Transcript Highlights:

• Insurance Crime Bureau. Insurance Crime Bureau.
• And then, I want to add language that would request the Legislative Reference Bureau to assist with drafting
• <02:04:15.560> Reference would request the Legislative Reference would request the Legislative
• Reference Bureau<02:04:16.200> to<02:04:16.360> assist<02:04:17.240> with<02:04
• proposed legislation. proposed legislation.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 83, which would require hotel keepers to give adequate notice of service disruptions to guests and third-party vendors. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill but asked for amendments to restore remedies and add a nonwaiver provision, arguing that without penalties the measure would lack consequences and that consumers should not be able to waive the notice rights. Supporters, including Unite Here Local 5 and individual testifiers, said guests deserve transparency and meaningful recourse when disruptions occur, especially for labor disputes, construction, or other service interruptions that affect the experience they paid for. Hotel industry representatives, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, and hotel workers/testifiers, opposed the bill in its current form while offering amendments. They said the measure was too broad, difficult to implement, and could interfere with collective bargaining, third-party booking systems, and existing contracts. They also argued that some disruptions are not easily known in advance and that the bill unfairly singles out hotels compared with other industries. One testifier emphasized that notice should be required only for actual, known disruptions rather than potential events, and another raised concerns about applying the bill to properties not directly involved in a labor dispute. After the SB 83 testimony, the committee moved on to SB 2798, which would make permanent and expand statewide the agricultural enforcement pilot program created in 2025 and rename it the agricultural enforcement program. The chair introduced the measure and called on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity as the first testifier, but the transcript excerpt ends before testimony or any vote on SB 2798.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the legislative liaison for the Department of Public Instruction.
• It is also the subject of an audit currently being conducted by the Legislative Audit Bureau.
• Audit Bureau.
• I think it's a safe assumption to say that the Audit Bureau has asked...
• I think I'd point you to RG's testimony in the Legislative Audit Bureau's hearing.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If the have to refer to it as SPFs.
• the proposed legislation. the proposed legislation.
• <01:59:08.080> Um, in this proposed legislation. Um, in this proposed legislation.
• . legislation. legislation.
• That's it's federal legislation.

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:

