Transcript Highlights:

• Everett Turnpike is widened and that tree buffer is diminished.
• Everett Turnpike is widened and that tree buffer is diminished.
• We actually typically... the noise model is... you know, we can add noise, what we call sound zones,
• <01:26:14.400> we<01:26:14.560> call<01:26:14.800> sound<01:26:15.119> zones
• <01:26:15.639> and<01:26:15.800> in noise uh what we call sound zones and in noise

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 561, sponsored by Representative Nancy Murphy, which would limit the state’s ability to discontinue, reclassify, or revert state-owned highway property to municipalities without local approval. Murphy and other supporters argued the bill would protect towns from unfunded mandates and prevent property tax increases caused by taking on costly road maintenance. Representative Wendy Thomas, Rosemarie Rung, Merrimack Town Council Chairman Finley Rothhouse, and Town Manager Paul McAuliffe all testified in support, describing the financial burden of the planned transfer of Continental Boulevard in Merrimack and warning it would set a harmful precedent for other communities. The Department of Transportation’s Steve Leon explained the department’s current authority and processes for discontinuance and reclassification, said active highways are not surplus property, and noted that the Supreme Court’s Town of Nelson decision held such reclassifications were not an unfunded mandate. The committee then closed the public hearing on HB 561. The committee next took up House Bill 578, presented by Representative Mooney on behalf of Representative Bill Boyd, to require sound barriers along the F. Everett Turnpike in Merrimack. Supporters said widening the turnpike would increase noise in nearby neighborhoods and that a 2019 NHDOT study identified 17 neighborhoods with noise levels above federal standards, though only four were included for mitigation under the current project. They argued the remaining neighborhoods should also receive relief and cited quality-of-life and property-value concerns. Senator Tim McGuire also testified in support, saying residents were experiencing unexpected and severe noise impacts and urging the committee to act outside the usual criteria to approve the barriers. The transcript provided does not show a final committee vote or action on HB 578.

Transcript Highlights:

• to cover some well as a small buffer to cover some operating<05:14:33.920> expenses.
• We worked with DOT to create a special highway zone and created no-parking zones and higher fines.
• zone and created [clears throat]<05:56:22.878> no<05:56:23.120> parking<05:56:23.440><
• c> zones<05:56:23.680> and [clears throat] no parking zones and [clears throat] no parking
• zones and higher<05:56:24.240> fines.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In support of that license, we've done some work on emergency planning zones based on risk profiles.
• Planning zones based on risk profiles. These reactors are extremely small.
• Their source terms are so low that the planning zone is documented.
• understand how the nuclear plants can be modulated or how we can put storage systems in the middle to buffer

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if there's anything that is imposed upon you through that zoning process, which is fully discretionary
• So if you're in a zoning hearing and there's a contentious zoning battle in front of the city council
• you know what, I can approve this rezoning, but will you go along with maybe putting in a landscape buffer

Bills: SB1176, SB1186, SB1235, SB1286, SB1446, SB1458, SB1515, SB1616, SB1641, SB1668, SB1670, SB1678, SB1747, SB1787

Keywords: stormwater, water storage, replenishment credits, groundwater, aquifer, Arizona Revised Statutes, disclosure, state contracts, procurement records, donations, transparency, EMS, reciprocity, interstate compact, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, licensure, public safety, military personnel, veterinary telemedicine

Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then heard Senate Bill 1668, which would extend the deadline for funeral establishments or responsible persons to submit required documentation from seven calendar days to 14 business days and make related changes involving disposition of unborn or stillborn children, minors, and abortion clinic forms. Funeral industry testimony said the current timelines are difficult to meet and create stress for grieving families, while a mother described problems caused by requiring an ex-spouse’s signature after her child’s death. The bill passed on a 4-3 vote, with some members supporting the timing and family-law fixes and others objecting to the abortion-clinic provisions. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1286, on veterinary telemedicine prescriptions. An amendment shortened the telemedicine prescription period for non-antimicrobial drugs from 60 days to 30 days, allowed antimicrobial prescriptions for up to 14 days based on an electronic exam, and barred further antimicrobial prescriptions without an in-person exam. Veterinarians and the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association moved to neutral on the amended bill but warned about safety, overprescribing, and the limits of telemedicine; supporters argued it would improve access for rural, elderly, and low-income pet owners. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended on a 4-3 vote. Senate Bill 1235, creating the emergency services personnel licensure interstate compact, passed unanimously after sponsor testimony that it would improve reciprocity for EMTs and paramedics and help military personnel. Senate Bill 1446, which would change dialysis-center social worker documentation from monthly to quarterly, also passed unanimously, with DeVita Dialysis Services saying the change would reduce paperwork and align Arizona with federal and most-state practice. Senate Bill 1515, a cleanup bill for the Industrial Commission of Arizona that renames positions, removes outdated duties, and changes publication of fee schedules, passed after an amendment and supportive agency testimony. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1678, which would require direct-care staff in certain facilities to complete patient information forms and reestablish the Vulnerable Adult Systems Study Committee. An amendment removed the form requirement and instead required DHS to investigate complaints from EMS personnel about missing DNR orders; first responders and provider groups supported the revised approach, though some members wanted minority-party appointments added to the study committee. The bill passed as amended on a 6-0-1 vote. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 1747 on social media protections for minors, with the sponsor framing it as a child-safety measure and opponents from NetChoice, TechNet, and Meta warning about privacy risks, age-verification problems, constitutional concerns, and the possibility that teens would evade restrictions; supporters argued parents need stronger controls and pointed to app-store-based alternatives, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• establishing a carbon capture utilization and storage program in SB 905, establishing health-protective zones
• think it's key that we ensure that we are meeting the statutory mandates around the health protective zones
• just a really important policy question because, as we were discussing about the health protective zones
• From my perspective, however, having more resiliency in the system, having more of a buffer, provided

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held its annual oversight hearing on the transportation fuels sector, focused on California’s fuel transition, the announced refinery closures by Phillips 66 and Valero, and the potential effects on supply, prices, and the broader fuel system. Committee leadership said the state needs a system-wide transition plan rather than a piecemeal approach, and state witnesses from CARB, the CEC, and DPMO described the fuel market as a complex, interconnected ecosystem involving crude production, refining, storage, imports, and delivery. They emphasized that declining gasoline demand from EV adoption is occurring alongside shrinking in-state refining capacity, which could increase volatility and price spikes if not managed carefully. CARB Chair Liane Randolph reviewed the state’s climate and air-quality programs, including AB 32, SB 32, the 2022 scoping plan, the low-carbon fuel standard, and vehicle emissions rules. She said these policies have reduced emissions substantially but that California still faces major ozone and PM2.5 problems, especially in disadvantaged communities. Randolph also said federal actions challenging California waivers could complicate the state’s clean-air efforts, and she noted that while liquid fuels will still be needed in some sectors, the state must continue reducing fossil fuel dependence while protecting public health. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda and DPMO Director Ty Milder presented data on gasoline demand, refinery throughput, crude imports, and price differentials. Gunda said the Legislature’s special-session laws gave the agencies transparency and planning tools, and that the CEC is developing a fuels transition plan while evaluating whether any regulatory tools should be used. Milder previewed DPMO findings that Californians have paid a long-running “mystery gasoline surcharge” averaging 41 cents per gallon since 2015, with higher margins concentrated in branded gasoline and among vertically integrated firms. He said the data show a concentrated market with some refiners doing well and others struggling, and that DPMO will continue investigating price behavior, competition, and supply risks. Members pressed the witnesses on whether state regulations contributed to refinery exits or higher prices, and on whether the agencies had adequately analyzed consumer costs. Witnesses said they had not yet implemented the new permissive tools from SB X1-2 and AB X2-1 because they were still assessing risks and benefits, and they stressed that refinery closures and capital decisions are driven by broader market conditions as well as regulation. No vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with the committee seeking updates and urging the agencies to develop a practical transition strategy that balances affordability, reliability, climate goals, and worker/community protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing is there are buffers required around residential areas due to the fact that we don't
• So, between a 50- and 75-foot buffer is on the label away from residential areas.
• The other thing is there are buffers required around residential areas due to the fact that we don't
• So, between a 50- and 75-foot buffer is on the label away from residential areas.
• <00:51:05.920> from chemical has a 50 to 75 foot buffer from chemical has a 50 to 75 foot

