heavily on how the bill’s fee structure and permit thresholds would work, especially for projects near shoreland, wetlands, and protected water bodies. Representative Opel raised concerns about whether the bill reduced review of habitat and shoreland impacts or shifted costs unfairly; Philip Trobridge of DES explained that the bill does not eliminate those reviews and that shoreland projects still receive greater scrutiny. He said the bill creates different tiers, with the permit-by-notification process applying to certain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet that are not in protected shoreland, while larger or shoreland-affected projects remain under the standard review process. He also said the proposed fees were based on sustaining the program, covering added habitat and species review responsibilities, and keeping reviews efficient. Trobridge said the new fee structure would generate about $1.2 million in additional revenue and help fund additional staff and related program costs. He stated that the department had worked with the regulated community and believed the fees were fair and reasonable, though he acknowledged the bill’s wording was confusing and that the threshold could be revisited later if the new process works well. Members also discussed how the state process interacts with local approvals, and Trobridge said both state and local approvals are required before a project can begin. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is it into the day of a depreciating asset?
• Advisory Council in March and is subsequently he's he's been presented to the trustees and the next scheduled
• every year at our advisory council and then we then we also take it to the trustees of their next schedule

Transcript Highlights:

• Everybody that came to the program for a loan had to be on the exact same schedule and had to close on
• Basically, what we're doing is we take each of those 26 loans, which had a cash flow and a repayment schedule
• We use the IRS, which annually publishes its depreciation tables, and that's what we go off of.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to be a little ahead of the schedule, but if the counties are here and they're ready— Thank
• And then every other year we get the levy limitation schedule that comes out.
• And then every other year we get the levy limitation schedule that comes out after the legislative session
• We have everybody on a rotating schedule that has helped. But, um, Perfect example.
• Capital assets, and we also have a depreciation module in there, an inventory, and reporting on through

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met with a quorum to begin its study of whether the content of North Dakota real estate tax statements should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the background for the study, including House Bill 1176, current statutory requirements for tax statements, and recent changes such as separate line items for bonded debt, primary residence credit, and legacy fund-related amounts. The Tax Department then explained the current statement format and noted that the form is prescribed and approved by the tax commissioner, with changes typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual process for preparing budgets, setting levies, calculating taxable values, and issuing notices and tax statements. They said counties spend significant time coordinating with taxing districts, neighboring counties, and software vendors, and that the new budget hearing notices and valuation notices have not generated much public response. Members raised concerns about the usefulness and clarity of certain line items, especially the legislative tax relief calculation and the primary residence credit, and discussed whether the current statement creates confusion rather than transparency. Testimony also addressed the 3% cap, mill levy worksheets, assessment cycles, and the role of county auditors and tax directors in maintaining accurate values. The committee also heard from software vendors CPT and Tyler Technologies about how legislative changes are programmed into tax systems and how online taxpayer portals can provide more detailed breakdowns of tax bills. Vendors said changes required by law are generally absorbed in contracts rather than billed directly to counties, and they demonstrated web tools and pie-chart style breakdowns that show where tax dollars go. NDACO presented a survey of eight counties estimating tax statement preparation and mailing costs, concluding that outsourced printing tends to be cheaper on average and that total statewide tax statement costs may be roughly $600,000, though the estimate was based on limited data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• the facility, but obviously we follow proper accounting standards, so we do keep track of the depreciation
• We are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday to hopefully go through a negotiated budget bill for We're

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a gateway city resident, I will have been locked into a 50-year depreciation schedule of gas pipelines
• We may handle the contracting, the scheduling, quality control, which is a major component of our work
• Secondly, school buses go out on a strict and predictable schedule, allowing them to charge during off-peak

