Transcript Highlights:

• The goals are a little bit different, but they really focus on schedule when it comes to construction
• The goals are a little bit different, but they really focus on schedule when it comes to construction
• The goals are a little bit different, but they really focus on schedule when it comes to construction
• they really little bit different but they really focus<00:04:04.799><c> on</c><00:04:05.000><c> schedule
• when it comes to focus on schedule when it comes to construction<00:04:06.640><c> because</c><00:04:

Bills: HF1439 , HF1004 , HF498 , HF1326

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF1439, Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation, Carts to Careers, workforce development fund, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, grocery industry, food industry, food retail, retail workforce, job training, career pathways, scholarships, certifications, workforce pipeline, one-time appropriation, industry training, labor shortage, youth employment, apprenticeship

Transcript Highlights:

• testifiers, and in the event of a network failure it may be necessary to reschedule the hearing or schedule
• The second is we're going to add a reporting schedule every year from DBEDT to the Legislature to share
• The second is we're going to add a reporting schedule every year from DBEDT to the Legislature to share
• In the event of a network failure, it may be necessary to reschedule the hearing or schedule a meeting
• So thank you for scheduling this important bill, and we look forward to any questions. losing on average

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Technology met on February 7, 2025, to hear testimony on several bills and later take up amendments and votes. HB 1405, HB 1406, and HB 1407 drew broad support from business, housing, utility, and development groups, with no opposition noted on those measures. Testifiers generally said the bills would streamline permitting, improve coordination, and expand support for chambers of commerce and small businesses. After recess, the chair recommended amendments to each bill, including changes to broaden eligibility, add reporting requirements, and include funding and staffing notes. HB 1405 was amended to allow certain projects with one state and one county permit to qualify, require annual DBEDT reports to the Legislature, and note one full-time position and $125,000 in funding; the committee voted to pass it with amendments. HB 1406 was amended to move the intergovernmental task force from DBEDT to the House Legislature, add a Speaker-appointed chair, and include a $125,000 appropriation note; it also passed with amendments. HB 1407 was amended to convert the chamber support from a grant process to an RFP process and require a 1-to-5 match on a $100,000 award; it too passed with amendments. In each case, the chair’s recommendation was adopted, with Representative Tam excused. The committee also heard HB 796, a tax-credit review bill, which drew no support and 12 opposition testimonies with three comments. Opponents, including SAG-AFTRA Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, argued that automatic sunset provisions or broad tax-credit cuts would burden working families and that existing review mechanisms already exist under state law. The Department of Taxation and DBEDT offered technical comments, and the Tax Foundation suggested the bill’s goals might be better addressed by cleaning up the existing review process. Later, the committee heard HB 303, which had 17 supporters and no opposition. Testifiers from the Department of Health, University of Hawaii, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Queen’s Health System, and the Hawaii State Chiropractors Association supported the measure, with the chiropractors asking to be included in eligibility. The Hawaii State Center for Nursing said the program had been successful for five years and had room to expand. HB 577 also drew support, with the Department of Taxation offering comments and the Tax Foundation noting technical issues. HB 949 generated mixed testimony: Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce supported it, while Hawaii Children’s Action Network raised concerns about the bill’s effects and the lack of fiscal analysis; Sugar Creek Capital also supported the measure and clarified that the credit would not offset the GET. Finally, HB 933 and HB 959 were heard, with HB 933 receiving six support testimonies and comments focused on grocery tax relief and food insecurity, and HB 959 drawing strong support from labor and advocacy groups for its broad tax relief package, while the Tax Foundation and Hawaii Appleseed urged caution about the proposed 50% GET increase and asked for clearer fiscal analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, Senator, we do appreciate you scheduling and hearing the SEAR bills.
• So again, Senator, we do appreciate you scheduling and hearing the SEAR bills.
• So again, Senator, we do appreciate you scheduling and hearing the SEAR bills.
• So again, Senator, we do appreciate you scheduling and hearing the SEAR bills.
• Again, Senator, we do appreciate you scheduling and hearing the SEAR bills.

