Transcript Highlights:

• It also has the responsibility to periodically review and recommend changes to Chapter 57-40.6.
• It also has the responsibility to periodically review and recommend changes to Chapter 57-40.6.
• It establishes guidelines regarding the I want. amend changes to Chapter 57-40.6.
• In large part, the chapter was written during a time when copper line wireline services were the only
• Over the last 30 years, the chapter has been revised to incorporate Over the last 30 years, the chapter

Summary: The committee approved the March 26 minutes and then received a quarterly update on major IT projects from NDIT. Staff reported the portfolio included 116 major projects totaling about $546 million, with the overall portfolio under budget but slightly behind schedule. They reviewed projects over the 20% variance threshold, including an Industrial Commission grants management system and DOT’s roadway pre-construction replacement, and then heard startup and closeout reports from HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT. Several previously troubled projects were closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning; some projects finished under budget and ahead of schedule, while others were significantly behind schedule or over budget but were now closed or being remediated. The committee also reviewed NDIT’s annual report, including service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how service-fund revenue and grant administrative charges are accounted for, how chargebacks work, and whether NDIT tracks customer satisfaction scores. NDIT said it does track CSAT-type measures in some service areas and has survey data, but it is not planning another customer survey this summer. Members encouraged more regular reporting of customer satisfaction, service-level metrics, and performance data to help guide future improvements. A major portion of the meeting focused on the state’s mainframe modernization effort. NDIT said the overall effort is still targeting about 2030, with multiple HHS and DOT projects underway and a $15 million tech-debt appropriation already removing some components. Staff described the main obstacles as data cleanup, complex integrations, limited staff capacity, retirements, and vendor constraints, and said they are seeking a vendor with modernization support in the next contract cycle. Members pressed for clearer accountability and faster progress, and NDIT and HHS emphasized that they are working jointly but need continued support and better tools. The committee then heard a cybersecurity update on NDIT’s statewide services and maturity assessments. NDIT explained that it provides vulnerability scanning, endpoint protection, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that these services are tied to a cybersecurity maturity assessment based on CIS controls. Members questioned the sharp drop in participation since 2020 and whether the self-assessment should be mandatory or tied more strongly to StageNet access or insurance incentives. NDIT said participation is voluntary, but Enderf is now requiring annual assessments to keep a 4% insurance discount, and members discussed whether stronger requirements or audit authority may be needed. The meeting ended as the committee began a follow-up discussion on BEAD broadband connection costs and why some locations are much more expensive to connect than others.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that they are different chapters in the law.
• 01:12:10.000> Hampshire<01:12:10.239> under<01:12:10.400> RSA<01:12:11.080> 91
• - citizen of New Hampshire under RSA 91- citizen of New Hampshire under RSA 91- could<01:12:12.239
• Chair, again, I... they are... they do conflict as they amend the same exact chapter of law.
• amend the are they do conflict as they amend the same<02:09:30.400> exact<02:09:30.719> chapter

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In our region, 91 of our 101 cities and towns already have a local option meals tax.
• This local option allows municipalities to increase the senior exemption allowed under Chapter 59, Section

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on several property and local tax bills. The main focus was H.56, the Municipal Empowerment Act, which the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, and Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo supported as a package of local options and administrative reforms. Supporters said municipalities need more tools to relieve pressure on property taxes and fund services, citing proposed increases to local meals and lodging taxes, a new local vehicle excise surcharge, senior property tax relief, one-year override flexibility for emergencies, and central valuation of telecom and utility property by DOR. The administration said the bill was based on municipal listening sessions and was intended to give cities and towns optional, not mandatory, revenue tools. Opponents, including the National Federation of Independent Businesses, argued the tax increases would hurt restaurants, hotels, tourism, and small businesses and add to affordability concerns. The committee also heard testimony on H.3211, dealing with deeds excise receipts, from Norfolk County Commissioner Richard Staidi. He said Norfolk County is financially stable but needs additional revenue for major capital needs at its agricultural school, especially a new cafeteria and other aging facilities, and also to support county programs such as veteran transportation services. On S.2020, a bill to allow settlements of tax liability, Greater Boston Legal Services, the Asian American Civic Association, and several individual taxpayers urged creation of a more workable offer-in-compromise process at DOR. They said the current system is too subjective, requires an unaffordable $5,000 threshold, lacks clear standards and appeal rights, and leaves low-income taxpayers stuck with unmanageable debt, license suspensions, or business closures. Supporters said the bill would give both taxpayers and DOR a practical way to resolve liabilities and bring people back into compliance. The committee also took testimony on S.1966, which would require nonprofits selling property to disclose any back-tax obligations to buyers. Senator Peter Durant said the bill was prompted by a personal experience in which a tax bill arrived after a nonprofit property purchase was already completed, and he argued the disclosure would prevent buyers from being surprised by retroactive tax liability. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed the session after hearing from all scheduled witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• DPS did provide us data showing that 91% of those who received an OND under those laws have not had a
• In sections 4904, 4905, 06, and 065, the penal code and chapter 71 of the penal code.