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on the value of Mass Save, with opening remarks emphasizing that despite past criticisms the program has delivered major energy, cost, climate, and equity benefits. The chair cited large avoided system costs, strong benefit-cost ratios, and recent legislative changes that set emissions goals, restricted fossil-fuel equipment incentives, and increased focus on low- and moderate-income households. Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahoney testified that Mass Save has weatherized hundreds of thousands of homes, reduced bills, avoided emissions, and that the current plan includes budget controls after the DPU ordered $500 million removed from the approved budget. She said the governor’s proposal to have only electric utilities administer the program was intended to reduce administrative costs and align with current implementation trends. Members questioned Mahoney about what counts as marketing and administration, and she said the category includes traditional advertising as well as community-based outreach, customer resource centers, and other customer engagement work, much of it in low- and moderate-income communities. She said administrative and marketing costs are under 5% of the budget, while more than 80% goes to incentives and direct program delivery. Several witnesses then focused on workforce and contractor impacts. Dave Betcher of Abode Energy Management and Rick Taglienti of Rogers Insulation said Mass Save sustains small businesses, creates careers, and supports thousands of jobs; both warned that budget cuts would reduce hiring, training, and work in homes and businesses. They also described a broad ecosystem of suppliers, trainers, and service providers that depends on stable program funding. Other witnesses addressed cost-effectiveness, affordability, and emissions. Anna Johnson of ACEEE said Massachusetts remains a national leader, with Mass Save returning about $2.80 per dollar invested, reducing peak demand, and lowering bills for participants, especially through weatherization and heat pumps. Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said the program is statutorily required to be cost-effective and has avoided billions in supply and infrastructure costs for all ratepayers, including nonparticipants, by lowering overall demand and peak prices. Amy Boyd-Rabin of the Environmental League of Massachusetts argued that efficiency is the cheapest way to meet climate targets and that cutting the budget would force more expensive power generation. The hearing also featured testimony on equity and housing: Mary Wampo described historic under-service to renter-heavy and lower-income communities and said recent reforms, including designated equity communities and performance incentives tied to equity, are helping correct that imbalance; Brian Biot and James Collins of LEAN/ABCD described low-income delivery systems and wraparound services; Barney Heath and John Nannari said Mass Save incentives are essential to affordable housing, passive house construction, and keeping projects on time and on budget. The final witnesses highlighted Connected Solutions and electrification: Sunrun’s Bronte Payne said the virtual power plant program saved more than it cost and helps avoid peaker plants and grid upgrades, and Highland Electric Fleets’ Ben Sondaga said electric school buses can provide similar grid benefits while lowering transportation costs for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a gateway city resident, I will... ...have been locked into a 50-year depreciation schedule of
• We may handle the contracting, the scheduling, quality control, which is a major component of our work
• Secondly, school buses go out on a strict and predictable schedule, allowing them to charge during off-peak

