Transcript Highlights:

• I live in a condo.
• in a way that preserves financial stability, and reduce strain on social services and even stabilize
• school enrollment, which is... ...and reduce the strain on social services, and even stabilizes school
• Many older Washingtonians are living on fixed incomes.
• NJP has been the primary legal aid provider for foreclosure defense services for low- and moderate-income

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a neighbor who lives just a couple blocks from the state fairgrounds.
• So there'll be... ...of that $9 million to fund debt service.
• No one lives there. It's... ...asphalt. We have 246 acres. No one lives there.
• I don't live there any longer. I live... This is exciting.
• I don't live there any longer. I live in the North Valley, but my family is still there.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 248, the general obligation bond bill, which would authorize about $392.5 million in bond capacity for senior centers, libraries, and higher education, special schools, and tribal school projects. The sponsor highlighted major projects including a new UNM School of Medicine, a multidisciplinary building at NMSU, renovations at New Mexico Tech, a technical innovation center at CNM, an agricultural science and arts building at ENMU, and library renovations at New Mexico Highlands. Public testimony was supportive, especially from the New Mexico Library Association, and members discussed how the bond process works, including application timing, readiness to spend funds, voter approval, and how unspent bond proceeds revert. The committee voted do pass on HB 248 without opposition. The committee then considered House Bill 309, which would clarify property tax valuation rules for electric energy storage facilities by extending the existing special valuation method for electric generation, transmission, and distribution to battery storage and similar technologies. Supporters from PNM, InterWest Energy Alliance, and Inventergy said the bill would provide consistency and clarity as storage becomes more important to grid reliability and clean energy development. Members raised questions about depreciation, the 12-year schedule, the 20% floor on valuation, possible effects on local government revenues, whether the bill would apply to utilities and co-ops, industrial revenue bonds, and whether it covered microgrids or only battery systems. The committee approved HB 309 on an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 48, which would authorize $92 million in bonds for the State Fairgrounds District to support redevelopment of the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, including land acquisition, green space, water and sewer infrastructure, and traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements near San Pedro and Central. Support came from neighborhood groups, housing advocates, the city of Albuquerque, the chamber of commerce, and others who described the project as a long-term investment in safety, infrastructure, and economic revitalization for the surrounding area. Members questioned the bond repayment structure, the 25-year term, the use of district gross receipts and gaming tax revenues, parking impacts, and future bonding needs. The committee voted do pass on SB 48 by a 10-2 margin.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Services Department in support. Services Department in support.
• And then, you know, the people that have worked in customer service, their lives have not improved in
• And then, you know, the people that have worked in customer service, their lives have not improved in
• And then, you know, the people that have worked in customer service, their lives have not improved in
• not</c> customer service their lives have not customer service their lives have not improved<01:07:34.720