Summary: The joint Committee on Higher Education and Agriculture heard Senate Bill 1158, which would authorize general obligation bonds and appropriations for a controlled environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the Magoon Research and Teaching Site in Manoa. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the University of Hawaiʻi, Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, Maui County, MetroGrow Hawaiʻi, and other agricultural groups, who said the project would strengthen food resilience, support year-round production, create clean jobs, and provide a demonstration site for urban vertical farming. University representatives said the project would include demolition of an existing condemned building, a research and lab component, and a multistory vertical farm, with an estimated cost of $6 million and a projected two-year build time. Members questioned whether Manoa was the best location, whether the project fit the university’s broader strategy, and whether the request would displace other priorities. The University said the site is tied to SEAR activities, close to students and faculty, and intended to support hands-on training and commercial-scale production. In response to concerns about soil testing and stakeholder needs, the University said it would restart the soil testing lab using internal funds, though not as part of this bill, and would request additional staff for efficiency. The committee then recessed and later reconvened in decision-making, where the chairs recommended and the committee adopted amendments to SB 1158, including a name correction and deferral to July 31, 2050, and the bill passed with amendments. The committee then took up Senate Bill 663, relating to the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and SEAR research and experiment stations. The University testified that the stations are important for locally relevant agricultural research but are short staffed, with 34 positions down since 2005, and that the bill requests eight new positions, including agricultural technicians and four county community coordinator positions, to improve station operations, community engagement, and workforce development. The Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying the positions are needed to revamp extension services and that Manoa is an appropriate urban location for the vertical farming component. Members questioned why vacant or existing positions could not be used instead of new ones, and the University explained that some listed vacancies reflected old federally funded positions or inaccurate counts, promised a written update, and said it was working to fill current openings. No final vote on SB 663 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the legislature sets our schedule. Y'all determine who we review and when we do it.
• Agencies, the legislature sets the schedule for reviewing agencies.
• Some are still scheduled for or having some of that software implemented.
• Members, maybe if you could give us the schedule of whatever was last, but.
• Yeah I have a scheduler. You have a scheduler. Does your scheduler help?

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have statutory requirements to examine certain entities for certain things on a set time schedule
• So a couple of different ways that we'll do it: some of them are on a set schedule, others are driven
• </c><00:20:54.720><c> for</c> things on a set time schedule for things on a set time schedule for example
• </c><00:22:15.760><c> others</c><00:22:16.039><c> are</c> of them are on a set schedule others are of
• them are on a set schedule others are driven<00:22:16.679><c> by</c><00:22:17.279><c> whatever</c><00

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Insurance Commissioner DJ Bettencourt on the New Hampshire Insurance Department budget. He said the department is self-funded through assessments on insurers based on New Hampshire premium volume, with about $8 billion in premiums written in the state and a department budget of roughly $15.5 million. He explained that the department has 88 authorized positions, eight vacancies, and that three full-time positions were unfunded after the governor’s requested 4% reduction exercise. He also said the department is trying to balance staffing needs with not overburdening carriers during a hard insurance market. A major topic was the department’s $2.6 million rebate to industry from the prior fiscal year, which Bettencourt described as a credit against the next assessment rather than a direct cash payment. Members questioned why that credit was not reflected as a reduction in the upcoming budget, and Bettencourt and staff explained that the budget assumes full staffing and full spending, with any year-end surplus returned to insurers. The commissioner said the department had added staff in recent years for succession planning and to preserve institutional expertise, and that the rebate reflects careful budgeting rather than excess spending. Members also asked about staffing changes by division, including positions unfunded in fraud, property and casualty examinations, life and health examinations, and tax. Bettencourt said fraud investigations remain strong and that the department can use outside contractors for examinations, with those costs billed to the company being examined. He also described the department’s examination process, including periodic financial exams and targeted market conduct reviews triggered by consumer complaints or trends. Additional questions covered OIT transfers, the department’s oversight of fully insured health coverage, the insurance premium tax and fines going to the general fund, and the department’s limited role in auto repair reimbursement disputes, where he said complaints have recently declined.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our meeting is scheduled tell 03:00PM and we will adjourn on side at the conclusion of the tour.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we are uh a little bit behind schedule. we are uh a little bit behind schedule.
• Um scheduled to be completed back to.
• We have workshop scheduled.
• Chair, I know I didn't make the schedule and I know it's tough.
• </c> make the schedule and I know it's tough. make the schedule and I know it's tough.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Summary: The committee opened its labor hearing on SB 655 and outlined the day’s schedule, including a later working session on SB 416 and an executive session planned for 2:30 p.m. Senator Dan Innis introduced SB 655, describing it as a technical bill affecting employee leasing companies/professional employer organizations (PEOs), workers’ compensation coverage, and a Senate-added minimum wage exemption for minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement. He said the PEO change would let either the PEO or the client business hold workers’ comp coverage, while still requiring coverage, and argued it would align New Hampshire with most other states and reduce barriers for small businesses and multi-state employers. He also said the baseball provision would clarify wage treatment for minor league players and support the Manchester team. Justin Warell of Insperity testified in support of the PEO portion, explaining that PEOs provide HR, payroll, benefits administration, and workers’ compensation administration through a co-employment model. He said the bill would preserve mandatory coverage while allowing flexibility for the client or PEO to maintain the policy, which could help clients who already have preferred coverage or who face cost or administrative issues in multiple states. He noted that most clients would still remain under the PEO’s policy and said Insperity would submit written comments. Committee members asked about how the arrangement would work, whether the client or PEO would pay, and whether the bill would affect liability insurance packaging; Warell said the employer still bears the cost and that the bill mainly gives larger clients an option. One member asked him to remain available for possible follow-up after hearing from the labor department. Stephen Gonzalez of Major League Baseball testified in support of the minor league baseball exemption. He said MLB and the MLB Players Association negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that already provides players with salary, housing, meals, per diems, health and retirement benefits, disability continuation, tuition assistance, and signing bonuses. He argued that treating players as hourly workers creates impractical time-tracking problems because players do work-related activities on their own time, and said the bill would recognize them as salaried workers and avoid litigation over what counts as hours worked. Committee members questioned why the exemption was needed if players are already salaried and whether MLB could simply amend its CBA; Gonzalez said the bill would help prevent wage-and-hour lawsuits and noted that similar exemptions have been enacted in other states. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the chair indicated the bill would be considered for executive action later that afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• A Schedule I drug.
• And if for those of schedule one drug.
• </c><00:08:27.520><c> one</c> you who don't know what a schedule one you who don't know what a schedule
• A<00:08:35.599><c> schedule</c><00:08:36.000><c> one</c><00:08:36.680><c> drug.
• </c><00:09:44.880><c> one</c> uh uh be uh getting off a schedule one uh uh be uh getting off a schedule

