Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the time to testify. ready to work, but unable to access ready to work, but unable to access
• Working alongside access to capital.
• <00:06:57.120> The access and and knowledge to capital.
• The access and and knowledge to capital.
• have access to traditional markets. have access to traditional markets.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Digital equity and access was important, having access to all kinds of programs and services for learning
• Digital equity and access was um people.
• Digital equity and access was um important.<00:43:21.760> having<00:43:22.079> access<00
• How are we creating interim access? now. How are we creating interim access?
• And we really want to make sure that all of our communities have access.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• H.R. 7567 bolsters the future of American agriculture by improving access to farm credit, especially
• Expanding access to E15 means stronger markets and better prices for consumers and more certainty.
• Expanding access to E15 means ethanol.
• <06:17:48.638> pre four year old in America can access pre four year old in America can access
• warrant to access their sensitive data? warrant to access their sensitive data?

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , accessible hiking trails, and an accessible boat launch.
• things which improves the accessibility things which improves the accessibility for<00:48:09.680
• :48:51.200> for<00:48:51.359> an<00:48:51.599> accessible accessible we did one
• for an accessible accessible we did one for an accessible boat<00:48:52.960> launch<00:48:53.960
• museums is creating more accessibility museums is creating more accessibility like<00:49:14.839>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Personnel Appeals Board, which explained that it became an independent state agency after Senate Bill 487 and was presenting its first standalone operating budget. The board described its quasi-judicial role in hearing appeals from classified state employees over disciplinary actions such as warnings, suspensions, and terminations, and said it handles about 25 to 35 cases a year, with some cases lasting longer because of their complexity. Members also outlined the need for a chair and vice chair who are attorneys, the board’s current staffing and space needs, and its plan to move away from reliance on Administrative Services for office support and website functions. The board requested about $353,500 for fiscal year 2026, including startup costs, routine operating expenses, and two new part-time positions: a program director and a paralegal. Members said the budget reflects the new independent status, includes funding for only four board members rather than the authorized five, and is designed to avoid full-time staffing costs and benefits. Legislators asked about the cost per case, the board’s relationship to DAS, whether appeals must go through the board before court, and how often cases are appealed further. The board said appeals must first go through it, that court appeals are infrequent but have increased recently, and that the board’s process is intended to resolve disputes more quickly and less expensively than court litigation. Committee members also asked about the board’s caseload, outcomes, and staffing. The board said that in the prior year there were 22 cases, with four decisions overturned in favor of employees, nine dismissals, and nine settlements, and that many disputes are resolved before reaching the board through a multi-step internal process. A member noted the governor and council had recently approved a new board member and were expected to approve a fifth soon. The discussion ended with questions about the board’s website and records access, which members said would need to be moved from Administrative Services as part of the agency’s transition. The committee then moved to the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities. The executive director explained that the council is 100 percent federally funded under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and develops a five-year plan to address the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said the council works with state agencies and advocacy organizations on quality-of-life issues, accessibility, voter rights training, and plain-language or easy-to-read materials, and that 60 percent of its membership must be individuals with disabilities or family members/guardians. She also described the council’s funding structure, including reimbursement to the state for operating costs, and noted that it currently has three full-time and three part-time positions, with no new positions requested but one full-time position being eliminated and replaced after a pandemic-era staffing change did not work out as planned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I have a foundational view that everyone should have access to the economic empowerment that comes
• And when students are denied access to opportunity, that's a challenge, right?
• public schools, we're not counting on luck or some of the randomness to ensure that all kids have access
• money and creating future challenges, but also, as was mentioned earlier, the upside of being able to access

Summary: Treasurer and legislative supporters held a press event to announce pre-filing of legislation that would require financial education for Washington students as a graduation requirement. Treasurer said the goal is to give young people a foundational understanding of personal finance so they are not dependent on their parents’ money knowledge and can better navigate loans, credit, interest, taxes, housing, and other financial decisions. Senator Adrian Cortes said he is leading the effort in the Senate and described the bill as important for preparing students for adult life and supporting working families and future small business owners. Testimony from an educator, a financial education nonprofit leader, and a credit union representative all backed the proposal. Vanessa Medina, a Vancouver public school teacher, said students need practical skills for student loans, car loans, leases, and job benefits. Christy Johnson said the financial system is increasingly complex and that financial literacy is a life skill and social justice issue, especially given the wealth gap and the pressures facing young people. Tracy Godat said her organization already has free materials and professional development ready for educators, and Joe Atomack said credit unions see the need every day and can help expand access through school branches and student work experience. In response to questions, Cortes said the new bill differs from a previous House-passed version mainly by reducing reporting requirements and therefore lowering fiscal impact for districts and OSPI. He said the bill would align with the State Board of Education’s Future Ready process and could take effect by 2033 or earlier, depending on integration. The treasurer said the issue has broad bipartisan support and argued that Washington is behind other states in not already requiring financial education.