Bills: HF3965, HF3704, HF3260, HF3718

Keywords: pesticide, agriculture, environmental protection, health risks, chemical safety, local agriculture, insecticides, pollinators, seeds, environmental health, neonicotinoids, systemic insecticides, civil penalties, pest management, land trends, report, appropriation, farmers, veterinary medicine, veterinary technology

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that wasn't mentioned was the Dream Center, which is, again, in the war zone area,
• funding cuts on New Mexico families and kids, and why Boys and Girls Clubs are uniquely positioned to buffer
• second point is that the Boys and Girls Clubs across the state are uniquely We are positioned to buffer

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we maintain a buffer because we know that when a project actually gets priced out and by the time
• don't award every single dollar because it's a conceptual RFP and history shows that we'll need a buffer
• /c><00:56:50.799> we<00:56:51.280> maintain<00:56:51.920> a<00:56:52.160> buffer
• So, we maintain a buffer program.
• um in order to that we'll need a buffer um in order to make<00:57:35.280> sure<00:57:35.440><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So not only is there an 80% loan-to-value requirement, giving some buffer if something goes wrong, but
• they also have to act as a buffer.
• /c><00:26:28.400> you<00:26:28.640> have<00:26:28.720> some<00:26:28.880> buffer
• <00:26:29.520> if requirement, so you have some buffer if requirement, so you have some buffer
• So, if something does act as a buffer.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 1042, which would increase the BFA contingent credit limit. State Treasurer Monica Misipelli explained that under RSA 66, state debt capacity is tied to unrestricted revenue and that guaranteed debt counts in the calculation even though it is contingent rather than direct debt. She said the state currently has about 4.2% to 4.3% debt-to-revenue ratio, about $120 million in additional capacity, and that approving the bill’s proposed increase would reduce available capacity for future state borrowing, including capital budgets. She noted the BFA has a long history of using guarantees without a state payout, but said the legislature should consider whether the full additional $250 million is needed and whether unused guarantee authorizations, such as one for the Pease Development Authority, should be reviewed in the future. Committee members asked whether guarantees have the same effect as actual debt for bonding capacity, and the treasurer confirmed that they do for purposes of the formula. Members also asked about the usual level of debt relative to the statutory 10% cap, and she said the state generally stays well below that limit. BFA Executive Director James Key Wallace then testified that the request was driven by rising project costs, inflation, and the need for more runway so the agency does not have to return to the legislature in an emergency. He said the BFA is self-supported, has never had a guarantee paid out by the state, requires collateral and reserves, and believes the appropriate range is closer to $400 million to $450 million; he also said a Senate bill would raise the limit to $400 million. He added that the BFA’s pipeline includes projects from about $15 million to $100 million and that housing availability is an important factor in business location decisions. After closing the work session on House Bill 1042, the committee opened House Bill 241, a bill on health insurance coverage for pain management services for chronic pain. Representative Dave Nagel, the prime sponsor, gave extensive background on his long career in pain medicine and said the bill is intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies and evidence-based pain management. He described the broad population affected by chronic pain and opioid use disorder, and said the proposal has long had bipartisan and stakeholder support. No vote or final action was taken on House Bill 241 in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, not only is there an 80% loan-to-value requirement, so you have some buffer if something goes wrong
• , we have to also act as a buffer.
• /c><00:26:28.400> you<00:26:28.640> have<00:26:28.720> some<00:26:28.880> buffer
• <00:26:29.520> if requirement, so you have some buffer if requirement, so you have some buffer
• So, if something does act as a buffer.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony from State Treasurer Monica Misipelli on House Bill 1042, which would increase the contingent credit limit for the BFA. She explained that under RSA 66 the state’s debt capacity is capped at 10% of unrestricted revenue, and that guaranteed debt counts in the calculation even though it is not direct debt. She said the state currently has about 65% of its capacity used, roughly $120 million of remaining room, and that raising the BFA contingent credit limit from $200 million to $450 million would reduce that capacity. She noted the state’s debt-to-revenue ratio is about 4.2%, that the state’s credit rating is not immediately affected by the guarantee program unless the state actually has to assume the liability, and suggested unused guarantee authorizations, such as one for the Peace Development Authority, could be reviewed in the future. Members asked whether a credit guarantee affects bonding ability like actual debt, what the usual debt level is relative to the statutory cap, and whether the increase would crowd out future capital borrowing. Misipelli answered that guarantees are included in the formula and do affect available capacity, though the current ratio remains manageable. She also said she had been using a $120 million benchmark for capital budget planning and was now modeling $130 million in future state debt. When asked whether the full $250 million increase was necessary, she deferred to the BFA, saying the question should be answered by the agency. James Key Wallace, executive director of the New Hampshire BFA and interim commissioner of Business and Economic Affairs, then testified in support of the bill. He said the request was driven by larger project costs over the last several decades, with construction inflation causing guarantees to be used up in bigger chunks, and by the fact that the BFA has been close to its current cap. He said the agency does not use taxpayer funds, has never had a payout on a guarantee in nearly 35 years, and requires collateral, reserves, and an 80% loan-to-value buffer. He told members the Senate had a similar bill to raise the limit to $400 million and that the BFA considered that range acceptable. In response to questions, he said a smaller increase such as $150 million would cover known transactions but might not provide enough runway for future opportunities, and he confirmed the bill was brought at the BFA’s request. He also said businesses consider housing availability when deciding whether to locate in New Hampshire, since housing and workforce are key location factors. At the end of the work session, the chair closed House Bill 1042 and opened House Bill 241, a bill on health insurance coverage of pain management services for chronic pain. Representative Nagel began introducing the bill and asked for copies of the treasurer’s debt-capacity report, but the transcript cuts off before any further action on HB 241.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:01:35.200> are affordable under the ACA, they are affordable under the ACA, they are buffered
• buffered from further rate increases. buffered from further rate increases.
• across the income spectrum, and that if people receive federal premium tax credits, those already buffer
• <01:36:48.719> their<01:36:49.920> um<01:36:50.880> their that already buffers
• their um their that already buffers their um their premiums<01:36:52.560> from<01:36:53.360><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• high school, an undoubtedly traumatic incident that highlights the dangers of enforcement near school zones
• know, we had to make sure we had a lot of security because patients wanted to know that they had a buffer
• with immigration enforcement actions, is making our health care facilities into psychological war zones