• Welcome the bureau. Yeah, here it is: 3.9. Okay, where's 3.9?
• next slide uh as you'll see the bureau next slide uh as you'll see the bureau is<01:10:24.960>
• Is it through the legislative process, or is it done internally?
• I move inexpedient to legislate on HB 83. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• I'll co-sponsor the legislation if you'd like to submit it.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting featured presentations from the Department of Administrative Services and the Treasury Department on state revenue reporting and unclaimed property. State Comptroller Dana Call explained DAS’s role in compiling statewide revenue reports, including the annual revenue plan set through the budget process and the monthly revenue focus reports that track cash receipts. She noted that unrestricted general fund revenue is about $2 billion annually, while miscellaneous other revenue is a much smaller and less predictable category, averaging roughly $30 million to $32 million a year. She also described two more material internal revenue lines: statewide indirect cost recoveries and post-retirement benefit recoveries, which are billed to agencies and often tied to federal reimbursement rules. Members asked about the interest line in the revenue charts and about how the figures were presented, and Call clarified that the totals were in millions and that the interest item would be explained by the Treasurer. She also explained that the indirect cost and post-retirement recoveries are internal cost allocations that flow back into the unrestricted revenue pool and are reflected in agency budgets as interagency costs. Treasurer Monica Meissner then outlined Treasury Department functions, including bank deposits, statewide disbursements, banking relationships, investments, debt management, compliance, the FONA College Savings Program, the ABLE Plan, scholarship programs, and the abandoned property program. In discussing unclaimed property, she said holders report property after a five-year dormancy period, the state uses automated systems and outreach to locate owners, and claim activity has increased. In fiscal year 2024, the state returned about $12.2 million to citizens through roughly 12,000 claims; over the last 10 years, about $72.6 million has been returned. She also said the state escheated $19.9 million to the general fund and $1.8 million to counties last year, and explained that securities-related proceeds are harder to estimate because they depend on market conditions. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a couple folks from the Legislative And a couple folks from the Legislative Budget<00:06:21.680
• Um the the bureau I don't Speaker.
• so hard for this legislation. so hard for this legislation.
• I think Representative Weiner made reference to it. We have an office of legislative auditor.
• I think Representative Weiner made reference to it. We have an office of legislative auditor.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate File 856, which would create an Office of the Inspector General to combat fraud in state public programs. Representative Norris described the bill as the product of a long bipartisan, bicameral working group and emphasized the office’s independence, five-year term, Senate confirmation, removal-for-cause protections, authority to investigate entities receiving public funds, prevention-focused duties, and required public and annual reporting. Representative Anderson PE also thanked the bipartisan authors and staff, saying the bill was the result of extensive negotiations and should move forward without reopening the agreement. Members then considered several amendments. Norris offered a technical cleanup amendment, A44, to clarify language about embedding employees at the Department of Education, distinguish civil and criminal investigative authority, and update law-enforcement terminology; it was adopted. Anderson PE then offered and secured adoption of a technical amendment, A45, to correct a drafting error. Representative Cleorne offered A37 to add prepayment review procedures for all agencies, but it failed on a roll call, 65-67. Cleorne also offered A38 to appropriate $15 million for OIG modernization and data-sharing improvements, but withdrew it after noting it would be out of order. A39, which would have renamed the proposed law enforcement unit from an anti-fraud and waste bureau to an anti-fraud and enforcement unit, failed on a roll call, 66-67, after debate over whether “waste” should be included in the title and scope. During debate on the naming amendment, supporters argued the title should better reflect law-enforcement work and avoid implying the office was a “waste” agency, while opponents said the existing language reflected the bipartisan working-group agreement and that changing it could jeopardize the bill’s progress. Representative West cited inspector general standards that include waste among their duties, and Representative Pinto questioned the substantive basis for opposing the change. Later, Representative Mhler offered A41 to eliminate the future law-enforcement agency entirely, arguing it would be duplicative and unfunded; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services and the Bureau of Homeless Services.
• All right, so I think we have two more bureaus to go. Halfway: Bureau of Homeless Services.
• And our Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services bureau chief was here earlier.
• And our Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services bureau chief was here earlier.
• And our Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services bureau chief was here earlier.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee’s Division 3 held a public work session on the Behavioral Health budget on February 27, 2025. The chair opened by explaining the schedule, materials, and deadlines for the budget process, and noted there would be no motions or votes in the division that day. Division of Behavioral Health Director Ktia Fox and DHHS CFO Nathan White then walked the committee through the division’s mission, structure, and budget materials, describing the division’s four bureaus: Mental Health Services, Children’s Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homeless Services, along with the policy unit. They emphasized the division’s role in oversight, technical assistance, quality assurance, contracting, and the continuum of care from prevention and early intervention through crisis and residential services. Much of the discussion focused on major programs and funding lines, including the 988 Lifeline contract with Headrest, a technical assistance contract with UNH, Medicaid pass-through payments to New Hampshire Hospital and Glencliff, crisis response services, cold-weather homeless responses, housing supports, and the children’s system of care. Members asked about the UNH contract, the 988 program, crisis stabilization centers, and the peer certification program; Fox explained that the peer certification is a training-and-credentialing pathway for people with lived experience to enter community-based behavioral health work, not a volunteer program. The committee also discussed the “Choose Love” program, which Fox said was created after the Sandy Hook tragedy to build resilience and strength-based emotional regulation in schools and communities. On the children’s side, Fox described the system of care account as the place where many contracted services are budgeted, including community mental health centers, care management entities, rapid response services, and residential programs. Members asked about temporary staffing, and Fox said roughly $500,000 in temporary staff costs shown in the current year would not be spent next year because the money came from a nonlapsing appropriation in HB 1573 for oversight of children’s residential services. She also said provider rate increases were a prioritized need but were not funded in the governor’s current budget, and that the Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center was not funded, resulting in about a $1 million reduction. The session ended while the division was still moving through the children’s behavioral health slides, including questions about the Fast Forward high-fidelity wraparound program and medication management.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will make the motion to re-refer House File 2432 to the Ways and Means Committee.
• Moving down to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on line 25, we have their base amounts for the State
• the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
• Combining critical expertise and resources from the former Commerce Fraud Bureau and the Minnesota Bureau
• I'm the Director of Legislative and Political Affairs for MAPE.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can go to BOFE, the Bureau of Field Enforcement.
• Commissioner's Bureau for Field Enforcement.
• Labor Commissioner's Bureau for Field Enforcement.
• So 238.2 and 238.3 incorporate by reference 238, which refers to the pre-existing unpaid judgment.
• In August of last year, our Bureau of Field Enforcement In August of last year, our Bureau of Field Enforcement

