Transcript Highlights:

• So, it is the same exact group that we would be contracting with the state. >> Okay. >> Thank you.
• exact group that um that we would<00:30:02.080><c> be</c><00:30:02.520><c> um</c><00:30:02.840><c> contracting
• </c> would be um contracting with the state. would be um contracting with the state. &gt;&gt; Okay.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That could be a contracted... We haven't required a specific independent.
• That could be a contracted qualified person, an entity that does that at the state or otherwise.
• So the county chiefs in any county could now also contract that out with a third party if the third party
• We have an outside contract that we're having to a 10-year master plan for us.

Committee: Joint Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've included in our managed care contract a provision for the state to have that right for DNIP, and
• we've included in our managed<00:15:44.800><c> care</c><00:15:45.040><c> contract</c><00:15:45.440><c
• > a</c><00:15:45.600><c> provision</c><00:15:46.079><c> for</c> managed care contract a provision for
• managed care contract a provision for the<00:15:46.480><c> state</c><00:15:46.639><c> to</c><00:15:46.880

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care approved the prior meeting minutes as amended after correcting the first paragraph. The chair then outlined the committee’s plan to produce a preliminary report by October 1, with additional meetings to follow, since some questions remain about the federal One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) and its effects on Medicaid financing and managed care. The main discussion focused on New Hampshire nursing home funding and how ProShare and MQUIP work. Members reviewed Medicaid rates, supplemental payments, intergovernmental transfers, and the role of federal matching funds. The chair and Mr. Litman concluded that OB3’s phase-down of payments above the Medicare rate likely would not directly eliminate ProShare or MQUIP in New Hampshire, but uncertainty remains about intergovernmental transfers and about how these payments would function if the state moved nursing facilities into managed care. Mr. Litman said managed care would likely require waivers for supplemental payments, and Texas was cited as an example of a state operating under such waivers. The committee also discussed dual eligibles, DNIP, PACE, and the possibility of carving out HCBS from nursing facility services. DHS said its managed care contract would allow the state to use MCOs for DNIP, with the goal of better coordination between Medicaid and Medicare, while PACE would likely require more study and might be more feasible in populated counties. Members also reviewed OB3’s new presumptive eligibility provisions and a state waiver request modeled on Washington’s approach, plus a separate grant for transitioning people from facilities back to the community. The rural health transformation fund was discussed as a possible source for workforce, telehealth, mobile integrated health, and other support investments, but not for direct construction or major building renovation. County representatives emphasized that any county role in PACE or DNIP would require significant vetting, infrastructure, capital investment, and a realistic timeline. The meeting ended with the chair saying the draft report would outline issues and possible alternatives, but not recommendations yet, and the committee adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's kind of a well contracting bill. Um, I know that we're not ready to pass anything today.
• kind</c><00:21:40.720><c> of</c><00:21:40.799><c> a</c><00:21:41.039><c> well</c><00:21:41.280><c> contracting
• </c> is kind of a well contracting um, bill. is kind of a well contracting um, bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reunification whenever safe to do so is a cornerstone of community-based care, included in SB 11 and the contracts
• why was the mRNA rollout classified as a military operation under Operation Warp Speed, with DOD contracting
• finally got Pfizer into a federal court to get their motion to dismiss documents, to show that the contracts
• with Pfizer and the Department of Defense, that by contract they were not obligated to comply with any

Bills: HB18 , HB37 , HB 116 , HB388 , HB879 , HB913 , HB 1151 , HB2216 , HB2358 , HB2809 , SB577 , SB1590 , SB1782 , SB1887 , SB2744