Summary: The hearing focused on the value of Mass Save, with committee members and witnesses largely emphasizing that the program lowers energy bills, reduces peak demand, supports climate goals, and delivers benefits beyond direct participants. The chair opened by noting Mass Save’s long-term savings, its role in weatherization and heat pump deployment, and recent statutory changes directing the program toward emissions reductions, low- and moderate-income households, and fossil-fuel restrictions. Elizabeth Mahoney of the Department of Energy Resources said the program has evolved to broaden access and control costs, citing large weatherization totals, heat pump installations, avoided emissions, and budget controls that removed $500 million from the approved plan. She also said the governor’s proposal to have only electric utilities administer Mass Save was intended to reduce administrative and procurement costs, and she explained that outreach to low- and moderate-income communities is counted within marketing spending. Several witnesses addressed the program’s workforce and business impacts. Dave Betcher of Abode Energy Management and Rick Taglienti of Rogers Insulation said Mass Save sustains small businesses, contractors, and thousands of jobs by creating stable demand for energy-efficiency work, while warning that sharp budget cuts would lead to layoffs and discourage investment in training, equipment, and hiring. Committee members pressed them on who administers the program, and both said the program administrators and utilities collaborate, with day-to-day contractor oversight and customer work largely delegated to private vendors and community partners. Other witnesses, including Brian Biot and James Collins of the low-income network, described the “quarterbacking” model used for income-eligible customers, where community action agencies provide full project management, technical support, and wraparound services to help households access fuel assistance, discount rates, weatherization, and electrification measures. A major theme was cost-effectiveness and system-wide savings. Anna Johnson of ACEEE and Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said Mass Save returns more than it costs, reduces peak demand, and lowers prices for all ratepayers, including those who do not participate directly. They cited avoided costs in the billions, strong state rankings, and examples of peak-hour savings that avoid expensive generation and infrastructure. Amy Boyd-Rabin of the Environmental League of Massachusetts argued that energy efficiency is the cheapest way to achieve greenhouse gas reductions and that cutting the program would force more expensive power plants to run. Bronte Payne of Sunrun and Ben Sondaga of Highland Electric Fleets highlighted Connected Solutions, a Mass Save-funded virtual power plant program, saying it saves ratepayers money and can use home batteries and electric school buses to reduce peak demand and support grid reliability. Equity and affordable housing witnesses, including Mary Wampo and Barney Heath, said Mass Save has become more responsive to renters, low-income households, and designated equity communities, while also helping affordable housing projects meet passive house and electrification standards; no votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a gateway city resident, I will... ...have been locked into a 50-year depreciation schedule of
• We may handle the contracting, the scheduling, quality control, which is a major component of our work
• Secondly, school buses go out on a strict and predictable schedule, allowing them to charge during off-peak

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the equation, one of the more prominent categories, if not the most prominent, would be on the depreciation
• You will have in front of you today my presentation and then the fee schedule, which I'll refer to a
• of the fees that we charge are through driver's license and motor vehicle, and we've split this schedule
• My last slide, I wanted to discuss a few changes that have been made since we provided this fee schedule

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So those projects: two of them are complete, and two of them are scheduled to be completed in the summer
• This is one fee schedule that has not been changed. since 1963.
• Even though we own both, they manage the operations, including the scheduling and setting of fees and
• That Agile Assets put out, Trimble bought Agile Assets and they will probably be depreciating the system

Transcript Highlights:

• And depreciation and all that. >> Ms. Fingerhut.
• And depreciation and all that. >> Ms. Brennan.
• And<00:35:37.840><c> depreciation</c><00:35:38.560><c> and</c><00:35:38.840><c> all</c><00:35:39.000>
• </c> And depreciation and all that. And depreciation and all that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to be a little ahead of the schedule, but if the counties are here and they're ready.
• And then every other year we get the levy limitation schedule that comes out.
• We have everybody on a rotating schedule that has helped.
• We have everybody on a rotating schedule that has helped.
• But, um, That we have everybody on a rotating schedule has helped.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met to begin its study of the feasibility and desirability of revising the content of the real estate tax statement to improve property tax transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive under House Bill 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, and the Legacy Fund portion of that credit. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual tax cycle, from county budgeting and valuation notices to budget hearing notices, levy certification, cap calculations, and final tax statement mailing. They emphasized that counties and auditors do extensive coordination with taxing districts and neighboring counties, and that the process is labor-intensive and often manual. Members discussed the limited public response to budget notices and tax statements, the difficulty of explaining the legislative tax relief line, the 3% cap and valuation issues, and whether more frequent assessments or different timing would improve understanding. Several members and witnesses noted that many taxpayers only engage when they receive their final bill, and that clarity may be more important than adding more detail. NDACO also presented a rough cost survey from eight counties, estimating an average tax statement cost of about 74 cents and a statewide total near $600,000 for printing and mailing tax statements alone, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing. Witnesses noted that House Bill 1176 added other mailings and notices, increasing county workload and cost beyond the statement itself. The committee then heard from software vendors, who explained how their systems handle tax billing, budget notices, valuation notices, primary residence credit processing, and tax levy calculations, and they identified the 1600/1685 primary residence credit and discount interaction as a current programming challenge. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.