Video & Transcript Research : 'transportation code'

Page 253 of 500
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

Budget Jan 21st, 2026 at 08:15 am

Budget

Transcript Highlights:
  • It was not actually coded in the governor's recommendation. That is correct.
  • I believe we have a representative from the Department of Transportation here.
  • A maintenance building with the Department of Transportation?
  • Most of these are from the State Highway and Transportation Fund for Highway Patrol assets around the
  • There are different structures in the fire code. Assembly is a special occupancy.
Keywords: 959, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Taxes Committee 4/9/25

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • promotes economic tax code that promotes economic efficiency<00:36:34.720> with<00:36:34.960>
  • Counties can put a transportation tax in place without coming and asking for legislative approval.
  • So in no world was it realistic for them to transport folks back and forth between court hearings, etc
  • So in no world was it realistic for them to transport folks back and forth between court hearings, etc
  • So in no world was it realistic for them to transport folks back and forth between court hearings, etc
Keywords: 1183, house
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Jun 1st, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Next, we'll take up Amendment Code 316-788 by Senator Avila.
  • we're given the discretion in order to lay out what tax exemptions to put in place within our tax code
  • I mean, I know we talked about, like, transportation, for instance. Here's my real question.
  • We talked about transportation, for instance. Here's my real question.
  • For example, public works and the care of our roads, sidewalks, parks, and even code enforcement.
Keywords: 999, senate, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Public Health Jun 21st, 2026 at 09:00 am

Joint Committee on Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association Code of
  • At this time, I'm going to go to Senate 1613, an act to increase access to health transportation.
  • The American Medical Association, CMS, and the CPT code group, which is the federal group that creates
  • billing codes for all medical procedures, set this as policy in 2018.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hybrid hearing on a wide range of bills focused on patient safety, workforce development, health equity, and access to care. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 2362/S. 1491, which would require health care providers to offer trained chaperones for sensitive exams. Sponsors and supporters said the bill is a common-sense safeguard prompted by cases of physician sexual abuse, and survivors gave emotional testimony describing grooming, isolation, and abuse during exams when no chaperone was present. Support also came from a health services researcher, a physician, and a RAINN representative, all arguing that trained chaperones and clearer documentation would improve transparency and protect patients. Committee members asked about clarifying who may serve as a chaperone and whether the bill would apply to other clinicians such as PTs and OTs. The committee also heard testimony on H. 2401/S. 1485, which would require explicit informed consent for certain educational exams performed on unconscious patients. The bill’s supporters said patients should know in advance if students or physicians will conduct non-medically necessary exams while they are under anesthesia, and that the measure would protect survivors from retraumatization. The hearing then moved to H. 2537, a primary care access bill. Health Care for All, the Massachusetts Medical Society, pediatric and internal medicine physicians, and a patient advocate described long waits, provider shortages, and difficulty finding primary care, especially for low-income people and people of color. They supported the bill’s proposed primary care spending target, payment reforms, Medicaid graduate medical education funding, and a commercial payment floor for health centers. Another set of bills addressed workforce and safety issues. H. 2397/S. 1593 would establish a nursing workforce center; nursing leaders said Massachusetts should make the current workforce council permanent to support data collection, apprenticeships, and long-term planning for the state’s largest health care workforce. H. 2396/S. 1535 would require safe patient handling and mobility programs in health facilities; nurses described serious injuries from lifting patients and said better equipment and programs would reduce staff injuries and improve patient outcomes. H. 2501/S. 1505 on LGBTQ+ health disparities drew support from a medical student and Doctors for America, who urged collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data to improve care and school outcomes. Finally, H. 2448/S. 1522 on patient safety and equitable access to care drew strong support from nursing organizations and individual nurses who described unsafe staffing, burnout, and patient harm, while the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems opposed the bill as redundant for psychiatric facilities already regulated by the Department of Mental Health.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session May 14th, 2026

