Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a guest in your house. I appreciate it.
• Those are all in-house employees.
• Again, those employees are all in-house.
• </c> again those employees are all in-house again those employees are all in-house they<02:12:40.440>
• Hearing the House Rules repeated just now, please forgive me.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Agriculture are no change between the House and Senate and House Bill 1.
• House-passed section 90 and 91. No change between the House and Senate.
• Uh House pass section 90 and 91. Sure. Uh House pass section 90 and 91.
• House pass section House and Senate.
• </c><04:54:19.440><c> on</c><04:54:19.760><c> House</c> Senate will seed to the House on House Senate

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 1 and HB 2 met to review revenue estimates and begin working through a side-by-side of the budget. New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre testified that lottery revenues are outperforming prior estimates, projecting a $27 million return to the state this year, up $7 million, and $200 million per year in the next biennium, up $6.5 million per year. He attributed the increase to stronger scratch ticket sales, no negative impact from Massachusetts sports betting, and overall better performance. Members questioned the assumptions behind the higher numbers, including the proposed $50 scratch tickets, the effect of inflation, and whether the projections were conservative enough. McIntyre said the $50 ticket could produce modest growth and that the estimates were intentionally cautious. The discussion also covered gaming revenue assumptions for historical horse racing and video lottery terminals, with McIntyre saying the state market is not yet saturated and that future conversions from HHR to VLTs should be net positive for the state. Members also discussed differences between House and Senate revenue numbers for gaming, including machine counts, daily revenue assumptions, and the tax split. The Senate version used higher machine counts and a 31.25% tax rate, with a quarter-point reserved for responsible gaming and the remainder split between charities and the state. The House had used a 30% rate with a different distribution. McIntyre and committee members also reviewed House Bill 2 items affecting Kino hours and local option games of chance, with McIntyre explaining that the bill would expand playing hours and shift towns to an opt-out model. No votes were taken during the lottery discussion, but the committee indicated it would continue refining the revenue model and circulate the spreadsheet used for the estimates. The committee then moved through the HB 1 detail change sheet, accepting several Senate positions and holding others for later. It agreed to a zero-cost realignment in the Department of Safety moving the international fuel tax agreement function from administration to motor vehicles, and it restored eight passenger motor vehicle inspection positions for later discussion in HB 2. The Department of Corrections reorganization was set aside for a later, more detailed discussion. The committee also accepted no-change positions for the Department of Employment Security and agreed to a technical footnote fix in the Judicial Council section. It discussed a new HB 2 item moving contract counsel for involuntary mental health admissions from the judicial branch to the Judicial Council, funded at $100,000 per year, and noted that the public defender funding issue would be revisited when the overall budget picture is clearer. The meeting ended with the committee continuing its review of the remaining pages of the detail change sheet.

