Video & Transcript : 'data regulation' :

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CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Rules Committee Apr 8th, 2026

Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • But I do think there is room to tighten our rules in our regulated space.
  • Do you, you're a regulator, your job is to... Are you, do you, you're a regulator.
  • Your job is to make sure that these dispensaries are following the law and the regulations.
  • It's just functionally getting into the protected environment that we regulate. Okay.
  • Let's see With the best data we have available, versus just like, that feels wrong.
Committee: Senate Rules
Summary: The Senate Rules Committee approved several non-appearing gubernatorial appointments and routine agenda items by 4-0 votes, including Frank Damrow Jr. to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, Michelle Eddger to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and David Galavis to the State Park and Recreation Commission. The committee also approved bill referrals, a rule waiver to allow SB 1447 to be heard after the policy deadline, and floor acknowledgments. The committee then heard the appointment of Clint Kellam as Director of the Department of Cannabis Control. Members focused heavily on cannabis regulation, especially illicit market activity, consumer education, labeling, and youth protection. Kellam said the department’s goal is to shift consumption from illicit to legal sources, not increase use, and described efforts such as the Real California Cannabis website, the required educational pamphlet for new users, inspections, and package review. Senators raised concerns about attractive-to-children packaging, high-dose beverages, and the need for tighter labeling rules; Kellam said the department is open to legislative changes, is working on an AI tool to help licensees review packaging, and uses recalls, citations, and administrative actions when products violate rules. He also described enforcement efforts against illegal cultivation and retail, including the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force and cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies. The committee voted 4-0 to advance the appointment. The committee next heard Jennifer Osborne’s appointment as Director of the Department of Industrial Relations. Osborne described her background in state administration and said she aims to remove barriers, improve systems, and support workplace safety, wage enforcement, workers’ compensation, and apprenticeship programs. Senators asked about PAGA enforcement, Cal/OSHA audit findings, backlogs, staffing shortages, and complaint handling. Osborne said DIR’s role in PAGA is limited, but the department is working on Cal/OSHA policy revisions, training, additional investigation staff, centralized intake, IT modernization, and possible use of outside administrative law judges to reduce delays. She also said the department is addressing vacancy and backlog issues through classification changes and new hiring strategies. Public commenters from employer groups and labor organizations spoke in support, and the committee approved the appointment 4-0 for full Senate confirmation.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Health and Welfare May 6th, 2026

Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:
  • It is meant for the data to be consistent across hospitals to be usable, largely for data aggregators
  • I'm talking about the slew of regulations, the truth-in-insurance regulations, that are similar to what
  • And it is that that data is robust, that data has a significant size so that we're not making spurious
  • of that said data.
  • Like, you know, when we look at data, when we look at analysis of data, there's certain psychometrics
Summary: The committee heard a personal privilege update on HB 1227, which Representative DeWitt said would return next week as a proposed HCR for a two-year study of the three-doctor panel after discussions with Dr. Nia Colotta. Better Louisiana also presented its new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, describing it as a data-driven leadership initiative focused on health care workforce, rural access, chronic disease, and other system issues; members discussed whether the program could also help generate policy research, including on managed care organizations. The committee then considered SB 427 on anatomical gifts. After adopting technical amendments, Senator Presley and Dr. Jeff White explained that the bill would strengthen organ donation law by creating a decision registry that records both yes and no choices, clarifying the legal effect of refusal, and codifying ethical principles such as the dead donor rule. Questions focused on organ viability, registry procedures, minors, and a Monroe case involving a disputed donor designation. Supporters included LOPA and the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 946, dealing with hospital price transparency and compliance with federal pricing rules, drew extensive testimony. Representative Landry and a witness from Patient Rights Advocate described it as a consumer transparency measure, but the Louisiana Hospital Association opposed the bill’s state-level enforcement and debt-collection provisions. Landry offered an amendment removing the debt-collection and affirmative-defense language, but after debate the substitute failed on a 5-6 vote and the bill was voluntarily deferred. The committee also reported favorably on SB 109, which revises membership qualifications for the Louisiana Emergency Medical Services Commission; SCR 20, urging federal flexibility on Medicaid redetermination for elderly and disabled beneficiaries; SB 216, allowing coroners to rely on licensed practical nurses for medical pronouncements of death; and SB 45, exempting certain gratuitous hospice houses from licensure, with testimony from hospice house operators and supporters. Finally, HCR 71 by Representative Chasson sought an LDH study of how Louisiana’s law and guidance on pregnancy-related emergency medications is working in hospitals, urgent care, and retail settings. Supporters said providers are hesitant to use medications such as misoprostol because of stigma and uncertainty, while opponents from Louisiana Right to Life argued the resolution was unnecessary and could create controversy. The discussion centered on whether the study should be narrowed or made more objective, but no final action on the resolution was reached in the portion provided.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • These data centers, as you know, These data centers, as you know, particularly hyperscale, consume massive
  • data center owners and operators and companies that lease large amounts of data center capacity.
  • Data centers aren't trying to circumvent regulation, but seek equitable treatment to comparable end users
  • I think data centers are not going anywhere.
  • We talked at length on your last bill on data centers, and, again, for the record, data centers, in my
Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills, with extensive testimony on cost, ratepayer impacts, and climate or reliability goals. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and support renewable natural gas development by reducing interconnection cost barriers. Supporters said RNG helps methane reduction and organic waste diversion, while opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, argued the bill could shift costs to ratepayers and subsidize combustion-based fuels, especially dairy digesters. The author said committee amendments removed the rate-basing provisions and instead urged the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision; the bill was left for a later vote. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Community Impact Mitigation Program through 2030. Supporters said San Luis Obispo County and local schools rely on the funding for emergency preparedness and public safety, while TURN argued the extension would add about $47 million in statewide ratepayer costs and should instead be paid from existing PG&E deal revenues. Members discussed the bill as a continuation of the 2022 Diablo Canyon agreement, and the author said the measure simply restores the five years omitted from that deal. The committee also heard SB 1215 by Senator Cortese, which would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing. Supporters said renters and apartment residents are largely shut out of home charging, and that prior utility programs showed the model can be cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers. The bill was amended to address affordability, ratepayer benefits, and limits on major system upgrades. SB 1295 by Senator Stern would create a framework for using distributed batteries and other local resources to solve grid constraints more cheaply than traditional infrastructure. Supporters said it could improve reliability and reduce costs by targeting batteries where they provide the most grid value, while utilities said they were open to continued discussion. SB 1359, also by Senator Stern, would require the CPUC to more carefully evaluate major gas infrastructure investments and alternatives such as electrification before approving new spending. Environmental groups supported the bill as a guardrail against stranded assets, while gas utilities opposed it, warning it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and retroactively change the rules for approved investments. On water policy, SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Supporters said about 1.6 million households have water debt and that affordability is a statewide issue, not just a problem for disadvantaged communities. Some members raised concerns that the bill lacked a funding source and that state mandates, such as chromium-6 treatment requirements, already strain local water agencies; the author and supporters responded that the bill includes administrative caps and transparency measures and is intended to work alongside future funding. The committee then heard SB 1098 by Senator Pérez, which would restrict the use of utility memorandum and balancing accounts by requiring exceptional circumstances, adding sunset dates, and creating cost-sharing or lower-return rules for certain spending. TURN and other supporters said the accounts allow utilities to recover costs after the fact with too little discipline, while Edison and PG&E opposed the bill, arguing that some costs are unpredictable and that the CPUC already has a formal review process. SB 1125 was moved to Appropriations with a roll call, and the roll was left open for additional votes; the other measures were discussed with no final committee actions announced in the excerpt.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Natural Resources Committee Apr 20th, 2026

