Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:48.440><c> that</c> IEPs um so that if the practice that IEPs um so that if the practice that
• You have to do your needs assessment.
• You have to do your needs assessment.
• You have to do your needs assessment.
• </c><01:23:49.520><c> a</c> teacher who was you know practically a teacher who was you know practically

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 295, which would make school building aid funds non-lapsing/non-APS. Representative Cahill said the bill was intended to keep any unused building aid money available for future projects, potentially helping move projects up the priority list or provide a little more funding for school construction. Members asked about how much money has lapsed in past years, whether the education trust fund and building aid are separate, and whether any lapsing dollars could be used to pay down debt. Department of Education official Jim Carney said about $29.1 million would be available if building aid is funded to the $50 million maximum in FY26, confirmed that the fund currently lapses, and said the department would gather historical lapse data. Committee members also discussed whether a dedicated fund structure could achieve the same goal, and the chair noted that the education trust fund statute includes school building aid as one of its uses. No vote was taken; the hearing was closed and the committee said it would later hold a work session after receiving more information. The committee then took up HB 237, introduced by Representative Dan McGuire, which would prohibit the use of special education state funds and differentiated aid for students not receiving special education services. The New Hampshire School Boards Association, through Becky Wilson, opposed the bill as written, saying it was unclear, potentially unnecessary, and difficult to implement because adequacy and differentiated aid are distributed as part of a districtwide lump sum rather than as student-specific dollars. She explained that special education costs are embedded across district budgets, including staffing, training, transportation, and instruction, and that some staff and services benefit both special education and general education students. Wilson also said differentiated aid is not tied to a specific pupil and is used at the district’s discretion, though it is intended to support students with greater needs. Committee members pressed on whether the bill would require districts to track money by individual student, whether it could conflict with federal special education law, and whether it would affect least restrictive environment requirements. Wilson said making the funds student-specific could create privacy and accounting problems and could make it difficult to staff inclusive classrooms, though she did not give a definitive legal opinion on federal compliance. She agreed that students who are not eligible for special education would not be included in the separate catastrophic/special education aid reimbursement program. The discussion continued into the second section of the bill, with members exploring how adequacy aid and differentiated aid are used in practice, but no action was taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:44:38.680><c> for</c><00:44:38.840><c> least</c><00:44:39.080><c> restrictive</c> best practices
• for least restrictive best practices for least restrictive alternatives.<00:44:40.880><c> I'm</c><00
• There<00:58:41.400><c> are</c><00:58:41.560><c> assessments</c><00:58:42.240><c> that</c><00:58:42.440
• ><c> are</c><00:58:42.560><c> done</c><00:58:43.240><c> and</c> There are assessments that are done and
• There are assessments that are done and the<00:58:43.560><c> judge</c><00:58:43.880><c> is</c><00:58

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 963, which would make crimes against elders age 60 and over strict liability offenses by removing the requirement that the perpetrator knew or should have known the victim’s age. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing that removing the state-of-mind element would create unfair and subjective results and suggesting sentencing enhancements or broader vulnerability-based language instead. Supporters, including Sandy Wong and another testifier with elder-abuse experience, said the current knowledge requirement creates a loophole that lets offenders avoid the elder enhancement even when they target vulnerable older adults. No vote was taken on the measure in the portion provided. The committee also heard HB 384, which increases penalties for promoting minor-produced sexual images, extends probation terms for felony obscenity offenses, tolls the statute of limitations during a victim’s minority, and requires sex offender registration for certain felony obscenity offenses involving minors. The Public Defender opposed the bill as overly broad and warned of absurd results, while the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney supported it, saying the bill addresses sextortion and other exploitation cases where adults solicit images from minors and that the 3-year age-gap threshold preserves ordinary teen relationships. Committee members questioned whether the bill was aimed at adults only and whether the age-gap carveout was narrow enough; the prosecutor said it was intended to cover adult predators and not consensual peer conduct. No final action was reported. HB 1100, which renames the Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program to use “low vision” instead of “visually impaired,” was supported by the Department of Human Services and disability advocates, who said the current term is derogatory and that the change responds to the blind community. The department said it was beginning work on administrative rules and expected to seek an appropriation, with implementation hoped for in 2026. The committee then heard HB 1283, exempting paternity proceedings from mediation when domestic abuse is alleged; the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and others supported it as consistent with divorce law and important for survivor safety. HB 689, creating safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation who seek medical or law enforcement help, drew support from HPD, Emua Alliance, the Judiciary, and others, who said it would prevent traffickers from using prostitution charges to silence victims. Finally, HB 383, reinstating mandatory minimum jail terms for successive violations of protective orders and removing the court’s ability to suspend those minimums, drew opposition from the Public Defender, who said some repeat violations stem from mental health or substance use issues, and support from the Prosecuting Attorney, who argued the bill treats protective orders like temporary restraining orders and preserves judicial discretion within a misdemeanor framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the million is to assess what's needed in the state and then to explain where that need is in the
• future after the assessment.
• We are assessing service and how long it's going to take to get out there.
• My sense is that this is not related to watershed restoration and some of the thinning practices.
• External entity to conduct an organizational health assessment and an external contractor to maximize