Transcript Highlights:

• I will head out of the House office buildings and we are in a pretty tight schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Supreme Court held that DSHS can schedule Delta 8 and any other form of THC as a controlled
• And, as Senator Perry mentioned, the federal hemp standards that are scheduled to take effect this November
• Our department scheduled a slightly different schedule from the federal schedule on controlled substances
• because we believe From the federal schedule on controlled substances because we believe the synthetic
• inspection schedules, are there any other potential requests that could improve the agency's regulatory

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I sometimes struggle with the lack of schedule here, which is another unique position of this job.
• I sometimes struggle with the lack of I sometimes struggle with the lack of schedule<00:27:39.760><c>
• here, which is another unique schedule here, which is another unique position<00:27:41.520><c> of</c
• I think it was a TBD on the schedule for the week, besides Chavez, yeah.
• I think it was a TBD on the schedule<02:14:33.560><c> for</c><02:14:33.680><c> the</c><02:14:33.800><

Transcript Highlights:

• going to authorize pharmacists to independently prescribe, dispense, and administer FDA-approved Schedule
• > administer</c> dispense, and administer dispense, and administer FDA-approved<00:02:14.840><c> Schedule
• ><c> 3,</c><00:02:16.080><c> 4,</c><00:02:16.400><c> and</c><00:02:16.560><c> 5</c> FDA-approved Schedule
• 3, 4, and 5 FDA-approved Schedule 3, 4, and 5 medications medications medications for<00:02:18.440><
• 3 through 5 authority for schedules 3 through 5 specifically<00:15:24.200><c> for</c><00:15:24.360><

Bills: HF4493 , HF3133 , HF4595 , HF4143 , HF4142 , HF3756 , HF4289 , HF1724 , HF2291 , HF4568 , HF4547

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'd have to figure out a schedule in which we could give out a portion of funding and monitor the
• So, we'd have to figure<00:29:15.200><c> out</c><00:29:15.360><c> a</c><00:29:15.600><c> schedule</c>
• in which we could figure out a schedule in which we could give<00:29:17.200><c> out</c><00:29:17.360
• She also asked whether grant monitoring site visits are scheduled in advance.
• She also asked whether these grant monitoring site visits are scheduled in advance.

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• was decisive in the upset victory of Hugh Allen over Mel Thompson. before that plant was actually scheduled
• before that plant was actually scheduled to<00:04:44.000><c> deliver</c><00:04:44.960><c> electricity
• Um, we're still ahead of schedule, amazingly.
• And we are now ahead of schedule.
• So we're going to ahead of schedule.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Because I know that money is scheduled to expire at some date, and I can't remember the date if it's
• Because I know that<01:17:41.360><c> money</c><01:17:42.000><c> is</c><01:17:42.400><c> scheduled</c>
• <01:17:42.800><c> to</c><01:17:42.960><c> expire</c><01:17:43.280><c> at</c> that money is scheduled
• to expire at that money is scheduled to expire at some<01:17:43.679><c> date</c><01:17:43.920><c> and
• MnDOT has scheduled it sometime later this summer, but it just happened sooner than we expected, and

