Transcript Highlights:

• Again, this ultimately benefits the public and the taxpayer.
• Public entities, taxpayer entities.
• A year for taxpayers. I'm talking about the trust. Right.
• I'm trying to find out how it benefits taxpayers.
• I don't think it's a good use of taxpayer money.

Bills: HB512 , HB2248 , HB2679 , HB2832 , HB3112 , HB3368 , HB3490 , HB3512 , HB3623 , HB3666 , HB3700 , HB3711 , HB3770 , HB3963

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Keywords: grievance procedures, state agency, employee rights, workplace regulations, employment law, employees, employment actions, appeal, state employees, workplace rights, disciplinary actions, employment conditions, employment disputes, job protections, public information, transparency, government accountability, information access, notification requirements, federal funding

Transcript Highlights:

• So for the taxpayers, I do wasted money.
• So for the taxpayers, I do believe<01:25:12.080><c> that</c><01:25:12.239><c> we</c><01:25:12.400><c>
• Is it New Hampshire taxpayers or is it somebody else when our roads and bridges fail?
• Is it New Hampshire taxpayers or pays.
• are going to pay Hampshire taxpayers are going to pay that<02:04:38.960><c> price.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Summary: The work session focused first on SP 492, a bill intended to give the New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services authority to lease or license property for housing and related uses. Major General David Mikolitis testified that the bill is aimed at addressing affordable housing for junior enlisted service members, especially those assigned to Pease Air National Guard Base who currently face long commutes because of the Seacoast housing shortage. He said the most likely uses would be converting limited barracks space in Pembroke or Stratford into apartment-style or extended-stay housing, and possibly allowing office/co-op space for federal civilians, though he emphasized the primary purpose is housing for junior ranks. He also said any development would likely be done by a private developer through an RFP, with costs borne by the developer rather than the department. Committee members asked about whether the bill could apply to commercial uses, how taxes would work, whether revenues would go into the general fund, and whether the concept could be expanded statewide. Mikolitis said the intent was housing only, not commercial development like a Starbucks, and that any developed property would be taxable locally rather than remain tax-exempt. He said revenues would go into a dedicated Veteran Services Property Fund and be used for facilities, not the general fund. He also explained that the department has about 20 armories statewide but sees only a few viable locations for this concept, mainly Pembroke, Stratford, and possibly one other site, because the goal is to serve personnel within roughly a 45-minute drive of Pease. He noted that a proposed seven-acre parcel near Pease had already been approved by the Pease Development Authority but still needed FAA approval, and he was not optimistic about using that land for housing because of contamination and redevelopment costs. Committee discussion ended with members indicating support for OTP, but the chair said the vote would have to wait until 11 o'clock and then closed the work session on SP 492. The committee then opened a work session on SP 627 and heard testimony from Jim Jelbert, owner of CJ Bus Lines and chair of the legislature’s transportation council, who spoke in support of the bill. Jelbert argued that the measure would allow New Hampshire to raise tolls and generate significant revenue for the 10-year highway plan without directly taxing citizens, and said the money could address congestion and safety problems, including work on I-93 in Manchester and other statewide projects. He estimated the bill could generate substantial revenue over time and said toll credits could help leverage federal matching funds. He also said improved roads would benefit businesses like his by reducing vehicle wear and improving efficiency. The transcript cuts off before any committee action on SP 627 is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:57:20.000><c> to</c> reaching into this money of taxpayers to reaching into this money of taxpayers
• Why should taxpayers more brick.
• Why is that being placed on the taxpayers?
• It's the taxpayers working overtime for groceries.
• It's the taxpayers working people.

