Transcript Highlights:

• c> statute</c><02:21:56.080><c> to</c> Creating a new homicide statute to Creating a new homicide statute
• ><c> statute</c><02:37:42.000><c> to</c><02:37:42.319><c> our</c><02:37:42.560><c> current</c><02:37:
• /c><02:37:47.359><c> to</c><02:37:48.560><c> um</c> statute?
• And we already have statutes<02:53:05.840><c> in</c><02:53:06.000><c> place,</c><02:53:06.239><c> it's
• statutes in place, it's been mentioned many<02:53:07.120><c> times,</c><02:53:07.680><c> to</c><02:53

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• agenda<00:02:02.600><c> yesterday</c><00:02:03.600><c> so</c><00:02:04.079><c> uh</c><00:02:04.320><
• <00:02:08.119><c> Subs</c><00:02:08.560><c> say</c><00:02:08.879><c> I</c><00:02:09.640><c> I</c><00:
• c><00:02:12.959><c> Rusty</c><00:02:13.360><c> go</c><00:02:13.599><c> ahead</c><00:02:14.599><c> uh<
• ><c> on</c><00:02:36.400><c> the</c><00:02:36.599><c> fact</c><00:02:36.879><c> that</c><00:02:37.040
• that we want to<00:02:37.560><c> protect</c><00:02:38.040><c> our</c><00:02:38.920><c> our</c><00:02

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:38 HB 137 Discussion 01:30 HB 137 Roll Call Vote 16:24 HB 196 Discussion 17:21 HB 196 Roll Call Vote 21:59, 958, all

Summary: The Natural Resources and Energy Committee held its first meeting of the 2025 session, welcomed several new members, and confirmed a quorum. The committee first took up House Bill 137 on air quality monitoring. The sponsor and committee substitute were presented as requiring scientifically defensible, quality-assured data for air pollution enforcement, with the sponsor saying citizen complaints could still prompt agency inspections. A Kentucky Resources Council attorney testified in opposition, arguing the bill could limit low-cost community monitoring, conflict with the Clean Air Act’s credible evidence provisions, and undermine community efforts to identify pollution hotspots. After discussion, the committee adopted the substitute and passed HB 137 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Bill 196, dealing with mining emergency technicians. The sponsor said the bill responds to the decline in coal mining and smaller mine operations, and that it was developed with the Energy and Environment Cabinet and was not opposed by the Kentucky Coal Association or the UMWA. The bill would require one medic for mines with 10 or fewer miners, two for larger operations up to 50, and one additional medic for each additional 50 miners, with the sponsor saying the change would help small mines avoid shutting down shifts when a medic is unavailable. A question about the ratio above 50 was answered by noting the language came from the cabinet and was not being changed. The committee then passed HB 196 with favorable expression. At the close of the meeting, the chair reminded members that the committee would continue using the 24-hour rule for amendments and committee substitutes and that agendas would generally be sent out the day before meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• correct<01:02:06.119><c> that</c><01:02:06.400><c> that</c><01:02:07.279><c> uh</c><01:02:07.400><c>
• ><c> in</c><01:02:17.680><c> 11e</c><01:02:18.599><c> which</c><01:02:19.240><c> uh</c><01:02:19.400>
• :02:21.279><c> uh</c><01:02:21.400><c> neighborhood</c><01:02:21.920><c> of</c><01:02:22.079><c> laws
• <02:04:21.920><c> ly</c><02:04:22.480><c> uh</c><02:04:22.599><c> for</c><02:04:23.119><c> that</c><02
• <02:05:11.280><c> so</c><02:05:12.000><c> uh</c><02:05:12.199><c> I'm</c><02:05:12.520><c> I'm</c><02

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• biggest</c><00:02:50.480><c> customer</c><00:02:51.040><c> all</c><00:02:51.200><c> the</c><00:02:51.320
• Um I<00:02:56.680><c> sat</c><00:02:57.160><c> in</c><00:02:57.400><c> all</c><00:02:57.520><c> the</
• ><c> I</c><01:02:50.000><c> I</c><01:02:50.120><c> can't</c><01:02:50.360><c> speak</c><01:02:50.600>
• I Makes<01:02:53.040><c> sense,</c><01:02:53.280><c> we</c><01:02:53.400><c> can,</c><01:02:53.600><c
• &gt;&gt; Okay,<01:02:56.360><c> and</c><01:02:56.920><c> I</c><01:02:56.960><c> appreciate</c><01:02:

