Transcript Highlights:

• Superintendents are also required to conduct their own investigations into alleged misconduct.
• Superintendents conducting investigations are not currently required to report to law enforcement but
• Senate Bill 1224 would require superintendents to report alleged romantic or sexual misconduct... or
• Right now, what this is mirroring are the education requirements set by the state.
• These requirements put our children at risk and undermine the integrity of investigations.

Bills: SB604 , SB843 , SB1636 , SB2395 , SB571 , SB1224 , SB1832 , SB2392 , SB747 , SB2623 , SB2624 , SB2185

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: bonds, education funding, Texas Permanent School Fund, financial transparency, speculative rating, school funding, deferred maintenance, tax revenue, education budget, school districts, education, finance, Texas Education Code, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• , and in current law, it requires private schools to... to report that information, which would be in
• I think what I what I heard was that the bill requires you to to report certain people to the Do Not
• They required me to go get a court order. district was this? Fort Worth ISD, sir.
• They are required to protect have proof that they have not done their job.
• This bill relates to requiring the higher.

Bills: SB604 , SB843 , SB1636 , SB2395 , SB571 , SB1224 , SB1832 , SB2392 , SB747 , SB2623 , SB2624 , SB2185

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: bonds, education funding, Texas Permanent School Fund, financial transparency, speculative rating, school funding, deferred maintenance, tax revenue, education budget, school districts, education, finance, Texas Education Code, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• Required a member of the bar, a family lawyer in this.
• /or require body cameras.
• Notifications that are required.
• Nothing that I did could ever meet their requirements.
• Embedded in this it says that it requires both parents' signatures.

Bills: HB168 , HB 1044 , HB1534 , HB1914 , HB2240 , HB2530 , HB3284 , HB3395 , HB3515 , HB3783 , HB4034 , HB4213 , HB168

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• Control measures while retaining the 15-day requirements not requiring that property retention either
• They create confusion about the requirements and processes involved in seeking emancipation.
• It requires judicial approval, interviews to check for potential abuse, rape, domestic violence, or trafficking

Bills: HB168 , HB 1044 , HB1534 , HB1914 , HB2240 , HB2530 , HB3284 , HB3395 , HB3515 , HB3783 , HB4034 , HB4213 , HB168

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislative approval is required before the Comptroller may transfer money from the reserve.
• Lastly, the Senate Bill requires a biennial report to be submitted to the legislature and published online
• But in the end, we are spending on entitlements, dedicated spending, and required spending in amounts
• There is a report required, and it is under the direction and supervision of the Comptroller.
• Page five, lines six through twelve, it does allow the Comptroller to require information as well as.

Bills: SB 21 , SB21 , SB72 , SB140 , SB262 , SB370 , SB372 , SB495 , SB627 , SB703 , SB764 , SB842

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• We require that your testimony be limited to two minutes.
• To permeate that, it requires one thing, which.
• Currently, the law requires a master's degree plus one year of relevant work experience. or 150 hours
• Currently, our rules do require two ringside physicians to be present at each...
• There are the requirements for two physicians to be there? Absolutely.

Bills: SB 21 , SB21 , SB72 , SB140 , SB262 , SB370 , SB372 , SB495 , SB627 , SB703 , SB764 , SB842

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no commercial licensing requirements. This is actually an exemption, not a license.
• It requires that anyone Joseph's deaths.
• It requires the use of a standby diver and CPR training.
• Adds worker safety requirements to the DNR permitting process for aquatic plant management.
• ,</c><00:14:48.720><c> we</c> span of time where we had a surplus, we span of time where we had a surplus