Transcript Highlights:

• Turning to the bill, the department must waive all penalties and interest assessed on a taxpayer who
• The waiver does not reduce the tax liability of the taxpayer, who must still pay the tax due in full.
• Additionally, the waiver is only available to taxpayers who have timely filed and remitted payment on
• Last week during our lobby day, we wore buttons that said, 'We create taxpayers,' and we do.
• . ...young adults show their abilities, become contributing citizens and taxpayers.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• the taxpayer dollars are protected sure the taxpayer dollars are protected and<01:04:45.720><c> vulnerable
• Focus on protecting Minnesotans and taxpayer dollars, as Chair Robbins said.
• c> dollars,</c><01:20:39.520><c> as</c> Minnesotans and taxpayer dollars, as Minnesotans and taxpayer
• </c><01:46:28.400><c> dollars</c> this has happened, of taxpayer dollars this has happened, of taxpayer
• </c><01:46:37.360><c> and</c> about protecting taxpayers and about protecting taxpayers and protecting

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We owe it to the taxpayers who expect accountability.
• was defrauded, not the Minnesota taxpayer, not just them—all American taxpayers were defrauded.
• was defrauded not the Minnesota taxpayer was defrauded not the Minnesota taxpayer<01:18:39.840><c> not
• not just them all American taxpayer not just them all American American<01:18:42.239><c> taxpayers</
• These American taxpayers were defrauded.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> taxpayer. Uh not here as a contractor. taxpayer. Uh not here as a contractor.
• And it doesn't make any sense to me as a taxpayer.
• I'm representing Roniotti as a taxpayer.
• I'm representing Roniotti as a taxpayer.
• I'm representing Roniotti as a taxpayer.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And I've requested multiple times we need to evaluate and assess the cost of the taxpayer or the private
• And the jobs it's producing are jobs that it's producing in The public in the public sector is at taxpayers
• We need to pay more attention to the cost of the industry and to the taxpayers because...
• It doesn't cost us the state anything, but it costs the taxpayers and it's going to cost those individuals
• And that cost to the cities is a tax on the constituents of those cities, to the taxpayers of those cities

Bills: HB3005 , HB3007 , HB3403 , HB1907 , HB3175 , HB3986 , HB3466 , HB3411 , HB4246

Committee: Senate Energy

Keywords: climatology, emergency declaration, Oklahoma Climatological Survey, environment, weather data, public policy, state governance, natural resources, advisory councils, sunset law, water quality, hazardous waste, solid waste, radiation management, public health, biosolids, land application, environmental quality, agriculture, wastewater treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• the First Amendment right to protest and to use political speech by all students, it's a waste of taxpayer
• I'm representing myself as a parent of a public school student and a taxpayer.
• Clark in that, and I heard from many other taxpayers and constituents in my district, you know, about
• As a taxpayer, I actually pay to provide school for these students, and I expect them to be there.
• As a taxpayer, I actually pay to provide school for these students and I expect them to be there.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities language with final stages of House Bill 292 Waterfall, which provides several stages of taxpayer
• facilities language with final stages of House Bill 292 Waterfall, which provides several stages of taxpayer
• districts to build and maintain facilities without automatically shifting additional debt to property taxpayers
• It encourages fiscal responsibility. ...shifting additional debt to property taxpayers.
• HB 636's strength is fiscal discipline, modernizes facility funding language, protects taxpayers, and

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• County taxpayers make up the difference between the $6,205 the state pays for an average of 85 days.
• That means we, as county taxpayers, are subsidizing the state $15.5 million per year.
• But now the taxpayers are picking up the county taxpayers. He said they need this $80.
• Our property taxpayers should not have to fit the bill for whatever's going on statewide.
• Property taxpayers should not be paying state's expenses. This is a debt of the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what it represents is a delicate balance between our existing residents and current taxpayers and
• What I would ask you to do is understand that transferring that burden over to our existing taxpayers
• We don't shift those costs on to... ...we don't shift those costs on to existing taxpayers, and so for
• This unintentionally shifts the burden from growth to existing taxpayers in a really critical way.
• This unintentionally shifts the burden from growth to existing taxpayers in a really critical way.

