Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:48.559> in think that we're seeing less snow in think that we're seeing less snow in
• And um the comment about the 1,500 square foot lots and removing snow.
• And um the comment about the 1,500 square foot lots and removing snow.
• The comment about the 1,500 square foot lots and removing snow.
• Um, that remove their own snow.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, now he works at Butler Snow. We're hiring the firm where he works for.
• What does Butler Snow not do?
• <00:44:08.880> We're Well, now he works at Butler Snow.
• We're Well, now he works at Butler Snow.
• I mean, they we've Butler Snow not do?

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have the full cohort, but we're glad you were able to brave the snow.
• able<00:01:12.080> to<00:01:12.159> brave<00:01:12.479> the<00:01:12.720> snow
• Uh<00:01:13.680> we<00:01:13.840> have<00:01:13.920> the able to brave the snow
• Uh we have the able to brave the snow.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate held a brief pro forma session with a quorum present. The presiding officer noted Holocaust Remembrance Day in Maryland and emphasized the importance of anti-hate efforts, and also welcomed representatives from the Council of State Governments who were visiting despite the snow. The chamber processed one bill introduction, Senate Bill 368 by Senator Bailey concerning living shorelines and non-structural shoreline stabilization measures, and referred it to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. One bond initiative, sponsored by Senators Hettleman, Ishivas, Torres, and Simcha, was also read and sent to the Capital Budget Subcommittee. During announcements, the Majority Leader invited members to a Council of State Governments reception at Harry Brown’s at 6 p.m. The Senate then completed a quorum call and adjourned, with notice that another pro forma session would be held the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I wanted to take a minute to talk about the service of the KYTC snow and ice teams that we've seen
• And I wanted to take a minute to talk about the service of the KYTC snow and ice teams that we've seen
• <00:20:51.440> and the hourly contract rate for snow and the hourly contract rate for snow
• >> and um along with the snow and and and >> and um along with the snow and and and the<00
• It was not a typical storm where you just have snow.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met to review the Transportation Cabinet’s budget request and the recommended highway plan; no votes were taken. Secretary Jim Gray opened with praise for KYTC snow and ice crews, describing their response to recent winter storms and noting the scale of the effort, including about 2,300 workers, 1,438 pieces of equipment, and more than 948,000 miles driven in the first week. He then outlined the cabinet’s overall highway plan, saying it includes more than 1,300 projects and about $9.5 billion in anticipated state and federal funding over six years, with roughly 40% directed to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails. He highlighted major priority projects such as the Mountain Parkway four-laning, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River crossing. Budget director Sean McCarron explained that the cabinet adjusted its request after the Consensus Forecast Group lowered road fund revenue estimates, and said the cabinet only included additional requests it viewed as essential. He described requests to support driver licensing regional offices, including funding to maintain temporary and contract staff used to reduce wait times, expand offices from 35 to 41 locations, and support improved customer service; he warned that without the current-year increase, wait times would rise again. He also discussed maintenance funding, saying the proposed increases would help cover rising costs for salt, snow and ice drivers, and mowing, while allowing continued litter pickup, vegetation management, pothole repair, and more in-house snow and ice work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock addressed specific capital questions, especially the Brent Spence Bridge and Cairo Bridge. For Brent Spence, he said the requested $125 million in general funds is needed because construction costs have risen sharply, citing a 61% increase in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025, and said Kentucky and Ohio are both contributing to keep the project moving. He added that if the legislature does not provide the $125 million, KYTC would have to shift $100 million in federal highway funds and $25 million in state match from other projects. Hancock also reviewed several project reauthorizations for maintenance facilities and aviation projects, and noted a $5 million federally funded truck parking project aimed at addressing statewide truck parking shortages, especially along interstates and in areas such as Louisville, northern Kentucky, Frankfort, Somerset, and western Kentucky.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as we've seen here lately, uh, with snow and ice and sometimes multiple fatalities, it is so very
• c><00:03:58.720> lately,<00:03:59.360> uh<00:03:59.519> with<00:03:59.760> snow
• <00:03:59.920> and<00:04:00.159> ice seen here lately, uh with snow and ice seen here
• lately, uh with snow and ice and<00:04:00.640> sometimes<00:04:01.200> multiple<00:04:
• <00:09:16.480> and we're reacting to the to the snow and we're reacting to the to the snow