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment held a review hearing on SB 588, the 2015 wage theft enforcement law, focusing on whether its tools are working and what additional authority or resources may be needed. Committee members emphasized that wage theft is a major and under-enforced form of theft in California, citing large backlogs in wage claims and long delays that often leave workers unpaid even after winning judgments. Panelists from UCLA, worker advocacy organizations, and legal aid described SB 588’s enforcement tools, including liens, levies, stop orders, successor and individual liability, and priority in bankruptcy. They said the law has improved collections and settlement leverage, especially in industries like janitorial services and property services, where client companies and contractors can be held jointly responsible. Several examples were discussed, including cases involving Tesla, Cheesecake Factory, Optum, and Winko Foods, where the law helped secure payments or settlements for workers. At the same time, advocates argued that the prejudgment lien provisions are too limited, that care home cases remain especially difficult, and that more staffing and broader authority would improve recovery. Workers testified about unpaid wages, long delays, retaliation fears, and the difficulty of collecting even after obtaining judgments. A home care worker described waiting years for a hearing and still not recovering money because assets had been moved or hidden. A residential care worker said caregivers are often underpaid, denied breaks, and left with little practical recourse. The Labor Commissioner reported that the agency has recovered more wages since SB 588, including through mail levies, liens, and stop orders, but said many cases involve judgment-proof employers and require intensive investigation. Public comment from a SEIU representative supported SB 588 and urged continued focus on bad actors and targeted enforcement. No vote or formal action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, New Mexico Tech and the Bureau of Geology are working on that investigation.
• We also worked with NMED and the Bureau of Geology.
• One of my regrets in passing the legislation is that we should have changed the name.
• Groundwater Quality Bureau discharge permit.
• Lemon referred to.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I said, well, I'm a legislator. Let me write... It's not my fault whatsoever.
• So I said, well, I'm a legislator. Let me write a bill about this.
• If the Coroner's Bureau separates, the bureau would lose all the support staff immediately, causing significant
• The city, of course, thanks the Senator for carrying this legislation.
• The motion is do pass as amended and re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. Wilson, aye.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can go to BOFE, the Bureau of Field Enforcement.
• Commissioner's Bureau for Field Enforcement.
• Labor Commissioner's Bureau for Field Enforcement.
• So 238.2 and 238.3 incorporate by reference 238, which refers to the pre-existing unpaid judgment.
• So 238.2 and 3 incorporate by reference 238, which refers to the pre-existing unpaid judgment.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment held a review hearing on SB 588, focused on wage theft enforcement and whether the law’s tools are working as intended. Committee members emphasized that wage theft is a major and under-enforced form of theft in California, citing large backlogs in wage claims and long delays that can leave workers waiting years for payment. The hearing was framed as oversight of the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement authority and a discussion of whether additional tools or funding are needed to improve collections and deter bad actors. Witnesses from UCLA, worker advocacy organizations, and legal aid described SB 588’s main enforcement mechanisms, including liens, levies, stop-work orders, successor and individual liability, and the ability to pursue upstream entities in fissured industries. They argued these tools have improved settlement leverage and recovery rates, especially in janitorial and property services cases, and gave examples involving Tesla, Cheesecake Factory, Optum, and grocery and care-home employers. At the same time, they said the law is less effective in industries like residential care, where employers often transfer assets or change ownership before judgments are collected, and they urged changes such as broader prejudgment lien authority, more license-revocation power, and additional staffing for the Judgment Enforcement Unit. Worker testimony highlighted the human impact of delayed or unpaid wages. A care worker described being underpaid, denied pay for breaks and off-the-clock work, and facing intimidation when filing claims. Marta Lepe Martinez said she was owed more than $300,000, waited more than three years for a hearing, and still had not recovered any money despite a judgment and a lien on property. Another worker advocate explained that SB 588 helped identify responsible individuals and businesses earlier, increasing the chance of recovery, but said more resources and faster enforcement are still needed. Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower said SB 588 has significantly improved collections, reporting that the Judgment Enforcement Unit has recovered $125 million since enactment and that first-year recovery rates have risen from 17% to 46%. She said the agency is using liens, levies, stop orders, and individual liability more aggressively, but acknowledged that the tools are limited when employers are undercapitalized, hide assets, or transfer property before judgment. She supported the need for more staff and continued legislative investment. Public comment from SEIU California also backed SB 588’s framework and encouraged focusing enforcement on bad actors and expanding the law’s reach.