California House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re-refer SB 10, Padilla, from the Transportation
  • sacrifice, and the unwavering belief that every American deserves an equal voice, regardless of race, zip code
  • sacrifice, and the unwavering belief that every American deserves an equal voice, regardless of race, zip code
  • review tenant improvements and certify those improvements for applicable building, health, and safety codes
Summary: The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, then completed the prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, journal motions, and a long series of procedural actions, including suspending rules to move bills and approve a large Appropriations Committee hearing list. Members also made several guest introductions, including Shannon Lee, district staff from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez’s office, and later guests tied to agritourism and education recognitions. The floor debate centered heavily on AJR 31, a resolution urging Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Supporters argued that recent Supreme Court decisions and redistricting efforts in other states were weakening Black and other minority representation and that California should take a clear stand for voting rights. Opponents argued the measure promoted racial division, conflicted with equal protection principles, and that districts should be drawn based on place or communities of interest rather than race. After a contentious debate with repeated parliamentary warnings over decorum, the Assembly suspended the rules to take up the resolution, added coauthors, and passed AJR 31 by a vote of 58-8. The Assembly then moved through a series of bills and resolutions, generally approving them with little or no opposition. These included AB 2341 clarifying emergency language translation rules for local agencies; AB 1816 extending court supervision for certain sex-offender rehabilitation programs; AB 2561 protecting consumer privacy settings on phones and digital devices; ACR 167 recognizing World Agritourism Day; ACR 190 recognizing California Day of the Teacher; AB 1581 improving identification of Native American students in public schools; AB 1586 requiring opioid overdose prevention training for school resource officers and safety planning; AB 1665 requiring mental health training for school coaches; AB 1693 streamlining retail tenant-improvement permitting; AB 1768 authorizing a local tax measure related to health funding; AB 1712 facilitating a water-system sale for Santa Fe Springs; AB 1792 addressing sexually exploitive AI imagery in health education; and AB 1822 prioritizing school projects that address extreme heat. Most measures passed overwhelmingly, several unanimously, and the resolution on agritourism and the teacher day were adopted by voice vote.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session Jun 1st, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • He knows criminal justice, transportation, and media management like the back of his hand.
  • They have their code of ethics. They have their training. They have their background.
  • They have their code of ethics. They have their training. They have their background.
  • The CCR changes the Election Code by treating early voting and Election Day as a single ongoing period
Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation and then took up several recognitions and memorial resolutions, including honoring retiring Senate staffer Kelvin Bass and Secretary of the Senate Patsy Spaw and her staff. Members also adopted a series of local and honorary resolutions, including designating Rockport as the Redfish Capital of Texas, San Antonio as Military City, Texas, and Bridge City as the Corn Dog Capital of Texas, along with memorial and medal-of-honor resolutions for Texans and service members. The chamber also received messages from the House reporting passage of various measures and conference committee actions. The bulk of the meeting focused on conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions. The Senate adopted reports and/or out-of-bounds resolutions on SB 293, SB 1610, HB 46, HB 145, HB 1545, SB 650, SB 1660, HB 40, SB 2217, HB 119, HB 493, HB 3642, HB 2963, SB 2024, SB 2972, HB 2516, HB 2885, and SB 2753, among others. Topics included the Texas Civil Commitment Office, the T-Cup prescription program, wildfire mitigation and utility liability, sunset scheduling, alcohol ID swiping at retail and package stores, business court jurisdiction, election administration and data consistency, foreign adversary lobbying, poll watcher qualifications, road naming, right-to-repair, disguised vape pens, and campus expressive activity rules. Several measures passed with near-unanimous votes, while others drew more opposition, including SB 268 on medical board enforcement and SB 2753 on election procedures. There was extended debate on SB 268, which would shift enforcement authority for scope-of-practice complaints to specialty boards rather than the Texas Medical Board. Senators raised concerns about whether the bill would weaken the Medical Board’s ability to stop unlicensed practice of medicine, while supporters argued that specialty boards should police their own licensees and that criminal referrals remain available for unlicensed practice. The Senate also discussed SB 2972 on expressive activities at public universities, with questions about content-neutral restrictions, who counts as the university community, and whether the bill provides a mechanism to challenge campus time, place, and manner rules. Both bills ultimately passed their conference reports, and the Senate later adopted a large package of resolutions by voice vote before adjourning further business.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • by funding uncertainty can result in shifting priorities, outdated designs, or changes to building codes