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• The superintendent shall schedule a meeting with the parent or guardian to be held within 10 days of
• meeting</c><00:51:02.599><c> with</c><00:51:02.720><c> the</c><00:51:02.839><c> parent</c> shall schedule
• a meeting with the parent shall schedule a meeting with the parent or<00:51:03.240><c> Guardian</c><
• Paragraph B: upon such request, the superintendent shall schedule a meeting within 10 days.
• shall schedule a meeting within<01:00:30.559><c> 10</c><01:00:30.839><c> days</c><01:00:31.400><c> C

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• would also allow the MPCA to retain the fees it charged even if it gets the permits done ahead of schedule
• to be able to comment on that and trigger another process with a petition. permits done ahead of schedule
• would also allow the MPCA to retain the fees it charged even if it gets the permits done ahead of schedule
• When a farmer applies for a water appropriation permit, the DNR maintains a 180-day schedule when reviewing
• When a farmer applies for a water appropriation permit, the DNR maintains a 180-day schedule when reviewing

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• all the bills that have been scheduled for hearing, all the bills that are before us, but we won't have
• ><c> the</c><02:09:24.719><c> bills</c><02:09:25.719><c> that</c><02:09:25.920><c> have</c> have scheduled
• all the bills that have have scheduled all the bills that have been<02:09:26.760><c> uh</c><02:09:26.960
• ><c> scheduled</c><02:09:27.320><c> for</c><02:09:27.480><c> hearing</c><02:09:27.760><c> all</c><02:
• 09:27.960><c> the</c> been uh scheduled for hearing all the been uh scheduled for hearing all the bills

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met in executive session and first corrected a procedural issue by revoting on House Bills 98 and 164, which had already been reported out unanimously. HB 98, concerning professional limited liability company assistant managers, was again voted ought to pass by a 16-0 roll call and placed on the consent calendar. HB 164, concerning local records, was reopened because of a fiscal note amendment; the committee adopted Amendment 2025-0087 unanimously and then voted ought to pass as amended 17-0. Because HB 164 goes to Finance, it will not go on consent, and the chair asked for the updated report that night. The committee then took up HR 6, a resolution condemning the judicial doctrine of disparate impact. Representative Manos moved inexpedient to legislate, arguing the resolution overreached because disparate impact is a judicial doctrine and the legislature cannot bind the courts. Representative Cordelli also supported ITL, citing drafting problems and the need for substantial revision, including an outdated reference to the New Hampshire governor. The committee voted 15-2 to ITL the resolution, and it was placed on consent; the chair asked for the report by the end of the day and noted there would be no minority report. Finally, the committee discussed HB 111, which extends the right-to-know ombudsman position. Representative Kuttab offered an amendment to address concerns raised in testimony about discouraging use of the office and shifting attorney-fee burdens; the amendment was adopted 16-1. The committee then voted 15-2 to ought to pass as amended. Supporters said the ombudsman saves money by reducing court filings and should be continued, while opponents argued the office needs restructuring and that additional funding was not justified. The bill will go to Finance, and the chair requested the report by the end of the day. The committee also began discussion of HB 66 and related bills on right-to-know access, with the chair outlining a proposed amendment to limit remote records requests to people with a New Hampshire connection, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll be meeting at our scheduled time, and I'll make it a point to always schedule our meetings on time
• > time</c><00:12:16.040><c> and</c><00:12:16.199><c> I'll</c><00:12:16.760><c> uh</c> at our our scheduled
• time and I'll uh at our our scheduled time and I'll uh I'll<00:12:17.360><c> make</c><00:12:17.519><
• <00:12:17.760><c> point</c><00:12:17.920><c> to</c><00:12:18.079><c> always</c><00:12:18.320><c> schedule
• </c> I'll make it a point to always schedule I'll make it a point to always schedule our<00:12:19.120

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to take up item two, the weekly committee schedule for the 2026 legislative session.

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to establish a quorum and then took up several routine agenda items. The committee approved item one, reference of bills to committees, by a 4-0 roll call vote, with Senators Limon, Grove, Jones, Laird, and Reyes all voting aye. It then approved item two, the weekly committee schedule for the 2026 legislative session, also 4-0 by the same aye votes. The committee next considered items three through six, floor acknowledgments, and approved them together by another unanimous 4-0 roll call vote. No testimony or substantive debate was presented during the public portion of the meeting. After completing the public agenda, the chair announced that the committee would adjourn the public segment and move into executive session after a brief pause for the room to clear.