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Report of KCNA Board Meeting 00:00:09 KCNA Transition to COT 00:35:55 KCNA Request for Proposals 00:42:00 Kentucky Wired Operations Company 00:42:30, 958, all

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met, approved the January 12, 2026 minutes, and then heard testimony from KCNA Chair David Couch, KCNA Director Jim Barnhart, and KCNA General Counsel Adam Adkins about the ongoing dispute involving KCNA, Excelacom, and the implementation of House Bill 314. Couch said the board and vendor had recently shown some willingness to work toward a settlement, and he emphasized the importance of KCNA’s broadband service to K-12 schools, noting that litigation had already cost about $1.4 million and could cost another $1.4 million if it continued. He also said the board had identified five immediate goals, including reconnecting 38 K-12 sites, de-escalating disputes, better understanding KCNA finances, protecting the state’s bonding rating, and examining whether duplicate networking hardware could be consolidated. A major portion of the discussion focused on whether House Bill 314 changed KCNA’s authority and how much control the Finance and Administration Cabinet and KCNA’s legal counsel have over operations and contracts. Senator Williams argued that the board now has authority to set policy, implement policy, and approve budgets, and questioned why the cabinet appeared to be exercising operational control. Adkins responded that HB 314 changed the reporting chain from the general government cabinet to the finance cabinet but did not alter the board’s authority, and said budget work on the Ice Miller contract predated HB 314. Couch and other members disputed that interpretation, saying the board had not been properly informed about a recent extension or increase in legal spending and that the board’s directives were not being followed. Representative Hodgson asked why the board could not terminate a contractor if it was not carrying out the board’s wishes, and Adkins replied that Ice Miller was not a party to the board’s contract and that the Finance and Administration Cabinet signs such agreements. The exchange ended with committee members and KCNA representatives agreeing to disagree on the meaning of the statute and the extent of board authority. No formal action was taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• 21.599><c> uh</c><01:02:21.680><c> because</c><01:02:22.079><c> OM</c><01:02:23.119><c> uh</c><01:02:
• 23.920><c> to</c><01:02:24.079><c> release</c><01:02:24.480><c> tens</c><01:02:25.200><c> of</c><01:02
• :42.880><c> Mai</c><01:02:43.359><c> side</c><01:02:43.520><c> of</c><01:02:43.599><c> the</c><01:02:
• Uh this case<01:02:58.000><c> challenges</c><01:02:58.480><c> the</c><01:02:58.640><c> mass</c><01:02
• </c> pass a statute to override the statute pass a statute to override the statute that<01:36:10.960>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on the State of Hawaii’s affirmative litigation against the federal administration, with no public testimony. Attorney General Lopez and deputies said the office’s goal is to enforce the rule of law, not make partisan points, and noted that Hawaii is involved in 27 ongoing cases. They grouped the cases into four broad areas: immigration, funding freezes and grant terminations, federal agency dismantling/reductions in force, and protecting elections, health, and safety. Several immigration-related cases were discussed in detail. These included a challenge to the federal sharing of Medicaid data with DHS for immigration enforcement, a similar challenge to USDA’s demand for SNAP applicant and recipient data, and litigation over immigration-enforcement conditions attached to federal grants. The office also described the birthright citizenship executive order, saying it conflicts with the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court precedent; lower courts granted preliminary relief, and the U.S. Supreme Court later addressed only the scope of nationwide injunctions, not the merits. In the Department of Transportation case, the court granted a preliminary injunction against the “Duffy directive,” finding the immigration conditions lacked statutory authority, were arbitrary and capricious, and violated the Spending Clause and APA. The briefing also covered multiple funding disputes. In the education funding freeze case, the Department of Education and OMB withheld about $6 billion in formula funds, including roughly $33 million for Hawaii; after suit was filed, the funds were released. Other cases included the termination of over $11 billion in public health grants, which affected Hawaii Department of Health grants, the NIH indirect cost cap case, and NIH grant terminations tied to DEI, transgender issues, and vaccine hesitancy. The speakers said some cases have already resulted in preliminary or permanent injunctions, while others remain on appeal or are still being litigated.