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The committee first reopened testimony on House Bill 2216, which would strengthen child welfare requirements by expanding “active efforts” to help families avoid removal and support reunification, while also raising standards related to removals and terminations. Supporters from child welfare and family defense groups said the bill would better protect families and align Texas more closely with ICWA-style principles, but several warned it would require significant new funding, staffing, and community services such as mental health care, housing, child care, and substance use treatment. The committee then left HB 2216 pending. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1782, aimed at boarding and group homes. Senator Miles said the bill closes enforcement gaps left by prior law by requiring retention of background-check records and creating misdemeanor penalties for failing to conduct or keep them, or for knowingly hiring people with serious convictions. Harris County sheriff’s investigators testified in support, describing illegal boarding homes, operators who evade permits and background checks, and exploitation of vulnerable residents; the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 481 on emergency preparedness for nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, adopted a new committee substitute that softened some requirements and removed the fiscal note, and left the bill pending. The committee then heard House Bill 388, which would require the Texas Department of Insurance to create a single standardized coordination-of-benefits form for dual health plans to reduce errors and surprise bills; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1590 would move paternity registry searches for adoptions to an electronic process with a 10-day target, and House Bill 2809 would track child suicide attempts in managing conservatorship and require related reporting and parental notice; both were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1887, which would prohibit administering mRNA-containing products for immunization for 10 years, with exceptions for cancer and genetic disorders. Supporters argued the bill was needed for safety, informed consent, and medical freedom, while opponents from the medical, research, and public health communities said mRNA vaccines are well-studied, save lives, and that the bill would harm access, research, and Texas’s biotech economy. The bill remained under discussion as testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so Texas should not get into a bad contract that will hurt our local communities.
• According to a November 2024 article, Hayes County has spent over $35 million on contracts to outsource
• Starbase is home to Starship, the world's most... powerful rocket contracted by NASA for Artemis lunar
• unclear evacuation rules cost time and money, threatening that progress and our national defense contracts

Bills: HB1320 , HB2012 , HB2293 , HB2655 , HB3174 , HB4108 , HB4661 , HB4799 , HB5534 , HB5580

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• the last 30 years, and this position will work with partners and exhibition firms on proposals and contracts
• was granted last biennium to the Teddy Roosevelt Committee to be able to enter into a construction contract
• I've been in the building contracting, working on buildings my whole career.
• I've been in the building contracting, working on buildings my whole career.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call, then approved journal corrections and moved to elect Senator Kyle Davison as President Pro Tem. Davison was nominated, elected by unanimous ballot, escorted to the rostrum, sworn in, and gave remarks thanking his family, colleagues, and faith, emphasizing relationships, service, and stewardship. The chamber also recognized National Public Health Week with a floor statement honoring public health workers and training programs, and that statement was ordered printed in the journal. The Senate then considered several House bills, beginning with HB 1485, which increases the personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in certain facilities by $15 per month and indexes it to inflation; the amendment was adopted and the bill passed 46-1. HB 1018, the State Historical Society budget, was amended to adjust one-time and ongoing funding for museum exhibits, repatriation compliance, archives storage, local historic grants, and the military gallery project, then passed 42-0 with one senator excused from voting due to a conflict. HB 1181, defining gender in state code as an individual’s sex and removing a broader application section, passed 41-6. HB 1144, adding a penalty and enforcement mechanism related to transgender student accommodations and restroom use in public schools, passed 40-7 with its emergency clause. The Senate also passed HB 1600, creating an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota School of Law and shifting its funding to the strategic investment and improvements fund, by 34-13. HB 1019, the Parks and Recreation budget, was amended to fund deferred maintenance, technology, sewer work, matching grants, and other park projects, add language requiring legislative approval for new or renamed state parks, and clarify use of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library line of credit; a proposed amendment to remove funding for the International Peace Gardens cactus conservatory failed 20-27, and the bill then passed 39-8. HB 1417, dealing with parole/probation violations, court fees, and a study of criminal justice fees, passed 40-7 after amendments. The most extensive debate centered on HB 1450, which would require parent or guardian access to a minor’s medical exam room and notice of questions asked of the minor, with exceptions for emancipation and suspected abuse or trafficking. Supporters framed it as a parental rights and transparency measure, while opponents warned it could hinder screening for abuse, neglect, mental health concerns, and confidential care; multiple senators shared personal experiences on both sides. A proposed amendment to narrow the bill failed 21-26, and the transcript ends amid continued debate on the bill itself, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• city councils, counties, the state are contemplating what is coming our way or if they're seeing contracts
• is coming our way or if<00:19:25.280><c> they're</c><00:19:25.520><c> seeing</c><00:19:25.840><c> contracts
• </c><00:19:26.720><c> clawed</c><00:19:27.120><c> back</c> if they're seeing contracts clawed back if
• they're seeing contracts clawed back or<00:19:28.320><c> cut.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• removes the provision related to the option of setting aside 10% of allocated funds for construction contracts
• that subcontractors cannot be held responsible for the wrongful acts of the lead agency, and any contract
• Local governments would need to contract out some of this work to be able to meet this deadline, and
• The town does not own a TV truck, and so they would have to lease this equipment and probably contract