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The process requires a review of the legislator's... ...gain from those votes.
• ..out of my campaign surplus to my friend to help his organization and help another friend.
• Actually, let me go back and just ask you one brief question about the surplus funds donations.
• I don't, I've never given surplus funds to EEC. I'm sorry, to AEJG. Thank you.
• I don't, I've never given surplus funds to EEC. I'm sorry, to AEJG. Specifically to AEJG, no.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The hearing resumed on day two of the Legislative Ethics Board fact-finding matter involving Representative Tara Simmons. After opening remarks and confirmation that board members had not engaged in outside research or ex parte communications, Simmons’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she improperly combined a legislative proviso for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and private conduct were intertwined and that the board had enough evidence to require a defense. After deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss and proceeded to hear defense testimony. The first defense witness, Sharon Navas, testified that she met Simmons through advocacy work, later hired her at the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC), and maintained written employment policies intended to separate Simmons’s legislative role from her work for EEC. Navas said Simmons was never compensated for lobbying or legislative acts, that EEC paid her from unrestricted funds, and that Simmons did not work on the AEJG dashboard project or participate in the contract dispute with Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley. Navas described the proviso request and later contract issues as separate from Simmons’s legislative duties, and said she continued to pay invoices while the project was being completed. Simmons then testified about her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics advice before taking outside employment or pursuing provisos. She said she repeatedly consulted House ethics counsel and reviewed prior board decisions to ensure her outside work and legislative actions were separated. Simmons described her relationship with Anthony Powers, the dashboard project, the proviso process, and her understanding that the work was distinct from her legislative role. The hearing paused for lunch after part of Simmons’s direct examination, with testimony set to continue after the break.

Transcript Highlights:

• or BIPs, to offer supplemental faith-based activities while explicitly prohibiting programs from requiring
• or BIPs, to offer supplemental faith-based activities while explicitly prohibiting programs from requiring
• The bill also requires investigators to clearly inform parents and legal custodians of their rights and
• Senate Bill 42 requires appropriate medical consultation.
• This slide represents the five key requirements for building the funding model.

Bills: S0042 , S0578 , S0624 , S7018

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Keywords: child protection, medical records, investigation, abuse, neglect, healthcare, Child Protection Team, diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimers, dementia, related dementias, brain health, early detection, caregiver support, elderly affairs, Department of Elderly Affairs, Department of Health, public health outreach, memory loss

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first heard SB 624, which would codify DCF’s current practice of allowing batterers intervention programs to offer supplemental faith-based activities so long as participation is voluntary. The bill drew support from faith-based and family organizations, which argued it would restore access to effective rehabilitation options and remove discriminatory barriers. SB 624 was reported favorably after a roll call vote. The committee then heard SB 42, which would require child protective investigators and child protection teams to rely on qualified medical professionals when a child has a documented pre-existing diagnosis or when a parent requests an exam, and would require clearer notice to parents and custodians at the start of an investigation. Testimony overwhelmingly came from parents, advocates, and disability rights representatives describing cases in which medically complex children were allegedly misdiagnosed as abuse victims and families were separated unnecessarily. Members expressed sympathy and support, and SB 42 was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered CS/SB 578, creating an Alzheimer’s disease awareness initiative within the Department of Elder Affairs to promote early detection, brain health education, research updates, and clinical trial awareness, with outreach focused on older adults and at-risk populations. An amendment was adopted to place the campaign within the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative. A caregiver testified about the need for public education and early diagnosis, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also took up SPB 7018, a committee bill on child welfare that would extend the definition of “visitor” for foster homes to reduce repeated background checks, make the Step Into Success foster youth workforce pilot permanent and statewide, and create a program through the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to catalog best practices among community-based care lead agencies. The bill was approved as a committee bill and reported favorably. Finally, the Department of Children and Families presented its 2025-26 final funding methodology and rates report for community-based care. Members questioned the proposed tiered model, including insurance costs, risk corridors, prevention funding, performance measures, and regional funding disparities. No vote was taken on the presentation, but members discussed the possible need for follow-up legislation and additional stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2073 requires nonprofit health carriers to pay a percentage of their surplus toward the Cascade
• It redefines excessive surplus as the amount of a nonprofit health carrier's surplus that is 100 times
• For calendar year 25, instead of as surplus greater than 600% of the carrier's risk-based capital requirements
• , and requires carriers to pay 10% instead of 3% of the excessive surplus to the OIC for deposit into
• If we had a $5 billion surplus or we eliminated wasteful programs that don't move the needle, then surplus