Transcript Highlights:

• statutes</c><02:22:42.200><c> that</c> but I also have existing statutes that but I also have existing
• statutes that the<02:22:42.600><c> legislature</c><02:22:43.399><c> pass</c><02:22:44.040><c> like</
• the the Constitution and also the what's the the Constitution and also the statute<02:29:37.680><c>
• <c> what</c><02:29:39.960><c> are</c> statute lays out to identify what are statute lays out to identify
• ><02:31:33.840><c> I</c><02:31:34.040><c> I</c><02:31:34.120><c> do</c><02:31:34.359><c> think</c><02

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 946 on wastewater management, which would clarify that the ban on discharging wastewater or raw sewage into state waters after 12/31/26 applies to treatment plants. Testimony was in support from the Department of Health, Maui County Council, Mayor Bisson, and individuals, and no one testified in opposition. SB 849 on wildlife conservation would prohibit intentional taking, harming, or killing of the Hawaiian hawk (ʻio) and increase penalties for taking native aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants; DLNR supported the bill, noting the ʻio was delisted federally in 2020 and that the measure also updates penalties and adds a rehabilitation/community service option. No questions were raised, and the bill drew support testimony only. For SB 330 on invasive species prevention, the Attorney General raised a supremacy clause concern with language requiring state enforcement of federal quarantines and recommended reverting to a prior version with a catchall for federal regulation. The Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species supported the bill as a way to close a biosecurity gap, while the Department of Agriculture said it supported the intent but wanted to avoid acting without a cooperative agreement with USDA and suggested deleting the portion allowing action without such an agreement. The committee also heard SB 1393 on public land use, which would require the School Facilities Authority to consult with DOE and other agencies before land conveyances or leases and repeal a requirement that DOE transfer title upon request; both SFA and DOE supported the measure, with DOE emphasizing the need for early communication and consultation, and members asked about possible disagreements or stalemates. The committee then heard SB 321 on private roads and ways, which would deem certain privately owned roads and similar ways transferred to adjacent owners or community associations if conditions are met. The Hawaii Land Title Association said the bill as drafted would create uncertainty and proposed a court process to clarify ownership and create a recordable order; written support came from the Mortgage Bankers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Financial Services Association, and one individual. SB 66 on housing permitting would require permit decisions within 60 days for certain housing projects and deem permits approved in some circumstances; DLNR’s historic preservation office supported the intent but noted county historic preservation roles, OHA suggested amendments to clarify county duties, and DPP opposed the time limits as risky for health and safety reviews, warning about back-and-forth review cycles and possible mismatches between approved plans and field work. Realtors, NAIOP, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaii YIMBY, and the Maui Chamber supported the measure, while Lahaina Strong, Hawaii Good Neighbor, and two individuals opposed it. Finally, the committee heard SB 1170 on expeditious redevelopment of affordable rental housing, which would speed permits for rebuilding permanently affordable multifamily rental housing damaged by natural disasters and exempt certain projects from EIS requirements. HHFDC supported the bill, citing the Front Street Apartments rebuild and the long SMA permit timeline on Maui, and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the intent while suggesting technical placement of amendments. Testimony in support also came from the Maui Chamber of Commerce and Joe Blanco, who described difficulties rebuilding a project originally developed under older statutory requirements and said the bill’s added language addressed those issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> which</c><02:02:00.159><c> is</c><02:02:00.239><c> a</c><02:02:00.560><c> more</c><02:02:00.800>
• </c><02:02:03.119><c> So</c><02:02:03.280><c> I</c><02:02:03.520><c> don't</c><02:02:03.599><c> know<
• ><02:02:05.760><c> bill</c><02:02:06.639><c> um</c><02:02:07.119><c> if</c><02:02:07.440><c> this</c>
• right<02:02:11.280><c> we</c><02:02:11.440><c> would</c><02:02:11.599><c> not</c><02:02:11.840><c> I
• , one of the was was um put into statute, one of the requirements<02:02:38.560><c> was</c><02:02:38.800