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2759 be voted due pass. Any discussion?
• With your vote of 13 ayes and one present, you have adopted House Committee Substitute for House Bill
• House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2759, voted due pass.
• House Bill this year is called House Bill 1741.
• Next testimony in favor of House Bill 1741. Next, testimony in favor of House Bill 1741.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2759 in executive session. The sponsor explained a committee substitute that would shift the bill’s disclosure requirement so project completion dates would be posted when work is awarded, rather than during the bidding process. Members discussed the fiscal note and whether the change could affect contractor pricing and MoDOT costs. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2759 “do pass” by a roll call of 13 ayes and one present. The committee then moved to public hearing on House Bill 1741, which would create procedures for non-consensual towing of commercial vehicles, including a towing and recovery review board, limits on storage charges while disputes are pending, restrictions on liens, access requirements, and penalties for violations. Representative Griffith said the bill is aimed at protecting independent truckers from excessive towing charges while still allowing emergency road clearance. Members raised concerns about the scope of the bill, the lack of a dispute timeline, the proposed $25,000 penalty, the ban on per-pound billing, and whether the bill could interfere with emergency towing or create litigation involving the state. Supporters, including representatives from trucking groups, described large and sometimes excessive tow bills, argued that small owner-operators can be bankrupted by these costs, and said Missouri lacks a meaningful complaint process. Opponents from towing associations said the bill, as written, could prevent non-consensual commercial tows because towers need a lien or other leverage to get paid, especially when vehicles or cargo are abandoned or out of state. They also argued that emergency recoveries are dangerous, expensive, and highly variable, and that the bill should be narrowed and clarified. The sponsor and witnesses on both sides indicated a willingness to keep working on amendments, and no final action was taken on House Bill 1741 during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2759 be voted due pass. Any discussion?
• With your vote of 13 ayes and one present, you have adopted House Committee Substitute for House Bill
• House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2759 will conclude the executive session.
• House Bill this year is called House Bill 1741.
• Next testimony in favor of House Bill 1741. Next, testimony in favor of House Bill 1741.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will be in order.
• </c> housing bill that addresses housing housing bill that addresses housing affordability.<03:46:36.479
• on housing.
• </c> Ohio House recognized. Ohio House recognized.
• The American dream of housing housing.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 9, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to my colleagues on the left and down the line, House members, to introduce themselves.
• So, in my testimony—I forgot to bring my glasses—I'm here to speak in support of House Bill 2627.
• So I'm here to speak in support of House Bill 2627 and have suggestions for amendments.
• You can definitely see it from the State House. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.
• House 2572 and Senate 1668 replace that statute with a modern all-hazards framework.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a public hearing on a wide range of bills affecting law enforcement, corrections, fire services, emergency management, telecommunicators, and sex offender policy. Testimony strongly focused on proposals to restore an education incentive for Massachusetts State Police troopers hired after the Quinn Bill was repealed, with State Police Association witnesses arguing the current system creates unfair pay disparities, hurts recruitment and retention, and leaves newer troopers earning less than some supervisors with the same or less education. They urged favorable reports on H. 2651, S. 1759, and S. 1783. A separate witness also supported H. 2627, a sheriff’s pay-parity bill, while suggesting amendments to avoid distinctions between correction officers and jail officers and warning that the proposal should not be viewed as a funding issue alone. The committee also heard testimony on public safety and oversight bills. A rape survivor testified in support of S. 1663, arguing that municipal fire or police personnel convicted of sex offenses should not remain in positions of public trust. Senator Miranda testified in support of S. 1723, S. 1724, and S. 1727, which would create correctional officer training/accountability standards, a correctional inspector general, and privileged communication with legislators for incarcerated people; he said the bills respond to misconduct and lack of independent oversight in the Department of Correction. In contrast, the Fire Chiefs Association and Professional Fire Fighters opposed H. 2572/S. 1668/S. 1740 on emergency management, saying the bill was developed without enough collaboration, lacked local-control safeguards, and could undermine incident command and local decision-making during disasters. Several panels supported other public safety measures. The Fire Chiefs Association and PFFM backed S. 1641 and S. 1744 to create a Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority to help fund fire station and municipal public safety building projects, and supported S. 1647 to implement the Walsh-Kennedy Commission recommendations on hot works and welding safety, including tougher penalties and training requirements. Witnesses also supported H. 2664/S. 1736 to create a hoisting machinery regulations board, saying current licensing standards for heavy equipment are too minimal. Another panel backed H. 2663/S. 1761 to classify 911 telecommunicators as first responders, citing stress, burnout, and the expanding role of dispatchers. Finally, an attorney from CPCS testified in opposition to S. 1752, warning that expanded sex offender residency restrictions would likely increase homelessness, make supervision harder, and raise constitutional concerns based on prior court rulings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next item on the agenda is the continuation of House Bill 864 in testimony.
• House bill 864 is held to a time certain of House Bill 864 is held to a time certain of March 25th.
• I move to send House Bill 903 to the House floor with a due pass recommendation. Okay.
• I'm here to express our strong opposition to House Bill 757.
• House Bill 757 is held in committee.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I move to lay on the table, House Bill 864.
• House bill 864 is held to a time certain of House Bill 864 is held to a time certain of March 25th.
• I move to send House Bill 903 to the House floor with a due pass recommendation. Okay.
• Next up on the agenda is House Bill 757.
• House Bill 757 is held in committee.

