Transcript Highlights:

• Oklahoma's approach balances a more flexible pricing arrangement for referral agencies while still holding
• Families receive referrals only after requesting them, and they're never obligated to use them.
• House Bill 4129 would allow DFPS to implement measures earlier and hold these contractors accountable
• Thank you, members, and I respectfully request my rights to close. Thank you.
• I request your favorable consideration, and with that, I close. Thank you. Members. Any questions?

Bills: HB 1531, HB 2667, HB 2809, HB 2865, HB 3589, HB 3151, HB 3748, HB 3750, HB 4419, HB 4643, HB 3597, HB 4129, HB 4130, HB 4131

Keywords: workplace violence prevention, health and safety code, Chapter 331, facility definition, home and community support services agency, home health agency, home health care, nursing staff, registered nurses, health care workplace safety, hospital, nursing facility, ambulatory surgical center, freestanding emergency medical care facility, mental hospital, Texas health care regulation, provider compliance, occupational safety, senior living, referral agencies

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much for holding this informational briefing and bringing attention to this issue.
• Thank you so much for holding Thank you so much for holding thisformational<00:15:23.040> briefing
• Detainers are a request from the federal government to local and state law enforcement to hold somebody
• Detainers are a request from the federal government to local and state law enforcement to hold somebody
• Is it a request? It's a request. It's just a request.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on findings from the deportation data project and possible policy responses to increased federal immigration enforcement in Hawaii. In opening remarks, the chair said the committee was concerned about changing federal executive orders, policies, and enforcement actions, and framed the issue as one involving due process and public safety. The chair and presenters described reports of ICE activity on multiple islands, including raids, courthouse presence, and fear in immigrant communities, and said the committee was considering whether state policies should be advanced more quickly. Mandy Fernandez of the ACLU of Hawaii presented updated deportation data and argued that increased immigration enforcement is creating fear, reducing crime reporting, and potentially making state and local agencies extensions of the federal immigration agenda if they accept federal funding with conditions. She said the deportation data project, housed at UC Berkeley Law with UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, uses FOIA requests and its latest data runs through late July 2025. She reported 153 ICE arrests in Hawaii from January through July 2025, up from 41 in the same period in 2024; 96 removals, up from 15; a federal detention center average daily population of 91 in June 2025 versus 31 in June 2024; and 111 ICE detainers issued in Hawaii from September 2023 through July 2025, with 49 issued in 2025. She also cited an immigration court backlog of 1,144 pending cases as of August 2025 and noted that about one in five Hawaii residents were born outside the United States. Haley Chang of the Office of the Public Defender said her office is seeing a marked increase in ICE presence around courthouses and more ICE contacts with clients, including reports of people being detained after court appearances or while on supervision. She emphasized that the office is not an immigration law office and that much of its information is anecdotal, but said the pattern appears new compared with prior years. In response to committee questions, she explained that ICE detainers are requests, not judicial warrants, and said local law enforcement is generally not required to honor them unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or other legal authority. She also said the public defender’s office had not yet seen new criminal charges arise solely from an ICE detention or failure to appear tied to immigration enforcement, though cases could be affected if defendants are removed from the criminal process.

Transcript Highlights:

• requests for one-minute speeches.
• The Speaker pro tempore: The yeas and nays are requested.
• The Speaker pro tempore: The yeas and nays are requested.
• The Speaker pro tempore: The yeas and nays are requested.
• REQUESTS FOR ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES. MR.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 31, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Yeah.<00:15:52.720> One<00:15:52.959> request. >> Yeah. One request.
• One request.
• > budget<00:48:50.480> of department requests a lean budget of department requests a lean
• Um there was a<01:04:22.880> request<01:04:23.280> by a request by a request by >>
• :37:45.199> our time that we put our requesting our time that we put our requesting our related

