Transcript Highlights:

• This is the core for children ages 3 through 5.
• Do we know what the age range is? My note says birth to age five. Do we know what the age range is?
• My note says birth to age five. So if I said three, it's because I misspoke.
• Change in the law for raise the age and then some change for certification.
• So, no, we have a pretty robust and healthy but necessary education.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee first heard the Office of the Governor’s FY 2027 budget request from Adam Gresham. He explained the office’s staffing and noted a $500,000 core reduction, along with a reallocation of three positions and about $168,000 from the governor’s office to the mansion operating fund to better reflect where those employees work. Members asked about the National Guard emergency line, which Gresham said had already spent about $63,457 in FY 2026 and could be used again for disaster activations, though he did not expect to use the full $4 million. He also said the agricultural resiliency transfer fund had not been used and had no current transfer plans. Several members commented on the size of the governor’s cut and whether the judiciary and other offices were also being asked to reduce budgets. No votes were taken. The committee then moved to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood and early childhood-related budget items. DESE staff described funding for the Office of Childhood, MoQPK child care provider grants, LEA pre-K grants, early childhood special education, Parents as Teachers, First Steps, preschool coordination, after-school programs, and child care subsidy. Members asked extensively about the MoQPK grants, including why Head Start providers were eligible, how curriculum approval works, and what safeguards exist against fraud or improper payments. DESE said it conducts physical inspections, desk reviews, payment-system checks, and investigations as needed, and that it had not had findings in this area. Some members questioned whether DESE or DSS was the right home for early childhood programs, while others defended the partnership and the role of early educators in identifying child needs. A major portion of the discussion focused on early childhood special education and the child care subsidy program. DESE explained that First Steps serves children birth to age three, while early childhood special education covers ages three to five and is driven by IEP eligibility; members asked for more data on diagnoses, trends, and how many children come off IEPs. The committee also discussed the child care subsidy budget and the governor’s proposed shift to paying providers based on authorization and at the beginning of the month. DESE said the change is being piloted, that a wait list is expected to begin around March 1, and that a May rollout is being considered, but only if software testing and fiscal projections show the system is sustainable. Members expressed frustration that promised changes had been delayed and that providers had been told different timelines, while DESE said the delay was driven by software issues, fiscal caution, and the need to avoid repeating prior payment problems. The hearing ended with the committee in recess before later resuming discussion of the subsidy program; no final votes or actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• educators put me on a path to get a certificate of completion from the special education system at age
• school, whether it be public or private, to actually be able to teach these young people at young ages
• Um, I ask you that because in my family there is a young lady who has autism and by the age of nine she
• </c><01:15:34.080><c> of</c><01:15:35.199><c> nine</c> who has autism and by the age of nine who has
• Like, is there a certain age or wishes?

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As of March 2026, first-time customers age 80 or older must complete a live call with trained Coinflip
• So this is the latest iteration, in my opinion, of frauding seniors, who are, in this day and age, the
• our population, and people are living a lot longer and losing mentation and cognition also as they age
• Also, in many cases, they're finding out they have ACV policies and the roof is being aged.
• We live in the information age.

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:06:24.520><c> of</c><01:06:24.640><c> 18</c> under the age of 18 under the age of 18 um<01:06
• Thank you so much. prevent the AG the New Hampshire AG from prevent the AG the New Hampshire AG from
• </c> like one in Louisiana that required age like one in Louisiana that required age verification<01:
• <01:38:42.400><c> verification</c><01:38:43.280><c> law</c> age verification law age verification law
• Let me ask that the age verification process is what we're talking about, not just age verification.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 232 from prime sponsor Representative Mark Pearson, who said the bill is intended to protect conscience rights for health care professionals and students, especially in relation to abortion and sterilization-related procedures. He argued that protecting ethical objections would help retain and recruit medical workers in New Hampshire, reduce moral injury, and preserve patient access to care. Pearson said the bill is not meant to allow discrimination based on protected characteristics and emphasized that it is limited to objections to specific procedures, with an amendment added to address concerns raised by Chairman Lynn. Members questioned Pearson closely about the scope of the bill and amendment, including whether it could apply to non-physician staff such as schedulers or receptionists, whether a provider could refuse emergency care, and who would determine when an emergency exists. Pearson said the bill does not apply to emergency situations or to treatment after an abortion has already occurred, and he stated that emergency triage would control in obvious emergencies. He also said the intent was not to allow a person to take a job and then unexpectedly refuse duties, and he suggested the amendment could be tweaked to clarify its application to facilities and staff. Additional questions focused on whether the bill should be broader than the procedures listed, how it would interact with federal conscience protections, and whether it could affect contraception-related services, including pharmacies. Pearson responded that the bill addresses the specific issues raised by people he and his wife had spoken with, and he was open to revising the amendment to reduce ambiguity. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:03:44.760><c> and</c><01:03:45.000><c> prosperous</c> safe healthy and prosperous safe healthy
• </c><01:32:46.560><c> for</c> have 17 as the minimum age for have 17 as the minimum age for recruitment
• </c><01:33:33.600><c> of</c> until the dependent reaches the age of until the dependent reaches the age
• </c> stud student with a disability up to age stud student with a disability up to age 21<01:49:35.520
• </c> is already an impossibility in the age is already an impossibility in the age of<06:03:27.000><c