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee continued testimony on House Bill 864, which would schedule kratom as a Schedule I substance. Testimony was sharply divided. Family members of people who died after using kratom urged a full ban, arguing that kratom leaf and extracts can be lethal, that labeling is misleading, and that regulation would leave loopholes. Retail and industry witnesses, along with the American Kratom Association, argued that the problem is synthetic 7-OH and other adulterated products rather than natural kratom leaf, and said the bill would criminalize users and push products into the black market. A physician who worked in corrections testified that kratom is an addictive opioid-like substance and supported the bill, while other witnesses said kratom helped them manage pain or avoid stronger opioids. After debate, the committee adopted a motion to hold HB 864 to a time certain of March 25 by a roll call vote of 11-5. The committee then took up House Bill 903, a SNAP-related bill clarifying which foods can be purchased with benefits. The sponsor said the bill was intended to clean up the earlier SNAP restrictions and keep more nutritious items eligible, but he also announced planned amendments to remove cookies, cakes, brownies, sprinkles, chips, and snack bars from the allowable list. Retailers and related industry groups supported the bill as a clarification measure, but several members objected to advancing it before the proposed amendments were formally available and before stakeholders could weigh in. A substitute motion to hold the bill failed, and the committee then voted to send HB 903 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 757, which would define medical neglect in state law and create protections for parents and guardians from bad-faith or false reports. The sponsor said the bill narrows medical neglect to life-threatening conditions, adds a reasonable-person standard, and provides safe harbors for parents seeking care or dealing with complex medical situations, including alternative treatments. Members began asking questions about what qualifies as life-threatening as the hearing moved into testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> of</c> the House of uh, the Wyoming House of the House of uh, the Wyoming House of Representatives
• </c> House District 23. House District 23.
• </c> House District 54. House District 54.
• . house. house.
• I'm house [laughter] the house chamber.

Committee: House House Special Investigative Committee

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the creation of affordable housing, workforce housing, and supportive housing across the state.
• for the creation of affordable housing, workforce housing, and supportive housing across the state.
• for the creation of affordable housing, workforce housing, and supportive housing across the state.
• for the creation of affordable housing, workforce housing, and supportive housing across the state.
• for the creation of affordable housing, workforce housing, and supportive housing across the state.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 530, a bill to increase funding for New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Fund. Representative Jessica Lontine, the sponsor, described the state’s housing crisis, citing high rents, low vacancy, and the lack of affordable units. She said the bill would double the annual transfer-tax deposit into the fund from $5 million to $10 million, and she later presented an amendment to hold the Education Trust Fund harmless by directing the housing-fund deposit from remaining revenue after that trust fund is funded. She also explained a prospective appropriation idea tied to a possible future sale of the Laconia State School property, with the goal of supporting community housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Much of the testimony focused on the shortage of accessible and supportive housing for people with disabilities and aging family caregivers. Lontine, Ben Saul of Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, Lori McIntosh of Our Place NH, and Maddie Mandelbaum all described the difficulty families face in planning for adult children with disabilities as parents age or die. They emphasized that many people need not only affordable housing but accessible, supportive settings, and they argued that state investment would help nonprofit providers build such housing and prevent homelessness or inappropriate institutional placement. Several witnesses also noted that existing projects rely on capital funding and that operating revenues are limited because residents often depend on SSI and Medicaid. Committee members asked questions about the fiscal impact of the bill and amendment, including whether the proposal would shift money from the general fund or education trust fund and whether the Finance Committee should have final say over spending priorities. Lontine said she understood those concerns but argued that housing should be prioritized. Housing Action New Hampshire’s Tom Duroza also testified in support of the bill, saying the state’s housing shortage is driving record prices and vacancy rates below 1%, and that the Affordable Housing Fund has leveraged more than $500 million in private investment and helped build thousands of rental homes. He said his organization supported the underlying bill but had not yet reviewed the amendment. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill passed the House Judiciary Committee on a vote of 17 to 1 and was then passed by the House
• And the House, the vast majority, while the majority of the House, including some Democrats on the floor
• </c> The languages passed by the house The languages passed by the house changes<00:22:01.120><c> that
• , house, house, what's<00:35:09.359><c> going</c><00:35:09.440><c> to</c><00:35:09.599><c> happen</c>
• <c> Bill</c><02:01:11.199><c> 1651</c><02:01:12.480><c> that</c> of House House Bill 1651 that of House