Transcript Highlights:

• 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91
• Part 4, Chapter D, Rule 8162, is a whole section on the central... accumulator, and it would be really

Bills: SB1065, SB2117, SB2217, SB2363, SB2533, SB2742, SB2743, SB2881, SB2964, SB3013, SB3014

Keywords: SB 1065, handgun carry, license holder, concealed carry, open carry, government contracts, governmental entity, property lease, state agencies, local government, higher education, university, Texas Government Code, Penal Code 30.06, Penal Code 30.07, Penal Code 46.03, Second Amendment, gun rights, firearms, civil penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• Ametria Sidney, President of the California Chapter of the National Emergency Numbers Association.
• We are going to pass and retain on file items 89, 90, 91. Which brings us to file item 92, AB 1150.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL WASTE AND RECYCLING ASSOCIATION FLORIDA CHAPTER.
• AND IN THE NEWS, IT SHOWED 91 OD DEATHS, WASHINGTON POST KRATOM LISTED FOR LEADING PARTIAL CAUSE OF DEATH

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second that. 91S. Yes. Right.
• >> Second that >> Second that >> 91s. >> 91s. >> 91s.
• >> 91.<00:23:03.840> Yes. >> 91. Yes. >> 91. Yes. >> Right.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With 91 members voting aye and no members voting nay, House Bill 565 has passed.
• There being 91 Clerk will take the vote.
• There being 91 members<00:28:27.040> voting<00:28:27.320> aye,<00:28:27.440> no<
• With 91 members voting aye and no members voting nay, House Bill 657 is passed.
• The 91 members voting aye, no members voting nay, House Bill 762 as amended by House Floor Amendment