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Detainers are formal requests asking another law enforcement agency to hold individuals for up to 48
• It also mandates that individuals receive copies of immigration hold or transfer requests and notices
• Detainers are formal requests asking another law enforcement agency to hold individuals for up to 48
• And so there are some mechanisms to say, like, if you are holding people and ICE does request to talk
• And so there are some mechanisms to say, like, if you are holding people and ICE does request to talk

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered HB 1976, relating to dementia training for law enforcement, and HB 2443, relating to disaster services for people with disabilities and access or functional needs. For HB 1976, the Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board opposed the bill’s process and cost, arguing there was no documented training gap because existing CALEA accreditation already includes mental illness response training that covers dementia. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, disability advocates, caregivers, and several individuals, said dementia-specific training would help first responders better handle real-world encounters and avoid harmful misunderstandings. The committee later recommended passage with amendments, including changing mandatory language to permissive language in several places and removing a deadline for the first annual training cycle; the recommendation was adopted unanimously. For HB 2443, testimony was strongly supportive. The Disability Communication Access Board, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and individual testifiers said the bill would strengthen emergency planning and response by adding a Disability Integration Specialist and better integrating people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs into disaster preparedness, sheltering, and FEMA coordination. Several speakers emphasized recent storms and rescues as evidence of the need. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including changes based on Attorney General comments and adding specialized communications and comprehensive communications planning provisions previously contained in another bill; that recommendation was also adopted unanimously. The transcript then moved to a separate mini hearing on HB 1768, relating to immigration enforcement. Supporters, including the ACLU of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would prevent local law enforcement from entering 287(g)-type agreements or otherwise participating in federal immigration enforcement, citing civil rights concerns, community trust, and the need for police to focus on local public safety. One testifier raised concerns that local cooperation could help avoid mistakes in enforcement, while supporters responded that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that local agencies should not be deputized for civil immigration arrests. The excerpt ends amid extended member questions and discussion, without showing a final vote on HB 1768.

Transcript Highlights:

• So first up, the governor's requests.
• So first up, the governor's requests.
• So first up, the governor's requests.
• that request.
• SO HAD HOLD OPEN THE APPLICATION PROCESS A LITTLE LONGER.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Minnesota Senate Subcommittee on Veterans heard a Department of Military Affairs presentation on bonding, tuition benefits, and cyber response. The department requested $3.5 million in design funding for a new hangar at the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, citing safety problems with the aging 1950s-era hangars and the need to improve the wing’s competitiveness for future federal military construction funding. It also sought $2.5 million for asset preservation at Army facilities statewide, emphasizing that state dollars are often matched by federal funds. A National Guard lieutenant also testified about the State Tuition Reimbursement Program, describing how it helped pay for her undergraduate and doctoral education and reduce student debt. The committee also received an update on Minnesota National Guard cyber operations, including the response to the July 2025 ransomware attack on the City of Saint Paul. Testimony described the cyber coordination cell’s role in planning, interagency coordination, and support during the incident, including helping re-image about 500 computers and assisting with network recovery. Members heard that the Guard’s cyber teams conduct extensive partner engagement and are prepared to support state and local entities when civil resources are exhausted and the incident exceeds local capacity. Three bills were then heard and advanced. Senate File 4075, as amended, would implement recommendations from the task force on Special Guerrilla Unit and regular forces veterans from the Secret War in Laos, including eligibility and benefit changes; the committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill to the full committee. Senate File 3956, as amended, would clarify that the Department of Veterans Affairs may partner with veteran-serving organizations using nonmonetary resources to address food insecurity, homelessness, and suicide prevention; it was also referred onward. Senate File 4056, as amended, would add veteran or military status as a protected class under the Minnesota Human Rights Act; testimony supported the change, including concerns about service members losing educational opportunities while on state active duty, and the bill was passed to the full committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• just clarifying that line at the request just clarifying that line at the request of<00:52:53.920
• their request. their request. >> Thank<01:02:00.720> you.
• day turnaround time to the PBN process. we hold that application for 21 days we hold that application
• it transfers the expedited timeh hold it transfers the expedited timeh hold which<04:22:35.920><
• If you sign, the hold is an automatic.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yesterday I sent you a letter signed by the Senate Judiciary Democrats, all of them, requesting that
• you hold a hearing on the nomination of Ed Martin to serve as U.S.
• This committee does not typically hold hearings for U.S. Attorney nominees, but Mr.
• I urge this committee to hold a public hearing, noting that Mr.
• I placed a hold on Mr. Barton for many of the reasons that the Ranking Member has articulated.