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• shopping center that butts up to that, I could be excluded because you have a couple kids in your house
• Senate Bill 878 would allow Florida to default to the federal CLIA requirements that permit on-the-job
• President Gates: Madam Chair, a former legislator who chaired the House Budget Committee and the Senate
• Budget Committee has said that the Speaker of the House does not control the budget, and the Senate
• who chaired the House Budget Committee and the Senate Budget Committee has said that the Speaker of

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a New Mexico Finance Authority program that funds workforce housing.
• Line 19: this is for the Technology Innovation Prize, which was created in House Bill 20.
• of what I think this opportunity represents: that if you care about public safety, you care about housing
• Safety, you care about housing and healthcare. Quantum is an industry that may help pay for it.
• we administer this in one single place so I'm not running to the Environment Department to get a permit

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also supported your initiative, House Bill 161, which had multiple sponsors—21 sponsors, I believe
• We implemented House Bill 161.
• Do you all issue the permits for Christmas tree harvesting? Mr.
• I know that, you know, that's crucial without houses because you can't go into the lakes and streams.
• criminal justice process nationally costs about $50,000 a year for the state to incarcerate, feed, house

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 18 relating to the establishment.
• House Bill 670 addressed coverage parity in Medicaid, House Bill 4 provided COVID flexibilities, House
• The 89th Legislature passed House Bill 3812, which built on House Bill 3459 to reduce unnecessary prior
• The 89th Legislature passed House Bill 3812, building on House Bill 3459, to reduce unnecessary prior
• Last session, the House passed House Bill 3540 by Representative Sam Harless to permanently authorize

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, today we're here to talk about our compliance with House Bill 695.
• </c> with House Bill 695. with House Bill 695.
• Our community engagement waiver is also part of House Bill 695.
• So, we still House bill as it passed.
• </c> requested in the reports and in House requested in the reports and in House Bill<00:24:16.760><c

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee for Health and Family Services met for its first meeting, established quorum, and heard a presentation from Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Becktold. The department reviewed its compliance with House Bill 695, which requires legislative approval before certain Medicaid eligibility, service, benefit, or waiver changes, along with fiscal impact reporting to the Legislative Research Commission. They described current waivers, including home and community-based waivers, managed care and transportation waivers, and the 1115 re-entry waiver, and said the community engagement waiver is in public comment and on track for submission to CMS. They also said required reports and other HB 695 tasks, including a pharmacy rebate fund, budget analyses, expenditure reports, and a behavioral health scorecard, are underway or completed as required. The CFO outlined Medicaid’s budget, saying the department has two appropriation units and projecting near-full use of state funds while leaving some federal funds unspent because of matching-rate differences. They reported roughly 211 filled positions and 11 vacancies. Members asked about the vacancy makeup, the behavioral health scorecard, and whether a provider involved in quality metrics could have a conflict if used in the scorecard process; the department said it would follow up. Members also asked about the community engagement waiver and its interaction with federal policy, and the department said CMS guidance is still pending and that it will proceed under HB 695. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on federal Medicaid policy changes under a reconciliation bill, including possible limits on provider taxes, directed payments, cost-sharing, and community engagement requirements. Department officials said the final federal impact is still uncertain because the Senate bill is not finalized, but they have modeled several scenarios and warned that any reduction in federal support or benefits would be harmful, especially for hospitals and rural hospitals. They estimated Medicaid benefits are funded about 80% federal and 20% state overall, with expansion populations closer to 90% federal funding, and said administrative costs would also rise if federal requirements change. Members also asked about work requirements and eligibility. The department said the community engagement waiver would mainly affect the expansion population, which they estimated at about 450,000 people out of roughly 1.5 million total Medicaid enrollees, and that many groups are exempt, including children, the aged, blind, disabled, and people in substance use disorder treatment. Officials said they can provide data on how many enrollees are working or work-ready and explained that their eligibility system is designed to prevent duplication by automatically placing people in the correct category and correcting errors quickly. They also noted a federal proposal to require expansion eligibility reviews every six months, compared with current annual renewals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christine Barber, House Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
• Cheering, clapping, yelling, and other disruptions, etc., are not permitted.
• We've been joined by another colleague from the House, Representative Gaskey. Welcome.
• I've known Kim since I was an aide in the State House in this building in the 1990s.
• So thank you all, the members of the House Committee, the Senate, the House Committee Chairman, and the