Transcript Highlights:

• For Medicaid expansion, however, they pick up 90%, and the 10% state share is covered by an assessment
• For Medicaid expansion, however, they pick up 90%, and the 10% state share is covered by an assessment
• When you look into 2027 and 2028, that's when those provider assessment provisions are going to come.
• When you look into 2027 and 2028, that's when those provider assessment provisions are going to come
• And then at its core, centering science and public health best practices.

Keywords: House Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are in the process of completing a 10-year horizon assessment.
• That’s the primary deliverable and outcome for this initial 10-year assessment.
• That's the primary deliverable and outcome for this initial 10-year assessment.
• I just really appreciate the work that they've done to ground the study in practical, consensus-based
• How did you assess the value of the land that you purchased? Was it like a dollar an acre?

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• After many attempts at different forms of therapy through the government VA or private practices, I decided
• that matter because once there is insurance involved, I as a clinician have to do a diagnostic assessment
• um and that means they're assessment um and that means they're diagnosed<00:19:04.480><c> with</c><00
• :24:20.760><c> individual</c><00:24:21.320><c> comes</c><00:24:21.640><c> we</c><00:24:21.840><c> assess
• </c><00:24:22.400><c> their</c> when an individual comes we assess their when an individual comes we

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They could only practice in this particular area.
• As you know, practice for many, many years...
• Why did it not go back into practice?
• In law enforcement, we call that threat assessment.
• I practice in Tallahassee.

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 1082 would let providers or insurers in state-regulated commercial plans opt into the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims, with a late-filed amendment clarifying access to the state program in certain circumstances. The bill sponsor and emergency physicians said the measure would reduce litigation and improve payment resolution; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168 would centralize background screening work for the care provider clearinghouse at the Agency for Health Care Administration and update related screening rules, including sealed and expunged records for qualified entities. The sponsor said the change would speed turnaround and reduce duplication; an amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156 would move ambulatory surgical center regulation out of Chapter 395 into a standalone section of law, and it was reported favorably without amendment. SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designations change, allowing them to continue seeing current patients and potentially new patients in their existing area subject to board oversight. The committee heard support from health system representatives and reported the bill favorably. The final and most debated measure, SB 1756 on medical freedom, would require vaccine education materials and alternative schedules, expand school immunization exemptions to conscience-based objections, clarify limits on emergency vaccination orders, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin behind the counter with written information. The sponsor and supporters framed it as parental choice and access, while physicians, public health advocates, cancer advocates, and parents of immunocompromised children warned it would lower vaccination rates and increase disease risk. The committee adopted a liability-related amendment, rejected a substitute amendment that would have required consultation for exemptions, and continued hearing public testimony opposing the bill; the transcript ends before final action on SB 1756.

Transcript Highlights:

• We approach each practice, each program, and policy decision in a way that recognizes and addresses not
• A couple of the bullet points, especially ECFE at tribal schools and the kindergarten fall assessment
• A couple of the bullet points, especially ECFE at tribal schools and the kindergarten fall assessment
• </c><00:26:37.799><c> do</c> and the kindergarten fall assessment do and the kindergarten fall assessment
• </c><00:26:59.320><c> and</c> aspects supporting best practices and aspects supporting best practices