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Regulators currently rely largely on aggregate electricity consumption data, which can make it difficult
  • Better data, more data, would allow the state to plan responsibly for the rapid expansion of data centers
  • use data from large data centers.
  • DCC serves as a national voice for the data center industry, and our members include leading data center
  • Every one of the cities has its own regulations.
Keywords: 988, house, all
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Health & Long-Term Care Jan 27th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • dosing standards, and settings for administering psilocybin to patients, as well as requirements for data
  • DOH must issue and regulate two types of licenses: a producer license that authorizes a person to produce
  • I take regulation, public safety, and professional accountability very seriously.
  • Long before it was named or regulated, this medicine was held in reverence within community.
  • Long before it was named or regulated, this medicine was held in reverence within community.
Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on January 27 and heard extensive public testimony on several bills before moving into executive session. Senate Bill 5921 would create a Department of Health medical psilocybin program for adults with qualifying conditions, with licensed producers and clinician participation requirements, training, background checks, and program standards. Supporters, including the sponsor and many clinicians, veterans, first responders, and patients, described psilocybin as promising for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, trauma, and end-of-life anxiety, while opponents and some medical groups raised concerns about missing safeguards, contraindications, monitoring, cost, and the bill’s narrow medical model. Testimony was split sharply, with many also urging broader decriminalization or community-use protections. The committee later heard Senate Bill 6115, which would have the Department of Health contract for age-appropriate cancer education for grades 6-12; supporters from Cancer Pathways, educators, and families said it would improve prevention and risk awareness, while the bill drew substantial opposition in sign-in counts, and the hearing was ultimately closed without action that day. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5185, a pilot pathway for international medical graduates to obtain full unrestricted primary care licensure after supervised clinical practice, completion of exam and competency requirements, and annual reporting. The sponsor, Washington Medical Association, the Medical Commission, and IMG advocates said the proposal would expand access to primary care while maintaining patient safety, and the bill received supportive testimony. In executive session, the committee adopted proposed substitutes and advanced Senate Bill 5916 on non-opioid pain drugs, Senate Bill 5985 on endometriosis, Senate Bill 6019 on home care rate statutes, Senate Bill 6161 on dementia information, and Senate Bill 6183 on HIV antiviral drug coverage. For Senate Bill 5981 on the 340B drug pricing program, the committee adopted an amendment adding reporting and transparency requirements before moving the bill forward. The committee then adjourned, and the remaining hearing items were rescheduled for a later date.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Regulators currently rely largely on aggregate electricity consumption data, which can make it difficult
  • Better data, more data would allow the state to plan responsibly for the rapid expansion of data centers
  • use data from large data centers.
  • DCC serves as a national voice for the data center industry, and our members include leading data center
  • leading data center owners, operators, and companies that lease large amounts of data center capacity
Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, beginning with AB 2026 on groundwater recharge. The author and supporters said the bill would streamline permitting for recharge projects, codify long-standing CEQA exemptions for flood diversions to recharge, and add tribal consultation and other guardrails. Water agencies and local districts supported the measure as a way to capture high-flow water and reduce groundwater subsidence, while environmental groups and some irrigation districts opposed it, warning that the bill’s exemptions and broader diversion authority could harm rivers, Delta resources, and public trust values. The bill was discussed but not voted on because the committee lacked a quorum at that point. The committee then took up AB 1577 on data center energy accountability, which would require monthly reporting of energy-use data and permit-related estimates of energy and water demand. The author and the Little Hoover Commission argued the bill would improve transparency, help protect ratepayers, and give regulators better information for grid planning. Data center industry representatives opposed it as duplicative, burdensome, and uniquely targeted, while local governments, environmental groups, and some utilities supported it or supported it if amended. The bill was later reported out with a due pass recommendation once a quorum was established. Members also heard AB 2245 on a producer responsibility program for lubricant products and containers, AB 2170 on CEQA language-access and environmental review protections for overburdened communities, AB 2059 on rural transportation and VMT mitigation, AB 1808 on Western Joshua tree permitting and fee relief, AB 2182 on industrial energy efficiency program changes, and AB 2231 on streamlining two hospital projects. Testimony was mixed on most of these bills: supporters emphasized affordability, local control, environmental justice, or project urgency, while opponents raised concerns about CEQA scope, regulatory duplication, costs, and environmental impacts. Several measures received due pass recommendations and roll-call votes, including AB 2170, AB 2059, AB 1808, AB 2182, and AB 2231, with some members voting no or not voting and some bills left open for absent members.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Environmental Regulation May 19th, 2025