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered several environment and natural resources bills focused on natural and working lands, forest protection, municipal reforestation, trail accessibility, and a park naming bill. Representative Moschino and Senator Comerford described the natural and working lands bill as part of the state’s climate roadmap, arguing that protecting these lands supports carbon sequestration, resilience, biodiversity, and helps prevent development pressure on the least expensive land. Senator Comerford also testified on a separate bill to expand access to trails for people of all abilities, saying it would build on the administration’s Trails for All initiative and create a permanent advisory structure and trust fund. Representative Consolvo and family members testified in support of H. 4259 to name the tennis courts at Wether Park in Roslindale after Kim O’Connell, describing her long community service and activism. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 952 and H. 953, bills to protect watershed and state forest lands as parks or reserves. Supporters, including environmental advocates, scientists, and organizations such as Standing Trees, Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, and the Massachusetts Forest Alliance’s opponents, debated whether state forests and watershed lands should be permanently reserved from logging and other active management. Supporters said the bills would improve carbon storage, water quality, biodiversity, flood and drought resilience, and would protect large acreages of public land at no cost. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, argued that sustainable forest management and a mix of reserves and managed forests are needed for climate, water quality, wildfire prevention, rural jobs, and carbon outcomes, and urged the committee to allow the administration’s existing reserve process to continue. The committee also heard extensive testimony on the municipal reforestation bill, H. 1013/S. 553, which would create a statewide program, advisory council, and trust fund to support urban tree planting and maintenance. Municipal officials and advocates from Wellesley, Cambridge, Boston, the Mystic River watershed, and other communities said urban trees are critical for cooling, stormwater control, air quality, public health, and equity, especially in environmental justice neighborhoods with low canopy cover and high heat. Several witnesses emphasized that consistent funding is needed because trees take years to mature and many municipalities lack staff or watering capacity. Some witnesses asked that the bill be funded at $100 million and tied to the Mass Ready Act or environmental bond funding. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This House Judiciary Committee is called to order.
• I'd like to move House Judiciary Committee Amendment Number One to House Bill 9, and I'll read the number
• We house ICE detainees who are on their way to another place, and we house marshal service detainees.
• We pass House Bill 9.
• We pass House Bill 9.

Bills: SB100

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the goal of hearing as much from the public as possible within the limits of our time, we will not permit
• Public comments may be provided only at the designated time and place and as permitted by the chair.
• We are in the midst of an educator workforce crisis, and housing affordability is a major driver.
• Housing is such an important issue.
• I think, you know, it seems like a lot of bills in this house, we do move forward.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will attend to a prayer by House Chaplain, Reverend Kevin Tremblay.
• </c> unless otherwise ordered by the house. unless otherwise ordered by the house.
• </c> because we want to build more houses. because we want to build more houses.
• </c> housing subdivisions. housing subdivisions.
• </c> printed in House Record 16 on page 44. printed in House Record 16 on page 44.

Keywords: 1189, house, all