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I started my career 34 years ago, and I was one of those people that they sent in to assess and evaluate
• The Legislature finds that certain practices inherent to Sharia law...
• That means Muslims in America, like people of any faith, have the right to practice their religion.
• That means Muslims in America, like people of any faith, have the right to practice their religion.
• But it also means that no religious law, whether the to practice their religion.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several guest recognitions before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up a series of claims and relief bills, including SB 6 for L.E. against DCF, SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata, and later other measures such as child welfare, public records, and professional licensing bills. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as targeted fixes or relief measures, and several were substituted with identical House bills before final passage. Votes were overwhelmingly favorable on these items, including unanimous or near-unanimous approvals on the claims bills and education-related measures. A major floor debate centered on CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a new framework for large-scale planned developments on at least 15,000 acres with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a structured path for long-term growth and development, while opponents from both parties warned it was too vague, could undermine local control, and lacked enough specificity on conservation, infrastructure, and land-use protections. After extensive debate, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 21 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 556 on Special Olympics as a PE substitute for students with disabilities, SB 688 on naturopathic medicine, SB 758 on the Justice Administrative Commission, SB 830 creating public-records exemptions for certain local officials and their families, SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel, SB 914 on dry needling by occupational therapists, and SB 1002 on child welfare and parental drug abuse. Another lengthy and contentious discussion involved CS/CS/SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles, which included provisions on foreign law, domestic terrorist designations, and restrictions on public support for designated organizations. Senators debated an amendment to remove references to Sharia law; that amendment failed. A second amendment with broader revisions and notice procedures was then taken up, with questions focused on notice, appeal rights, and the designation process. The transcript ends during that amendment discussion, before final disposition is shown. Throughout the session, many bills were substituted with identical House companions and then passed by recorded vote, often with strong bipartisan support.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> yes, those are those are best practices. yes, those are those are best practices.
• </c> database will be assessed a $100 fee. database will be assessed a $100 fee.
• </c><04:19:41.439><c> I</c> practices violates that agreement. I practices violates that agreement.
• </c> forest management practices. forest management practices.
• </c> 3 million is in current use assessment. 3 million is in current use assessment.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It will not change the scope of practice, so they will still be bound by the same scope of practice,
• So you practice in this field? Yes, ma'am.
• So you practice in this field? Yes, ma'am.
• It does not change our scope of practice.
• </c> leader that's been the standard practice leader that's been the standard practice for<02:29:58.279

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . receive a Kentucky license to practice.
• </c> license to practice. license to practice. So,<00:33:25.160><c> Mr.
• Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. licensure, licensure of practical licensure, licensure
• of practical nursing,<00:51:32.760><c> and</c><00:51:33.000><c> adding</c><00:51:33.280><c> credential
• </c> alternative assessments. alternative assessments.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I own a farm and do not believe that this practice has improved weather at all.
• There's reasonable data to suggest that this practice did not stop in Vietnam, but only increased as
• I practiced in several settings for almost 20 years.
• It says that an application for convenience and assessing must be submitted...
• Thank you. ...for convenience and assessing must be submitted to the Public Service Commission.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking ahead, we deliberately assess risk and align resources to sustain readiness, support civil authorities
• Not that we want unknowingly or overappropriate or that's not a certainly practice.
• This Corps provides quality educators to conduct assessments, This corps provides quality educators to
• conduct assessments and academic vocational learning opportunities for offenders.
• The CSCs are community-based short-term interventions to assess, stabilize, and monitor offenders at

Summary: The committee first heard the Missouri National Guard’s FY 2027 budget request in House Bill 2008. Brigadier General Bob Payne outlined the Guard’s dual state and federal mission, recent deployments and state activations, counter-drug work, and the need to maintain readiness and aging armory infrastructure. Members questioned several items, including a proposed internal auditor position required by statute, a World Cup-related NDI, the use of general revenue versus other funds, and a federal match for base operations support at Rosecrans Airport. The presentation then shifted into executive session, where the committee reviewed a House committee substitute and several amendments. One amendment to fund the Missouri State Fair’s Great American State Fair participation with ag and tourism funds was rejected, while an amendment reducing $50,000 in House and Senate legal contingency funding was adopted. Another amendment directing budget information to all committee members rather than only chairs was rejected. The committee then adopted the substitute and voted House Bill 2014 do pass by a 24-0-1 vote. The committee next took up the Department of Corrections FY 2027 budget in House Bill 2009. DOC described a new CERT stipend increase, a reduction in the Office of Director’s Staff, and several core items including professional standards, federal funds, community treatment programming, education grants, population growth pool, restitution payments, human services staff, telecommunications, general services, fuel and utilities, food purchases, food service, staff training, employee health and safety, overtime, adult institution staff, institution E&E, wage and discharge, and individual institutions. Members asked about the CERT stipend, PREA allegations, education funding, restitution payments, the population growth pool, the working capital revolving fund, food service costs, overtime, retention, warden turnover, the prison nursery, and the use of inmate canteen funds. DOC said CERT members are full-time employees who volunteer for additional duty, that staffing has improved but remains a challenge, that the food service increase reflects the end of inventory credits and inflation, and that the department generally spends non-GR funds first when possible. Discussion also turned to whether DOC facilities could be repurposed for pretrial or mental health populations; DOC said it is legally limited to post-sentence inmates and that staffing and labor-market constraints make reopening closed facilities difficult.