Environmental Regulation

Transcript Highlights:
  • It takes a long time to collect that data. How long?
  • We don't really care who does the data, provides the data.
  • We don't really care who does, you know, the, uh, data.
  • Uh, we have no zoning regulations in the county.
  • Uh, we 669 have no zoning regulations in the county.
Summary: The committee first took up SB 2203, relating to certification of discovery issues in TCEQ contested cases referred to SOAH. The chair noted the House had already passed the companion HB 3249, then moved SB 2203 without amendments. The motion prevailed on a 5-0 vote, and the bill was reported favorably to the full House. The committee then heard SB 1898, which would prohibit the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam for testing and training, while still allowing it in emergency firefighting. The sponsor described PFAS as “forever chemicals” and said the bill would protect firefighters, water supplies, and public health. Testimony in support came from Environment Texas, which cited contamination concerns and noted other states and federal actions restricting PFAS foams. No one testified against the bill, and after closing testimony the committee left SB 1898 pending. The remainder of the hearing focused on SB 1758, a Grayson County pilot program aimed at addressing potential conflicts between Global Wafers’ semiconductor wafer facility and a proposed Black Mountain Cement/aggregate operation. Supporters, including Global Wafers, Grayson County officials, and manufacturing groups, argued that vibration from mining or blasting could threaten a major national-security semiconductor investment and that an independent BEG study was needed to set safe parameters. Opponents from Black Mountain Cement and related industry groups argued the bill would improperly interfere with a lawful permitting process, pick winners and losers, and harm Texas’ pro-business climate; they also said they had already revised operations and removed blast mining. The discussion included extensive questioning about geology, vibration, the permitting timeline, and whether the issue was really about mining rather than the air permit. No vote was taken on SB 1758 in the portion provided.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Ways and Means Committee 5/15/26 - Part 2

Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • It repeals the temporary regulations since we're no longer in the temporary regulation world and that
  • It repeals the temporary regulations since we're no longer in the temporary regulation world and that
  • This is a bill that clarifies data practices. It explains which data is considered public and not.
  • This is a bill that clarifies data practices. It explains which data is considered public and not.
  • This is a bill that clarifies data practices. It explains which data is considered public and not.
Keywords: 1183, house
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Judiciary Mar 19th, 2025

House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • And then the third thing is regulating late fees.
  • management and data sharing and confidentiality around that data.
  • We have that data. It's very possible we have that data. Madam Chair, Mr.
  • They have three different alarms and are temperature regulated.
  • They're temperature regulated and have three different alarms.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Labor - 04/16/26

Labor

Transcript Highlights:
  • data in their<00:03:44.800><c> clothing</c><00:03:45.320><c> or</c><00:03:45.480><c> person.
  • , and business mandates on workplaces that are already heavily regulated in Minnesota.
  • </c> regulated in Minnesota. regulated in Minnesota.
  • </c><00:15:07.560><c> on</c> new the new or expanded regulations on new the new or expanded regulations
  • </c><00:16:41.360><c> the</c> of the bill related to regulating the of the bill related to regulating
Committee: Senate Labor
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development Jan 14th, 2026 at 08:00 am

Business, Trade & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • They provide research, data, information on where they can site their businesses.
  • And what the data showed us is that in large numbers, we agree.
  • And what the data showed us is that in large numbers, we agree.
  • So at the end of the day, they even have my data.
  • We know that data is valuable, and they have that data.
Bills: SB5871 , SB5919
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Who owns that data?
  • They're gone with that data, and when they're... Data and that's it.
  • The data in it belongs to the state, and when one vendor goes off into the sunset...
  • How do these options comply with the state privacy and security regulations and laws?
  • However, when it comes to firearm regulations, there's an added complexity here.
Keywords: 987, senate, all
VT