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s Medi-Cal program and on community health effects from recent immigration enforcement actions. Committee leaders said H.R. 1 would sharply reduce federal funding, increase administrative burdens, and worsen access to care, especially for Medi-Cal enrollees, immigrant families, rural communities, and reproductive health patients. The second half of the hearing examined how ICE raids and related federal actions are creating fear, reducing clinic and emergency department use, and disrupting children’s access to schools and early childhood education. Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Bass outlined the main H.R. 1 provisions affecting Medi-Cal: work requirements, semiannual eligibility redeterminations, shorter retroactive coverage, new cost-sharing, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, reduced federal support for emergency and lawful immigrant coverage, and a one-year ban on Medicaid funding for prohibited abortion providers. She estimated millions could lose coverage, with tens of billions of dollars in federal funding at risk. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California warned the defunding provision could force clinic closures, service reductions, and loss of access to family planning, STI testing, and cancer screenings. The California Hospital Association said the financing changes could cut hospital revenue by tens of billions over 10 years and threaten access, especially for rural and safety-net hospitals. The Western Center on Law and Poverty argued the law would increase churn, paperwork, and uninsured rates, disproportionately harming working adults and people experiencing homelessness. Committee members asked about implementation timelines, notification systems, administrative costs, the effect on immigrant eligibility, and whether California could delay or mitigate some provisions. Bass said the state was still assessing federal guidance, planning county and provider outreach, and exploring a possible delay for work requirements and a transition period for provider-tax changes. Members also discussed how state budget actions may need to be revisited in light of H.R. 1, and how California might preserve access through state-only funding or other policy changes. In the second panel, CHIRLA, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and the Children’s Partnership described the health consequences of immigration enforcement. Speakers said raids and data-sharing fears are causing anxiety, trauma, and avoidance of care, with Los Angeles County reporting declines in emergency, urgent care, and clinic visits after enforcement actions. The Children’s Partnership said school and early childhood absences are rising in some communities and that enforcement is undermining children’s emotional well-being and access to education. Members asked for more data and discussed possible state protections, telehealth, mobile care, and legal and policy responses to reduce fear and preserve access to health and education services.