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House convened, received the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent members, and approved the journal. The clerk also announced Senate passage of Senate Bills 59, 137, 177, and 199 and requested concurrence. The chamber then moved into second reading, reporting a slate of bills and resolutions on health care, energy, child welfare, Medicaid, workplace violence, and coal/energy assessment, before proceeding to third reading and passage of several measures. A major focus was House Bill 542 on eminent domain. The sponsor described it as a transparency measure to improve communication with property owners, require better notice, prohibit misleading statements, allow owner-paid appraisals to be used throughout negotiations, and account for agricultural improvements and access. Members discussed the bill’s intent to treat property owners fairly and reduce court costs; the House adopted House Committee Substitute 1 and passed the bill 89-0. House Bill 565 on fire protection was presented as technical cleanup to clarify enforcement authority for local fire appeal boards created last year, and it passed 91-0. The House also passed House Bill 611 on domestic relations, which creates a 10-year interpersonal protective order for certain felony assault convictions involving family members, unmarried couples, or dating partners, and updates domestic violence data reporting requirements; the committee substitute was adopted and the bill passed 91-0. House Bill 657 on professional licensing background checks was explained as giving five licensure boards authority to obtain FBI ORI numbers so they can receive fingerprint background checks and comply with interstate compacts; it passed 91-0. House Bill 762 on legal representation was amended on the floor to avoid excluding appellate attorneys, then passed 91-0; it was described as clarifying Department of Public Advocacy representation and related salary provisions. The House also passed House Bill 108 on solid waste management, which its sponsor said closes a loophole allowing residual waste landfills to be sited in a different county from the industry without local input; it passed 79-8. House Bill 67 on schools, a cleanup measure to prior legislation requiring traceable communication systems for school employees, was introduced with a committee substitute and discussed as clarifying definitions and exemptions while preserving protections for students; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, next up we will have Senator Murphy again with Senate Bill 91 in just a minute or so.
• But we will exact four or five bills probably once we're done with Senate Bill 91.
• Senator Murphy again with Senate Bill 91 Senator Murphy again with Senate Bill 91 in<01:33:54.080
• so I'd like to Rew welcome uh Bill 91 so I'd like to Rew welcome uh Senator<01:34:24.000> Murphy<
• Is there anyone else who would like to speak on Senate Bill 91?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By way of introduction, I was bank commissioner during the New England banking crisis in '91 and '92
• This piece of legislation aims to revise the Commonwealth's use-of-bank-name statute, Chapter 176, Section
• Over 91% of our restaurants are independently owned.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on several bills focused on financial security, banking regulation, and payment-card fees. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg supported the Massachusetts baby bonds proposal (H. 48) and also endorsed bills on matched savings (H. 1158/S. 737) and retirement planning/Secure Choice (H. 1143/S. 722), arguing these measures would help address wealth inequality, build assets, and improve retirement readiness. Supporters of baby bonds included policy experts and health advocates from Children’s Health Watch and Boston Medical Center, who said early-life asset building could improve long-term economic and health outcomes for children in low-income families. AARP also urged passage of the retirement planning bill, citing the large share of private-sector workers without access to an employer retirement plan. Representative Donato testified for H. 1143, describing it as a voluntary retirement-savings opportunity for workers at small employers. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3933, concerning the Massachusetts Credit Union Share Insurance Corporation, from former Bank Commissioner Mike Hanson, who defended the state’s full deposit insurance system for credit unions and savings institutions as a longstanding consumer-protection model. The Massachusetts Bankers Association raised concerns about the bill’s technical provisions and broader credit union/bank competitive issues, while the Cooperative Credit Union Association supported related legislation allowing modest compensation for credit union directors (S. 821/H. 1338) and flexibility for state financial institutions to grow through partnerships (S. 723). Bankers opposed those credit union bills, arguing they would upset a level playing field and blur long-standing distinctions between banks and credit unions. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1259/S. 688, which would prohibit card interchange fees on the tax and gratuity portions of restaurant transactions. Restaurant owners and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association testified in favor, saying the fees are a significant and growing expense, especially as most customers now pay by card; they argued the bills would save restaurants money without affecting state revenue. Credit union, banking, and payments-industry representatives opposed the bills, saying interchange helps fund fraud protection and payment infrastructure, that the proposal would create compliance burdens and likely litigation, and that it would mainly affect Massachusetts-chartered institutions while national banks could be preempted. Committee members noted that a commission on payment-card fees is being established and said the issue would be studied further. The hearing also included support for a separate bill on virtual credit cards for dental providers, with dentists saying automatic virtual-card payments impose hidden processing fees and fraud risks.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1746 adds a targeted paragraph to our RSA 91-A law.
• It makes a small change to RSA 91-A-2. Um, basically adds something to paragraph A.
• So, 91-A does not apply to any of our work.
• I printed up RSA 91-A and looked at it, but it's, uh, it's elsewhere in 91-A that they don't have to.
• They've lost two months talking about how they could make this work under 91-A.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is built into that, has 87.5% as being the percentage of the Medicaid enhancement tax, as opposed to 91%
• , but it uses a higher percentage of dollars to attract a higher federal match. ...as opposed to 91%,
• So regarding critical access hospitals, I guess they originally said 91% anyway.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first went into executive session on SB 83, which concerns an elderly, disabled, blind, and deaf property tax exemption reimbursement fund, lottery-related changes, and a voluntary statewide self-exclusion database. Representative Ulery moved to retain the bill, saying more work was needed to make the bill clear. The motion passed 17-0 with three members absent, and SB 83 was retained in committee. The committee then took up SB 249FN, a bill relative to the uncompensated care and Medicaid fund. Representative Ulery offered House Amendment 2025-2465H, which was described as incorporating a recent agreement between the state and hospital parties into state law and setting the stage for future action. Medicaid Director Henry Litman explained that the agreement keeps the Medicaid enhancement tax at 5.4%, uses directed payments rather than traditional DSH payments, and is intended to be budget-neutral for the state while increasing hospital payments through a higher federal match. He also said critical access hospitals would continue under the existing directed-payment approach, and that the agreement includes a mechanism to revisit the arrangement if federal law changes substantially. New Hampshire Hospital Association President Steve Hearn said the association supports the amendment and the bill as amended, calling the settlement fair and beneficial to hospitals and the Medicaid program. The amendment and the subsequent ought-to-pass-as-amended motion both passed 18-0. At the end of the meeting, the chair said the committee had now gone through all of its bills and had retained nine in total, with a future meeting planned in September or October to review retained bills. Members briefly discussed possible future committee of conference work and noted there would be no House session that Thursday. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the Senate project, we agree with the offer on lines 58, 60, 64, 68, 91, 92, 97, 99, 99. 60, 64,
• 68, 91, 92, 97, 99, 104, 110.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• back of bill offer: 7 through 11, 19 through 25, 33, 55, 63, 67 through 73, 77 through 79, 83, 87, and 91
• And all unshaded rows on 79, 83, 87, and 91.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For the Senate project offer, we agree with the offer on lines 58, 60, 64, 68, 91, 92, 97, 99, 99.
• For the Senate project offer, we agree with the offer on lines 58, 60, 64, 68, 91, 92, 97, 99, 104, and