Transcript Highlights:

• IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORT HOMEGROWN BUSINESSES AND LEGACY FARMS AND CITRUS PRODUCERS AND TO EXPAND ACCESS
• WHETHER IT'S MOVING GOODS TO PORTS FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OR ALLOWING VISITORS IN OUR STATE TO ACCESS
• ASSISTANTS IN ADDITION TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AND A TIME AS A PRN TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO THE RULE ACCESS
• TO PRIMARY AND PREVENTATIVE CARE PROGRAM CREATED IN THE BILL AND INCREASES FUNDING FOR GOOGLE ACCESS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• search on Facebook, Twitter, but some of the video games came to me and said that sometimes you can't access
• So I just wanted to account for that, like, if you couldn't even access the platform without registering
• But I want to make sure if you can access the platform that you don't have to necessarily do a login.
• With his bill, we're dealing with the Workforce Access Act only.
• With his bill, we're dealing with the Workforce Access Act only.

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee met on May 6, 2026, with five members present and approved the prior meeting minutes. The committee first heard HB 750, a “click-to-cancel” consumer protection bill requiring subscription cancellations to be as easy as sign-up and to be available through the same method used to subscribe. An amendment was adopted, testimony included support from labor and consumer advocates and opposition from some business groups, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee then took up SB 414, which was narrowed to cap interest on medical debt at 3%. After reconsidering and replacing prior amendments, the committee adopted the new amendment set and reported the bill favorably as amended. HB 799, concerning inspection licensing for elevators, escalators, and boilers, was presented by the State Fire Marshal and reported favorably with little discussion. The longest discussion centered on HB 953, a major plumbing workforce and licensing reform bill. The bill was amended substantially: the original proposal to move plumbing oversight to the Contractors Board was removed, the plumbing board remained in place, apprenticeship and journeyman/master plumber hour requirements were revised, penalties and reporting requirements were added, and language was included to support workforce development and reentry training. The committee heard both support and opposition, including clarification from the State Plumbing Board that it already has an appeals process through the courts, and HB 953 was reported favorably as amended. Finally, HB 220, the “PROTECT Act,” was heard to require covered online platforms to maintain a clear and usable mechanism for reporting child sexual abuse material and exploitation. An amendment was adopted to account for platforms that require registration to access content, testimony was supportive, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 952 was deferred, and HB 827, a related plumbing workforce bill, was amended to align more closely with HB 953 but then failed a motion to defer by roll call vote, allowing it to remain pending. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the governor to sign if you wanted, or like this copy right here, we wouldn't be able to have access
• for the governor to sign if you wanted, or like this copy right here, we wouldn't be able to have access
• Nothing to do with trying to, I guess, prohibit you from being able to access what you currently can.
• research to see if there's other statutes that need to be cleaned up if we choose not to print these for access
• research to see if there's other statutes that need to be cleaned up if we choose not to print these for access

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 1470, presented by Representative Cupps on behalf of Senator Bernsketter. The bill makes cleanup changes to statutes governing the Joint Committee on Legislative Research and the Reviser of Statutes, including shifting free access to the revised statutes to a web-based format, allowing printed copies to be sold, directing proceeds to the statutory revision fund, changing the committee’s required meeting frequency from once every three months to at least twice a year, and extending the time to appoint a chair after the General Assembly convenes from 10 days to 30 days. Members asked about the practical effect of ending free hard-copy distribution, whether any other statutes would need conforming changes, and whether reducing the minimum meeting requirement would weaken oversight. Representative Cupps and Director Matt Morris said the bill mainly updates outdated statutory language to match current practice, that hard copies would still be available for purchase, and that the committee could still meet more often if needed. Morris also explained that the revision fund is supported by sales revenue, nets about $8,300 annually, and is intended to provide a reserve for future republication costs and major equipment needs such as servers. There was no testimony in opposition. During informational testimony, Morris and assistant director Sandy Lukanoff said the statutory language had not been updated after earlier administrative changes made years ago, and that similar cleanup bills had been attempted before but did not advance. Several members expressed support, though one member raised concern about the appearance of lowering accountability standards and another asked about virtual meetings. At the close of the hearing, the chair said he expected to work on a committee substitute with the bill sponsor and Senate staff and anticipated another hearing the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Due to the increased accessibility offered by the Commission's website, the number of complaints that
• They had to be notarized, so for ease of access for the public, we changed our rules and did away with
• But the judges now have access to insurance, specifically for trials before the Judicial Standards Commission
• They no longer have to have their complaints notarized, so it's ease of access for the public.
• to ensure that victims of crime, not just sexual assault victims, but all victims of crime, have access