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1588, which would establish a Department of Transportation noise detection program using cameras to enforce noise control laws. DOT supported the measure and said it is already piloting the technology at eight locations, with about 10 sites costing roughly $2 million to $2.5 million to install and operate. The Department of Health said it was willing to work with DOT but noted its current regulations are not designed for vehicular noise sources and that the bill may need clearer standards to be enforceable. Members raised concerns about the lack of a specific decibel threshold and whether the system could accurately identify the source of noise; DOT said the pilot can pinpoint vehicles and that the program would align with existing health standards, but no final number was identified during the hearing. The committee then heard HB 1696, which lowers the minimum age for a commercial driver’s license from 19 to 18 and removes a restriction tied to vehicle category, while requiring DOT rule changes. DOT, the City and County of Honolulu, the Hawaii Transportation Association, Teamsters Local 996, and other stakeholders testified in support. The Hawaii Transportation Association suggested adding a training requirement for drivers ages 18 to 20, proposing at least 320 hours of employer training and recordkeeping. Members sought clarification that the bill would apply to intrastate, not interstate, licensing. For HB 233, the committee considered a measure authorizing DOT to designate airport special district zones statewide to prevent unauthorized access and improve security. DOT and the City and County of Honolulu supported the bill, explaining that defined boundaries would help law enforcement address trespassing, disruptions, fires, theft, harassment, and other incidents around airports and terminals; DOT said commercial airports are ready to implement the proposal, while some general aviation sites would need further work. Members asked about the scope of the boundaries, existing enforcement, and whether the measure would cover state-owned or non-state parcels near airports. The committee also heard HB 2332, which renames the Harbors Division as the Commercial Ports Division and distinguishes “harbor” from “port” in statute. DOT, the Maritime Group, and harbor users supported the bill, saying the change would reduce confusion between commercial cargo/cruise facilities and recreational small boat harbors, and could help with clarity and possibly federal grant competitiveness. Members asked about impacts on small boat harbors and cruise activity, and DOT explained that the bill is aimed at purpose-built commercial ports, not recreational facilities. The committee also took testimony on HB 2283, which clarifies DOT’s consultative role with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in setting port pilotage standards and requirements. DOT, DCCA, Matson, the Hawaii Pilots Association, and others supported the measure, saying it would improve coordination and ensure pilot licensing standards reflect operational realities in the harbors. Finally, after a recess, the committee heard HB 2217, which would allow driver’s permits, licenses, and ID cards to include a notation for a non-apparent disability. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities opposed the bill as drafted, saying voluntary alternatives such as Smart 911 may be better and that the category is too broad. The Attorney General’s office supported the intent but recommended limiting the notation to medically recognized, specifically defined conditions so agencies can train personnel and avoid confusion or escalation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as we know, many Californians are feeling the pressure from the rising cost of living.
• Hydrogen can be used to transition existing power infrastructure into clean energy infrastructure.
• It's one of those projects people talk about when they talk about a transition from current energy.
• They were from the North San Diego area, and one was a senior who lived in a condo. And...
• And then I had another gentleman that owned apartments, and he lived in an apartment.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> it's great to kick off uh Human Services it's great to kick off uh Human Services for<00:02:10.200
• </c> presentation on the Human Services presentation on the Human Services budget<00:15:15.079><c> so
• </c> with the health and human services with the health and human services committee<00:21:19.640><c>
• She says they're transitioning their large PCA program to the Community First Services and Supports program
• It includes SUD services, mental health services, gambling, and tobacco.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> generation of products that we can live generation of products that we can live without<00:04:33.840
• </c> I myself uh Morehead where I live I myself uh Morehead where I live thankfully<00:04:46.479><c>
• </c> who tragically both lost their lives who tragically both lost their lives doing<01:29:54.880><c>
• </c><01:38:03.679><c> have</c> brother and friend and our lives have brother and friend and our lives
• We live in Plymouth District 42A.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Forest the forest Prairie transition Forest the forest Prairie transition prairie<00:09:43.720><
• And we'll keep trying; we kind of live to answer your questions at the Outdoor Heritage Council staff
• We kind of live to answer your questions at the Outdoor Heritage Council staff.
• in</c><00:31:15.720><c> most</c> US fish and wildlife service in most US fish and wildlife service in
• As a result, MPCA suggests establishing a January 1, 2028, hangar transition date.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They remind us that history is lived, carried forward, debated, and renewed.
• you know that we've been doing this for, this is going on our fourth year, that we have a church service
• We do worship in the first floor rotunda at 6 o'clock, and then we do a church service at 7.
• And the reason why he's coming is Texas actually started doing a church service the very same year that
• And their purpose for that is to get church services in all 50 capitals on one of the nights during the

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also services for for state police.
• </c><00:43:40.400><c> and</c> that we've had good peer services and that we've had good peer services
• </c><02:02:43.594><c> [clears throat]</c> and put bus service [clears throat] and put bus service [clears
• . was on the issue of live birth was on the issue of live birth reporting.<05:00:31.680><c> That</c><
• </c> these these facilities provide services these these facilities provide services just<05:06:48.480

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That managing the area and living there.
• Uh we are transitioning over All right. Uh we are transitioning over to<00:28:49.919><c> Waterland.
• . living. living.
• Um, I live on the Big Island, and my family has lived on the Big Island for four generations.
• c> Big</c><01:22:26.639><c> Island</c> my family has lived um on the Big Island my family has lived um

Bills: SB1406 , SB521 , SB3247 , SB1654 , SB1112 , SB1301 , SB2443 , SB2996

Committee: Senate Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: historic preservation, burial sites, DHHL, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, DLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, Hawaii Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places, cultural resources, archaeology, land use review, environmental review, state historic preservation officer, Hawaiian home lands, project permits, consultation, concurrence, nonconcurrence