Summary: The committee first received staff briefings on amendments for a series of bills, including measures on child care workforce standards, homelessness programs, community preservation authorities, domestic violence survivor relief, public defense funding, student behavioral health supports, water system ownership changes, nonprofit health carrier surplus assessments, 340B drug pricing reporting, Secretary of State filing fees, step housing, campaign security reimbursements, digital equity programs, a Boys and Men’s Commission, a waste-to-energy facility’s Climate Commitment Act obligations, 6PPD tire substitutes, and an early education scholarship. Staff described the policy changes and, where available, the expected fiscal effects of each proposed substitute or line amendment. The committee then went into caucus before returning for executive session. In executive session, the committee voted out House Bill 1073, then adopted a Couture line amendment to House Bill 1128 exempting private K-12 schools with licensed child care programs from the child care employer definition before reporting the bill out as Second Substitute House Bill 1128. House Bill 1316, 1408, 1591, 1592, 1634, 1906, 1960, 2073, 2145, 2248, 2266, 2301, 2333, and 2365 were also reported from committee, with several amendments adopted along the way. Notable actions included adopting an emergency clause for House Bill 1408, rejecting proposed amendments to House Bill 1591 that would have narrowed relief for survivors and removed retroactivity, adopting a narrower amendment to House Bill 1592’s public defense funding formula, and adopting a substitute to House Bill 2145 that limited 340B reporting to hospitals. The committee also debated and rejected several amendments to the step housing bill, House Bill 2266, including proposals for larger school/daycare buffers, more local oversight, and broader local government authority; the bill still advanced on a 16-13 vote. House Bill 2073, which requires nonprofit health carriers to contribute surplus funds to Cascade Care Savings, advanced over concerns about using one-time money for an ongoing program. House Bill 2248 advanced after an amendment redirected annual license fee deposits to the state treasury rather than the Secretary of State’s revolving fund. House Bill 2333 was narrowed to allow use of campaign funds for personal security reimbursements, and House Bill 2365 advanced with some amendments adopted and others rejected as the committee began discussing additional digital equity oversight provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:40.720><c> grantee</c><00:20:41.039><c> will</c><00:20:41.200><c> be</c><00:20:41.280><c> required
• </c><00:20:41.520><c> to</c> of sale, the grantee will be required to of sale, the grantee will be required
• LRCP25-042 from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development, two memorandums regarding surplus
• LRCP25-042 from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development, two memorandums regarding surplus
• </c><00:26:41.600><c> land</c> memorandums regarding surplus land memorandums regarding surplus land

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee met and approved the minutes from June 30, 2025. There was no old business. The committee then heard a series of New Hampshire Department of Transportation requests involving the sale or disposal of state-owned land and easements, including an access point sale in Exeter, land sales in Keene, Guilford, Lincoln, Conway, Chesterfield, Fremont, Belmont, and a utility easement in Albany. Most items were direct sales to abutters or towns, with conditions such as obtaining local and state approvals, commissioning boundary surveys, and paying administrative fees; each of these items was approved by motion and vote. One Guilford parcel was amended to reflect a smaller surveyed area and reduced appraised value before approval. The committee also approved a permanent access easement for a single-family residence on Route 153 in support of the Bickford property. The committee then considered a Department of Administrative Services item, presented as a substitution replacement, authorizing a perpetual utility line easement to Public Service Company of New Hampshire for a facility under construction on the Hampstead hospital property that will serve as the replacement facility for the Manchester senior center. The department requested waiver of the administrative fee because the easement was being granted in exchange for utility service, and the committee approved the request. An informational item, LRCP25-038, was discussed regarding a reduction in fair market value due to a change in access; staff explained no committee action was required because the item was informational only. Additional informational materials from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development were received, including meeting minutes and surplus land review memorandums for Meredith and Hampstead. Before adjourning, the committee set its next meeting for December 9 at 9:30 a.m. at Granite Place, Room 228, noting the meeting would be on a Tuesday rather than Monday because of building scheduling. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, which was seconded and approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• required for two months or whatever, three months before.
• It would require a legislative change for us to do that.
• They're taking the four required graduate-level classes.
• They're taking the four required graduate level classes.
• They required all employees over two years to be listed.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's going to be more training required. That takes money.
• A couple of distinctions between surplus and excess is surplus is from the prior fiscal year, while excess
• One is nonrecurring, that would be surplus, and one is recurring.
• Here are those six items that we mentioned relative to surplus.
• And then judgments, you can find that in other requirements in the 20s in the HB1.