  • However, we do have Education Code that directs districts to spend a percentage of their general fund
  • It's in Education Code Section 84660, if you were interested in reading. Okay, thank you.
  • I'm here because many college students live in food deserts and lack reliable transportation to access
Summary: The committee’s first major discussion focused on higher education facilities across UC, CSU, and the community colleges, with Chair Alvarez framing the issue as a final budget hearing before the May Revise. The LAO presented findings that campuses have grown substantially in buildings and square footage, while classroom and lab utilization remains below legislative standards and deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise. The LAO also emphasized that the state and segments lack comprehensive data on capital renewal spending and recommended better reporting, clearer funding targets, and long-term planning for renewal and maintenance. UC, CSU, and community college representatives each described large five-year capital plans, aging facilities, seismic and deferred maintenance needs, and the role of student housing, while noting that construction costs are rising faster than inflation. Members questioned the segments about debt service, utilization rates, and how projects are prioritized. UC said its debt service tied to state support is about $665 million annually and described a $30 billion five-year capital financial plan, including housing, medical centers, and building renewal. CSU said it has about $31 billion in five-year needs and more than $8 billion in deferred maintenance, with funding coming from a mix of state-related and one-time sources since the state shifted capital responsibility to CSU. Community colleges said their unmet facilities needs total about $33.5 billion and explained their use of a scoring matrix and FUSION system to rank projects. The chair and members pressed all three systems to better distinguish between projects that are truly shovel-ready and those that are long-term needs, and discussed whether facilities condition data, total cost of ownership, and more standardized metrics should guide future bond proposals. The committee then turned to Proposition 2 and the Governor’s proposed community college capital outlay projects. The Department of Finance said Prop. 2 provides $1.5 billion for community colleges and that the Governor’s budget proposes 29 projects, with two continuing Prop. 51 projects also included. The LAO supported the overall use of the funds but raised concerns about the current 65/35 split between modernization and growth, the unusually large share of gymnasium projects, and some scoring metrics that favor larger campuses and certain regions. Community college officials said the scoring system was developed through participatory governance and would take one to two years to revise, but they supported the funding and agreed to follow up on questions about project categories and the rationale for the weighting. Members also suggested giving more weight to modernization, regional access, and intersegmental or collaborative projects. A final item addressed the CalKids program. The Department of Finance proposed $56,000 ongoing General Fund for three positions, while the LAO recommended approving two positions but rejecting a manager position until the current $7.5 million marketing campaign is evaluated. ScholarShare’s executive director said CalKids has enrolled more than 5 million children, with nearly 600,000 claims and over $45 million distributed, and argued that additional staff and outreach are needed to reach a goal of 1 million claimed scholarships by the end of 2025 and to implement AB 2808. Members asked about marketing effectiveness, data sharing, and eligibility rules, and the program said it is expanding partnerships with Cradle to Career and CSAC. No final vote was taken in the hearing, and the chair indicated the facilities item would be held open.
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will come to order.
  • to use up every bit of life that's remaining on the International Space Station so we can crack the code
  • 1996, because I believed then and I believe now that access to education shouldn't depend on your zip code
  • that taxpayers have invested in that orbital laboratory, use every bit of time we have to crack the code
Summary: During the committee meeting, various issues surrounding state policy and governance were deliberated. Although the specifics of bills under discussion were not highlighted, comments from several committee members indicated a focus on improving legislative processes and addressing public concerns. The chairman facilitated discussions that included several points of critique as well as suggestions for enhancement of existing laws. The atmosphere remained constructive despite the complexity of the topics at hand.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Special Education Funding Committee May 6th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Special Education Funding Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • If we put that turnback money back into the transportation block grant, just as an idea to feed back
  • So the funding formula for transportation has evolved.
  • The state came up, or the department came up, with some rates for transportation.
  • But that’s kind of the history of that transportation formula.
  • But that’s kind of the history of that transportation formula, how it’s evolved from a block grant to
Keywords: 908, all
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/21/2026 - Senate Judiciary and Elections