Bills: SB1040, SB1041, SB1095, SB1096, SB1097, SB527

Keywords: drug competition, product hopping, generic drugs, biosimilars, federal regulations, FTC Act, patent, biological products, healthcare access, affordable prescriptions, Medicare, Federal Trade Commission, sham petitions, competition, public health, unfair competition, healthcare, pharmaceutical, antitrust law, pay-for-delay

Summary: The meeting focused on addressing the high cost of prescription drugs and the abusive practices that contribute to elevated prices affecting American families. Several bills were presented, including proposals to end pay-for-delay deals and to enhance transparency in the operations of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The discussion was notable for its emphasis on consumer protection and ensuring that cheaper generic drugs reach the market more effectively. Members expressed frustration over past attempts to pass similar legislation stalling in the Senate, leading to renewed efforts to push these bills forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget request will highlight the agency's priorities in public safety.
• This funding request is to repair and upgrade DJJ's aging facilities.
• that as large as the request is, that it perhaps is still not enough.
• We have to remember, as we are looking at this large request, right?
• And holding my baby, I was ready to die if it meant that I could hold on to keep my child safe until

Bills: S0054, S0156, S0296, S0298

Keywords: cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, public records, open government, sunshine law, victims of dating violence, domestic violence, address confidentiality program, confidential address, voter registration, voting records, elections, supervisor of elections, Department of State, Attorney General, privacy

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 public safety budget, which totals about $8.2 billion within a $117.4 billion overall state budget. Caitlin Dawkins of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget outlined funding and reductions across the public safety silo, including the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice, FDLE, Legal Affairs, the courts, and related entities. Agency heads then presented their requests, with FDLE seeking funding for fentanyl enforcement, career offender registry staffing, alert system upgrades, alcohol testing equipment, officer mental health, criminal alien detection, and statutory staffing needs; DJJ requesting money for the Florida Scholars Academy, uniforms, residential contract rate increases, a new Broward detention center, and facility maintenance; and DOC requesting major funding for correctional officer pay increases, 500 additional FTE, facility construction and maintenance, communications and security technology, offender information system modernization, inmate health care, pharmaceuticals, and food service. Members discussed staffing shortages, prison conditions, immigration enforcement, public records burdens, mental health and substance use treatment, and the need for continued investment in corrections. A member of the public also testified about poor conditions in some prisons, including clothing, food, medical care, and maintenance issues. The committee then considered and passed CS/SB 156, the Jason Rayner Act, which would clarify that a person may not resist a law enforcement officer with violence when the officer is performing official duties and would increase penalties in cases involving violence against officers. The bill sponsor described the case of Officer Jason Rayner and said the measure was intended to prevent defendants from using claims about unlawful detention or arrest to justify violence. An amendment conforming the bill’s language was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably after support was noted from several law enforcement and municipal groups. Next, the committee passed CS/SB 54, which addresses use of substances affecting cognitive function. An amendment narrowed the medical-records language to records relevant to investigations of violent offenders and clarified privacy protections. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee also passed CS/SB 296, the Haven Act, which would direct a study of a secure web-based alert system for domestic violence victims so they can contact 911 without alerting an abuser, and would expand the Address Confidentiality Program to include dating violence victims. Testimony from survivors and advocates emphasized the danger victims face when trying to leave abusive situations. Finally, the committee passed CS/SB 298, the public-records companion bill, which extends confidentiality protections for participants in the Address Confidentiality Program to dating violence victims as well. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll hold the issue open.
• We'll hold this issue open. Thank you all for being here.
• We will hold those issues open.
• The first sort of basic question is: is the request inclusive?
• That request, can you maybe help me understand what that request is, from who to where, and includes