Summary: The Conference Committee on State Administration, Budget, and Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Appropriations met to resolve outstanding differences between the House and Senate on the budget, proviso, back of the bill, projects, and implementing bill, along with conforming bills HB 5203E, HB 5207E, and SB 2508E. Senator Broder presented the Senate’s offers, and the House responded by agreeing to many items while identifying specific lines in each section to be “bumped” to the next level for further resolution. The committee also agreed to bump the three conforming bills in their entirety. The House and Senate then went through the remaining disputed lines in the budget, proviso, back of the bill, project, and implementing bill offers, with the Senate ultimately concurring with the House’s list of lines to bump. Both sides indicated that the conference committee’s work was complete and thanked each other and staff for the negotiation process. A motion was made and adopted without objection to allow staff to make technical conforming adjustments related to the bump process. There was no public comment, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• through 11, 19 through 25, 33, 55, 63, 67 through 73, 77 through 73, 77 through 79, 83, 83, 87, and 91
• And all unshaded rows on 79, 83, 87, and 91.

Summary: The health care budget conference met to exchange and accept offers on the budget and related bill language. Senator Trumbull presented the Senate’s budget and projects offer, and the House responded that it accepted the Senate position on several specified budget rows while stating that all other unshaded budget rows would bump; the conference also agreed to keep projects open as the process continued. The committee then moved to the proviso, back of bill, conforming, and implementing bills, with the Senate accepting a long list of House proviso rows and additional back-of-bill rows, while all remaining unshaded proviso and back-of-bill items would bump and the conforming and implementing bills would be entirely bumped. A motion was made to allow staff to make technical adjustments as needed, and it was adopted without objection. Members then thanked each other and their staff for their work on the conference. With no further business or public comment, Senator Trumbull moved to adjourn, and the meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to the next chapter in life has always been hard for me, but this chapter is ending and, hopefully
• And this is the end of a chapter for me. God willing, I'll be a judge next year in my hometown.
• But thank you for sharing this chapter with me. Thank you, lady. Thank you, lady.
• So while this chapter comes to a close, the work is far from over.
• By your vote of 91 yea and 52 nay, you have moved the previous question. Gentleman from St.

Summary: The House met on the final day of session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 126-0 vote. Most of the early floor time was devoted to points of personal privilege, with members and the Speaker offering extended tributes to departing colleagues, House staff, law enforcement, military service, and the work of the chamber. Several members also used the occasion to reflect on their careers, thank constituents and families, and discuss issues such as property tax reform, police service, mental health, and bipartisan cooperation. The House then took up Senate messages and committee reports, followed by several bills and resolutions. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2636, dealing with mortgage modification and related consumer protections, was adopted 142-1 and finally passed 144-1. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2397, concerning water district dissolution and related safeguards, was adopted 129-16 and finally passed 127-17. Senate Substitute No. 2 for House Bill 2576, a naming and commemorative bill adding observances and memorial highways/bridges, was adopted 136-4 and finally passed 134-6. The chamber also received Senate action on Senate Bill 1408 and Senate Joint Resolution 87, and committee reports recommended passage on several deferred measures. The House also debated Senate Joint Resolution 95, which proposed creating a constitutional Show Me Prosperity Fund as a sovereign wealth fund intended to eventually eliminate state-imposed taxes through long-term investment returns. Supporters argued it would promote fiscal sustainability and long-term prosperity, while opponents warned that it would lock away money during a period of projected budget shortfalls and could leave the state unable to access funds when needed. The resolution was discussed at length with questions about funding mechanics, investment authority, and emergency access, but the transcript provided does not include a final vote on the resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• What it does, instead of the 80/20 share, we are upping it to equal 91% of the money.
• of the money upping it to equal to 91% of the money um<02:12:08.520> the<02:12:08.679> and
• but it also um is only for two years 91% but it also um is only for two years because<02:12:18.840><
• return to the hospitals of their tax 91% return to the hospitals of their tax payment<02:13:52.639><
• return of their tax payments that 91% return of their tax payments that group<02:14:52.000> of

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• LFC and LESC reached a consensus on Ed Fellows on row 91.
• I think line item 91 and line item 155 talked about the Growing Your Teachers fellows.
• correctly, $155, the recommendation, the PD recommendation, is that an increase to what is in the Line 91
• That row 91 was just meant to supplement that $20 million. Thank you, Mr. Chair.