Transcript Highlights:

• Well, this sort of average amount of time between closing and construction completion, it really depends
• 02.320><c> of</c><00:15:02.639><c> unit</c><00:15:03.000><c> for</c><00:15:03.160><c> a</c> really depends
• on the type of unit for a really depends on the type of unit for a highrise<00:15:03.920><c> is</c><
• Uh, it depends if it's a 4% or 9% part, but generally it's in year two, generally when the project closes
• Uh, it depends if it's a 4% or 9% part, but generally it's in year two, generally when the project closes

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it depends on what facet that you want to explain. But thank you so much.
• I think it depends on what facet that you want to explain.
• I think it depends on what facet you want to explore. In many ways, I wear a lot of different hats.
• Their decreases have been steeper, arguably, than any others, depending on the year interval we're looking
• Than any others, depending on the year interval we're looking at, even though, like, there's no other

Committee: House Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Heat can differ depending on locations in more urban settings with fewer trees; I don't know.
• Heat can differ depending on locations.
• retired neighbors on fixed incomes, my close friend's partner, a leukemia survivor on disability, who depends
• canceled $440,000 in food deliveries to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts that thousands here depend
• to health and safety from temperature, utility disconnection poses risks for the health of people dependent

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several energy-related bills, with the main focus on H. 3534/S. 2255, which would ban or sharply restrict residential third-party electric suppliers, and on related reform proposals. Supporters included the Attorney General’s office, municipal and regional planning officials, environmental justice groups, consumer advocates, and city officials from Boston and Chelsea. They argued that the residential competitive supply market has produced higher bills, deceptive sales tactics, auto-renewals into higher rates, and disproportionate harm to low-income residents, seniors, communities of color, and people with limited English. Witnesses cited AG reports estimating hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges over time, described door-to-door and storefront marketing abuses, and said municipal aggregation programs have saved residents money while offering more stable rates. Several supporters said the Legislature should either ban residential competitive supply or adopt strong guardrails such as ending automatic renewals, banning incentive-based commissions, and capping rates relative to basic service. Opponents or industry representatives from the Retail Energy Advancement League, Vistra, and Constellation argued that the market can provide savings, longer-term price stability, and value-added products such as renewable options and time-of-use offerings. They said Massachusetts has already improved consumer protections through DPU proceedings, that complaints are relatively few compared with the size of the market, and that a ban would eliminate consumer choice. They also defended direct sales and commissions as normal features of a retail market, while saying they would support additional protections, licensing, bonding, and stronger oversight of bad actors. Committee members pressed both sides on whether the market truly saves money, whether automatic renewals should be banned, and whether the AG’s proposed reforms would be enough. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3972, a bill to extend utility shutoff protections during extreme heat, with Rep. Mindy Domb arguing that Massachusetts should treat extreme heat like extreme cold and protect customers facing financial hardship. Rep. Barrett also testified for H. 3450, a municipal broadband/right-of-way bill, arguing that communities need easier and cheaper access to utility poles and public rights of way to build municipal broadband. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Creem testified for S. 2239, which would bar utilities from recovering ratepayer funds for lobbying, promotions, trade association dues, and similar expenses. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• education, and housing programs that so many residents, especially low-income families and seniors, depend
• Everything depends on what happens in 2026 and 2028 in those elections, but even assuming that these
• about at the MMA is resources, right, and adequate funding for the important services that residents depend
• The success of the 2030 census depends on collaboration between local and state partners and, most importantly
• have sort of like Portuguese and Spanish in the same sheet rather than just Spanish and English, depending