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection met for its second meeting of the 2026 session and considered two bills. After opening formalities, roll call, prayer, and the pledge, the committee heard Senate Bill 84, which would provide five additional emergency response trailers for county coroners, one for each of the state’s 10 districts. The sponsor and coroners testified that the trailers would improve response times and equipment availability during natural disasters and mass fatality incidents, citing recent floods, tornadoes, snow and ice events, and the need for standby power and other equipment. Members praised the coroners’ work, discussed funding concerns, and noted the bill’s relatively small cost and one-time funding structure tied to FEMA reimbursement for replacement equipment. The committee then considered Senate Bill 102, which would adjust the Kentucky State Police Trooper R program by resetting the five-year eligibility window from a trooper’s last day of service rather than the original retirement date. The sponsor and supporters said the change would help retain experienced retired troopers to fill staffing gaps without creating new retirement obligations or lowering standards. Members asked about ongoing certification and retirement-system impacts; testimony indicated Trooper R officers must maintain required law-enforcement certification, but no additional retirement contributions are made for them. Some members raised concerns about pension-system effects and compared the issue to shortages in other law-enforcement fields, while others strongly supported the bill as a practical staffing tool. Both bills received favorable committee action. Senate Bill 84 was approved by roll call and passed with favorable expression, and Senate Bill 102 likewise passed with favorable expression after a roll-call vote, with members generally expressing support for the underlying public-safety goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• We waited for rain or snow to put it out. We just contained it at that point.
• a crisis, and you heard it from a lot of different people, whether it was the fire panel, that the snow
• You're going to get earlier snowmelt because this past year, for example, we had a good snow year.
• What happens is that snow—it's a snow drought—and it melts off faster, and then in the summer months,
• is the new normal because of what's happening with the climate and with this change in when we get snow