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met on March 10, 2026, for a series of informational presentations rather than bill hearings. House Fiscal Division staff reviewed the state’s tax structure, the 2024 third special session tax reform package, and the Revenue Estimating Conference process. They explained the move to a 3% flat individual income tax, a 5.5% flat corporate income tax, the higher standard deduction and retirement-income exclusion, the repeal of several deductions and credits, the repeal of the corporate franchise tax, and the expansion of the sales tax base to certain digital goods. Staff also walked through tax exemption data, showing the size of exemptions relative to collections, and discussed forecasted revenue gaps in the out years, including the effect of the scheduled sales tax rate reduction and the return of transportation-related revenues to their prior dedication. Members asked about declining mineral revenues, digital sales tax collections, corporate collections, and the impact of tax credits and exemptions. Division of Administration and Legislative Fiscal Office staff said lower oil and gas prices, long-term production declines, and the timing of corporate payments were major factors in revenue trends, and that it will take at least another year or two of tax returns to fully understand the reform’s effects. They emphasized that corporate collections are still below the $600 million threshold that affects the state general fund and Revenue Stabilization Fund, though the forecast remains $900 million. The committee also discussed surplus and excess revenues, the distinction between discretionary and non-discretionary spending, and how current-year and prior-year balances are allocated under the constitution. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the relationship between Ways and Means and Appropriations. Chairman McFarland stressed that new fiscal-note bills can force cuts elsewhere if revenue is not available, and urged members to coordinate early with fiscal staff before advancing costly legislation. Members also asked how pending constitutional amendments on teacher pay and inventory tax might affect the budget; staff said the teacher stipend proposal is not currently funded in the executive budget and that the inventory tax proposal would mainly affect local governments and any reimbursements from the Revenue Stabilization Fund if approved. The committee then heard from Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bouchoux, who reported strong results from recent reforms, including $92 billion in capital investment, 37,000 new jobs, a record year of announcements, a top-10 corporate tax climate ranking, and a pipeline of 189 active projects representing nearly 42,000 potential jobs and $280 billion in potential investment. Members praised LED’s work and discussed the need to pair economic development with workforce training, infrastructure, and predictable tax policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's going to be more training required. That takes money.
• A couple of distinctions between surplus and excess is surplus is from the prior fiscal year, while excess
• One is nonrecurring, that would be surplus, and one is recurring.
• Here are those six items that we mentioned relative to surplus.
• And then judgments, you can find that in other requirements in the 20s in the HB 1.

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:15:41.679><c> a</c> calculate theirs uh and requires a calculate theirs uh and requires a legislative
• </c><01:17:25.440><c> with1</c> last year $18.5 billion Surplus with1 last year $18.5 billion Surplus
• But last year we keep hearing the $18.5 billion surplus was $12 billion of one-time money.
• But last year we keep hearing the $18.5 billion surplus was $12 billion of one-time money.
• </c><01:23:37.000><c> and</c> when we had an $18.5 billion Surplus and when we had an $18.5 billion Surplus

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> so our budgets our board um requires so our budgets our board um requires through<00:34:52.639><
• </c> entities receiving it were only required entities receiving it were only required to<01:22:01.280
• Thank you. the fishing no from fishing game Surplus the fishing no from fishing game Surplus to<03:18
• </c><03:57:59.640><c> are</c> contributions that are required are contributions that are required are
• </c><04:36:33.160><c> in</c> actually have a significant Surplus in actually have a significant Surplus

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from the University System of New Hampshire chancellor on the system’s budget, enrollment, finances, workforce role, and response to federal policy changes. The chancellor said the governor’s recommended budget would reduce university system funding by about $16.5 million over the biennium, or roughly 8.3%, and asked that state funding be held at the governor’s level. She described planned cost reductions already underway, including lower headcount, reduced benefits and retirement contributions, property sales, and lease reductions, and said the system expects to remove about $20 million from its cost structure in fiscal year 2026. A large portion of the discussion focused on enrollment and finances. The chancellor said fall 2024 enrollment was about 23,000, with New Hampshire enrollment increasing for the first time since 2013, and noted that the system remains a major workforce pipeline, with about 3,000 graduates entering the state workforce each year. She explained that net tuition has fallen over time because of declining enrollment and increased financial aid, while research grants and contracts have grown significantly. She also walked through endowment funding, explaining that payouts are based on a 12-quarter rolling average and are intentionally smoothed to reduce volatility; members asked for follow-up information on payout comparisons, administrative salaries, headcounts, and compensation per student. Members questioned the university about the relationship between state support, tuition, endowments, and research spending. The chancellor said the system has used state capital support to leverage major investments, including the UNH Life Sciences building, Plymouth’s Hyde Hall, and the Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center, and described partnerships with businesses such as Lonza and regional manufacturers. She also explained a long-running New Hampshire 529-related revenue stream that has built endowment support for scholarships, and said the system’s endowment now totals about $988 million. In response to questions about possible cuts, she said the system is considering academic program sharing, consolidation of specialties, online delivery, AI-assisted administrative efficiencies, and footprint reductions, but declined to name specific programs. The committee also discussed DEI-related issues and federal grants. The chancellor said the system is reviewing executive orders and a U.S. Department of Education Dear Colleague letter, and that general counsel is working through websites, programs, and more than 1,200 federal grants to ensure compliance. She said the system spends about $3 million on what it calls DEI-related offices and services, but emphasized that these services include disability support, veteran support, Title IX, ADA, and employment-law compliance, and that the system does not have race-based programs, separate housing, or separate graduation ceremonies. She reported that the system had received stop-work orders on four federal grants totaling about $700,000 and warned that reductions in federal direct or indirect costs could affect research, jobs, and innovation.