Summary: The committee took up a series of bills and amendments, reporting several measures favorably. Early in the meeting, CS for CS for SB 344 modernizing the Telecommunications Access System Act was approved without opposition. The committee then adopted amendments and passed CS for SB 714 on non-opioid advanced directives, CS for SB 738 updating child care and early learning provider regulation, CS for SB 756 revising health insurance coverage for individuals with developmental disabilities, and CS for CS for SB 1356 creating a Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a newborn genetic testing pilot. Later, the committee also approved CS for SB 1624 on higher education, CS for SB 1626 on child welfare, SB 178 on an agronomic study for emerging crops, SB 1162 on water access facilities and boat ramp parking, CS for CS for SB 958 creating a type 1 diabetes early detection program, CS for CS for SB 1402 expanding dropout retrieval eligibility, SB 774 requiring electronic transmission of certain court orders, SB 1516 creating an international aerospace innovation fund, and SB 994 revising driver education requirements. Most of these bills were reported favorably by roll call votes after brief explanations and, in several cases, amendments. Several measures drew substantive discussion and public testimony. CS for CS for SB 1624 prompted questions about replacing “minority” with “underrepresented,” the role of the Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education in overseeing private religious postsecondary institutions, and whether the changes could affect access for students at institutions such as FAMU and FIU. CS for CS for SB 1070 on ECGs for student athletes received extensive emotional testimony from parents and advocates describing children lost to sudden cardiac arrest and urging mandatory screenings; the sponsor said the bill would be cost-neutral for districts by encouraging partnerships with screening groups. SB 994 on driver education was discussed as a vehicle to add distracted driving instruction, and the sponsor agreed to work on that issue. SB 774 was presented as a response to a fatal delay in transmitting an ex parte order, with support from clerks and sheriffs. The most extended debate centered on SB 810 on stormwater management systems. The sponsor said the bill, as amended, would narrow annual inspections to infrastructure identified as vulnerable by MS4 entities, but the Florida League of Cities, Florida Association of Counties, and Florida Stormwater Association warned the proposal could impose major costs and duplicate existing MS4 permit requirements. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact, whether the bill would apply to FDOT or other entities, and whether annual inspections were feasible for large and small jurisdictions alike. Despite those concerns, the sponsor and several members emphasized flood prevention and public safety, and the bill remained under discussion with the sponsor indicating continued willingness to work with stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• And by, by the end of the fiscal year, we will have a contract in place and begin implementation, but
• As you know, TDLR maintains a contract with the FCIC through legislation, and we share our enforcement
• machines, and we, we delivered those because those normally, those machines don't come under our contract
• I just want to make certain that, you know, that's a big contract and that is out there and that's part

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Transcript Highlights:

• We evaluate them and then we move forward with the ones that rank out and then we're able to contract
• we need a tanker today, if we need a single-engine air tanker today, we are leveraging a federal contract
• Um, and they actually want, and, and I asked them, you know, y'all looking to like have a contract or
• They were working fires before the state aircraft or the, the federally contracted aircraft came in.

Bills: HB294

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: energy efficiency, tax exemption, residential properties, sustainability, real estate

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a number of audit firms under contract to make sure that our local partners get every dollar
• , and then as the local jurisdiction goes through debris cleanup and proves through invoices and contracts
• Uh, that's very unique also, uh, for Texas, uh, contract training providers, in other words, where officers
• Uh, look after the 2700 law enforcement agencies, the 121 basic academies, and the 215 contract training

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the other. means of providing counsel in Texas are through contract, defenders which occur in
• This has also led to a loss of contract care for secure facilities.
• have been committed to the state, but at this point those youth their needs are too great for those contract
• youth that are in state facilities, county buildings, or other facilities. post-adjudication and contract

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This could include medical malpractice or personal injury law, contract law, civil rights law, also consumer
• 10:05.680><c> personal</c><00:10:06.079><c> injury</c><00:10:06.519><c> law</c><00:10:07.519><c> contract
• </c><00:10:08.040><c> law</c> or personal injury law contract law or personal injury law contract law