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance heard testimony and took up three main budget areas: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance and the statewide system of support, and universal school meals with kitchen infrastructure grants. Public commenters and agency witnesses generally supported continued or increased funding for ELOP, with several groups urging stabilization of Tier 2 rates, more support for older youth, and preservation of equity guardrails and local flexibility. On school meals and kitchen infrastructure, testimony broadly supported universal meals and additional kitchen funding, while the LAO questioned the need for a fourth round of kitchen grants and recommended rejecting it until clearer unmet-need data are available. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing for the program and $62.4 million ongoing to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579 and tying future changes to program requirements. CDE said the program is showing positive results in attendance and math, but data on enrollment patterns, TK participation, and some overlap with other programs are still being collected. Members raised concerns about possible double-funding with ACEs and 21st Century programs, the lack of site-specific data, and whether the current structure best targets students most in need; the issue was left open. For differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the current statewide system of support and the Governor’s proposal to shift to universal and targeted assistance with a three-year cycle. Finance said the proposal would provide more stable county office funding, broaden universal supports, and give the State Board more flexibility to revise eligibility criteria; it also proposed $131.9 million ongoing for universal and targeted assistance. The LAO objected to changing the system before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria and recommended revisiting the proposal later, while several members worried that a three-year entry window and broader board authority could weaken subgroup-based equity protections. The committee also discussed school meal funding, with Finance proposing $1.8 billion for universal meals and $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for kitchen infrastructure, while CDE emphasized ongoing needs, deferred maintenance, and the importance of flexibility for innovative strategies such as food pantries. The committee held the issues open and invited additional public comment before moving on.

Transcript Highlights:

• We wanted to Host it, and we've been requesting it for a couple of years.
• We've always Presented that during our capital outlay requests.
• So those are our requests for funding.
• Those who hold a license are valid enough to teach in a building.
• Hold on. I think I may have already addressed it.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've requested, made a budget request to help fund the NIL program going forward, but this endowment
• We've requested made a budget request to We've requested made a budget request to help<00:02:05.400><
• You guys going to hold on, million?
• reasonable warning or request. reasonable warning or request.
• This additional warning or request.

Bills: SB3263, SB3261

Keywords: student-athletes, name image likeness, NIL, compensation, transparency, University of Hawaii, Title IX, funding, protections, athlete agents, student athletes, endorsement contracts, professional representation, registration requirements, sports law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on Senate Bill 3263, which would create a state-supported endowment for University of Hawaii athletics NIL (name, image, and likeness) funding. University of Hawaii Athletics Director Matt Eliott supported the bill, saying NIL requires both immediate funding and a longer-term sustainable solution. He asked for several changes: lowering the initial endowment target from $10 million to $2 million so the fund could start sooner, allowing NIL reporting by team rather than by individual student-athlete, and clarifying that athletes may choose whether to use an agent, while still allowing certified agents or a parent/guardian if desired. Committee members raised concerns about using taxpayer dollars for athlete compensation, the burden on a small-state budget, and whether the university could realistically raise the required matching funds. Several senators questioned whether the university had a concrete fundraising plan and whether the endowment would meaningfully help UH compete with larger programs. Eliott said UH is already fundraising privately for current NIL obligations, had raised more than $1.6 million toward a $3 million annual goal, and would continue fundraising for both short-term needs and the endowment match. He also said the university is not trying to compete with Power Five schools on the same scale, but to be successful at its own conference level. Members also discussed transparency and privacy, with some senators arguing that if state money is used, the public should know how it is spent, while Eliott said individual student-athlete NIL information should remain private and team-level reporting would be preferable. He confirmed international student-athletes are eligible for NIL and said about 60 to 70 UH athletes are currently participating, with more than 100 expected next year. The discussion also touched on UH’s Mountain West media rights and local TV rights, with Eliott explaining that the conference distribution is expected to remain around $3.5 million and that local TV rights would be negotiated separately. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can Senator Kim, you relay the prayer request to Pastor Chinan?
• So, we'll have request to Pastor Chinan?
• Again, thank you for holding the hearing yesterday.
• I want to thank Senator Kim for holding I want to thank Senator Kim for holding the<00:21:08.280
• you for holding the hearing yesterday. you for holding the hearing yesterday.