Transcript Highlights:

• an interstate medical licensing compact during the next legislative session in order to increase access
• We want to give New Mexicans, parents, and adults access to vaccines based on the best science, not the
• Healthcare access. We've heard a lot about healthcare access.
• Access to care.

Transcript Highlights:

• targets that freedom by threatening family members, friends, doctors, and anyone else who helps someone access
• Are we actually willing to destroy access to and the independence of the courts to keep a woman from
• Senate Bill 2880 heightens fear and isolation and threatens people who are just trying to help Texans access
• And there's nothing in this bill that says that helping someone access care out of state means that you're
• We're going to make it more difficult for them to access life-saving care.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS BILL WILL REMOVE BARRIERS AND SAFELY INCREASE ACCESS TO HEARING CARE FOR RESIDENTS AND ALIGN FLORIDA
• THIS BILL WILL PROVIDE A LOT OF ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY FOR SENIORS IN THE STATE AND OTHERS WHO HAVE
• DIFFICULTY ACCESSING HEARING AIDS AND EMPLOYING TELEHEALTH WHICH HAS DONE A LOT TO IMPROVE ACCESS ISSUES
• MY HOPE IS IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANYBODY OTHER THAN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ACCESS, BUT THAT IS THE PLAN.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• guidance covers the rights of health care providers and patients with respect to requests from ICE for access
• it addresses what a provider should do if ICE asks for information about a patient, what level of access
• ICE officials may have at health care facilities, what level of access ICE officials may have at health
• It also provides some information about access to care, including what protections are in place for patients

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Workforce Support Subcommittee of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met to discuss workforce issues affecting people who provide services to individuals with disabilities, with a focus on immigration enforcement concerns and an upcoming employment event. Ethan Marks, Deputy Chief of the Health Care Division at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, presented the AGO’s late-January guidance for health care providers and patients on how to respond to ICE activity at health care facilities, what information and access ICE may request, and what protections and access-to-care issues apply. He said the guidance is broad, includes contact information for the Civil Rights Division, and will be updated if federal policy changes. Committee members asked whether residential programs, day programs, DDS/DMH facilities, and similar settings would fall under the guidance; Marks said the guidance is intended to be broad but that specific scenarios may require follow-up with the Civil Rights Division. He also said he was not aware of significant ICE activity at health care facilities so far, though there is fear and some rumors, and members discussed sharing the guidance with hospitals, academic medical institutions, the Health Equity Compact, and other stakeholders. The subcommittee then reviewed plans for a June 23 State House event titled Strength and Support: Networking and Resource Sharing Event for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities, Personal Care Assistance, Job Coaches, and Inclusive Workplaces. The event will feature a panel-style conversation with prepared questions, success stories, challenges to employment, and strategies to improve outcomes, while also highlighting the shortage of direct support and human services workers. Confirmed or potential participants and partners mentioned included Partners for Youth with Disabilities, MassAbility, NextGen, JVS, the Federation for Children with Special Needs, the PCA Council, and the Arc of Massachusetts, which has launched a PSA campaign for direct support worker hiring. The PCA Council’s resume directory for people interested in becoming PCAs was also noted as a recruitment resource. Members suggested inviting employers and other stakeholders to the June event, including Eastern Bank, Mass General Brigham, and possibly representatives connected to apprenticeship programs. The group also discussed reaching out to contacts at the Federation and NextGen, and one member suggested Kathy Pitkowskis as a possible connection. The subcommittee said it would continue outreach and finalize the event details, and noted that the next regular meeting will be August 28, with Patricia Wu from EHS scheduled to provide statewide updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• and they're here rallying support for an important measure, Senate Bill 1300, which would expand access
• measure uh Senate Bill 1300 which would measure uh Senate Bill 1300 which would expand<00:11:29.519> access
• c> free<00:11:30.480> school<00:11:30.720> meals<00:11:31.839> um expand access
• to free school meals um expand access to free school meals um for<00:11:32.720> um<00:11:32.880

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Its practice has left vulnerable children without access to necessary services, legal oversight, or most
• particularly important because if we dismiss these cases before they turn 18. then they're not able to access
• So they're not able to access the education and training vouchers.
• They're not able to access the tuition and fees. waiver.