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We keep these moms healthy. You're going to keep babies healthy.
• We keep these moms healthy. You're going to keep babies healthy.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a very healthy projected balance in FY26-27 of nearly $3.7 billion.
• We<00:31:59.320><c> have</c><00:31:59.440><c> a</c><00:31:59.520><c> very</c><00:31:59.840><c> healthy
• </c><00:32:00.240><c> projected</c><00:32:00.800><c> balance</c> We have a very healthy projected balance
• We have a very healthy projected balance in<00:32:01.320><c> FY26-27</c><00:32:02.800><c> of</c><00:

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with peers and co-workers provide a structured opportunity to decompress, connect, and reset in a healthy
• to decompress, connect, and reset<00:03:31.840><c> in</c><00:03:32.080><c> a</c><00:03:32.239><c> healthy
• </c> reset in a healthy environment. reset in a healthy environment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Healthy boards require debate, disagreement, and diverse perspectives.
• House Bill 185 further is silencing healthy debate.
• By concentrating power at the state level, it risks silencing healthy debate, politicizing board service
• Silencing healthy debate, politicizing board service, and eroding the checks and balances is essential

Bills: SB23 , SB73 , SB210 , SB234 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16

Committee: House House Education

Keywords: student use, wireless devices, public schools, policy implementation, education technology funding, driver education, driver's ed, driving school, motorcycle safety, traffic safety, vulnerable road users, pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, cyclist, bike lane, micromobility, scooter, moped, motorcycle training, DWI prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• This was talked about during our Make America Healthy Task Force, that there's concern about rural health
• This was talked about during our Make This was talked about during our Make America<00:07:00.960><c> Healthy
• Task</c><00:07:01.680><c> Force</c><00:07:02.400><c> that</c><00:07:02.720><c> there's</c> America Healthy
• Task Force that there's America Healthy Task Force that there's concern<00:07:03.680><c> about</c><00

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the December meeting minutes and received several information items, including quarterly capital project status reports, University of Kentucky medical and equipment purchases, school district bond issue notices, and a University of Kentucky RFP for an enterprise services partner. Members also briefly discussed a University of Kentucky public-private partnership for student housing and dining, with comments that such arrangements may improve efficiency and use of taxpayer dollars during a difficult budget year. The main substantive discussion centered on a new CHFS lease in Harlan County for the Department for Community Based Services. Members questioned the proposed annual cost of $25.62 per square foot, which was far above the county average cited in the meeting, and raised concerns about the one responsive bid, the long lease term through 2033, and whether a nearby hospital or other entity might have been interested. CHFS staff said the current office space is in poor condition, that the new lease includes needed construction and 60 parking spaces, and that the office is limited to considering only actual bidders. After debate over whether to rebid or negotiate, the committee voted to approve the lease, with some members supporting it because of the current facility’s condition and others recording reservations. The committee then approved the remaining 10 lease renewals as a group. These included one renewal for the Commonwealth’s prosecutorial system and renewals for several CHFS offices, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Natural Resources. One member noted that seven of the 10 renewals were at or below the county average rate and said the overall package was substantially in line with local market conditions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to bravely address our areas of growth so that people are safe and healthy.
• Our team represents frontline community leaders demanding safe, just, and healthy environments in which
• everything has a hazard—from water, H2O, oxygen, essential vitamins, things that we would agree are healthy
• has a hazard from, you know, water, H2O, oxygen, essential vitamins, things that we would agree are healthy