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures affecting Hawaiian affairs, historic preservation, water access, and land governance. SB 1406 would let the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands assume historic preservation review for projects on lands under its jurisdiction, except for properties listed or nominated for the state or national historic registers. DHHL supported the bill, while a descendant testifier strongly opposed it, arguing that burial and preservation review protects ancestors and should not be streamlined or reduced. No questions were raised and the bill was moved on after testimony. SB 521 would require DHHL to work with county water boards or water departments to provide potable and agricultural water on Hawaiian homelands, with agreements made public. DHHL said it already works with counties but objected to the bill’s mandatory language, saying it could undermine the department’s discretion and independence. A public testifier supported the measure, and committee discussion focused on how water requirements could affect subsistence lots and infrastructure decisions. The committee then took up SB 3247, which would create a Royal Mausoleum Commission within DLNR to oversee preservation, operations, and outreach at Mauna Ala. State Parks said it valued existing collaboration with the aliʻi trusts but wanted clarity on roles, coordination, and funding if a new commission is created. The Royal Order of Kamehameha strongly supported the bill as a culturally grounded way to protect the site, while several other testifiers opposed it, saying the real issue is the curator selection process and warning that a commission could add bureaucracy and delay. The committee also heard SB 1654, authorizing transfer of certain state lands to DHHL, and SB 112, which would add the DHHL chair or designee to the Hawaii Community Development Authority; the Attorney General and HCDA offered technical and policy comments, with HCDA opposing the board change and DHHL supporting participation to protect beneficiary interests. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are required to provide appropriate services immediately.
• For example, we have a student who lives in Riggins. He is blind and he is on grade level.
• And then again, Cost alone is not a valid reason to deny those services.
• So we are required to provide these services.
• alone or can live in a home, a group home, without one-on-one assistance.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyone who lives with the impact of these problems every day.
• , as well as for the buildings of the new fire service training centers.
• It puts people's lives at risk. And it adds strain to an already overwhelmed system.
• Thank you for your testimony today and for your service to the community.
• I actually live in a manufactured home community in Raynham, Massachusetts.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Summary: The Senate Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on late-filed matters, chaired by Senator Paul Feeney and Representative Jamie Murphy. The committee heard testimony on several bills, including S. 2738 on rising insurance costs for manufactured home residents, S. 2739 on creating a fire cistern program, and S. 2732 on direct primary care. Members were reminded to keep testimony brief, and several legislators and local officials testified out of turn as they arrived. The hearing ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously. On S. 2738, Senator Kelly Dooner, Representative Lisa Field, Taunton Mayor Sean O’Connell, Taunton City Council President Barry Sanders, and several residents and local officials described sharp premium increases, limited carrier options, and confusion over coverage for manufactured home communities. Testifiers said many residents are seniors, veterans, or low-income households on fixed incomes, and urged creation of a special commission to study the market and recommend solutions. Some asked that residents themselves be included on the commission and suggested more immediate relief if possible. On S. 2739, fire chiefs from Hopkinton and East Hampton supported a state fund for fire cisterns, saying many communities lack municipal water or hydrants and need reliable year-round water sources for structure fires, wildfires, and newer hazards such as lithium-ion battery fires. They said cisterns improve response and can affect insurance ratings, but maintenance and installation costs are difficult for local departments to cover. The Massachusetts Insurance Federation opposed the funding mechanism, arguing that insurance assessments are being used as revenue generators and warning that the proposal would add to policy costs and trigger retaliatory taxes. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2732 from physicians and specialty groups, including Dr. Jenny Labonte, Dr. Wendy Cohen, Dr. Rica Nair, and the Massachusetts GI Association. They said the bill would allow direct primary care physicians to make referrals for HMO patients and permit in-office dispensing of medications, which they argued would improve access, continuity of care, medication adherence, and affordability. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They now live with their grandmother. They're very fortunate.
• And how they can live their life because of their two parents being gone has changed forever.
• They now live with their grandmother. They're very fortunate.
• And how they can live their life because of their two parents being gone has changed forever.
• Because we know it's tough to transition out of prison.