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held an early planning hearing on how Massachusetts can maximize participation in the 2030 census, with Chair Will Brownsberger and Vice Chair Rebecca Rausch emphasizing the need to start well in advance. The first panel, made up of leaders from the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, MIRA, and MESA, stressed that grassroots community organizations are trusted messengers and should be funded early to do multilingual outreach, training, and direct assistance in hard-to-count communities. They described lessons from 2020, including the shift to internet response, reduced federal census infrastructure, the importance of coordinated statewide networks, and the need to begin messaging several years before Census Day because building trust and staffing outreach takes time. Panelists repeatedly warned that immigrant communities are facing heightened fear because of federal immigration enforcement and the possibility of a citizenship question or other federal changes, making census participation more difficult. They said 2020 funding arrived too late to fully staff and train outreach teams before the pandemic, and argued that future resources should be deployed earlier and more flexibly. In response to committee questions, they estimated Massachusetts should invest roughly $8 million to $10 million or more in state census outreach, with one proposed model of about $3 million to $5 million at the start, additional funding in the middle years, and a larger final push closer to 2030. They also suggested that funding should support communications infrastructure, translation, social media and ethnic media outreach, and possibly a permanent complete count structure or trust fund to preserve institutional knowledge. A second panel from Common Cause Massachusetts and the ACLU of Massachusetts echoed the call for stronger, earlier investment and stronger privacy protections. They urged the legislature to expand existing census line items, consider a trust fund or other dedicated funding stream, and coordinate census outreach with other state programs that already work through trusted community messengers. The ACLU testimony focused on racial inequities in census counts and warned that federal efforts to exclude non-citizens or add a citizenship question would deepen distrust and undercount immigrant communities. Committee members asked about the 2020 overcount/undercount results, funding levels, timing of grant distribution, and whether census outreach should be routed through the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other state mechanisms; no votes were taken, and the hearing moved on to a later panel on immigrant-community outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• no matter who sits in the seat of Governor or in the seats of the Legislature, that it can change depending
• And so it really depends.
• increase in recurring fees to homeowners is estimated to be an additional $1.50 to $2.50 per year, depending
• HDFC projects represents a substantial departure from the existing process that affordable houses depend
• Developers depend upon this to move projects forward.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• no matter who sits in the seat of Governor or in the seats of the Legislature, that it can change depending
• And so it really depends.
• increase in recurring fees to homeowners is estimated to be an additional $1.50 to $2.50 per year, depending
• HDFC projects represents a substantial departure from the existing process that affordable housing depends
• Developers depend upon this to move projects forward.

Summary: The subcommittee opened with remarks on the Senate’s budget plan for affordable housing and homelessness, including a proposed $2 billion housing investment and full funding for HHAP rounds 7 and 8. The first major item was the administration’s housing reorganization and trailer bill package, which would codify the new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC), consolidate multifamily housing finance programs into a one-stop application and award process, and shift some authority over bonds, tax credits, and the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program. Administration officials said the goal was to reduce duplication, speed projects from award to construction, and improve accountability by aligning financing decisions. The LAO generally supported the streamlining concept but recommended changes to the proposed bond set-aside and earlier reallocation of unused bond authority, and suggested preserving flexibility for integrated applications and reporting back on the proposed 70/30 split for housing versus sustainable communities funding. Committee members, especially Senator Cabaldon, raised concerns that the new committee structure could add process and delay, and questioned whether the proposal was effectively repurposing the climate-oriented ASIC program into a housing finance tool without enough direct investment in core housing programs. Administration witnesses responded that the structure was meant to create transparency, public accountability, and simultaneous financing awards, and said the proposal was only a first step in a broader consolidation effort. Members also asked about specific programs such as the Joe Serna Farm Worker Housing Grant Program and the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program, and staff said those would remain within the broader streamlined framework or the flexible sustainable communities allocation. The committee then heard from CDLAC and TCAC on federal tax credit changes and state housing finance. Staff explained that H.R. 1 increased the federal 9% LIHTC allocation and, more importantly, lowered the bond-financing threshold for 4% credits from 50% to 25%, allowing California to finance many more projects. They reported emergency regulations were adopted quickly to implement the change, resulting in 195 projects and more than 25,000 units in the 4% program, while the 9% program funded 58 projects and nearly 3,000 units. Members asked about the value of the state low-income housing tax credit program and rehabilitation projects; staff said state credits remain important for filling financing gaps and that a portion of bond and credit resources is now set aside for acquisition and rehabilitation. Finally, the Civil Rights Department reported on the effects of federal civil rights rollbacks and on three limited-term or expiring programs: California vs. Hate, the Community Conflict Resolution Unit, and Investigations and Conciliation Enhancement. Director Kevin Kish said federal closures and funding cuts have increased demand on the department, which now has more than 12,000 open matters, up from 8,700 a year earlier, and a six-month wait for intake interviews despite overtime triage and early case screening. Members urged continued funding for the programs, arguing they are essential as federal protections weaken; department staff said California vs. Hate connects callers quickly to support services, the conflict resolution unit fills a gap left by the shuttered federal counterpart, and the limited-term investigators have helped reduce wait times even as filings continue to rise.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it'll depend on the floor schedule. >> All right. >> Yeah, that's, you know, that's really what we're
• Um<00:04:55.520><c> it'll</c><00:04:55.720><c> depend</c><00:04:56.080><c> on</c><00:04:56.200><c> the
• </c> Um it'll depend on the floor schedule. Um it'll depend on the floor schedule.
• aware of another state that has this in law right now, but maybe under consideration. >> Sounds like depending