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um<01:02:07.680><c> director</c><01:02:08.160><c> Johnson</c><01:02:08.640><c> do</c><01:02:08.720><c
• The what<01:02:21.839><c> I</c><01:02:22.079><c> thought</c><01:02:22.240><c> I</c><01:02:22.480><c>
• Did<01:02:29.599><c> I</c><01:02:29.680><c> hear</c><01:02:29.760><c> that</c><01:02:29.920><c> right
• ><c> if</c><01:02:31.200><c> it's</c><01:02:31.440><c> like</c><01:02:31.520><c> a</c><01:02:31.680><
• class</c><01:02:32.400><c> C</c><01:02:32.640><c> felony</c><01:02:33.040><c> or</c><01:02:33.200><c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The briefing focused on the Hawaii State Hospital’s overcrowding, construction defects in the new addition, and how Act 26 and related court-ordered processes are affecting admissions and discharges. The chair said the hospital has become increasingly forensic-focused, has lost beds after the closure of Kahimohala, and may face further costs and possible litigation over the defective addition. Hospital and Department of Health officials said they are working with the attorney general and contractors on repairs, and that the hospital is currently using all 292 licensed beds, including 13 waiver beds, while average daily census last fiscal year was 376. Officials explained that the high census is driven by both increased admissions and discharge barriers. They said the loss of Kahimohala returned patients to the state hospital, and that Act 26-related petty misdemeanor cases are contributing to admissions. They also said limited lower-level placement options delay discharges. Hospital staff reported that many patients are repeat admissions, about 22% were unhoused before admission, and a significant share are in categories such as fitness-to-proceed evaluations and conditional-release violations. They said these groups could potentially be reduced if evaluations were done elsewhere and if more community or supportive housing were available. The chair and senators questioned whether some fitness-to-proceed detainees need to be held at the state hospital at all, and whether the Clark consent order requires transfer to the hospital. The attorney general’s office said the Clark injunction does not govern unfitness-to-proceed cases; instead, the requirement comes from state statute, and the statute could be changed. Director Johnson said DCR cannot keep such detainees because the court orders them into the custody of the Department of Health, and the department cannot provide the needed therapeutic level of care in a correctional setting. The discussion also emphasized co-occurring substance use and mental illness, especially among petty misdemeanor defendants, and the need for supportive housing and a decompression plan to reduce readmissions and free beds for civil commitments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing<02:02:13.119><c> a</c><02:02:13.360><c> lot</c><02:02:13.520><c> of</c><02:02:14.480><c>
• real</c><02:02:15.119><c> uh</c><02:02:15.280><c> change</c><02:02:16.159><c> in</c><02:02:16.480><c
• actions<02:02:23.199><c> that</c><02:02:24.080><c> Japan</c><02:02:24.480><c> has</c><02:02:24.719><
• > we</c><02:37:20.319><c> by</c><02:37:20.720><c> statute</c><02:37:21.840><c> authorize</c><02:37:22.479
• ><c> every</c> because we by statute authorize every because we by statute authorize every dollar<02:

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> public</c><00:02:02.960><c> as</c><00:02:03.119><c> well</c><00:02:03.399><c> as</c><00:02:03.680
• <00:02:19.440><c> connected</c><00:02:19.920><c> to</c><00:02:20.599><c> getting</c><00:02:20.879><c>
• :00.119><c> the</c><01:02:00.319><c> statute</c><01:02:00.760><c> it</c><01:02:00.880><c> can</c><01:
• the statute it can only be used for in the statute it can only be used for the<01:02:02.559><c> purchase
• 02:44:53.680><c> so</c><02:44:54.160><c> part</c><02:44:54.359><c> of</c><02:44:54.560><c> that</c><02

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee heard an overview and budget presentation from New Hampshire Fish and Game, led by new Executive Director Stephanie Simi and Business Division Chief Kathy Leonti. The agency described its mission to conserve and manage fish, wildlife, and marine resources, and emphasized growing pressures from disease, climate impacts, habitat change, and increased public demand. Simi said the department is largely funded by hunting and fishing license revenue and federal grants, is reviewing staffing and internal processes, and faces critical needs including permanent funding for environmental review staff, infrastructure and IT modernization, and possible service reductions if additional support is not found. Members asked about specific program and policy issues, including chronic wasting disease in deer, hemorrhagic disease in rabbits and hares, moose population decline, and a proposed bait-disease bill. The department said it is actively monitoring diseases and did not see a need for the bait bill at this time. Legislators also discussed the Hike Safe program, which the department said has grown from an expected $100,000 annually to more than $300,000, and a possible boating version of that program, which the department said remains under consideration but would involve complex logistics and multiple agencies. Questions were also raised about rescue costs, out-of-state hikers, and whether boat registrations could be used as a revenue source; Fish and Game said boat registration is handled by the Department of Safety, though the department receives $5 per registered boat for the public boat access program. The budget discussion focused on revenue projections, use of unrestricted Fish and Game funds, and dependence on federal reimbursements. Leonti said the department met the governor’s general fund target but not the Fish and Game fund target without using surplus unrestricted funds, leaving only about $100,000 in the fund by the end of the biennium. She said the budget uses more than $18 million in Fish and Game funds annually against about $14 million in unrestricted revenue, and that five of 193 full-time positions remain unfunded. The department warned that if federal grants were halted, it could cost about $5 million over five months and force the Fish and Game fund to cover the gap. Committee members also requested that future presentations be sent electronically in advance, and the department agreed to do so.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><02:02:01.320><c> are</c><02:02:01.440><c> giving</c><02:02:01.720><c> up</c><02:02:01.880><c> on</c
• </c><02:02:06.680><c> So</c><02:02:06.840><c> we</c><02:02:07.000><c> formed</c><02:02:07.320><c> a</
• <02:24:37.200><c> said,</c> statute said, statute said, "You<02:24:38.360><c> may</c><02:24:38.520><c
• statute</c><02:42:50.600><c> 25-17-508.
• We looked up the<02:58:39.760><c> statute.</c> the statute. the statute.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:02:10.080><c> budget</c><00:02:10.640><c> amount</c><00:02:11.120><c> divided</c><00:02:11.680><
• </c><00:02:18.800><c> uh</c><00:02:18.879><c> to</c><00:02:19.120><c> be</c><00:02:19.280><c> made</c
• ><c> to</c><00:02:20.239><c> the</c><00:02:20.560><c> public</c><00:02:21.040><c> on</c><00:02:21.280
• </c> we do not want to u put something in we do not want to u put something in statute<02:18:17.760><
• <c> imprecise</c><02:18:19.840><c> or</c> statute that is um either imprecise or statute that is um either