Committee: House Children and Families

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We live with this every single day.
• We live with this every single day.
• We live with this every single day.
• We live with this every single day.
• </c> to interfere with the beach transit to interfere with the beach transit corridor<01:14:34.239><c

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several shoreline easement resolutions and a water-supply study resolution. For the easement measures, the Department of Land and Natural Resources supported each item, and testimony also came from affected landowners and community members. Members asked about why some easements were granted gratis to public agencies, with DLNR explaining that those cases involved public infrastructure such as stormwater management and did not require bonds or rent. For private properties, DLNR described the standard process of monthly rent during the legislative approval gap, followed by a one-time appraised payment for a 25-year easement once the appraisal is completed. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on shoreline erosion and whether hardened shoreline structures or seawalls were contributing to beach loss. On one measure, DLNR explained that a large sandbag shoreline structure was tied to a nearby boat harbor that had altered sand movement over time, causing flanking erosion on adjacent unarmored property. On another, DLNR said a wall built under a valid 1960s permit was originally a boundary or landscaping wall, but now functions as a seawall as the shoreline has migrated landward. Members raised concerns about fairness, public beach access, and whether adjacent owners should share costs, and DLNR responded that shoreline matters are handled parcel by parcel under existing statute. The committee also heard support for a resolution creating a task force or study on desalination. DLNR’s Commission on Water Resource Management supported the intent but asked for more time to complete a comprehensive report, noting the work would require substantial staffing and coordination. The Board of Water Supply and CARES also testified in support, with CARES emphasizing future water-supply needs, cultural and historic preservation concerns, and the importance of coordinating with other agencies. DLNR said it would rely on existing studies and work with county agencies and the Department of Health. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 5794 repeals five tax preferences, including three that JLARC recently reviewed: the International Services
• The exemption also applies to services to install those pieces of equipment.
• Anybody else want to say a few words of thank you for Ron's service? Commissioner Forsy.
• So, you know, Ron, thanks for your service.
• So, you know, Ron, thanks for your service.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 7, 2025, with quorum present. The commission approved the October 22, 2024 meeting minutes and then received its annual open government refresher from the Attorney General’s office, which reviewed key requirements under the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including record retention, response deadlines, exemptions, and meeting notice rules. Staff then provided a 2025 legislative session update, noting that the legislature passed 23 tax-preference-related bills, with several signed by the governor and others pending. Highlights included bills that extended or repealed certain preferences, added reporting requirements for newspaper and digital content exemptions, authorized JLARC to adjust its work plan when data is unavailable, and created a new exemption for zero-emission buses. The commission approved updates to the 2026 tax preference review schedule, which includes eight preferences in seven reviews, and approved unchanged testimony questions for 2025. The commission also received the 2025 expedited preference review report covering 52 tax preferences, presented as an interactive table drawing on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies. Staff then outlined the process for developing the next 10-year review schedule for 2027-2036, including surveying the legislature, incorporating new and repealed preferences, and considering a possible rolling 10-year schedule. No public comment was registered. The meeting ended with acknowledgments of Ron Buing’s long service on the commission and an announcement that the next meeting would be held August 6, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> live and work. live and work.
• Um but there's a lot to live and work.
• It's hard for any rural place to handle a transition like this.
• Now, this is from transition like this.
• </c><01:12:27.440><c> out</c> dissonance that they're not living out dissonance that they're not living

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with leaders of the First Frontier Appalachian Trail System for an update on trail development, economic impact, and funding needs. Speakers said the system has expanded from 18 to 21 counties over the past year, with interest from additional counties, about 450 miles of trails currently open, and a goal of surpassing 1,000 miles within two years. They described the project as primarily an economic development effort that is already drawing public and private investment, supporting lodging and campground businesses, and creating new enterprises such as guide services, repairs, and recovery services for ATVs. The presentation highlighted permit sales, which began on a soft-launch basis earlier in the year and are now available both physically and online. Permits cost $25 per year for in-state residents and allow riding on First Frontier trails. Officials also discussed landowner agreements, saying the standard license agreement is modeled on Hatfield-McCoy, is favorable to landowners, and can be ended with 60 days’ notice. They said the agreements, along with patrols and cleanup efforts, help address trespassing and illegal dumping while encouraging property owners to participate. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Captain Jason Sloan reported 638 hours of patrols under the memorandum of agreement since January 1 and said the partnership has focused on safety, enforcement of existing laws, emergency planning, and cleanup support. The group also cited partnerships with the National Forest, Onyx Off-Road, ARC, and Yamaha, and said a Jeep Jamboree in Lee County drew 237 registered participants, mostly from out of state. They said a GNCC race in Knox County is being pursued for spring. The authority requested $3.5 million for the next two-year budget cycle and said it needs additional staffing, including two full-time trail development coordinators and part-time office help, to keep up with growth. Members praised the project’s progress and its potential to boost tourism and regional economic development.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of those seven, six have requested a purchase of service.
• Chairman Tanner and Representative Bruce, the purchase of service program is designed to provide a service
• Chairman Tanner and Representative Bruce, the purchase of service program is designed to provide a service
• They had an apartment to live in. CASA had assisted them.
• There are services that they provide.