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on DTSC’s implementation of SB 158 reforms, including enforcement, community engagement, fee stability, the hazardous waste management plan, permitting backlogs, and the Safer Consumer Products program. Senators and Assembly members emphasized protecting overburdened communities and asked how DTSC and the Board of Environmental Safety are using their authority to improve accountability, reduce delays, and address hazardous waste facilities and consumer product chemicals. The hearing also included discussion of extended producer responsibility programs and whether DTSC can support them more efficiently, including through coordination with CalRecycle. DTSC Director Katie Butler said the department is now more transparent, accountable, and fiscally stable, citing stronger enforcement actions, an interactive inspections map, expanded community outreach, and emergency response work on the Los Angeles wildfire cleanup. She said DTSC has made progress on fee reform, the hazardous waste management plan, cleanup grants, permit renewals, and safer consumer products rulemaking, including adding microplastics to the candidate chemical list. Board Chair Andrew Rakestraw said the board has held multiple public meetings and hearings, is working on fee rates and performance metrics, and is revising the hazardous waste management plan after public comment, including removing a proposal to send certain contaminated soil to municipal landfills. He also noted remaining concerns about fee structure, permit delays, and the pace of the safer consumer products program. Public witnesses offered sharply different views. A representative of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance said SB 158 reforms have improved permitting and transparency, but urged more attention to risk-based decision-making, reduced duplication, and possible General Fund support for plan implementation rather than relying only on fees. Earthjustice argued DTSC remains too slow and that communities continue to suffer from long-delayed permits and weak protections, urging the Legislature to take a more active role and to prioritize eliminating hazardous substances rather than minimizing costs. Committee members pressed the witnesses on permit renewals, community impacts, and the pace of the safer consumer products program, while DTSC defended its progress and said further legislative collaboration may be needed on hazardous waste management and emerging waste streams.

Transcript Highlights:

• impacted. ...whose animals have died, who are sick and suffering, and they believed that the product was healthy
• disorders, some from cancer, some from just dropping dead after looking and acting perfectly normal and healthy
• just keep doing it because, well, I'm going to keep eating unhealthy food because I can't afford healthy
• food or the healthy food hasn't been invented yet.

Bills: HB1341 , HB1674 , HB4028 , SB2321

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Keywords: hydrogen sulfide, public health, environmental regulation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, ground level concentrations, emissions limit, emissions limits, ground-level concentrations, air quality, PFAS, agriculture, environmental protection, health risks, criminal offense, chemical regulation, preproduction plastic, water quality, pollution control, industrial waste, emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's important that we keep our way of life in this state and that we have a healthy population
• I just don't see the data that really tells me that we're gonna have a healthy population if we go through

Bills: HB3239 , HB3391 , HB3557 , HB4128

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Keywords: veterinary medicine, definitions, animal husbandry, board of veterinary examiners, telemedicine, veterinarian-client relationship, animal welfare, commercial pet breeders, licensing, advertising, animal cruelty, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, wildlife conservation, hunting regulations, mountain lions, black bears

Transcript Highlights:

• Economists generally view a healthy ratio as closer to five.
• These healthy homes are built in our existing communities, piggyback off of existing infrastructure.

Committee: Senate Housing

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing heard two substantive housing bills and two consent items. SB 1116 by Senator Caballero would update the Starter Home Revitalization Act (SB 684) by clarifying development standards for small infill housing, reinforcing ministerial approval and timelines, improving state oversight and reporting, updating subdivision rules, and addressing private restrictions such as HOA or deed provisions that can block housing. The author and supporters, including California YIMBY and a small developer, said the bill responds to implementation problems and would help produce more starter homes; there was no opposition testimony. Members generally supported the measure but noted concerns about local implementation and the broader impact-fee/infrastructure context. SB 1117 by Senator Cervantes would clarify ADU fee law so local governments assess impact fees only on the portion of an ADU above 750 square feet, rather than on the full unit, while keeping the existing 750-square-foot exemption intact. Supporters argued the current fee structure discourages larger ADUs and creates a sharp production drop above 750 square feet; a homeowner witness said fees on an 800-square-foot ADU would have exceeded construction costs. Local government and fire-related organizations opposed or opposed unless amended, arguing impact fees fund essential infrastructure and services and should remain tied to nexus studies. Several senators said the bill was narrowly tailored but emphasized the need to address broader infrastructure financing. The committee also took up consent items SB 1267 by Senator Allen and SB 1426, the committee omnibus bill. After the committee obtained a quorum and later reconvened, it approved the consent calendar 10-0, SB 1117 10-0, and SB 1116 8-0. All measures were ordered out to the Senate Local Government Committee, and the hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Economists generally view a healthy ratio as closer to five.
• These healthy homes are built in our existing communities and piggyback off existing infrastructure.