Keywords: 9:30am HB 557 11am HB 71, 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference first discussed House Bill 557, which concerns information on the school budget ballot. The main issue was how to define and calculate the “average cost per pupil.” House members favored a simple calculation dividing the operating budget by enrollment, arguing that it is clearer to the public and matches how taxpayers think about school costs. Senate members preferred the existing RSA-based definition for consistency across statutes and noted that the current definition was about to take effect. Members also debated whether the ballot language should specify the figure as being for the “preceding year,” and some House members ultimately agreed to that clarification while one member did not. After discussion, the Senate declined to move off its position on the calculation method, but agreed to a compromise amendment adding “for the preceding year” to the Senate language so it would align with the rest of the ballot information. The committee then agreed to draft the report with that amendment. The committee then turned to House Bill 71, dealing with restrictions on using public school and higher education facilities to shelter certain migrants, along with a Senate-added provision requiring DHHS contracts to comply with the patient bill of rights. Members generally said they supported the base policy of the bill, but Representative Noble raised a drafting concern about a repeal section that appeared to undo the new contract requirement; the group discussed removing that repeal language and adjusting effective dates. The committee also reviewed Senate-added language creating a donation fund for a proposed accessible pier at Hampton Beach. Supporters said the project would be privately funded through donations, with the state park division managing the fund and any remaining balance eventually transferring to an existing state park donations account if the pier is not built. Members questioned maintenance costs, fundraising responsibility, and whether the account was necessary, but the Senate explained the fund was intended to provide a mechanism for private fundraising and future maintenance support.

Transcript Highlights:

• :01.039><c> we're</c><00:02:01.240><c> skipping</c><00:02:01.560><c> ahead</c><00:02:01.759><c> a</c>
• <00:02:01.799><c> little</c><00:02:01.960><c> bit</c><00:02:02.079><c> on</c> um we're skipping ahead
• c> sorry</c><00:02:06.280><c> Kentucky</c><00:02:06.680><c> public</c><00:02:06.920><c> pensions</c>
• c> into</c><01:02:45.279><c> it</c><01:02:45.480><c> but</c><01:02:45.680><c> it's</c><01:02:45.960><
• 01:02:52.200><c> cause</c><01:02:52.839><c> a</c><01:02:52.960><c> certain</c><01:02:53.319><c> number