Transcript Highlights:

• That seems like also the Medicaid component, there is a work requirement, right?
• It doesn't require anything at all.
• When a town or other government body disposes of surplus, it is obliged to realize fair value for surplus
• When a town or other government body disposes of surplus, it is obliged to realize fair value for surplus
• H. 3391 does not H. 3391 does not require a town to destroy anything.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard testimony on several procurement-related bills. Senator Lovely and steel industry witnesses supported S. 2167/H. 3411, which would require preference for U.S. manufacturers on public construction projects using steel and other materials. They argued that Canadian and other foreign fabricators underbid Massachusetts firms because of exchange rates, subsidies, and different labor-cost structures, causing local job losses and economic leakage. Committee members asked about tariffs, market share, and whether the bill should be folded into broader municipal legislation; the witnesses said public work should stay in Massachusetts and that the bill would help preserve local industry and jobs. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2107, a bill to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in state and municipal contracting. Work Inc. testified that a preference for contractors employing people with disabilities would expand competitive employment, reduce reliance on public assistance, and generate net savings for taxpayers. Members asked about the estimated savings and whether recent federal changes to benefits would affect the numbers; the witness said the figures may need updating but that the underlying employment opportunity remains important. Another bill, H. 3339/S. 2187, would prohibit state and municipal contracts for new artificial turf fields containing zinc, plastic, or intentionally added PFAS. Sponsors and supporters cited health risks, heat retention, injuries, and PFAS contamination, while committee members discussed local bans, disposal problems, and whether indoor facilities or alternative materials could be used. Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro testified in favor of H. 12 and H. 13, which would update Chapter 30B procurement thresholds and allow municipalities to bundle snow hauling and removal with plowing contracts. He said the changes would give local governments more flexibility, reduce confusion between school and municipal procurement rules, and make snow contracts more attractive to vendors. Members questioned whether quasi-public agencies and state entities should also be subject to 30B, and Shapiro said many public entities have their own procedures but that transparency and fairness should apply across the board. The committee also heard support for S. 2150, a software licensing bill aimed at preventing vendor lock-in by ensuring state agencies can run purchased software in the infrastructure that best fits their needs; the witness said restrictive licensing can drive up costs and create cybersecurity and modernization problems, and that similar laws have already passed in several other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• That red line is the return of surplus that we were required to give back.
• </c><01:42:19.119><c> we</c><01:42:19.280><c> were</c><01:42:19.360><c> required</c> return of surplus
• that we were required return of surplus that we were required to<01:42:19.840><c> give</c><01:42:20.080
• </c><02:02:12.639><c> And</c><02:02:12.880><c> it</c><02:02:13.119><c> requires</c> earnings and surplus
• And it requires earnings and surplus.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have three years to recover that surplus or that equity they had.
• Her name's Tamara Rucker, and she helps people collect that surplus.
• So our current statute for tax foreclosure surplus is Revised Statute 142.30. Now...
• Tax foreclosure surplus is Revised Statute 142.30.
• Every county handles surplus differently, and that is because 142.30 is so vague.

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency is small by headcount, so the standards that those having supervisory roles are required to
• Are those required to be closed out at the same time as ARP funds? And what's that look like?
• So training is required. And you know, just like any agency, you lose people.
• We have the renovation of the Horpe building, and to accommodate this without being required to lease
• , but it doesn't necessarily mean that they're coming to our Surplus facility, especially in a vehicle

Keywords: 914, all