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• High-quality, high-volume spay-neuter surgery is a specialty whose success depends on experienced and
• It doesn't recognize the coercion, the dependency, and the exploitation that can occur.
• When accountability depends only on the institution, too often the survivors are ignored and people are
• They depend on the providers who understand their language and culture. This actually matters.
• They depend on the providers who understand their language and culture.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of bills, with members repeatedly noting the lack of quorum while testimony continued. AB 1693 by Assemblymember Zbur would streamline local permitting for retail tenant improvements by allowing qualified professional certifiers to review plans and requiring local action within set deadlines; the California Retailers Association supported the bill, citing lengthy permit delays, and there was no opposition. AB 2010 by Assemblymember Soria would expand access to high-volume spay and neuter services, including mobile clinics, to address pet overpopulation; supporters said it would improve access in rural and underserved areas, while opponents and the Veterinary Medical Board raised concerns about safety standards and asked for amendments. AB 2195 by Assemblymember Rodriguez would stop automatic occupational license suspensions for low-income parents behind on child support; supporters argued the policy is counterproductive and hurts earning capacity, while the California Child Support Association and others said license suspension is an effective enforcement tool that brings parents to the table. The committee also heard AB 2311 by Assemblymember Chiu, which would let public health care district hospitals directly employ physicians; supporters said it would improve recruitment and access to care, while medical groups warned about physician autonomy and institutional influence. AB 1796 by Assemblymember Jackson would create a licensure pathway for professional interior designers and add an interior designer to the California Architects Board; supporters framed it as a public safety and professional recognition measure, while opponents said it would create confusion, unnecessary regulation, and no demonstrated public harm. AB 1739 by Assemblymember Ward would make it a crime for clergy providing therapeutic services to engage in sexual contact with a counselee, closing a gap in existing law; it drew strong support from survivor advocates and no opposition. Finally, AB 2497 by Assemblymember Johnson began testimony on modernizing the physical therapy practice act, with the author noting committee amendments that removed imaging and other provisions, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or action on that bill was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• High-quality, high-volume spay-neuter surgery is a specialty whose success depends on experienced and
• highly trained surgery... ...whose success depends on experienced and highly trained surgical teams.
• It doesn't recognize the coercion, the dependency, and the exploitation that can occur.
• When accountability depends only on the institution, too often the survivors are ignored and people are
• They depend on the providers who understand their ...language and culture.

Committee: House Business and Professions

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes some will be held back, just depends.
• Depending on the severity of it, there are times when they’re put on administrative time off while we
• go through the investigative process. ...but a lot of it depends on the evidence that the staff are
• Whether this case will be on a similar trajectory depends on how effective this receivership's actions
• And so it's complicated, depending on where the facility is.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're in lockers or in a lockbox, depending on how the district has decided to... ...They're in lockers
• or in a lockbox, depending on how the district has decided to implement a cell phone ban, right?
• They're in lockers or in a lockbox, depending on how the district has decided to...
• They're in lockers or in a lockbox, depending on how the district has decided to implement a cell phone
• that that was still too narrow, but they liked the idea of 'in the case... ...of' because then, depending

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's employers need dependable entry-level and early career workers.
• 09.080><c> need</c> readiness um Minnesota's employers need readiness um Minnesota's employers need dependable
• entry-level</c><00:18:10.840><c> and</c><00:18:11.080><c> early</c><00:18:11.400><c> career</c> dependable
• entry-level and early career dependable entry-level and early career workers.<00:18:12.600><c> Job</
• This will allow the small and medium-size manufacturers that depend on Enterprise Minnesota to weather

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the resale platforms and the scalpers who depend on those platforms.
• platforms and the scalpers who defend<00:21:07.919><c> on</c><00:21:08.640><c> the</c><00:21:09.280><c> depend
• </c> defend on the depend on those platforms. defend on the depend on those platforms.
• They're fighting this bill specifically because their model depends on price gouging your constituents