Transcript Highlights:

• years, the current deferred assets, I think it was about $8 billion, those will provide a short-term buffer
• Those will provide a short-term buffer against any adverse experience.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill basically follows what the federal law has in place, allows us to have a one-mile buffer on
• This bill basically follows what the federal law has in place, allows us to have a one-mile buffer on

Bills: SB1049, SB1053, SB1058, SB1093, SB1160, SB1211

Keywords: spousal maintenance, court guidelines, self-sufficiency, financial support, marriage dissolution, concealed carry, gun permits, firearms training, public safety, criminal history checks, local recognition, firearms, merchant codes, financial privacy, Second Amendment, data protection, riot, planning, racketeering, criminal conspiracy

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard and advanced several bills. SB 1160 would make it a class one misdemeanor to fly a drone within one mile of a ticketed entertainment event, with exceptions for authorized personnel or written consent; NASCAR testified in support on public safety grounds, and the bill received a due pass recommendation by a 6-1 vote. SB 1093 would expand the definition of riot to include force or threats causing property damage and add riot as a predicate offense for conspiracy and racketeering; the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice opposed it as overly broad, while the sponsor argued it would target organized, paid riot activity. The committee approved it 5-2. SB 1049 would place a finite limit on spousal maintenance awards and direct the Supreme Court to consider related guideline factors; the sponsor said it was intended to prevent open-ended maintenance, while members questioned the fairness of a four-year cap in long marriages. It passed 5-2. SB 1053 would require Arizona residents to pay 10% of the nonresident fee for concealed weapons permits, with the director able to adjust fees to keep the program revenue neutral; supporters said residents should not pay the same as nonresidents and that the bill could encourage training and background checks, while opponents argued it could reduce state revenue. It passed 6-2. The committee also approved SB 1058, which bars government entities and certain private financial actors from maintaining firearm registries or using merchant category codes to identify firearm retailers, with supporters framing it as a privacy and Second Amendment measure and opponents warning about tracking and debanking; it passed 6-2. Finally, SB 1211 would allow victims of felony aggravated harassment involving domestic violence to seek a lifetime injunction against the offender; domestic violence and victim advocacy groups supported it as closing a gap for repeat victims, and the bill passed unanimously 9-0 after discussion clarified that no amendment was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• lands<00:20:02.640> to<00:20:03.320> uh<00:20:03.680> uncut<00:20:04.200> buffers
• <00:20:04.680> along more lands to uh uncut buffers along more lands to uh uncut buffers along
• extending rotations, you know, leaving more coarse woody debris, wider than regulatory or necessary buffers
• buffers and SMZs. buffers and SMZs.
• for like aesthetic buffers, wider than for like aesthetic buffers, wider than regulatory<01:03:19.040