Transcript Highlights:

• ban thanks to last year's legislations ban thanks to last year's legislations Minnesota's<00:00:
• Those are the concerns I have about all legislation.
• <00:11:39.600> or Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• As a Minnesota legislator, what can you do to help ease those concerns?
• <00:21:44.760> and responsibility of any legislator and responsibility of any legislator and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm one of the audit supervisors with Legislative Audit.
• Carlos Silva, Bureau of Legislative Research. And today I'm here to talk about...
• Carlos Silva, Bureau of Legislative Research, and today I'm here to talk about the consumer price index
• Ryan Maltz, Bureau of Legislative Research. Adrienne Beck, also with the Bureau. Good afternoon.
• It's often used to refer to colleges or universities.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a Legislative Audit presentation summarizing Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors said the department distributed about $4.6 billion in grants overall, including $3.2 billion from the Public School Fund, $1.1 billion in federal funds, and $268 million from other state and miscellaneous sources, across 56 Public School Fund programs, 14 other state programs, and 29 federal programs. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; audit staff and Department of Education representatives explained that the report was only a distribution summary and not a recipient-level audit. Members also questioned why many districts showed lower funding, and staff said the decline was largely due to reduced federal and one-time COVID-related funds. Senators and representatives also discussed whether some incentive programs, such as master principal and national board bonuses, were tied to student outcomes, and whether Economics Arkansas was the sole entity named in special language for financial literacy funding; department staff said they would follow up on several details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on consumer price index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, with discussion of CPI-U and core CPI estimates for future fiscal years. Dr. Carlos Silva explained that the forecasts generally trend toward about 2 percent over time and that recent projections may have understated actual inflation because of recent shocks. Members asked about the accuracy of past projections, and he said he would provide more detail later if needed. The bulk of the meeting focused on the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with a statewide student-to-teacher ratio of about 14 to 1, average teaching experience of 11.9 years, and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found that districts with higher poverty and minority concentrations generally had less experienced teachers, and that teacher shortages remained widespread, especially in special education, math, science, and foreign language. Members asked about licensure exceptions, alternative preparation pathways, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and the cost and return on investment of traditional versus alternative routes. Staff said some licensure exceptions are being phased out under Act 304 of 2025 and that they would follow up on several requested details. The report also found that teacher retention averaged 87 percent statewide in 2025, with districts retaining teachers at higher rates than charters, and that 30 percent of surveyed teachers were considering leaving the profession. Principals and teachers identified school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the strongest negative factors. On salaries, BLR reported a statewide average teacher salary of $60,254 in 2025, with districts averaging $60,458 and charters $55,724. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average teacher salary in 2025, though its cost-adjusted ranking improved to 36th; among SREB states it ranked 12th, and among neighboring states it ranked fourth. Members asked about starting salaries, salary compression, district step increases, and whether the report should be shared more broadly with educators and school leaders. Staff said they would provide follow-up information on several questions, and the committee took no formal action beyond receiving the presentations and asking for additional data.

Transcript Highlights:

• This will refer to a third-party licensed child care facility.
• I just wanted to add my support to the legislation, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
• I just wanted to add my support to the legislation, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
• The next is the Tax Department promulgating a legislative rule regarding the soft drinks tax.
• But the relevant legislative... ...authority is also corrected.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes of the previous meeting. It then took up House Bill 5438, which revises parts of the school aid formula and limits certain uses of instructional program, technology, and induction funds; the committee adopted an Education Committee amendment and reported the bill to the full Senate. The committee also reported House Bill 4087, creating the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance for higher education partnerships and grants, after brief explanation and no opposition. Members then considered House Bill 4191, which expands the child care tax credit to employer-sponsored child care facilities and changes subsidy payments from attendance-based to enrollment-based, with electronic filing requirements by 2026. Senators spoke in strong support, describing it as a workforce and economic development measure, and the bill was reported. House Bill 5074, which redirects medical cannabis fund balances and future revenues to general revenue and several specified purposes including the Supreme Court, universities, law enforcement, and health programs, was amended to increase the court allocation and remove the direct university research earmarks; it was reported over concerns that accumulated fund money would be diverted to general revenue. The committee also advanced House Bill 5353, bringing virtual currency kiosks under money transmission licensure and adding consumer disclosures, transaction limits, support requirements, and anti-fraud protections; a strike-and-insert amendment clarified kiosk rules and added law-enforcement contact requirements. House Bill 5527, regulating licensure of wellness reimbursement program administrators and related broker duties, was amended to clarify the definition and protect proprietary licensing information from public disclosure, then reported. House Bill 5687, as amended, phases down the metallurgical coal severance tax and incorporates a separate oil-and-gas tax reduction for new wells while adjusting county and municipal distributions, and it was reported. The committee also approved a large revenue rules bundle, House Bill 4245, with amendments to a lottery rule and a pre-need burial company rule, and reported House Bill 4418 to create an electronic municipal B&O tax filing system once enough municipalities participate. Finally, the committee reported House Bill 5168, which creates a permanent $12 million lottery-funded EMS support structure, including mental health treatment funding, county EMS funds, and an all-county EMS fund; members emphasized the need for stable EMS funding, especially in rural areas, and clarified how counties with and without levies would benefit. The committee then announced several Senate bills would not be taken up that day and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, that was landmark legislation passed in 2003.
• Hawaii Farm Bureau worked with the Land Use Research Foundation to compromise on passing that legislation
• <01:33:23.159> to already halfway there MH reference to already halfway there MH reference
• <01:55:21.239> uh county level Brian M ho Farm Bureau uh county level Brian M ho Farm Bureau
• Farm Bureau members, any questions?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker Pro Tem, the House then received a privilege report from the Legislative Bureau.
• Refer to education.
• Senate bills returned from the Legislative Bureau.
• Those Senate bills will be referred to the Legislative Bureau.
• Those Senate bills will be referred to the Legislative Bureau.

Bills: HR188, HR189, HR190, HR191, HR179, HR180, HR181, HR182, HR183, HR185, HR186, HR187, HCR75, HCR76, HCR77, HCR78, HCR79, SCR24, SCR36, SCR39, SB64, SB107, SB152, SB185, SB217, SB232, SB278, SB290, SB294, SB320, SB321, SB419, SB424, SB436, SB440, SB468, SB470, SB476, SB482, SB489, HCR32, SCR11, HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB267, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB478, HB610, HB617, HB679, HB745, HB749, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB896, HB979, HB992, HB1000, HB1024, HB1050, HB1166, HB1172, HB1173, HB1193, HB1207, HB1218, HB1223, SB256, SB180, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HB59, HB74, HB159, HB330, HB364, HB414, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB786, HB1008, HB1033, HB1034, HB1041, HB1062, HB1070, HB1079, HB1112, HB1118, HB1139, HB1151, HB1176, HB1182, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB368, HB433, HB441, HB447, HB466, HB481, HB741, HB1242, HB362, HB893, HB990, HB1007, HB1153, HB1243, SB162, SB349, SB350, SB382, SB383, SB127, SB244, HB615, HB864, HB1103, HB1175, HB31, HB225, HB608, HB664, HB897, HB977, HB1003, HB1160, HB1180, HB911, HB306, HB366, HB1161, HB1230, HB181, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB393, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB772, HB773, HB996, HB1035, HB1058, HB1082, HB1113, HB1189, HB1234, HB1240

Keywords: hunting dogs, field trials, working dogs, dog training, greyhound protection, Farm Bill, federal overreach, sportsmen, sportswomen, wildlife management, conservation, rural communities, Louisiana hunting, hunting tradition, animal welfare, dog breeders, dog owners, outdoor recreation, Kathy Taylor, musical achievements

Bills: HB34, HM7, HM8, HM17, HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HM34, HB95, HB111, SB1, HJR1, HM4, HM22

Keywords: HB34, school nurse, school nurses, nurse licensure, licensure, charter school, charter schools, school district, public education, Department of Health, Public Education Department, registered nurse, RN, mentorship, evaluation, competency, teacher salary parity, minimum salary, level one license, level two license

Transcript Highlights:

• Privileged report of the Legislative Bureau. Privileged report of the Legislative Bureau.
• It comes from the House with a set of House floor amendments, House Legislative Bureau amendments, and
• It comes from the House with a set of House Committee amendments and Legislative Bureau amendments.
• It comes from the House with House Committee amendments and House Legislative Bureau amendments.
• It comes from the House with House Committee amendments and House Legislative Bureau amendments.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the committee for reference? the committee for reference?
• you're referring to um House Bill 437. you're referring to um House Bill 437. uh<00:22:28.240>
• My understanding that bureau. Yeah.
• the bureau. the bureau. Okay.<00:39:23.440> All<00:39:23.520> right.
• maybe Maine has passed this legislation maybe Maine has passed this legislation something.<03:30

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up HB 164, dealing with homeowners and certain service agreements tied to residential real estate. Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be framed as prohibiting “service agreements” or more specifically as banning “future right to listing” agreements, and whether the bill should mirror Maine’s newer law. Mike Padmore of AARP New Hampshire presented suggested edits, including clarifying that the agreements are unenforceable, striking a provision at Roman 6C, and adding language making clear that registry of deeds staff are not liable when they record documents they are statutorily required to file. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors said the bill and Maine’s law reach the same result, but he preferred simpler wording and argued the bill should not include a two-year time limit because legitimate listing agreements should not create liens at all. Members and witnesses debated whether the bill should simply make the practice illegal outright, whether the Consumer Protection Act is the right enforcement vehicle, and whether the lien-removal process should be modeled on the recent undischarged mortgage bill. A consumer protection official said the bureau supports the statute and explained that under RSA 358-A, consumers could seek damages and equitable relief to strike a lien, while also noting that the bureau often uses the Consumer Protection Act as an enforcement tool. The committee also discussed narrowing the bill to residential real estate, with the sponsor and witnesses saying the problem has been seen in residential transactions and that commercial property was not the focus. The testimony described the underlying problem as companies, often national rather than New Hampshire-based, using long-term or future listing agreements to impose liens or penalties on homeowners, sometimes in connection with estate transfers or home sales. Witnesses said legitimate real estate listings do not normally place liens on houses, but these arrangements can include hidden or unclear penalties, including a reported 3% charge on home value. No vote was taken in the excerpt, but the committee appeared to be working through possible amendments and whether to adopt Maine-style language or a simpler New Hampshire-specific approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm one of the audit supervisors with Legislative Audit.
• It has a reference that we are...
• Carlos Silva, Bureau of Legislative Research.
• Carlos Silva, Bureau Legislative Research.
• Ryan Maltz, Bureau of Legislative Research. Adrienne Beck, also with the Bureau. Good afternoon.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions. Auditors explained that the fiscal year 2025 report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants from state, federal, and miscellaneous sources, across school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, and that the report only shows amounts distributed, not how recipients ultimately used the money. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; department staff clarified that the Economics Arkansas grant is written into special language and that the CDC-related funding supports student surveys used by state agencies. Questions also focused on bonus and incentive programs such as master principal and National Board Certified teacher bonuses, with department staff saying the bonuses are generally tied to completion of the program or certification rather than classroom performance, though they would follow up on details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research update on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global. Dr. Carlos Silva explained the difference between CPI-U and core CPI and said the estimates show inflation slowing over the forecast period, with some near-term variation between the two data providers. Members asked about the historical accuracy of prior projections, and he said the forecasts generally tend to move toward about 2 percent over time, though recent shocks have caused earlier estimates to understate actual inflation. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reviewed Arkansas teacher demographics, shortage areas, educator preparation pipelines, licensure exceptions, survey results from teachers and principals, and teacher support programs. They reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with an average of 11.9 years of experience and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found shortages in multiple subject areas, especially special education, math, science, foreign language, and social studies, and identified 65 districts as high-need geographically. Survey results showed school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the biggest negatives; 30 percent of responding teachers said they were considering leaving the profession. The committee also reviewed teacher salary data showing a statewide average salary of $60,254 in 2025, Arkansas ranking 45th nationally by NEA methodology, and a long-term inflation-adjusted decline in district salaries, though LEARNS Act increases improved the trend. Members asked for additional follow-up information on survey methodology, alternative licensure costs, coursework, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, exit data, and how salary comparisons are calculated.