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're paying your premiums, you should get the care that you deserve and that you've contracted for
• 00:04:29.160><c> and</c><00:04:29.240><c> that</c><00:04:29.360><c> you've</c><00:04:29.759><c> contracted
• </c> you deserve and that you've contracted you deserve and that you've contracted for<00:04:30.600><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We use evidence.com, and that's part of the contract as well.
• means pay for them, might the state not be liable for contract violations?
• </c><07:08:06.000><c> in</c> gone out and entered into contracts in gone out and entered into contracts
• </c><07:08:11.320><c> and</c> are in those contracts and are in those contracts and can't<07:08:13.398
• contract contract violations<07:08:24.798><c> you</c><07:08:24.958><c> can</c><07:08:25.160><c> answer

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• A good example of that is a breach of contract.
• A good example of that is a breach of contract.
• We have a 20-year contract with DHL, and we are in our 11th year of that contract.
• We have a 20-year contract with DHL, and we are in our 11th year of that contract.
• Warehouse we have a 20-year a contracted Warehouse we have a 20-year contract<05:01:32.680><c> with<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductory remarks for new and returning members of the House Commerce Committee, led by Chairman John Hunt. Members briefly introduced themselves and their backgrounds, and several noted the committee’s bipartisan, collegial tone. Hunt explained the committee’s structure and traditions, including the division into three subcommittees: banking and business, consumer protection, and liquor commission matters, with insurance now handled as a single area. He also reviewed basic hearing procedures, including decorum, questions for information only, and the committee’s practice of moving bills through subcommittees before full committee executive sessions. The committee then heard an overview from the New Hampshire Insurance Department, led by Commissioner DJ Bettencourt and staff. The department described its mission as promoting a safe and competitive insurance marketplace and emphasized consumer protection, market competition, and affordability. Officials outlined the department’s responsibilities, including licensing insurers, producers, adjusters, and TPAs; reviewing insurance forms; regulating companies and market conduct; overseeing financial solvency; and investigating insurance fraud. They also noted that the department is self-funded through assessments on insurers, collects premium taxes and fees for the state, and returned more than $2.7 million to companies in fiscal year 2024 due to underspending. The presentation also covered the broader regulatory framework for insurance, including the role of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in promoting uniform standards across states and territories. Officials said New Hampshire licenses about 1,200 insurance companies and roughly 245,000 producers and adjusters, and that the department’s financial examinations are part of an accreditation system used nationwide. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided; the session was primarily organizational and informational, with the insurance department presentation beginning the committee’s substantive work for the term.

Transcript Highlights:

• The witness said he was not sure whether the select board is part of union contract negotiations.
• are voted on in the school budget and the select board has no say in what is in that contract for the
• </c> reserve funds, teacher contracts? reserve funds, teacher contracts?
• not the school board teacher contracts not the school board that<02:00:42.719><c> they</c><02:00:43.040
• Um, it still has the approval by the school board or the SAU, whoever is doing that contract, and it's

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee convened for a day of public hearings on nine bills, with plans to later execute several early bills and possibly additional measures under House Rule 44. Chair Diane Pauer outlined time limits for sponsors and testimony, announced a lunch break around noon, and noted substitute members would be arriving later. The first hearing was on House Bill 1107, which would allow municipal budget committees to have one to three alternate members. Representative Valon, the prime sponsor, said the bill was intended to help towns like Epping deal with quorum problems during the compressed budget season and noted that alternates are common on other local boards. The New Hampshire Municipal Association testified in support, saying the bill would increase flexibility and help fill seats. Committee members raised concerns about whether alternates should be elected, how they would be selected, whether they would be sufficiently informed to vote, and whether the bill’s one-year term language and rescission provisions were clear. The sponsor and NHMA said the process would be consistent with other local boards, that alternates would typically be appointed after elections, and that they would follow up on possible statutory clarification. The hearing closed with six remote supporters, one paper supporter, and no opposition reported. The committee then heard House Bill 1118, sponsored by Representative Colby, which would raise the daily amount municipal employees may hold before remitting funds to the treasurer from the current $1,500 limit to $3,500. Colby said the existing thresholds are outdated, have not been updated in about 20 years, and create burdens for smaller towns that must make frequent bank deposits, sometimes far from town offices. She said the bill would improve efficiency and allow staff to focus more on serving residents, while still allowing municipalities to keep lower limits if they choose. Members asked about how the remittance process works in practice, what amounts municipalities typically collect, and whether the change reflected a broader trend of updating cash-handling thresholds. The sponsor explained that the bill only changes the dollar thresholds in the relevant statutes and does not require municipalities to adopt the higher limit. The transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 1118 is reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• elections officials to offer this option, and several counties have found the resources are ready to contract
• And the goal of this bill is for the state to enter into a contract and then provide that service to
• State to enter into a contract and then provide that service to the counties.