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's why an old man's memory can't be dependent on us. Yeah, thank you, that's it.
• It's really just depends on how the officer wrote the complaint.
• It's just dependent.
• So I think that's fact dependent upon the type of sexual crime that you're talking about and how the
• Depending on how it happens, you might get 15 if you discharge it.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• specific size and amount of those awards is anticipated to be similar to our current one, but it’ll depend
• Um so so so this 5-year program, the annual awards are going to be dependent on federal approval and
• are<00:46:32.400><c> going</c><00:46:32.520><c> to</c><00:46:32.600><c> be</c><00:46:32.880><c> dependent
• </c><00:46:33.760><c> on</c><00:46:34.440><c> federal</c> are going to be dependent on federal are going
• to be dependent on federal approval<00:46:35.920><c> and</c><00:46:36.080><c> performance.

Bills: HB20 , HB276 , HB644 , HB812 , HB816 , HB916 , HB1131 , HB1247 , HB1518 , HB1525 , HB1537 , HB1541 , HB1546 , HB1553 , HB1562 , HB1565 , HB1566 , HB1576 , HB1577 , HB1591 , HB1605 , HB1612 , HB1613 , HB1614 , HB1618 , HB1620 , HB1650 , HB1656 , HB1658 , HB1661 , HB1664 , HB1668 , HB1676 , HB1707 , HB1711 , HB1713 , HB1715 , HB1718 , HB1727 , HB1749 , HB1756 , HB1774 , HB1776 , HB1801 , HB1802 , HB1805 , HB1813 , HB1815 , HB1831 , HB1838 , HB1853 , HB1854 , HB1859 , HB1863 , HB1871 , HB1872 , HB1918 , HB1920 , HB1952 , HB1965 , HB1966 , HB1967 , HB1969 , HB1972 , HB1973 , HB1974 , HB1975 , HB1980 , HB1985 , HB2005 , HB2023 , HB2031 , HB2033 , HB2062 , HB2113 , HB2114 , HB2116 , HB2138 , HB2139 , HB2156 , HB2158 , HB2159 , HB2171 , HB2208 , HB2268 , HB2270 , HB2272 , HB2273 , HB2276 , HB2289 , HB2310 , HB2315 , HB2335 , HB2338 , HB2339 , HB2340 , HB2343 , HB2361 , HB2384 , HB2387 , SB2338 , SB2431 , SB2438 , SB2593 , SB2907 , SB2671 , SB2321 , SB3084 , SB2401 , SB3033 , SB2972 , SB3032 , SB2806 , SB3014 , SB2108 , SB2981 , SB2973 , SB2423 , SB2078 , SB2322 , SB2397 , SB2896 , SB2088 , SB2347 , SB2408 , SB2970 , SB2851 , SB2713 , SB2697 , SB2312 , SB2192 , SB2363 , SB2530 , SB3028 , SB2024 , SB3007 , SB2599 , SB2596 , SB2662 , SB2930 , SB3334 , SB2378 , SB3019 , SB3231 , SB2240 , SB2372 , SB2175 , SB2046 , SB2298 , SB2922 , SB2835 , SB3263 , SB2174 , SB2128 , SB2006 , SB2489 , SB3134 , SB2982 , SB2425 , SB2849 , SB2797 , SB2795 , SB2575 , SB2521 , SB2765 , SB2386 , SB2852 , SB2022 , SB2117 , SB2277 , SB2387 , SB2688 , SB2885 , SB3132 , SB3219 , SB2169 , SB2591 , SB2090 , SB2983 , SB888 , SB3249 , SB2611 , SB2429 , SB2463 , SB3154 , SB3131 , SB3152 , SB3315 , SB2448 , SB2054 , SB2140 , SB2520 , SB2377 , SB2986 , SB2010 , SB2189 , SB2026 , SB3010 , SB2818 , SB2002

Keywords: lava insurance, homeowners, insurance market, subsidy, Hawaii, condominiums, annual report, filing fee, real estate, developer, residency, property regime, PFAS, single-use plastics, environmental health, food ware, pollution reduction, local produce, agriculture, Hawaii Revised Statutes

Transcript Highlights:

• That variable support depends on the operating efficiency and performance of Fairview.
• That variable support depends on the operating efficiency and performance of Fairview.
• That variable support depends on the operating efficiency and performance of Fairview.
• That variable support depends on the operating efficiency and performance of Fairview.
• That variable support depends on the operating efficiency and performance of Fairview.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• making sure that the Office of the Legislative Auditor is able to do its job because the legislature depends
• making sure that the Office of the Legislative Auditor is able to do its job because the legislature depends
• making sure that the Office of the Legislative Auditor is able to do its job because the legislature depends
• making sure that the Office of the Legislative Auditor is able to do its job because the legislature depends
• would anticipate when you talk about the core health and human services solutions which our counties depend

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republican leaders held a press event to roll out a package of anti-fraud proposals focused on state welfare and human services programs. Mark Johnson opened by citing recent fraud scandals, including a shuttered housing program and reports of vulnerable adults being left without care while providers billed for full services, and said Republicans want top-down reform, stronger accountability, new technology, and tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars. Michael Kreun said Republicans support an independent Office of Inspector General and argued the Senate-passed bill should not be weakened in the House; he also said the Senate should restore its role in confirming agency commissioners, especially at DHS, which he described as central to the fraud problem. Jordan Rasmusson outlined a plan to stop “blank checks” for DHS and DCYF services by requiring legislative audit review when a program exceeds budget by 5 percent and legislative approval for additional spending at 10 percent over budget. He also said DHS should adopt basic integrity tools such as electronic visit verification and client sign-off. Steve Drazkowski described two bills: a statewide “do-not-pay” list to block payments to ineligible people or entities, and an “I’m Not a Robot” proposal for Medicaid managed care that would require enrollee verification forms, with a 2 percent payment withhold used to encourage compliance and potentially fund county system upgrades. Mark Krueger said the state should improve technology and data use for eligibility determinations, citing other states’ rapid fraud-fighting systems, and proposed penalties for false reporting to the Legislative Auditor after a DHS audit found falsified site-visit records. Steve Gruenhagen said his bill would require DHS and DCYF to resume annual fraud-prevention and oversight reports to the legislature, which he said had stopped after 2017 despite rising fraud cases. Michael Holmstrom proposed unannounced site visits for all DHS and DCYF providers before enrollment, reenrollment, and revalidation, funded through provider service fees, and cited a recent case involving a woman with autism who was billed for far more care than she received. In the Q&A, Kreun said House Democrats’ delete-everything amendment to the inspector general bill removed the law enforcement division and stripped the bill of its “teeth,” and he suggested the governor’s office may have been involved in efforts to replace the bill with a weaker coordination council model. No votes were taken in the press conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not a state program that is a social service, but rather dependent upon donations, and the state
• This is not a state program that is a social service, but rather dependent upon donations, and the state
• 03.200><c> uh</c> that is a social service, but rather uh that is a social service, but rather uh dependent
• 04.000><c> donations</c><00:24:04.559><c> and</c><00:24:04.880><c> the</c><00:24:05.039><c> state</c> dependent
• upon donations and the state dependent upon donations and the state shouldn't<00:24:06.080><c> fund<

Bills: HB1952 , HB1951 , HB1929 , HB2497 , HB2208 , HB2572 , HB1737 , HB1953 , HB2551 , HB2549

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Keywords: HB1952, Hawaii agriculture, University of Hawaii, CTAHR, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, Kauai, agricultural research station, extension station, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, appropriation, ADA compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, certified kitchen, greenhouse, laboratory, field research, cesspool decommissioning, invasive species

Transcript Highlights:

• Homewise, many different places have down payment assistance, and so that would kind of depend on the
• Speaker and gentlemen, that exact number I would have to get for you because, you know, it would depend
• Speaker and gentlemen, I would say that it depends on your community, obviously.
• Speaker, gentlemen, I would say that it depends on your community, obviously.
• Speaker, gentlemen, it really depends.

Bills: HB111 , HB108 , HB145 , HB164 , HB291 , HJR6 , HR1 , HB63 , HB64 , HB165 , HB184 , HB200 , HB4 , HB7 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB88 , HB96 , HB166 , HB285 , HB295 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HJM2 , HJM3 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• It's Larry Sontag here, a homeowner in Bernalillo County who depends on a water well for drinking and
• industry, construction, and infrastructure, we reduce unnecessary competition for fresh water that I depend
• type of reuse will present to our state's residents and natural environment and the resources we depend
• our water supply for future generations so that we may preserve our Indigenous ways of life that depend
• So because costs and the treatment design really depend on what water you're treating, I don't know if

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Keywords: 996, all