Summary: The Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee reviewed the Judicial Branch budget, beginning with the Court Operations division. Legislative staff outlined the branch’s structure, recent spending trends, technology upgrades funded with ARPA dollars, and FY26/FY27 budget changes, including judicial compensation increases, added judges in several districts, and a late request for $800,700 from a dedicated fund to cover senior magistrate retirement and purchase-of-service costs. Court officials explained that the retirement request was driven by an unusual number of magistrate retirements announced too late to include in the original budget, and they also described the impact of declining federal support and the need to shift some treatment-court and technology costs to other funding sources. Members asked about the holdback, the court’s cloud and network modernization, the purpose of senior judge purchase-of-service payments, and the effect of treatment courts on public safety and incarceration; no vote was taken. The committee then heard the Second Judicial District CASA/Guardian ad Litem request for $77,900 in general funds. The program said the money would support a trainer/recruiter/data supervisor position, required office and record space, annual financial review, and liability insurance, citing rural service needs, declining VOCA and grant funding, and the need to recruit and support volunteers across a large district. The executive director described the program’s statutory role in child protection cases and said fundraising now covers about 30% of the budget, taking time away from direct services. Members asked about the decline in VOCA funds, the number of children served, and examples of the program’s impact; the director gave a detailed success story about helping a family reunify. The hearing ended with no recorded appropriation action, and the chair adjourned the meeting until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Services for certain capital Services for certain capital appropriations<00:09:21.440><c> to</c><00:09
• </c> Department of Administrative Services Department of Administrative Services Bureau<00:12:00.959>
• I live eight miles from the border.
• I live eight miles from the border.
• I live in Sandown, New Hampshire.

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 497, a technical correction to last year’s capital budget. Shannon Reid of the Community College System of New Hampshire explained that the bill removes leftover state-agency boilerplate from a repurposed capital appropriation and replaces it with community college language, without changing any dollar amounts. She also described a requested amendment to rename a respiratory therapy renovation appropriation at Nashua Community College as an allied health instructional center, so the space can be used more flexibly for programs such as phlebotomy, radiologic technology, and LNA training. Terry Poff of the General Court then testified on the second part of the bill, which changes legislative space references to support the move of General Court offices from the second floor to the fourth floor of the annex as part of the legislative office building reconfiguration. Members asked whether the community college changes affected funding, and Reid confirmed the amounts do not change and that the bill simply speeds up a correction that otherwise would have been handled later in the lapse process. Poff said the annex space change is part of a permanent transition, though the work cannot proceed until the General Court has legal control of the space. The committee then entered executive session, adopted Amendment 1031H on a 12-0 vote, and voted ought to pass as amended on SB 497 by a 12-0 vote, with several members absent. The bill was placed on the consent calendar. The committee next opened a hearing on Senate Bill 529FN, which would give preference to lumber sourced in the United States on state-funded building projects. Representative Davis, introducing the bill for Senator Roachford, argued that New Hampshire timber is disadvantaged by grading rules that treat U.S. lumber differently from Canadian SPF lumber, even when the wood is from similar species and climates. He said the bill is intended to support New Hampshire’s timber industry and that architects and engineers would still be able to specify stronger materials when needed. Committee members questioned whether the bill should instead refer specifically to New Hampshire lumber, how it would be enforced, and what the cost impact would be. Davis and later witness Mike Olette said the issue is tied to industry grading standards rather than a government code, that the bill is meant to create a preference rather than a mandate, and that price differences are hard to pin down because lumber is a commodity. Olette, who lives near the border, testified that New Hampshire logs are often sent to Canada for milling and then return under a different grade, which he said puts New Hampshire loggers and mills at an economic disadvantage.

Transcript Highlights:

• ICS fills the gap in the service continuum between a person living in their own home and more restrictive
• ICS fills the gap in the service continuum between a person living in their own home and more restrictive
• actually you provided a less expensive service like a transition service.
• </c> service like a transi transition service like a transi transition service. service. service.
• provide services to help people transition from homelessness to new housing, to help people when they

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• requirements of civil service.
• requirements of civil service.
• requirements of civil service.
• requirements of civil service.
• requirements of civil service.

Keywords: 910, house, all