Bills: SB1432, SB2024, SB2043, SB2060, SB2069, SB2153, SB2259, SB2319, SB2321, SB2338, SB2360, SB2396, SB2405, SB2407, SB2544, SB2550, SB2552, SB2578, SB2580, SB2607, SB2614, SB2671, SB2800, SB2805, SB2816, SB2835, SB2877, SB2892, SB2928, SB2934, SB3063, SB3199, SB3233, SB3325, HCR8, HCR10, HCR11, HCR13, HCR14, HCR18, HCR19, HCR22, HCR24, HCR31, HCR32, HCR33, HCR35, HCR54, HCR62, HCR63, HCR66, HCR67, HCR82, HCR83, HCR85, HCR91, HCR93, HCR94, HCR96, HCR98, HCR102, HCR104, HCR105, HCR106, HCR110, HCR111, HCR116, HCR117, HCR118, HCR121, HCR122, HCR123, HCR124, HCR125, HCR127, HCR128, HCR137, HCR139, HCR140, HCR141, HCR144, HCR146, HCR162, HCR165, HCR166, HCR173, HCR178, HCR179, HCR180, HCR181, HCR182, HCR185, HCR189, HCR191, HCR192, HCR193, HCR194, HCR200, HCR202, HCR6, HCR36, HCR42, HCR43, HCR44, HCR53, HCR57, HCR61, HCR64, HCR69, HCR84, HCR101, HCR103, HCR107, HCR112, HCR126, HCR136, HCR154, HCR161, HCR175, HCR186, HCR187, HCR188, HCR197, HCR203, HCR204, HCR206, HB1870, HB1588, HB2429, HB2386, HB2583, HB2361, HB2270, HB2137, HB1643, HB1682, HB1692, HB2078, HB1553, HB1667, HB1700, HB1728, HB2293, HB2096, HB1959, HB1511, HB1961, HB1858, HB1897, HB2088, HB2093, HB2279, HB2314, HB2505, HB2433, HB963, HB1705, HB1550, HB469, HB1334, HB1710, HB1737, HB1753, HB1881, HB2309, HB1713, HB1741, HB2062, HB463, HB1839, HB1664, HB2455, HB2417, HB1898, HB1573, HB1768, HB1962, HB2101, HB1782, HB2033, HB1518, HB1642, HB1752, HB2097, HB2282, HB1696, HB1823, HB1886, HB2152, HB2413, HB2503, HB1875, HB1519, HB1509, HB1628, HB1810, HB1990, HB2023, HB2540, HB1679, HB1888, HB2576, HB2592

Keywords: Kalaupapa, Kalawao, Molokai, Maui County, county consolidation, Hansen's disease, leprosy, Department of Health, DOH, patient residents, former patients, public health, transition planning, jurisdiction transfer, county governance, historical preservation, cultural preservation, environmental remediation, community input, Kalaupapa Settlement

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes, you know, boards will want to hold hold a meeting in person.
• Hold on. We're gonna do some pending business.
• Hold on. A second, second. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
• Hold on, okay. Is there anyone else who wishes to testify for or against SB1244?
• And you've got to be holding your position neutral. But if you...