Summary: The committee heard AB 2255, which would require more detailed disclosure for certain large campaign expenditures made when a candidate is not on the next ballot. The author and the FPPC said the bill would improve transparency around campaign spending; there was no opposition, and the bill was later approved on a 5-0 vote. The committee also heard AB 686, extending California’s ban on election-related deepfake media from 2027 to 2031, and AB 1130, which would strengthen disclosure and liability rules for paid social media campaign posts; both measures were approved. Members also considered AB 2281, which would have the Office of Election Cybersecurity assess whether additional resources are needed to replace lost federal support and consult with academic researchers, and AB 2604, which would create a statewide electronic signature-curing system for vote-by-mail ballots. AB 2281 was presented as a response to reduced federal cybersecurity support and was approved; AB 2604 was supported as a way to help voters, especially younger voters, cure signature issues more quickly, but faced opposition from the Secretary of State’s office over regulation and standards concerns, and it was also approved. The committee heard AB 2753, which would bar registered sex offenders from running for or holding state or local office, and AB 2691, which would expand disqualifying felony convictions to include the most serious sexual assault and sex trafficking offenses. AB 2753 drew support from the author and Fresno officials but opposition over its breadth and registry concerns, and it ultimately failed on a 2-1 vote. AB 2691 drew strong support from survivors and education advocates but also opposition from groups objecting to amendments that excluded certain crimes involving minors; despite that dispute, the bill passed 4-1. The committee also approved AB 2573, clarifying the confidential voter registration program for elected officials and candidates, AJR 31 urging Congress to restore Voting Rights Act provisions, and SB 830 making election-administration cleanup changes for the Bay Area regional transit measure. The consent calendar was approved as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• municipality is interested in exercising its right, its response must include a proposed purchase and sale contract
• like to say the bill also extends the time period for municipalities to close on purchase and sale contracts
• guys—if a town purchases the land, it has to stay in either agricultural or... on purchase and sale contracts

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries held its second hearing and heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including food security, cottage food entrepreneurship, hemp regulation, lobster industry support, pesticide restrictions, pollinator protections, pet cemeteries, and municipal land rights. Committee chairs outlined hearing procedures, noted that 19 bills were on the docket, and took testimony both in person and remotely, with several legislators testifying out of turn because of scheduling conflicts. Several speakers supported food access and local economic opportunity bills. Representative Howard and Senator Oliveira backed the Food Justice Frontline Program and a cottage food/food entrepreneur bill, arguing they would fund nonprofit food security organizations, create jobs, improve SNAP/HIP outreach, and reduce barriers for home-based food businesses. Eastie Farm representatives and a student testified in favor of the food justice bill, describing food insecurity in East Boston and the need for grants, youth involvement, and multilingual outreach. Sidney Travis of the Institute for Justice also supported cottage food reforms, saying current municipal permitting rules create unequal access and that cottage foods are generally safe. The committee also heard sharply divided testimony on hemp legislation. Senator Comerford supported S. 54 as a public health measure to ban synthetic THC products, restrict intoxicating hemp sales to licensed dispensaries, and fund local enforcement, while Laura Beiner, John Nathan, and Elizabeth Wendorf opposed the bill or parts of it, warning it would harm compliant hemp businesses and small farmers. Representative Arena-DeRosa testified in support of a related pollinator bill, and Adam Karachi opposed pesticide restrictions for schools while Deborah Smith supported them, arguing existing protections should be expanded to other child-centered locations. The committee also heard support for a bill to aid lobstermen affected by right whale protections, a bill to preserve private pet cemeteries, and a municipal right-of-first-refusal bill for agricultural and recreational land. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.