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductions, approval of the March 6 minutes as amended to add an attendee list, and a brief overview of the day’s agenda. The committee heard two presentations from carbon project developers, with the first from Dylan Jenkins of Finite Carbon. He described Finite Carbon’s work in improved forest management projects, its role in developing carbon methodologies and protocols, and its experience with projects in New England, Appalachia, Alaska, and Canada. He also outlined the difference between compliance and voluntary carbon markets, the role of registries and intermediaries, and the types of buyers in the market, including large corporate buyers and long-term off-take partners. A major focus of the presentation was how forest carbon projects are structured and how credits are monetized. Jenkins distinguished between removals and reductions, explaining that removals come from new forest growth while reductions are tied more closely to baseline assumptions and standing stock. He said improved forest management projects can generate both types of credits, and that removals generally command higher prices because they are easier for buyers to understand and verify. He also emphasized that carbon project commercialization can occur before, during, or after credit issuance, and that landowners may be paid through a variety of structures, including leases, advance fees, per-unit payments, or off-take agreements. Jenkins then addressed the committee’s tax-related questions, saying House Bill 123 appeared intended to treat carbon credit sales similarly to timber sales for local tax purposes. He argued that carbon credits are a forest product and that taxing them can be reasonable in principle, but he stressed that lawmakers should distinguish between commoditization and commercialization when deciding what event to tax. He noted that credits may be created but never sold, and that in some programs landowners retain timber and carbon rights while in others the developer has deeper control over those rights. In response to questions, he said the industry uses protocols, verification, and third-party oversight to address baseline and quality concerns, but acknowledged that baseline setting remains a major point of debate in the market.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm referring to, folks, is the land that surrounds our military bases and our Army Compatible Use Buffer
• :11:37.440> army<01:11:37.840> compatible<01:11:38.320> use<01:11:38.640> buffer
• and our army compatible use buffer and our army compatible use buffer program<01:11:39.840> that
• :14:46.480> Army<01:14:46.880> compatible<01:14:47.360> use<01:14:47.600> buffer
• like the Army compatible use buffer like the Army compatible use buffer program<01:14:48.560>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:00 Approval of Minutes 00:02:31 Kentucky Farm Bureau 00:02:42 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:28:18 Kentucky Cattlemen's Association 01:48:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products. Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December. Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• probably not a great answer to your question, but no, pretty much so was New Hampshire able to maybe buffer
• probably not a great answer to your question, but no, pretty much so was New Hampshire able to maybe buffer
• probably not a great answer to your question, but no, pretty much so was New Hampshire able to maybe buffer
• able<04:01:25.960> to<04:01:27.000> uh<04:01:28.000> maybe<04:01:28.600> buffer
• ><04:01:29.080> that<04:01:29.279> a<04:01:29.399> little Able to, uh, maybe buffer

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an introductory Ways and Means Committee orientation led by Chair John Janigian. Members went around the room introducing themselves, with several returning legislators and several freshmen describing their backgrounds in business, education, public service, finance, transportation, journalism, military service, and nonprofit work. Janigian explained his own legislative history and professional background, and other members, including Bill Bolton, Fred Doucette, Mary Ford, Jim Tierney, Scott Brier, Thomas Oppel, Mary Murphy, Representative Spar, Susan Elberger, Dennis Malloy, Jordan Ulery, and Julius Soti, briefly described their prior experience and reasons for serving on the committee. The chair then outlined the committee’s role. He said Ways and Means is responsible for revenue estimates that Finance will use to determine how much the state can spend over the next biennium, and that the committee would spend the next five to six weeks developing its best revenue estimate, due around February 15. He also explained that the committee hears from state agencies and departments about how taxes are created, collected, and performing against expectations, and that it reviews bills affecting state revenue, including tax increases, tax decreases, tax removals, and fee-related measures. Janigian noted that the committee had five bills at the time of the meeting and expected more to be referred. He explained that most would be first-committee bills, though some second-committee bills could come over if they involved taxes or fees after passing policy committees. He used marijuana-related legislation as an example of a bill that might first go to another committee and later reach Ways and Means if it had fiscal implications. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational, and members were told how to participate in hearings and follow-up questions during regular committee work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't know when, we don't know how much, but it does provide some buffer against that if it does come
• But it does provide some buffer against that if it does come. Thank you. Representative Jacobson.
• But it does provide some buffer against that if it does come. Thank you. Representative Jacobson.