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session covering the state revenue outlook, caseload forecasts, wildfire costs, budget balance, tort liability, water supply, and pension policy. The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported modest near-term U.S. growth, no near-term Washington employment growth in 2026, continued personal income growth, and elevated inflation, with tariffs and federal policy cited as major risks. Revenue forecasts were slightly improved for the current biennium by about $105 million but down about $185 million for the next biennium. Members asked about income inequality and housing permits; staff said personal income is an aggregate measure and housing production remains below long-term needs. The Caseload Forecast Council then reported that most forecasts were unchanged or only slightly changed, but several programs increased, including Washington College Grant, Working Connections, aged/blind/disabled cash grants, nursing homes, home and community services, and developmental disabilities personal care. The largest policy-driven change was in Medicaid low-income adult caseloads, where federal H.R. 1 was projected to reduce coverage substantially through narrower eligibility, community engagement requirements, and shorter eligibility periods. The committee also heard a wildfire funding update and a 2025 fire season review. Staff explained that the state budgets $93 million annually for suppression and uses supplemental appropriations for costs above that level, with an estimated state supplemental need of about $139 million for the current year. Department of Natural Resources officials said 2025 fire activity remained below the 10-year average in acres burned, but fires were more complex and closer to communities, contributing to higher residence loss. They described expanded use of aircraft, firefighters from other states, corrections crews, and the Arcadia 20 hand crew, and said the state did not need National Guard ground support this year. A budget preview then showed that the near general fund outlook had worsened after vetoes, lapses, and forecast changes, and that maintenance-level costs alone would leave a projected negative balance by fiscal year 2027 and about $4.3 billion by fiscal year 2029, before any policy decisions. Jason Seams, the state risk manager, reported a sharp rise in tort claim costs, with indemnity expenses nearly doubling from fiscal year 2023 to 2025 and DCYF accounting for most of the increase. He said the state self-insurance liability account has run deficits for four straight biennia and is now facing nearly $600 million in deficits, driven largely by a surge in DCYF claims, especially juvenile rehabilitation and long-running sex abuse cases. Members asked about the role of old claims, comparisons with other states, excess insurance, and whether more Attorney General staff could reduce special assistant attorney general costs. The committee then shifted to water policy, hearing from tribal leaders, Ecology, and the Washington Water Trust. Tribal witnesses emphasized overappropriation, declining flows, climate impacts, and the need for legislative oversight and tribal participation in water policy. Ecology described major projects in the Odessa sub-area, Yakima Basin, and Dungeness, along with the need for storage, recharge, conservation, and policy changes to support water supply development. The Washington Water Trust argued that climate change is reducing summer flows and that the state needs more funding, enforcement, and long-term commitment to restore instream flows. The final item was a pension update on LEOFF 1 surplus assets; staff reviewed two 2025 bills that would have merged or restructured the plan and used surplus assets, but neither passed, and instead the budget directed the Select Committee on Pension Policy to study the issue and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rochester, Minnesota, where you can use them for 165 days a year in a city that averages 50 inches of snow
• We were promised snow boots, and they gave us flip-flops.
• Rochester, Minnesota, where you can use them for 165 days a year in a city that averages 50 inches of snow
• We were promised snow boots, and they gave us flip-flops.
• We were promised snow boots, and they gave us flip-flops.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Hicks presented House File 4194, which would change how Rochester’s approved local option sales tax funds could be used for a regional athletics facility. Hicks argued the city’s 2023 ballot materials promised substantial community and stakeholder engagement and an indoor/outdoor community recreation complex, but that the project shifted to an outdoor-only plan without meaningful public input. She said the bill was needed to center Rochester residents’ voices and prevent a precedent of approved projects being changed after the vote. Rochester City Council President Randy Schubring opposed the bill, saying the city is following the 2023 authorization and building as much as possible within the approved funding. He said the ballot question passed with 53% support and urged the committee not to overturn local election results, while asking lawmakers to work with the city and Rochester delegation on the remaining funding shortfall. Testifier Kamau Wilkins also opposed the city’s current direction, saying voters were promised indoor recreation facilities but are now getting mostly outdoor baseball diamonds, which he described as a bait-and-switch. Several members supported Hicks’ concerns, saying legislators have a duty to ensure local sales tax projects match what voters were told. Representative Lee raised a broader issue about legislative oversight of local option sales taxes and referenced a possible St. Paul-related fix. Hicks closed by saying she supported the tax originally but no longer believes the project matches what voters approved. The committee then laid House File 4194 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• do you feel about, like, especially the last couple of weeks right now, what's happening with the snow
• solar arrays, they now are on trackers, which means they rotate back and forth, then they dump the snow
• So, yes, for the panels that are fixed to a roof, they're covered in snow, and that's a bummer.
• But for the large facilities on the ground, once it snows, they can go whoop, and they dump the other
• way and the snow comes off, so they're back to generating energy.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications met under Chair Senator Kevin Parker and considered several bills related to clean energy, transmission, storage, schools, and microgrids. Bill 1456, which would require certain watercraft, aircraft, and trains to be zero-emissions and direct NYSERDA studies and incentives, was discussed as technology-neutral and advanced with one no vote to the Finance Committee. Bill 286, increasing statewide energy storage capacity, drew concerns about battery safety, fire risk, and volunteer fire department training, but was advanced to the floor with two no votes. Bill 2482, the Go Green Schools Act, would let schools convert to renewable energy and keep savings for school operations; it advanced to the floor despite concerns about siting solar on school grounds. Bill 2485 on expanding electric transmission lines and Bill 5510 directing NYSERDA to develop microgrid recommendations were both advanced to the Finance Committee, each with one no vote. The committee then heard testimony from Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. She argued that wind, solar, storage, and transmission have made New York a leader in clean energy and said renewable energy is increasingly cost-competitive, with much of recent bill increases driven by grid upgrades and gas prices rather than renewables. She also said clean energy helps hedge against volatile fossil fuel prices, pointed to community solar and offshore wind as savings and reliability tools, and said the state’s permitting and interconnection processes have improved. Members questioned Wells about farmland use, decommissioning, recycling of solar and wind equipment, battery storage safety, local control, and misinformation. Wells said utility-scale projects require decommissioning plans and financial assurances, farmland must be restored under agricultural guidelines, and recycling capacity is developing. On battery storage, she said New York has rigorous codes and monitoring requirements, that not all storage is lithium-ion, and that state-level permitting is appropriate for large facilities. Several senators raised concerns about fires, contamination, winter performance, and siting projects in densely populated areas or on farmland, while others emphasized farmland protections and the value of renewable projects to host communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of people have not been taking them up just because there's no snow.
• <00:31:41.320> billers<00:31:42.039> that you say to our our snow billers that you
• We saw from two years ago when we had the heavy snow.
• And, you know, as Representative Gilman wants more snow and I want more snow, the deer probably don't
• wants more snow and and I want more snow wants more snow and and I want more snow the<00:39:54.960