Judiciary and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're given no standards of treatment, no billing codes, a willfully ignorant attitude from our doctors
  • I'd like to clarify: does everyone understand that there are no billing codes for detransitioning?
  • Number one, if it's going to be health care, it probably ought to have an ICD-9 billing code.
  • For the record, Amy Love, and I represent the Arizona Department of Transportation.
  • None of these therapies even have insurance codes, and none of these forensics accept insurance.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • used some of that funding used to come through the federal government through tech stock under transportation
  • It's been. federal government through TxDOT under the Transportation Enhancement Fund.
  • We are funded by state contributions as per government code, along with department contributions—part
  • One of our charges in the government code is that we train and accredit all the County Veterans Service
  • One of our charges in the government code is that we train and accredit all the county veterans service
Bills: SB1, SB 1
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, June 25, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • <07:25:11.680> in education freedom to every code in education freedom to every code in America
  • On behalf of all Americans, we're grateful for the heroic effort of the Hopi code talkers.
  • While I am stepping away from my formal membership on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  • <07:40:24.320> and resign from the Transportation and resign from the Transportation and Infrastructure
  • <07:40:33.440> and membership on the transportation and membership on the transportation and
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

FIN Info Briefing - Fri Jan 16, 2026 @ 9:00 AM HST

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • there I know Darius, the transportation there I know Darius, the transportation chair,<00:43:18.960
  • We're in discussion with the Department of Transportation airports.
  • We're in discussion with the Department of Transportation airports.
  • A horizontal launch uh in partnership with Department of Transportation.
  • Transportation. Transportation.
Keywords: 910, house, all
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Thursday, February 27, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code
  • joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code
  • joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code
  • of the rule submitted by the code of the rule submitted by the department<00:56:23.119> of<00
  • <02:27:54.359> and production and transportation and production and transportation and delivery
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

JHA Public Hearing - Thu Mar 20, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST

Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • 38.559> building have land use ordinances and building have land use ordinances and building codes
  • :39.440> vary<00:32:39.760> from<00:32:40.000> county<00:32:40.320> to codes
  • that do vary from county to codes that do vary from county to county.<00:32:41.120> So,<00:32
  • I'm going to keep the defective date, since that's how it moved out of transportation committee, and
  • it moved out of transportation it moved out of transportation committee.<01:23:28.719> Um
Keywords: 910, house, all
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. SB 1296 HD1, relating to disaster recovery, would exempt reconstruction of lawfully constructed structures damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster from special management area permits under certain conditions. OPSD, DLNR, the County of Maui, Front Street Recovery, and the Grassroot Institute supported the bill, saying it would speed rebuilding after disasters like the Maui fires; one witness noted the bill would not cover shoreline parcels unless amended, and members asked about the five-year rebuild window, the meaning of “lawfully constructed,” and whether unlawful structures were excluded. Testimony was also heard on SB 1413, which would allow the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to dispose of abandoned property in federal public housing projects after notice and within five days; HPHA said the bill would help address illegal dumping and clarify procedures. SB 31 HD1, concerning discriminatory restrictive covenants, was briefly described and had support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and comments from the Uniform Law Commission, with no in-person testimony. The committee then heard SB 1341, which would add HEMA and the Office of Homeland Security to agencies allowed to review energy industry information and would expand the program’s emergency-management purpose. The Hawaii State Energy Office supported the measure, saying the data is important for emergency response and fuel-supply planning. SB 10008 HD1 would authorize counties to adopt ordinances enforcing accessible parking space requirements and clarify county enforcement of EV-related parking provisions; the Disability and Communication Access Board strongly supported the accessible-parking provisions, saying current enforcement is weak, while noting section three on EV spaces is already largely in statute and could be struck if the committee preferred. Tina Yamaki of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition. Finally, the committee heard SB 1028 SD1 HD1, which would eliminate fees, fines, and court costs for offenses committed by minors, discharge existing related debt, limit community service for minors to 72 hours, and repeal certain penalties tied to minors and their parents or guardians. The Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council, Community Alliance on Prisons, and DebtFree Justice Hawaii supported the bill, arguing that youth fines burden families, worsen poverty, and disproportionately affect Native Hawaiian youth. The Department of the Attorney General offered comments, raising possible constitutional title issues because the current draft incorporates material from HB 129 and includes sections that may relate more to restitution or curfew than to fines and fees; supporters responded that the title is sufficient and cited case law. No votes or final actions were taken on the measures in the portion of the meeting provided.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Taxes Committee 3/18/25