Summary: The committee approved the July minutes and then received an informational presentation from the Office of the State Actuary on the financial condition of the state retirement systems. The actuary reported that employer contribution rates are generally declining, helped by strong investment returns and reduced funding for PERS 1 and TERS 1, while funded ratios have continued to improve; on a combined basis the plans were reported at 100% funded in 2024, with open plans above 95% and legacy plans varying by system. The presentation also reviewed projected rates and funded ratios under current assumptions, noted that pension costs are taking a smaller share of the state general fund, and discussed risks from investment volatility, policy changes, and demographic experience. Committee members asked about savings from lower rates, deferred asset smoothing, and how Washington compares with other states. The committee then considered the state actuary’s recommendation on long-term economic assumptions and adopted all four recommendations by roll call votes: inflation at 3.0%, general salary growth at 3.5%, membership growth for Plan 1 funding at 1.0%, and investment rate of return at 7.25%. The actuaries explained that the inflation and salary growth increases were driven largely by higher long-term inflation expectations, while the investment return recommendation matched the current statutory assumption. Members discussed the timing of the Pension Funding Council’s decision, the effect of tariffs and inflation uncertainty, and how assumption changes would affect future contribution rates and budgets, particularly for open plans. Staff then gave an update on the LEOFF 1 study, explaining the difference between being “ahead of schedule” and truly overfunded, and summarizing responses received from DRS, the State Treasurer, and the State Investment Board on the merger and restatement proposals. DRS said both bills could be administered, though the merger bill’s COLA banking provision would be challenging until its new system is ready; the Treasurer urged caution, especially about the restatement bill and the use of one-time funds; and the Investment Board said removing assets from the trust would have some transaction costs but likely small impacts. The committee discussed whether to invite additional agencies and local government groups to testify, and staff said more responses, including from Ice Miller and the State Actuary, were expected for the October meeting. Finally, the committee heard a briefing on PERS 1/TERS 1 COLA policy and related bills from the last session. Staff reviewed the committee’s prior ongoing COLA recommendation, the SCPP-endorsed bills that would have created a one-time 3% COLA followed by an ongoing COLA, the Senate merger bill, and a separate ad hoc COLA bill. Public testimony largely supported Plan 1 COLAs and stable contribution rates, while several speakers urged caution about transferring LEOFF 1 surplus assets or merging legacy plans, and others raised concerns about climate risk and the pension fund’s investments. No further committee action was taken on the COLA item during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• private places or properties, but I think it kind of is because am I wrong that the thousand-foot buffer
• that the kind of is because am I wrong that the thousand<00:33:55.600> foot<00:33:55.840> buffer
• would<00:33:56.480> now<00:33:57.039> put<00:33:57.279> this thousand foot buffer
• would now put this thousand foot buffer would now put this into<00:33:57.840> areas<00:33:58.159

Bills: HB1577, HB1870

Keywords: Smart911, 911, 911 Board, emergency response, public safety answering point, PSAP, next-generation 911, NG911, dispatch, dispatcher, emergency profile, safety profile, medical information, disability access, access needs, functional needs, kupuna, aging, developmental disabilities, communication access

Summary: The committee reconvened on March 19, 2026, for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week. It first took up HB 812 on agriculture, agreeing to move it forward with amendments and a Senate draft, and then HB 2388 on public notice, which was also passed with amendments after concerns about transparency and the need for local newspaper notice on Maui were discussed. HB 1414 on procurement and HB 2469 on a regular session review working group were both deferred to March 24 for further work with the author, while HB 322 on voter registration was deferred indefinitely in favor of a Senate vehicle. The committee then heard HB 1577, which would create a statewide emergency safety profile system pilot program and working group for 911. Testimony from disability advocates, emergency medical services, and others strongly supported the bill, emphasizing benefits for people without smartphones, better sharing of medical and emergency information, and improved response in the field. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the 911 Board already had the authority to implement the system without legislation, and the bill was not immediately acted on in the portion of the transcript provided. The final major item was HB 1870 on protected community locations. Testimony in support came from the University of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, immigrant-rights groups, public health advocates, and many individuals, while the Department of Education supported the measure but requested clarity on federal compliance and raised concerns about a 1,000-foot perimeter beyond campus. Supporters said the bill would protect sensitive locations and help immigrant families feel safe accessing schools, health care, and other services. No final vote on HB 1870 is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• WHILE THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED UP RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF WITH HIS RACIST AND ZONE PHOBIC ATTACKS, IT'S
• severe threat to our national wetlands, essential habitats for wildfowl and other wildlife and act as buffers

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 1012, house, all