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then reviewed a long agenda of administrative regulations, most of which were advanced with staff-suggested amendments and no objection. Early items included the Kentucky Public Pension Authority’s 105 KAR 1:451, which updates reporting language and adds the contractor wizard for certain employers, and a large package of Board of Veterinary Examiners regulations that revise fees, facility and AHP registration requirements, continuing education, liability, and practice rules. The Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s compact-related regulation and the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors’ complaint and compact rules were also reviewed and approved with amendments, along with fish and wildlife rules affecting elk hunting, youth deer season length, bear-dog approvals, and foxhound enclosure permits. The committee also approved transportation, education, workplace standards, horse racing, and several health and human services regulations, including Medicaid waiver reimbursement updates and a child care regulation that sends certain large claims to the Office of Inspector General for review. Several agencies briefly explained their regulations when members asked questions. Fish and Wildlife said the elk population is strong and the baiting change is intended to support harvest monitoring and fair chase, while the longer youth deer season was meant to give young hunters more opportunity. The Department of Community-Based Services said the $10,000 and $5,000 claim thresholds were meant to clarify rare cases involving possible fraud or unresolved recoupment issues. The Department of Financial Institutions’ 808 KAR 5:305 drew the most discussion: it would allow certain state-chartered credit unions with a low-income designation to participate in federal programs, including limited non-member deposits and supplemental capital, but the regulation was deferred again amid continued discussions. The Kentucky Bankers Association testified against the credit union regulation, arguing that allowing non-member deposits conflicts with existing statute limiting credit union deposits to members and other credit unions, and that an administrative regulation cannot override that statutory restriction. Committee members heard the agency’s explanation that the proposal is intended to help underserved communities and that the non-member deposit authority would be limited, but no final action was taken because the item was deferred. The meeting otherwise concluded with the remaining regulations being called, discussed briefly, and approved or advanced without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:02:04.319><c> difficulty</c><01:02:04.559><c> doing</c><01:02:04.839><c> that</c><01:02:05.079><c
• 01:02:07.440><c> that</c><01:02:07.520><c> can</c><01:02:07.680><c> help</c><01:02:07.839><c> you</c>
• 13.640><c> what</c><01:02:13.760><c> you</c><01:02:13.960><c> have</c><01:02:14.520><c> how</c><01:02
• :16.240><c> and</c><01:02:16.359><c> then</c><01:02:16.480><c> if</c><01:02:16.680><c> that</c><01:02
• </c><01:02:18.559><c> back</c><01:02:18.720><c> on</c><01:02:18.880><c> one</c><01:02:19.000><c> or</

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee on the Children and Family Law Committee met organizationally to continue work on family court issues, building on a prior special committee’s report and taking a collaborative approach with the Judiciary. The chair said the group would focus on solutions rather than rehashing public complaints, and identified three main topics for early study: specialization and training of family court judges, the extent to which judges should be bound by the rules of evidence, and whether mediation in family cases should be mandatory or voluntary and what qualifications mediators should have. A fourth concern was also raised about overlap between superior court domestic violence cases and family court custody/support matters, and whether one judge should hear both. Members discussed whether to divide into smaller subcommittees, but the prevailing view was to work as a committee of the whole at first. Most members agreed that additional public testimony was unlikely to add much, though recent concerns could still be emailed to the committee. The committee then heard from Attorney Erin Krian, general counsel for the judicial branch, and Judge Michael Mace. Krian said the judicial branch could provide additional witnesses on mediation and judicial training, including Judge Kissinger, and noted the branch was preparing materials on how other states handle the issues. Mace described the history of the Family Division and said he had reviewed older reports going back to the 1990s. He also outlined current judicial branch efforts, including expanded shadowing for new judges, monthly family-law trainings, and a year-long focus on family law topics. He reported that court rules had been updated to clarify notice requirements for minor guardianship changes, and that the branch had received positive feedback on the family access motion, which provides a statutory timeline and listed remedies for parenting-time disputes. Members also discussed prior committee work on rules of evidence and family court procedures. One member recalled recommending quiet review of any judges who appeared to apply evidence rules inconsistently, and Krian said the administrative judge can review complaints even if they come from a single person. The committee also received a status update on prior initiatives, including a federal grant for guardian ad litem services for indigent litigants in four locations, testing of redesigned court forms, and continued training improvements. The chair scheduled the next subcommittee meeting for April 1 and the full Children and Family Law Committee for April 8, with further documents from committee research and NCSL to be circulated.

Transcript Highlights:

• Go<00:02:51.760><c> back</c><00:02:51.920><c> to</c><00:02:52.080><c> your</c><00:02:52.319><c> board
• </c><00:02:56.800><c> Another</c><00:02:57.280><c> incident</c><00:02:57.920><c> was</c><00:02:58.640
• This statute<01:02:18.640><c> also</c><01:02:19.040><c> fails</c><01:02:19.359><c> to</c><01:02:19.520
• ><c> account</c><01:02:19.680><c> for</c><01:02:19.839><c> the</c> statute also fails to account for
• the statute also fails to account for the reality<01:02:20.400><c> of</c><01:02:20.640><c> delayed</c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2294, which would require condominium associations, boards, and managing agents to comply with declarations, bylaws, county ordinances, and state and federal laws, including mortgage lending requirements. The Community Associations Institute opposed the bill as redundant, arguing existing law already requires compliance and provides penalties. Supporters, including condominium owners and board members, said the measure would clarify that associations are not “self-governing” in a way that exempts them from outside laws, and cited examples where local officials or police told residents to take issues back to their boards. Several supporters said the bill would reinforce board responsibility for permits, safety, and legal compliance. The committee noted 27 pieces of testimony, with 10 in support and 17 in opposition, and then moved on without taking a vote on the measure in the transcript provided. The committee also took up SB 2298, which would require common interest community proxy forms to include additional language explaining proxy selection options. The Community Associations Institute opposed the bill, saying the proposed language was inaccurate and would not improve consumer clarity unless significantly revised. Supporters argued that proxy forms are confusing and that clearer instructions would help homeowners understand how their votes are being used. Opponents said the added language would make the forms longer and more confusing, and suggested a separate instruction sheet or other educational material instead. Testimony also raised broader concerns about proxy voting being misused in some associations, with one witness urging that proxy voting be eliminated altogether. The committee reported 29 written testimonies, including seven in support, 19 in opposition, and three with comments, and again did not record a final vote in the excerpt. For SB 2300, which would shorten condominium reserve cash-flow projections from 30 years to 25 years, the Community Associations Institute opposed the bill, saying it would not make housing more affordable, would reduce transparency, and would increase the annual burden by giving associations less time to save for long-life components. The group suggested that if affordability is the goal, lawmakers should consider allowing future loans or special assessments with guardrails. Supporters of the bill said the shorter projection period would better reflect practical budgeting and help associations plan more realistically, though some supporters also warned against relying too heavily on loans and emphasized accountability and fiduciary responsibility. Other testimony stressed that the impact of changing the projection period would vary by association and that many owners are already struggling with rising fees. The discussion remained focused on testimony and policy concerns, with no final action on SB 2300 shown in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Correct.<02:02:01.040><c> It</c><02:02:01.280><c> is</c><02:02:01.440><c> a</c><02:02:01.599><c> a</c
• > we</c><02:02:05.360><c> might</c><02:02:05.520><c> have</c><02:02:05.679><c> to</c><02:02:05.840><c
• </c><02:02:16.080><c> Um</c><02:02:16.320><c> I</c><02:02:16.480><c> was</c><02:02:16.560><c> just</c
• 02:27.360><c> for</c><02:02:27.520><c> a</c><02:02:27.679><c> fact</c><02:02:27.840><c> of</c><02:02:
• 02:02:56.320><c> then</c><02:02:56.560><c> I</c><02:02:56.719><c> know</c><02:02:56.880><c> I'm</c><02

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:02:13.280><c> 3</c><01:02:13.599><c> through</c><01:02:13.920><c> 22</c><01:02:14.400><c> from</c
• </c><01:02:22.640><c> Um,</c><01:02:23.040><c> so</c><01:02:23.280><c> I</c><01:02:23.520><c> expect<
• &gt;&gt; So<01:02:29.839><c> what</c><01:02:30.079><c> we'll</c><01:02:30.319><c> do</c><01:02:30.480
• ><c> to</c><01:02:37.280><c> the</c><01:02:37.440><c> whole</c><01:02:37.680><c> committee</c><01:02:
• Um, but<01:02:43.119><c> we'll</c><01:02:43.359><c> get</c><01:02:43.440><c> those</c><01:02:43.599><

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:02:02.199><c> that</c><02:02:02.400><c> would</c><02:02:02.639><c> define</c><02:02:02.960><c
• :02:03.480><c> this</c><02:02:03.719><c> or</c><02:02:03.880><c> is</c><02:02:04.000><c> this</c><02:
• <02:02:09.520><c> black</c><02:02:09.760><c> dot</c><02:02:10.040><c> on</c><02:02:10.159><c> the</c>
• DMVs<02:02:39.960><c> originally</c><02:02:40.360><c> when</c><02:02:40.480><c> I</c><02:02:40.599><c
• <02:02:55.280><c> ones</c><02:02:55.520><c> I</c><02:02:55.639><c> saw</c><02:02:55.880><c> was</c><02