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow. Thank you.
• Let it bill on a melting pile of snow?
• Let it snow.<00:56:09.359> Let<00:56:09.440> it<00:56:09.680> snow.
• <00:56:10.799> Thank snow. Let it snow. Let it snow. Thank snow. Let it snow.
• Let it snow. Thank you. you. you.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are responding to emergencies and also managing snow and ice awareness and deployment.
• Just a few weeks ago, as we geared up for back-to-back-to-back statewide snow, ice, and flood events,
• Those are responding to emergencies and also managing snow and ice awareness and deployment.
• Just a few weeks ago, as we geared up for back-to-back-to-back statewide snow, ice, and flood events,
• and ice awareness and also managing snow and ice awareness and deployment. deployment. deployment.

Keywords: Investments in Information Technology Improvement & Modernization Projects Oversight Board will met upon adjournment of both chambers. The time set is noon on YouTube, But the official time will likely vary based on chamber proceedings. Meeting start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:00 Tools for Managing Remote Work Kentucky Personnel Cabinet 00:00:30 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 00:20:20 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:33:10 Housing, Buildings and Construction 00:47:40 Commonwealth Office of Technology 00:56:20, 958, all

Summary: The committee received testimony from Personnel Cabinet Secretary Mary Elizabeth Bailey and Deputy Secretary Robert Long on the state’s telecommuting policy. Bailey explained that telecommuting in the executive branch is governed by a statewide policy requiring eligible employees to work in the office three days a week and telecommute up to two days a week. Eligibility depends first on the position, not the person: public-facing jobs, roles requiring special equipment or insecure document handling, and other duties that cannot be performed remotely are not eligible. Employees and managers must complete training, sign agreements, comply with safety and IT requirements, and telecommuting privileges can be revoked for poor performance or discipline. She said the cabinet audits compliance and that telecommuting has helped maintain services during inclement weather, disasters, and building renovations. Bailey also said about 33% of the workforce is hybrid, 11% telecommutes full-time, and 56% does not telecommute. Members asked about cost savings, eligibility, discipline, and technology requirements. Bailey said she did not have statewide cost-savings figures and referred that question to the Finance and Administration Cabinet. She said employees must have reliable connectivity and appropriate equipment, but there is no fixed broadband speed requirement; if an employee cannot connect, they must come into the office. She also said telecommuting postings indicate whether a position is eligible, and that performance issues are handled through progressive discipline rather than being ignored. Transportation Cabinet officials then described how their agency manages remote work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock, along with IT and human resources leaders, said the cabinet follows the executive branch policy and actively manages telecommuting employees through Microsoft Teams, VPN access, daily standups, project tracking, and manager oversight. They said more than 2,600 of the cabinet’s 4,000 employees cannot telecommute because their jobs are public-facing or field-based, while about 35% are eligible to telecommute up to two days per week. The cabinet also has 13 state employees and 94 contract employees working full-time remotely in IT. Officials said telecommuting has improved recruitment and retention, supported emergency response and weather operations, and allowed the cabinet to continue working during storms and other disruptions. Members asked about phone equipment, monitoring, and “mouse jiggler” devices; officials said phones are often forwarded to personal or state devices, Teams shows real-time availability, and managers rely on daily accountability and project management tools to monitor work.

Transcript Highlights:

• that we use um wears off with the snow that we use um wears off with the snow plows<00:38:22.440
• fill one shift, never mind multiple shifts, so those people are available when we need them to plow snow
• fill one shift, never mind multiple shifts, so those people are available when we need them to plow snow
• fill one shift, never mind multiple shifts, so those people are available when we need them to plow snow
• People are available when we need them to plow snow, but for the duration of the storm.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways Committee held an orientation meeting focused on introducing members, outlining committee norms, and hearing an overview from the Department of Transportation. Chair David Mills emphasized the committee’s long-standing bipartisan working style, asked members to share contact information for short-notice scheduling, and noted that the committee would need to complete as much work as possible before the building is vacated later in the year. Members introduced themselves and described backgrounds in engineering, construction, planning, local government, military service, education, and business. Several members highlighted prior service on planning boards, school boards, zoning boards, or in transportation-related fields as relevant to the committee’s work. Members repeatedly described the committee as collegial and nonpartisan, with most bills going to the consent calendar. The chair also noted that the committee’s work centers on state infrastructure, including roads, bridges, highways, and buildings. Representative Cluder, the ranking member, and others echoed that the committee is effective because it talks issues through and resolves disagreements collaboratively. One member mentioned a recent trip that reinforced the importance of infrastructure resilience after storms and rebuilding efforts in other states. Department of Transportation officials, led by Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer David Rodrig, gave a detailed organizational and operational overview. They described DOT’s structure, mission of “transportation excellence,” and major responsibilities across highways, bridges, rail, transit, aeronautics, maintenance, and administration. Rodrig reported 1,651 permanent positions and 404 vacancies, 2,160 state bridges with 115 on the Red List, 4,600 centerline miles of roadway, 25 public airports, 11 transit systems, and 194 active state-owned rail lines. He also outlined FY 2024 spending, project development activity, highway maintenance operations, fleet and fuel systems, and the distinction between the highway fund and DOT’s budget, including the role of federal funds and the turnpike enterprise fund. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this orientation meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Discussed earlier, as well as snow operations here in the state, cybersecurity and reliability are very
• You can see you've got a live view outside the camera, so you can see, again, if it was during a snow
• Is there snow on the ground? Is there a construction zone? Is there potholes or whatever it may be?
• Is there snow on the ground? Is there a construction zone? Is there potholes or whatever it may be?
• You know, there's some heavy snow to your west or whatever it may be, and actually give your operators

Transcript Highlights:

• I was standing with Sheila Green most of the day as we were being pummeled by snow.
• And so I just, I'm really grateful to all of the partners who made, by snow.
• the moment still planned to happen, although the Worcester City Clerk did give me a heads up that if snow
• A couple of photographs that we didn't invent the snow; the snow was there.
• This is Springfield, and again, we had snow, we had oxen, we had cattle, we had horses, we had cannons

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission meeting opened with a roll call that established a quorum, allowing the group to proceed officially. Co-chair remarks highlighted recent successful Henry Knox Trail commemorations in Great Barrington, Alford, and Springfield, with praise for the organizers and participants. The meeting then focused on Massachusetts 250 and America 250 planning, including statewide events tied to the Revolution’s 250th anniversary. Sheila from the Office of Travel and Tourism outlined several America 250 initiatives: selecting an item for the national time capsule, organizing a July 8 nationwide reading of the Declaration of Independence, encouraging a July 5 “America’s potluck,” and considering a “heritage tractor” tribute from Kansas as a model for Massachusetts participation. Members discussed who should decide the time capsule contents, with suggestions that Secretary Galvin and the commission help set criteria, and there was interest in creating a separate Massachusetts-only time capsule as a backup. The commission also discussed whether Governor Healey should formally endorse the potluck effort, and members expressed support for distributing a graphic for the Declaration reading. Revolution 250 and related organizers gave updates on upcoming commemorations: Worcester was moved to a larger venue due to strong attendance, Framingham will include living history portrayals of Patriots of Color, Cambridge and Roxbury programs are being planned, and Dorchester Heights/Evacuation Day events will include a Boston Public Library evening commemoration and a March 17 procession and ceremony. Sail Boston was also previewed as a major international event with dozens of ships and extensive public safety coordination. A final presentation pitched “Rebel Town,” a Boston Tea Party musical, as a potential America 250 attraction; the presenter described the show’s development, audience appeal, and need for a Boston venue and funding. No votes were taken beyond the motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm very happy to see that the cops today in the neighborhood, they know that when it snows, go shovel
• the snow in their driveway, go take care of them, check in on them, knock on the door.
• And I want you to know that you are always welcome in Albany. they know that when it snows, go shovel
• the snow in their driveway, go take care of them, check in on them, knock on the door.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, adopted the resolution calendar, and heard an introduction welcoming the parents of Detective Wenjun Lu, with remarks honoring their family’s sacrifice and service. The chamber then proceeded through a lengthy reading of the calendar and passed a series of bills, most by wide margins, covering topics including social services, labor, insurance, mental hygiene, county law, education, financial services, criminal procedure, executive law, general business law, tax law, and powers and trusts law. Several measures were passed unanimously or with only one or a few dissenting votes, while others drew larger partisan splits. The main floor debate centered on Calendar 44, Assembly Bill 9516, a Correction Law bill expanding the membership of the State Commission of Correction from three to five and adding qualifications for certain appointees, including a former inmate and a health care, legal, or policy professional. Senator Murray argued the bill should require victims’ rights experience and said the criminal justice system should not ignore crime victims; Senator Salazar responded that the commission’s oversight role is focused on correctional facilities and that the bill does not exclude anyone with victims’ experience. Senators Rivera and Martins also explained their votes, with Rivera supporting the bill as part of a more rehabilitative approach and Martins opposing it, citing high recidivism and public safety concerns. After debate, the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar and passed. The Senate then completed the remaining calendar items and adjourned until Thursday, January 29 at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll hear from Maggie Snow from Minitex in a couple of minutes, and some of them are funded through
• You'll hear from Maggie Snow from Minitex in a couple of minutes, and some of them are funded through
• You'll hear from Maggie Snow from Minitex in a couple of minutes, and some of them are funded through
• You'll hear from Maggie Snow from Minitex in a couple of minutes, and some of them are funded through
• All right, next we have, um, Director Maggie Snow from MINEX.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How much of that will actually be for things that are not activities you have to do in the snow?
• The Klaugrovski area suffered for years for lack of snow.
• So that leads me to my next question: Will this incentivize more snow?
• I've never been in fake snow, as far as I know, and if I have, it's so good that I don't know.
• There have been significant advances in snowmaking, pumps, and storage—how we make snow.