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Session - 2026-05-05 - 9:30AM

Vermont Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> regulation of agriculture. regulation of agriculture.
  • </c> municipal regulation of agriculture. municipal regulation of agriculture.
  • </c> something that could not be regulated. something that could not be regulated.
  • He underscored that neurological data is different from other health data.
  • :32:18.120><c> data.
Keywords: 927, senate, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee 5/5/25

Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • 23:57.360><c> by</c><00:23:57.520><c> healthcare</c> claims data submitted by healthcare claims data
  • </c> the country who have obtained that data the country who have obtained that data mining<00:26:43.200
  • </c> There are regulations for something called a data mining waiver.
  • </c> that and also your concern about data that and also your concern about data protection<00:34:53.520
  • c><01:03:29.680><c> restrictions</c><01:03:30.079><c> I</c> data analytics with the restrictions I data
Bills: HF3043 , HF2891
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • They're user-friendly, super easy to use, and highly regulated.
  • It's clear, well-crafted regulations, thoughtful regulations, thoughtful policy that can help address
  • Forty-seven states have already enacted digital asset regulation.
  • Forty-seven states have already enacted digital asset regulations.
  • DFPI is already established as California's digital asset regulator.
Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee held an informational hearing on digital asset innovation, with opening remarks framing cryptocurrencies, blockchain, stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance as a growing part of the financial system. Dennis Porter of Satoshi Action Fund presented on the market size, institutional adoption, use cases such as remittances and small-business payments, and policy developments at the federal and state levels. He also discussed risks including volatility, cybersecurity, and illicit use, while arguing that clear regulation can support innovation and consumer protection. State Controller Malia Cohen then updated the committee on implementation of SB 822, California’s unclaimed digital asset law. She explained that the law applies to custodial accounts, not self-custodied wallets, and requires holders to conduct outreach before dormant digital assets are transferred to the state in native form. Committee discussion focused on how abandonment is determined, what counts as account activity, the expected timeline for notices and custodian procurement, and the administrative costs and staffing needed to run the program. Controller staff said the state is still building procedures, working with Oregon, and expects a significant increase in claims once the program is operational. Porter returned with a proposal for a California digital asset reserve fund built on unclaimed digital assets under SB 822. He argued the fund could be cost-neutral, use only high-quality digital assets, and include guardrails such as an advisory board, audits, and public reporting. Committee members expressed interest in diversification and consumer protection, but also raised concerns about volatility, documentation, and market downturns. The hearing ended after public comment from industry and advocacy representatives, including support from the California Blockchain Advocacy Coalition, the Crypto Council for Innovation, and Coinbase, all urging clear, technology-neutral policy to keep innovation and jobs in California.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • That we like that data.
  • That data— isn't that data going to be useful in determining the language of this TBL?
  • And we don't have that data.
  • put regulations. you're going to put the data, capture that data, and with that, you're going to put
  • regulations on remote services.
Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and extensive testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and advocates for older adults and people with disabilities. The administration described IHSS as a large and growing program serving more than 900,000 recipients, and outlined three proposals: shifting the cost of growth in authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The LAO said the overall budget estimates appeared reasonable but raised concerns about the hours-per-case proposal, including the lack of a comprehensive root-cause analysis, the limited control counties have over statewide cost growth, and uncertainty about how the baseline and savings would work. CWDA, SEIU, and consumer advocates strongly opposed the hours cost shift, arguing that counties use state-designed tools, that demographic changes and rising need explain much of the growth, and that the proposal would pressure counties to cut services and destabilize care. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the administration about the proposed baseline, the claimed savings, and whether the measure effectively circumvents the county maintenance-of-effort agreement. On the backup provider system, the administration said the statewide program is underutilized and administratively expensive, and proposed eliminating it to save about $3.5 million. The LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced while preserving some version of the program. County and consumer advocates opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical safety net when regular providers are unavailable, especially in rural areas and for people with complex needs. They argued that low utilization reflects the difficulty of finding emergency backup care, not lack of need, and that many counties already rely on local backup systems or other models. Committee members also pressed for better data on requests, fulfillment, and administrative costs, and discussed whether the state could support local alternatives instead of eliminating the program. The final topic was the proposal to align IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations by automating the process when recipients fail to complete Medi-Cal redeterminations. The administration said this would reduce General Fund costs by about $86 million by preventing payment of IHSS in the residual program when recipients are no longer eligible for Medi-Cal, while also automating reinstatement when Medi-Cal is restored. The LAO noted the proposal has been rejected in prior years and suggested improved notice and communication to recipients as an alternative. CWDA and advocates warned that the change could create gaps in care, especially for people who lose Medi-Cal for procedural reasons, and urged additional safeguards such as better notices, faster reprocessing, and automatic reinstatement. Members questioned how many people would be affected, how the residual program currently works, and whether providers could go unpaid during the gap; the department said the automation is already built and would be activated if the proposal is approved. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the committee moved through public comment and questioning without final action on the proposals in the excerpt provided.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Oct 8th, 2025

Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • OTPs are already heavily regulated at the federal level, and states layering additional regulations can
  • Regulated.
  • Buprenorphine is regulated somewhat differently in that.
  • B, I'm a data analyst 1, 2, 3.
  • And so just want to show that the data really supports this.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

89th Legislative Session Mar 14th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Refer to the Committee on Environmental Regulation.
  • HB 1835 by Guhan relating to the regulation of.
  • HB 1848 by Collier relating to the regulation of coin operating machines.
  • , HB 2232 by Basu relating to regulation by counties build of rent communities and regulation by certain
  • HB 149 by Caprion relating to the regulation of the artificial intelligence system in the state.
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Interim Joint Committee on Education (6-2-26)

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Third, accountability and data: the federal performance standards and the state data systems they rely
  • Third, accountability and data: the federal performance standards and the state data systems they rely
  • So states may need to assess data.
  • </c> will be there to speak to this data. will be there to speak to this data.
  • </c> regulation process. regulation process.
Committee: Joint Education
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Municipal and County Government (02/19/2025)

Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • As we currently regulate them, none.
  • one of which is regulating unrelated occupancy.
  • I don't have any of that data in front of me.
  • Yeah, I don't have that data directly in front of me.
  • </c> actually not a lot that regulate actually not a lot that regulate congrate<01:39:10.080><c> living
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The House Municipal and County Government subcommittee met on February 19, 2025 to gather additional information on House Bill 432, which concerns recovery houses. The first witness, State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi, said his office had worked with stakeholders for more than a year on the bill’s definition changes and supported the revised definition. He explained that the bill removes vague language such as “safe, healthy, family” and instead relies on fire-code requirements and certification standards, including a primarily non-transient dwelling unit and living as a single household. He distinguished recovery houses from boarding or rooming houses and from other congregate settings such as group homes or transitional housing, saying those other uses do not currently have the same exemptions. Members questioned Tumi about fire safety, inspections, smoke alarms, egress, and whether sprinklers should be required. He said recovery houses are inspected by the fire marshal’s office and local fire departments, with annual inspections under state fire code provisions, and that operators must work with a certifying body. He described the inspection process as checking alarms, extinguishers, heating systems, cooking equipment, street numbers, and no-smoking rules, and said new houses are generally given time to obtain certification. He also said he would prefer sprinklers everywhere but believed mandating them for these existing structures would likely shut down many recovery houses and significantly harm the recovery community. Bill McKenny of the New Hampshire Building Officials Association then testified in support of HB 432. He said recovery housing is an important step after treatment and that the 2024 code changes and the bill help align state law with federal disability law. He emphasized that certification through a recognized organization gives code officials confidence that standards are being monitored, and warned that if a recovery home loses certification it would lose the waiver from sprinkler requirements and could be treated more like a boarding or rooming house. No vote or final action was taken at this meeting.