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • On section four, we are also highly supportive of efforts to make our corporate tax code more transparent
  • On section four, we are also highly supportive of efforts to make our corporate tax code more transparent
  • On section four, we are also highly supportive of efforts to make our corporate tax code more transparent
  • 01:19:58.560> lack<01:19:58.760> of<01:19:59.000> public<01:19:59.360> transportation
  • due to the lack of public transportation due to the lack of public transportation options<01:20:
Bills: HF2274, HF1932
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • This is a Century Code that's on the screen. It must be printable.
  • North Dakota Century Code 40-24-16 outlines that.
  • and broke it down into a tax statement, highlighted the areas that we just went through in Century Code
  • We just went through it in Century Code. And as you can see, it's pretty full.
  • We read the statute or the Century Code change, and we had to incorporate it into our system through
Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 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, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

EDT Public Hearing 03-31-2026

Economic Development and Tourism

Transcript Highlights:
  • I also So one of the other areas where I also operate<00:38:00.000> a<00:38:00.040> transportation
  • <00:38:00.720> company<00:38:01.160> is<00:38:01.320> in operate a transportation
  • company is in operate a transportation company is in LA<00:38:02.120> and<00:38:02.240> Orange
  • of it all the time and we do a ton out of it all the time and we do a ton of<00:38:14.320> transportation
  • And it's it is of transportation for it.
Keywords: 912, senate, all
Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard several governor’s message nominations to the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s advisory board. The first nominee, Daniel O’Leary, received strong support from HTA leadership and Deputy Director James Kunane Tokioka, who praised his visitor-industry knowledge and work on brand marketing and tourism planning. O’Leary said he hoped to contribute his experience and strengthen the organization’s integrity. Joel Guy was also supported by HTA, Tokioka, and several community testifiers, who highlighted his long work in Hana, his film-industry background, and his role in community-focused tourism planning. During questioning, Guy said the advisory board should still have influence, especially on strategic planning and community concerns, even though its role is advisory rather than decision-making. The committee then considered Linda Wong’s nomination. HTA and Tokioka strongly supported her, citing her long community experience and familiarity with HTA work. Wong said the new advisory board was collaborative, had no conflicts so far, and was trying to balance resident concerns with attracting higher-value tourists. Senator Kim questioned her about the advisory structure, and Wong said she believed the Legislature had reduced HTA’s authority because of past conflicts but that the new board could help turn things around and possibly regain more authority in the future. The committee also heard testimony on Kimberly Algos and Terry Fisher. Algos was described by HTA and Tokioka as a strong leader and solid board member; Tokioka explained that she and another co-chair were selected because of their busy schedules and that the advisory board’s committees were created so members could contribute beyond the single statutory duty of selecting the chair, president, and CEO. Fisher was supported for his tour-operator experience and strategic planning work. In questioning, he endorsed performance-based contracting and accountability for contractors, while acknowledging that external events can affect results. He also said the convention center is critical infrastructure that should be repaired and used to help fill tourism lulls and attract major conferences. The hearing included supportive testimony from industry representatives, but no votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Transcript Highlights:
  • enabling local commercial conversions into housing or mixed-use development, and clarifying energy code
  • They are a vital part of Boston's transportation network and our economy.
  • I built my business from lived experience in transportation, logistics, compliance, and workforce operations
  • When compared to other comparable sectors such as construction and transportation, Arts and culture ranked
  • If you're looking to invest in clean transportation infrastructure, Massachusetts is the place to do
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The committee held a hearing on Governor Healey’s economic development proposal, H. 5386, also referred to as the Mass Winds Act, focused on global investment, talent, innovation, housing, and business competitiveness. Governor Healey, Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley, and Secretary of Administration and Finance Matt Gorzkowicz described the bill as a response to federal uncertainty and global competition, building on the 2024 Mass Leads Act. They highlighted proposed investments in a Global Mass initiative, including a $50 million innovation access fund and $20 million for sites to help international companies locate or expand in Massachusetts, along with support for AI, quantum, robotics, defense innovation, climate tech, downtown revitalization, and creative/cultural economy projects. They also emphasized measures to lower business costs, including reducing the LLC filing fee, expanding the small business energy tax exemption, and streamlining housing and development rules. Committee members questioned the administration about non-compete reform, AI and data-center infrastructure, housing affordability, and whether the bill would help retain workers and companies in Massachusetts. The governor and secretaries argued that the non-compete changes would restore the original compromise by requiring any alternative to garden leave to be negotiated at separation, and they said the bill’s housing and workforce provisions are intended to help young workers stay in the state. They also said Massachusetts is already investing in AI training, an AI hub, and energy-related planning, while acknowledging that data-center growth will require careful attention to water, electricity, and ratepayer impacts. Several witnesses testified on specific sections. Northeastern University supported the internship tax credit, saying experiential learning helps students gain jobs and remain in Massachusetts. The Latino Empowerment Advisory Council supported the waiver of redundant English testing for internationally trained nurses, saying it would speed entry into the workforce without lowering clinical standards. Russell Beck opposed the non-compete changes, arguing they would undermine the 2018 compromise and could reduce other forms of employee compensation. The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office opposed the LLC fee reduction, citing revenue loss and fraud concerns. Municipal and regional groups, including the MMA and the Metro Mayors Coalition, supported site plan review codification and downtown/arts investments, while urging continued municipal input. The AFL-CIO asked for trigger language to preserve labor protections if federal law changes, and business and industry witnesses generally supported the bill’s competitiveness and global investment provisions. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with written testimony invited after the meeting.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (01/16/2026)