Bills: HB 1087, HB2504, HB4113, HB5144, HB5146, HB5377, HB5543, SB140, SB264, SB1244, SB1343, SB2121, HR868

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• program requests.
• That's been a recurring request for several years.
• I have one question and then one request.
• I have one question and then one request.
• So then my request is, and this is, I'm sure, really a request to Tyler, but on the Odyssey system, if

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hold on a minute. Let me recognize the parliamentarian.
• [Laughter] Madam Speaker, I rise on a parliamentary inquiry. >> Hold on one second.
• Hold on 1 second. 1 minute. Hold on 1 second. 1 minute.
• /c><00:56:05.640> 9:30 subcommittee members, please hold 9:30 subcommittee members, please hold
• woman ever to hold an executive position<00:58:26.200> at<00:58:26.440> NASA.

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, quorum call, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then received Senate Bill 890 and several House committee reports. The first major measure taken up was House Bill 627, which establishes a Commission on Histories, Culture, and Civics in Education. Committee amendments clarified the commission’s purpose, membership, and charge to review curriculum materials and school calendars and make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Additional amendments added a disability community expert and preamble language. The bill prompted extended debate about whether the commission would promote diversity in curriculum, how it would address religious and ethnic representation, and whether it would include Christian or Catholic perspectives; supporters said it was meant to reflect communities that had requested inclusion and to improve the completeness of Maryland history, while critics questioned the need for a new commission and raised concerns about identity politics and curriculum control. The bill was ordered printed for third reading after second-reader consideration. The House also considered House Bill 1582, the Education Program Accountability, Comprehensive Outcomes and Measures of Progress for Supporting Schools (COMPASS) Act. An amendment removed references to advanced professional certificates and national board certification from school quality indicators and required annual reporting on the relationship between composite scores and concentrations of low-income students. During discussion, members asked whether the bill was changing the scoring system and how much weight academics would carry; the response was that academic indicators would remain a majority of the score, but no single indicator could exceed 20% of the composite. The amendment and favorable report were adopted, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. The House then took up House Bill 1514 concerning Calvert County county officials and Board of Education salaries and benefits. Committee amendments were technical and removed a benefit provision related to a former commissioner; both the amendment and favorable report were adopted without opposition, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. Finally, the chamber moved to special order calendar item Senate Bill 283, the Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026. The House Appropriations Committee presented 198 amendments to the capital budget, describing them as balanced across regions and within debt affordability limits, and began moving the amendments in groups, starting with a technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So our budget request is $280,000 each year for 2026 and 2027, a total request of $560,000, which is
• So our budget request is $280,000 each year for 2026 and 2027, a total request of $560,000, which is
• your questions about the budget request your questions about the budget request or<00:41:18.160>
• It's in the budget request, correct? No, but it's in the request. House Bill 1, okay.
• It's in the budget request, correct? No, but it's in the request. House Bill 1, okay.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed House Bill 1, focusing on the legislative branch budget, especially the Senate and House lines. Members discussed that the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 adjusted authorized amount was higher than 2024 actual spending, largely due to personnel, benefits, and travel, and one member proposed a $500,000 annual cut. Staff explained that any reduction would need to be allocated across specific line items such as personnel, benefits, and travel, and noted that the Senate budget is entirely General Funds. After discussion of how the adjusted authorized figures were calculated and why the branch no longer staffs some joint committees as it once did, the committee moved on without taking a vote on that section. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from the New Hampshire Retirement System. NHRS officials described their statutory administrative budget, which is funded through the retirement trust rather than the General Fund, and said the FY 2026-2027 increase is driven by IT modernization, cybersecurity, a new strategic plan, and additional staff positions. They also reviewed the system’s funding progress, clean audit opinions, investment performance, and changes to asset allocation, while noting that several recent pension-related laws required major database changes. Members questioned the large increase in salaries and benefits, the need for new employees versus contractors, the purpose of training costs, and the source of the Group Two benefit funding. NHRS said the governor’s budget includes General Funds for Group Two benefit changes, with $5 million in FY 2026 and $27.9 million in FY 2027, and that the figures reflect the governor’s recommendation and related HB 2 provisions. Committee members also asked about employer and employee contribution rates for Group Two police and fire members, which NHRS said were not included in the budget document but were about 31.2% for police and 30.35% for fire, with employee shares around 11.55% and 11.8%. The committee did not make a decision on the NHRS budget during this exchange and indicated it would review the details further before returning to it later. The committee then heard from the Community Development Finance Authority on the State Treasury Department budget line for the required state match to administer the federal Community Development Block Grant program. CDFA explained that its $280,000 annual request for FY 2026 and FY 2027, totaling $560,000, supports administration, technical assistance, contracting, and monitoring of roughly $19 million in annual federal CDBG funds. Members asked about the leverage of the state match, oversight of projects, staffing, and grant prioritization. CDFA said it has 18 employees, uses public hearings and a scoring system to prioritize awards, and conducts both desk and on-site monitoring, with annual audits to ensure compliance. No vote was taken on the CDFA item in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're planning a funeral, writing an obituary, holding your surviving children close while trying not
• Thank you for your time, your leadership, and for holding this hearing.
• We strongly request a favorable report for all of these bills, and thank you for the work that you do
• They may request changes as to when they arrive and when they leave.
• And, you know, like what happens with these, they know that we have to hold them harmless.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on a large group of bills carried over from the previous session, with Chair Jake Oliveira and House Co-Chair Paul McMurtry outlining the process and limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee heard testimony on several labor and workplace proposals, including bills to harmonize employee definitions to address misclassification (SB 1338/HB 2141), expand bereavement leave (including H. 2189/S. 1354 and related bills), protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative employees (HB 268/SB 1306), expand commuter transit benefits (HB 2153/SB 1345), regulate employer use of credit reports (S. 1286), and require apprenticeship participation or OSHA-related workplace safety measures on public projects. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read into the record additional bills that did not receive testimony that day. Supporters of the misclassification bill, including Greater Boston Legal Services and the AFL-CIO, said aligning the employee-status tests across wage, unemployment, and PFML laws would reduce confusion, improve enforcement, and help workers wrongly treated as independent contractors or managers recover benefits and bargaining rights. NAGE and its representative argued that public-sector employees have been improperly reclassified into management titles to weaken unions, and that the bill would force the Division of Labor Relations to review those titles. On bereavement leave, advocates including the Louis E. Brown Peace Institute, a state representative, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, and individual survivors described the impact of sudden loss and homicide on families, saying guaranteed leave would help workers grieve, make arrangements, and avoid losing jobs or custody-related stability. The committee also heard support for commuter benefits as a low-cost way to reduce emissions and increase transit use, and for restricting employer credit checks because of inaccuracies and discriminatory effects. There was opposition to some construction-related bills. The Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association supported apprenticeship training in principle but said current apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios are outdated or misunderstood, and that the bills should be amended or clarified before advancing. The Massachusetts landscape and snow-removal industry strongly supported a snow-liability limitation bill, arguing that hold-harmless clauses and broad indemnification requirements force contractors to assume liability for conditions they cannot control, drive up insurance costs, and threaten business viability. The committee did not take any votes during the hearing, and the session ended with the chairs thanking members, staff, and the public before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll hold there. Senator King. Thank you, Mr. President and members.
• Hold on a second, Senator Perry; let the amendment get to the back.
• You'll have to find two friends or hold? We'll hold for now. Thank you, Mr. President.
• We need to hold our institutions of health to a higher standard.
• Is it an appropriate time for an announcement or a request to suspend?