Bills: SB190, SB152, SB77, SB150, SB151, SB156, SB172, SB182, SB185, SB212, SB170, SB133, SB174, SB163

Keywords: cancer treatment, revenue bonds, Gila Regional Medical Center, Nor-Lea General Hospital, healthcare funding, telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion

Transcript Highlights:

• It was just this past weekend because we finally got some snow all the way up North.
• I grew up on snow machines going up into Kilkenny, the end of our property.
• And the ripple effect of this last weekend was the first decent weekend of snow in Pittsburgh.
• <01:50:49.040> the<01:50:49.159> trails snow snow in Pittsburgh all the trails snow
• If it's shared with snow machines, that's all well and good.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an orientation for the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee, led by Chair Bob Harb. He reviewed committee procedures, including pink cards for witnesses, blue sheets for counts, use of drawers in the committee room, scheduling practices, and how bills would be posted and distributed. Members briefly introduced themselves and explained why they wanted to serve on the committee, with several citing interests in conservation, water quality, outdoor recreation, land use, and related local issues. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 1113, relative to OHRV operation on certain highways within the town of Windsor. Representative Ré Colcombe, the sponsor, explained that the bill would allow local OHV/UTV access across a short section of state road in Windsor so residents on divided portions of town could travel legally between areas. He said the town selectmen were already allowing OHRV use on town roads, the route was paved, traffic impacts were expected to be minimal, and local police had no objections. He also said the town would hold public hearings and notify abutters as required, and that if the select board ultimately opposed the proposal he would recommend killing the bill. Members asked about the legal authority for the change, speed limits, traffic volume, winter maintenance, and whether the Department of Transportation or select board had to approve the route. Colcombe said the town must hold a public hearing and that the change would need to be incorporated into RSA 258:10, section 4. He said the road is maintained by the town in winter and by the state in summer. An opponent, Anne Davis, testified that she opposed the bill, saying ATV use should be treated as a tool for forest management rather than recreation, that law enforcement capacity in Windsor was a concern, and that she believed affected residents should be fully notified before any approval. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My car was just going like snowing the wheels. Maybe. Yeah, I would.
• It was embedded in a snow bank.
• >> And the snow, I think, has affected our >> And the snow, I think, has affected our attendance
• It was a very tough weekend with the snow. >> Oh, I bet you a lot.
• out of the snow. out of the snow.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thought I'd snow day today so I'm home.
• Of course, we only got 7 inches of snow, so that...
• It's a snow day, so, um, yeah.
• Noting that we were describing snow totals, so when we came in 9.8 inches of snow at my official weather
• Noting that we were describing snow Noting that we were describing snow totals<01:15:14.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all