Transcript Highlights:

• This requires<00:19:14.080><c> DOT</c><00:19:15.039><c> to</c><00:19:15.280><c> assess</c><00:19:15.679
• requires DOT to assess a per passenger head<00:19:17.440><c> fee</c><00:19:18.080><c> against</c><00
• And those fees, including passenger fees, port entry, and dockage, will continue to be assessed against
• </c><00:21:09.280><c> against</c><00:21:09.679><c> cruise</c> continue to be assessed against cruise
• continue to be assessed against cruise ships<00:21:10.159><c> and</c><00:21:10.400><c> their</c><00:21

Bills: HB1709, HB2195, HB2023, HB2031, HB2033, HB1937, HB2586, HB2575, HB2038, HB2030

Keywords: water carriers, transportation, public utility, Department of Transportation, liability, agricultural rates, certificates of convenience, cruise ship, passenger head fee, harbor, capital improvement, funding, environmental impact, active intelligent speed assistance, intelligent speed assistance, speed limiter, speed limiting device, speed governor, vehicle telematics, traffic safety

Summary: The joint committees on Transportation, Labor and Technology, and later Transportation and Economic Development and Tourism, heard several bills. SB 2573 would allow administrative driver’s license revocation hearings to be held by interactive conference technology such as Zoom and permit electronic exchange of evidence. The chief adjudicator for the ADLRO supported it as a non-mandatory option that has worked well since 2021, improving attendance and saving time and money; DOT also supported it. The committees voted to pass SB 2573 with technical, non-substantive amendments. SB 3215 would make permanent the requirement that securing mooring lines at commercial docks be performed by labor subject to collective bargaining by repealing the sunset date in existing harbor safety law. DOT did not submit testimony, and the chair noted support from longshore labor. The committees voted to pass SB 3215 unamended. The committees also heard SB 2693, which authorizes $15 million in general obligation bonds for planning, design, and construction of a 50,000-square-foot aerospace hangar and related facilities at Hilo International Airport. A Phoenix Space executive testified in support, saying Hawaii and Hilo have geographic advantages and that the project could support aerospace investment and jobs; several other organizations and individuals submitted supportive testimony. Committee members questioned whether federal matching funds or airport capacity existed, and DOT said it had no assurance of federal participation and would need to check on capacity and potential users. The hearing then moved to SB 2698, which would create a cruise ship special fund and impose a per-passenger head fee on cruise ships docking in state commercial harbors while repealing the existing cruise ship TAT framework effective January 1, 2026. DOT supported the bill but requested amendments to clarify that the new fee is in addition to existing passenger, port entry, and dockage fees and to raise the fee from $6.50 to $10; DOT said the higher amount would better fund harbor improvements such as shore power. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings testified in support but said the added fee would significantly increase costs, while a local ship supply business supported the cruise industry and opposed the TAT approach, saying cruise activity benefits local farmers and jobs. No final vote on SB 2698 was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• As the senators will recall, S. 230 is an employment practices bill combining several bills containing
• That has to do with Fair Employment Practices Act.
• </c> with Fair employment practices act. with Fair employment practices act.
• Current practice is that the majority of municipal officials in Vermont are volunteers.
• </c> the Vermont Fair Employment Practices the Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act<00:20:51.880><c>

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then when the fuel hits the rack, where it's subject to all sorts of other fees and assessments,
• So how does that assessment work at the rack, and how, yeah, with those kinds of blind spots out there
• I know I threw out OPG earlier, and that modeling that we use to assess carbon intensities beyond our
• It would be hard to try and put into the cap-and-invest a life-cycle kind of assessment because it's
• But in terms of the details, that's something that we're still assessing.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:32.279><c> generally</c> time that is their practice generally time that is their practice
• They do drive-by meter readings, and they would have to change that practice all at once.
• That's what we have to really assess.
• So can you provide an adequate cost-benefit assessment of this activity now?
• </c><01:17:55.280><c> so</c> that's what we have to really assess so that's what we have to really assess

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 514, Mississippi Veterinary Practice Act; amend and include certain provisions for certified
• House Bill 514, Mississippi Veterinary Practice Act; amend and include certain provisions for certified
• House Bill 514 is Veterinary Practice Act Revision.
• And then it also removes some fees and updates some language on their Practice Act that they have asked
• </c> updates some language on their Practice updates some language on their Practice Act<00:25:27.160

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 9 March, 2026; 4:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My assessment is that if this bill is passed, it will harm Florida's healthcare system by driving up
• An important variable: if we make this riskier to practice medicine. more risky to practice medicine
• We hear more about OB practices closing.
• Even for those seeking only economic damages, subsection eight makes recovery practically impossible.
• I practiced in the field for 30 plus years. I see the problems.