Bills: SCR46, SB31, SB39, SB227, SB330, SB401, SB407, SB467, SB482, SB500, SB506, SB512, SB527, SB584, SB619, SB636, SB646, SB647, SB648, SB659, SB663, SB715, SB732, SB758, SB801, SB816, SB847, SB870, SB884, SB1020, SB1055, SB1065, SB1137, SB1169, SB1181, SB1283, SB1383, SB1395, SB1410, SB1433, SB1490, SB1558, SB1574, SB1626, SB1666, SB1718, SB1727, SB1756, SB1757, SB1845, SB1924, SB1964, SB1972, SB2018, SB2031, SB2075, SB2076, SB2080, SB2111, SB2117, SB2154, SB2161, SB2173, SB2206, SB2225, SB2253, SB2268, SB2314, SB2322, SB2351, SB2371, SB2476, SB2533, SB2540, SB2570, SB2589, SB2623, SB2658, SB2660, SB2692, SB2693, SB2717, SB2722, SB2753, SB2779, SB2877, SB2880, SB2900, SB2920, SB3031, HJR4, SB5, SB260, SB1786, SJR3, SJR18, SB1, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR84, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR46, SCR48, SCR19, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1026, SB1433, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB619, SB1122, SB732, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB529, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB1924, SB2253, SB2018, SB2206, SB584, SB1085, SB1490, SB2314, SB2046, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB1137, SB636, SB2056, SB1558, SB884, SB227, SB517, SB1200, SB1410, SB1626, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB1757, SB2050, SB2458, SB2201, SB1055, SB2660, SB2662, SB1065, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB648, SB647, SB512, SB1721, SB2268, SB2366, SB1013, SB2692, SB2570, SB2797, SB2111, SB2371, SB2383, SB646, SB1169, SB1754, SB1718, SB2779, SB2004, SB1756, SB2119, SB527, SB2322, SB2448, SB1777, SB1283, SB407, SB2392, SB2076, SB2786, SB3031, SB2877, SB2876, SB2284, SB2225, SB1540, SB2920, SB2929, SB1395, SB1972, SB2540, SB2742, SB2595, SB2217, SB2117, SB715, SB2330, SB1964, SB1383, SB500, SB1640, SB2001, SB2080, SB2722, SB506, SB2514, SB2623, SB2658, SB1574, SB2900, SB2753, SB2398, SB401, SB1241, SB2927, SB2173, SB2538, SB898, SB467, SB1449, SB2529, SB1531, SB2846, SB2476, SB2031, SB986, SB1181, SB2075, SB2154, SB2864, SB31, SB2880, SB1359, SB2386, SB771, SB2844, SB2550, SB1351, SB1423, SB1931, SB2245, SB2589, SB2707, SB2807, SB2351, SB410, SB659, SB816, SB2776, SB2693, SB2580, SB1980, SB1886, SB1234, SB739, SB482, SB456, SB127, SB1666, SB2843, SB2801, SB800, SB2055, SB784, SB2986, SB735, SB1012, SB324, SB2926, SB2938, SB2007, SB2138, SB1242, HJR4, HB135, HB1109, SCR30, SCR3, SB2615, SB1049, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB1568, SB2841, SB2885, SB3016, SB2858, SB2610, SB2139, SB1856, SB2035, SB2308, SB2306, SB2041, SB1528, SB1681, SB1141, SB2401, SB2530, SB2375, SB547, SB1266, SB1373, SB1467, SB2069, SB2269, SB2480, SB2544, SB672, SB904, SB2695, SB2891, SB2422, SB2543, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB457, SB2357, HCR35, HCR64

Keywords: Texas beef, cattle industry, agricultural heritage, Texas strip steak, economic growth, SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability

Transcript Highlights:

• And our expansion request really isn't an expansion request.
• You can see what our requests are in our Section 7 requests.
• So we have section 7 requests for your C2 projects.
• We need nine, and we requested nine.
• And so that brings us to the request.

Keywords: 996, all