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you heard, this makes some minor technical changes to the Healthy Starts Act.
• As you heard, this makes some minor technical changes to the Healthy Starts Act.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held public hearings on several Department of Labor and Industries request bills and related workplace measures. Senate Bill 6039 would allow L&I to send notices electronically with an opt-out option; Senator Curtis King and L&I supported it as a simple modernization and the committee heard no opposition. Senate Bill 6136 would require L&I to publish actuarially indicated workers’ compensation rates and explain when rates are capped below those levels; Senator King and employer groups described it as a transparency bill, while L&I said it would disclose how reserve funds and rate caps affect different classes. Senate Bill 6188 would expand L&I’s authority over asbestos certification rulemaking beyond rules specifically required to match federal standards; Senator Victoria Hunt and L&I argued this would strengthen worker safety and training, while the Building Industry Association raised concern about diverging from federal rules and asked for narrower authority. Senate Bill 6014 would create a Public Records Act exemption for people involved in pregnancy-accommodation complaints or investigations and fix a cross-reference in last year’s pregnancy accommodation law; Senator T’wina Nobles and Moms Rising said it would restore intended protections and privacy for pregnant and postpartum workers. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 6058, which would give L&I discretion to investigate wage complaints under the Wage Payment Act and assess penalties for willful violations when it initiates an investigation; L&I supported the bill and noted a House amendment to reduce costs and avoid conflict with another wage-recovery measure. For Senate Bill 6136, hospitality, construction, and self-insured employer representatives all supported the measure as a transparency step, with the self-insurers noting the impact of PTSD presumptive claims on rate classes. For Senate Bill 6188, L&I said the bill would let the department set stronger certification standards for asbestos workers and supervisors, while BIAW argued the bill should be limited to specific EPA model standards rather than removing the current statutory limitation. In executive session, the committee took action on five bills. On Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5061, which requires annual prevailing-wage adjustments in public works contracts, an amendment allowing change orders for wage increases over 5% failed, a one-year effective-date delay was adopted, and the bill passed 7-2 as amended. Substitute Senate Bill 5874, allowing ESD to waive penalties for minor unemployment-insurance reporting errors, passed 9-0. Senate Bill 5944, making missed-appointment payments part of bargained compensation for language access providers, passed 9-0. Substitute Senate Bill 5972, expanding binding interest arbitration for correctional officers in city and county jails, rejected two amendments that would have limited the binding effect and required consideration of local fiscal ability, then passed 8-1. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302, addressing misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects, passed 9-0. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So certainly healthy soil, getting the microbial actions down back into the soil that we lose with the
• There's a lot of practice we do to make our watersheds healthy.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please join us in keeping our communities healthy. Thank you. Next testifier is Jen Schultz.
• relationships with our patients and can make patients delay or defer basic treatments that they need to be healthy

Bills: HF1646 , HF2443

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical debt, debt relief, healthcare financing, consumer protection, financial hardship, commerce, cannabis, insurance, housing, ombudsperson, affordability, property, task force, financial institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill updates Florida's firefighter OSHA statute to help keep our firefighters safe, healthy and
• our community as to our law enforcement, we have to make sure that they have tools they need to get healthy

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It simply creates parameters within which reserves need to be kept to maintain a healthy organization
• uh risk pool reserve maintain a healthy uh risk pool reserve fund. fund. fund.
• healthy healthy place.<04:16:59.120><c> That's</c><04:16:59.479><c> it.
• </c> be kept to maintain a healthy be kept to maintain a healthy organization.
• reserve level that's maintain a healthy reserve level that's required<04:59:05.760><c> in</c><04:59:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Sen. Regina Birdsell at the request of the Insurance Department. The bill would codify the department’s interpretation that a birth mother’s health insurance is the primary coverage for a newborn, unless the mother has no insurance or coverage under an employer-sponsored plan. Birdsell and Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the measure is a clarification of existing practice and intended to protect vulnerable newborns; a question from Rep. Miles clarified that if a young woman is on her parents’ policy, the newborn would generally be covered under that family coverage. The hearing on SB 47 was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 121, introduced by Grant Bosi for Sen. Kevin Avard, which would require insurers to notify the Insurance Department when they stop writing an entire line of business or, in some cases, Medicare Advantage plans. Commissioner Benton Court said the bill arose from disruption in the Medicare Advantage market, where consumers, brokers, and the department were confused by carriers changing or ending offerings; he said the department wanted a simple notification requirement so it could better advise consumers. Members discussed network adequacy, county-based service areas, and the fact that the bill would make notice a condition of licensure, with possible fines or license action for noncompliance. Witness Paula Rogers of AHIP said her group supported the bill if amended, and the department indicated it would support a change from a 120-day notice period to 90 days to align with state rules; the committee planned to work on an amendment in subcommittee. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 247, introduced by Rep. Brian Cole, which would prohibit network exclusion of pharmacies that refuse to dispense prescriptions when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost. Cole argued the bill is meant to stop pharmacies from being forced to sell drugs at a loss, describing PBMs as middlemen and saying the measure is a compromise that protects local pharmacies. Members questioned whether consumers would pay more and whether pharmacies voluntarily enter PBM contracts; Cole responded that the bill would let pharmacies refuse unprofitable fills while consumers could still obtain the drug through mail order or other channels. He also said the issue has changed over time because the practice now affects a much larger share of generics and is concentrated among a few PBMs. The hearing remained open as questions continued, with no vote taken in the excerpt.