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 758, which would establish a study committee on airport operation hours and possible noise abatement measures, including whether New Hampshire should prohibit departures between midnight and 6 a.m. The sponsor said the committee would examine the pros and cons and consult stakeholders. The Bureau of Aeronautics testified neutrally, noting that New Hampshire has 25 public airports, 12 with federal funding and grant assurances that may require them to remain open during those hours, and that cargo operations, including at Manchester, commonly occur overnight. Members also discussed existing noise abatement programs and how mitigation is determined by noise contours and FAA funding decisions. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing after testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 489, allowing voluntary emergency workers to use rear-facing blue lights on private vehicles when responding to emergencies. The sponsor said the bill corrects an oversight in existing law, would not cost the state or towns money, and would improve visibility and safety, especially in rural areas. Supportive testimony from a volunteer responder emphasized that blue lights help cut through fog, snow, and nighttime conditions, and that the bill would only add a single rear-facing blue light to existing red, amber, and white emergency lighting. The New Hampshire State Police opposed the bill, arguing that expanding blue lights to private vehicles would confuse the public and desensitize drivers to blue lights, which are associated with law enforcement. The hearing closed without action. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 533, which the sponsor and State Police clarified is actually two separate changes: one authorizing civilian automotive equipment inspectors to assist with vehicle inspection work, and another expanding language in motor carrier enforcement to include new entrant safety audits and compliance reviews. The State Police explained that civilian inspectors are hired and trained through the department and that any findings of state-law violations would be referred to troopers; they also said the new motor carrier language was requested to satisfy federal audit concerns about right of entry. The New Hampshire Motor Transport Association said it had no position if the civilian inspectors were not doing commercial truck inspections, but would oppose the bill if they were. Members asked about the difference between audits and compliance reviews, and the State Police said audits are for newer carriers and are non-enforcement, while compliance reviews look for violations. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 533. After a brief reset, the committee opened House Bill 594, which would repeal an alternate definition of “way” for the driving-after-suspension statute. The sponsor said the change was requested by the Department of Justice. Representative Erica Leon opposed the repeal, explaining that the prior language was intended to avoid criminalizing people who mow lawns or perform similar work near property edges while suspended, but she worried the repeal could create a loophole allowing driving on places like highway medians. Members questioned whether the issue was limited to mowing or broader vehicle use on property edges, and Leon said she would work with agencies to clarify the language so it protects lawful mowing without allowing misuse. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• may elect to do so iteration of statute may elect to do so if<01:02:31.680><c> that's</c><01:02:31.839
• ><c> how</c><01:02:31.920><c> they</c><01:02:32.079><c> want</c><01:02:32.240><c> to</c><01:02:32.319
• Nothing<01:02:34.799><c> stops</c><01:02:35.119><c> them</c><01:02:35.280><c> from</c><01:02:35.440><
• language in this the current the language in this proposed<02:00:28.320><c> statute</c><02:00:28.719
• </c><02:19:19.760><c> I</c><02:19:19.920><c> I</c><02:19:20.160><c> am</c><02:19:20.319><c> an</c><02

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:28.400><c> Is</c><00:02:28.560><c> there</c><00:02:28.800><c> anyone</c><00:02:29.440><c>
• <00:02:33.440><c> Uh</c><00:02:33.760><c> let</c><00:02:34.000><c> let's</c><00:02:34.319><c> start</
• </c><00:02:41.040><c> haircut,</c><00:02:41.599><c> by</c><00:02:41.760><c> the</c><00:02:41.920><c>
• </c> That<00:02:45.920><c> one</c><00:02:46.080><c> should</c><00:02:46.319><c> last</c><00:02:46.640
• Is<00:02:47.680><c> that</c><00:02:47.920><c> how</c><00:02:48.080><c> you</c><00:02:48.239><c> get</

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 118, as amended, which contains several unrelated provisions with a modest fiscal note. Nathan White of the Department of Health and Human Services explained that section 1 would change the personal needs allowance for Medicaid-eligible residents of private and county nursing homes from an adjustment every five years to an annual adjustment, increasing the state cost by about $50,000 per year. He also described section 2, a one-time appropriation of about $160,000 to make certain Hampstead employees whole for missed bonuses and lost leave during the state’s transition of the facility to Dartmouth management. White then outlined sections 3 through 5, which would create a dedicated fund for Hampstead lease revenue to cover the state’s contractual obligation to match Dartmouth capital improvements dollar-for-dollar up to $3 million. He said the state receives about $1.141 million in lease revenue in the first year, with a 3% annual escalator, and that the fund would hold lease revenue until needed for reimbursement. Members questioned how the matching arrangement would work, what happens if Dartmouth spends before the fund has enough money, and whether the state could refuse to match certain improvements. White said Dartmouth has final determination under the agreement if disputes arise, and that if the bill does not pass the state could face difficulty meeting the obligation without cutting services or finding other general funds. Several members also raised policy concerns about the personal needs allowance becoming an automatic cost driver. Brian Clark, attorney for the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services, clarified that current law requires the allowance to be updated at least every five years, but the legislature could change it in an off year if it chose. He also explained that the allowance is money residents retain from their own income, such as Social Security, as part of Medicaid cost-of-care calculations, and that the department does not regulate how residents keep those funds. No vote was taken during the discussion, and the committee paused to correct the bill copy before continuing testimony.