Bills: SB66, SB2165, SB2342, SB2878, SB2903

Keywords: disability, supported decision-making, legal assistance, confidentiality, access to justice, autonomy, civil rights, advocacy, Texas Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child welfare, foster care, substitute care, missing child, missing from placement, permanency hearing, parent-child relationship, SAPCR, conservatorship

Transcript Highlights:

• This practice has left vulnerable children without access to necessary services, legal oversight, or,
• important because if we dismiss these cases before they turn 18, then they're Sarah Crockett: not able to access
• So they're not able to access the education and training vouchers.
• They're not able to access the Sarah Crockett: tuition and fee waiver.

Transcript Highlights:

• to tell us whether he would blindly follow a directive from Donald Trump to break the law and end access
• And in both my live and written questions for the record, he failed to commit to protecting access to
• Kennedy's ability to make those lawsuits easier is also the ability to shut down access and manufacturing
• It was not about making health care more affordable and accessible.

Transcript Highlights:

• visible in the ways in which we access visible in the ways in which we access the<00:33:01.760><
• <00:33:13.919> a world, you will need to access a world, you will need to access a restroom
• <02:05:45.679> to decide whether they have access to decide whether they have access to >
• <02:46:17.840> to rape kits and uh increasing access to rape kits and uh increasing access
• <03:44:52.640> to nonetheless have access to nonetheless have access to um<03:44:54.800>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:51:11.679> this have no other option in accessing this have no other option in accessing
• and other things but I don't have access and other things but I don't have access to<04:00:05.040
• I’ve spoken to White House health care aides. to get access to that care over and over to get access
• You may have some restrictions on your ability to access the providers you want to access, whereas under
• restrictions on your ability to access restrictions on your ability to access the<04:54:35.120><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 437, which would change New Hampshire law on undischarged mortgages by creating a shorter period after which certain old mortgages would be treated as unenforceable. Prime sponsor Representative Bill Boyd said the bill was developed with input from bankers, lawyers, realtors, the Attorney General’s office, and the Banking Department, and he noted a drafting correction needed on line 18. He explained that the proposal would replace current law with a new framework modeled partly on Massachusetts, including a five-year expiration after a stated maturity date and a 35-year period for mortgages without an expiration date. Supporters said the bill would help clear obsolete title defects, reduce costly quiet-title litigation, and make real estate transactions easier for consumers, attorneys, and conveyancers. Representative Mary Hakken-Phillips, Susan Cole of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, and Michelle Coffin all testified in support, describing the bill as a consumer protection measure. They said undischarged or improperly discharged mortgages often surface during title searches, causing delays, legal expenses, and failed or delayed closings. Coffin and Hakken-Phillips emphasized that many of these cases involve old, effectively obsolete mortgages and that the current process often requires expensive court action even when no one contests the title. Cole described a recent transaction in which a title defect caused a buyer to walk away and later restart the financing process, creating costs for both buyer and seller. A committee member asked about notice to mortgage holders; the response was that the lender bears responsibility for recording and extending the mortgage, and that due process rights would remain if a lender later contested the discharge. Ryan Hill of the New Hampshire Bankers Association said the banking industry had reviewed the bill and was generally comfortable with it, while requesting a delayed effective date so members would have time to adjust their recording practices. He said the bill’s January 1, 2028 effective date reflected that request. After closing the hearing on HB 437, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 721, the Gold and Silver Legal Tender Act. Representative Juliet Harvey-Bolia introduced it as a bipartisan economic justice bill intended to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, protect against inflation, and address concerns about trust, taxes, and government taking. She argued that gold is a stable store of value and discussed tax treatment in neighboring states, federal history, and digital gold platforms. The hearing on HB 721 was still in progress when the transcript ended, with the chair limiting questions because of time.

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield back. services will be easier to access. It'll services will be easier to access.
• <02:35:04.800> to across our nation have access to across our nation have access to resources
• <03:04:48.479> to employment, promotion, and access to employment, promotion, and access to
• > basic Children losing access to basic Children losing access to basic checkups.<03:19:21.200
• <03:52:50.640> to the program to actually get access to the program to actually get access

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 8, 2025, 1012, house, all