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:
  • Address their medical needs. improve the timeline and transportation improve the timeline and transportation
  • You can see that there's two QR codes.
  • And so we are doing essentially code.
  • <00:42:54.880> we're itself in the criminal code. we're itself in the criminal code. we're
  • So that violates US code, New York file.
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1651, which would create a civil sexual assault protective order for survivors who do not have a domestic violence or stalking relationship with the offender, and would also update the sexual assault survivors’ bill of rights regarding evidence kit retention and tracking. Representative Jennifer Rhodes, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to fill gaps for survivors assaulted by strangers, acquaintances, or others outside existing protective-order categories, and to ensure evidence is preserved for the longer of the statute of limitations or the retention period. Committee members asked whether the new order could be misused and how the bill would prevent frivolous petitions; the sponsor said the same legal process would apply and a victim would still have to prove they were actually assaulted. Representative Eileen Kelly and Lynn Shallet of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence testified in support, saying current law leaves many sexual assault survivors without a meaningful civil remedy unless they qualify for domestic violence or stalking relief. Shallet said the gap has existed for decades and noted that other states already have standalone sexual assault protective orders. She also said the bill would clarify survivors’ rights to know the status and location of their evidence kits. Shauna Foster of New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse described local cases where survivors were denied protective orders because they lacked the required relationship with the offender, including a co-worker assault and an assault involving an unhoused survivor. Lisa Curtis, a survivor and founder of Safe Haven Ballet, gave emotional testimony in support, describing her own sexual assault and the difficulty of seeking protection and justice. She said survivors need safety to recover and that the bill would better align the justice system with trauma-informed support. Janet Carroll, a sexual assault nurse examiner and advisory board co-chair, testified that the bill’s evidence-kit provisions reflect federal changes and existing tracking practices. She explained that New Hampshire uses a kit tracking system that lets patients and professionals follow kits through the process, and said the bill would codify the right to be informed of a kit’s status and location. No vote was taken during the hearing.