Bills: HB2107 , HB2588 , HB2946 , HB2950

Committees: House Rural Economic Development , House House Rural Economic Development Committee of Reference

Keywords: SNAP, nutrition assistance, fast food, vitamins, waiver, food policy, municipal planning, homeowner association, building permits, single-family home, property rights, design standards, development fees, municipalities, infrastructure, public services, annual reporting, property development, tourism improvement area, TIA

Transcript Highlights:

• Purchasing sooner reduces exposure to inflation and protects taxpayers. Thank you so much.
• My name is Eric Lundberg, Washington State taxpayer and voter, lifelong. And I do oppose this bill.
• I feel this bill is a real insult to taxpayers and voters, and it sets a very dangerous precedent to
• This sets the message to voters and taxpayers that our partnership and cooperation is just not necessary
• HB 1796 is a simple tool that can help districts address critical capacity needs while saving taxpayers

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several House education bills. HB 1796 would allow school districts, under existing debt limits and with voter-approved capital levies, to issue non-voted bonds for certain new construction projects. The sponsor and school district witnesses said it would let districts front-fund projects, speed construction, and reduce inflation-related costs; a member of the public opposed it as bypassing voters. HB 2317 would exempt school-day ECEAP and Head Start programs located in public school or community/technical college buildings from child care licensing. The sponsor and providers said the current licensing process is duplicative, delays services, and creates barriers to expanding early learning; no opposition was heard. The committee also heard HB 2594, which would codify McKinney-Vento homeless student protections in state law, require OSPI planning and reporting, and reinforce district responsibilities for students experiencing homelessness. The sponsor gave personal testimony about experiencing homelessness as a student, and advocates said the bill would improve coordination and accountability at no added cost. For HB 2557, which requires school districts to give parents a copy of special education evaluation reports by the 35th school day and hold the eligibility meeting at least five school days later, the sponsor said it would give families time to review reports; school psychologists and OSPI supported the substitute version, while some advocates asked for shorter timelines and clearer waiver language. After the hearings, the committee moved to executive session and advanced two bills: Substitute HB 2360, allowing schools to maintain and use stock albuterol under specified conditions, and Engrossed Substitute HB 2534, updating requirements for military families’ enrollment, records transfer, and related services. Both bills received due pass recommendations and were sent to Rules, with no recorded opposition in the executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• states like Texas where we had a huge budget, but we were also tasked with being good stewards of taxpayer
• Being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
• The programs that we administer, but I think it's all Idaho taxpayers as well, and then, you know, we
• consume a lot of federal funds through our agency, so it's being good stewards of all Americans' taxpayer
• But I would also say, you know, it goes back into also being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• well-intentioned laws are passed, immediately challenged, and enjoined before taking effect, wasting taxpayer
• I think it favors transparency, not only to our citizens and taxpayers, but to the fire districts that
• Matter of fact, they are the top form of community mitigation because our taxpayers pay into our levies
• Matter of fact, they are the top form of community mitigation because our taxpayers pay into our levies
• Our job is to protect the taxpayers when it comes to these wildland fires.

Bills: SB5928

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, instead it seems to be a taxpayer bailout for systems that refuse to reform.
• With the proposed version of SB 63, taxpayers are now being asked to bail out those same operators with
• With the proposed version of SB 63, taxpayers are now being asked to bail out those same operators with
• no power. taxpayers are now being asked to bail out those same operators with no power to regularly
• So San Mateo County taxpayers are being asked to contribute billions — that's with a B, folks — in new

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard SB 63 by Senator Wiener, as amended and coauthored by Senator Arreguín, a Bay Area transit funding measure intended to avert major service cuts at BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit. The authors said the region faces a fiscal cliff and that without new revenue, BART could collapse and other systems could face severe reductions. They described the bill as the product of extensive negotiations among the five Bay Area counties and transit operators, with San Mateo and Santa Clara counties opting in during the process. Much of the discussion focused on accountability and governance. Supporters said the bill includes some of the strongest oversight provisions in recent memory, including a third-party efficiency review and ad hoc adjudication committees that can withhold a portion of funding if operators fail to correct problems. Assembly Member Papin and Assembly Member Lackey argued the measure amounts to a taxpayer bailout with insufficient representation and too much control left to MTC, while the authors responded that the bill gives affected counties direct complaint and enforcement authority and that MTC must follow the ad hoc committees’ recommendations. Several members asked about complaint procedures, withholding thresholds, opt-in/opt-out issues, and whether the funding would return to the source counties if withheld. Testimony in support came from SPUR, Caltrain, MTC, the Bay Area Council, BART, SamTrans, VTA, San Francisco MTA, transit coalitions, environmental groups, local governments, and labor. Supporters emphasized the risk of severe service cuts, the importance of preserving recent investments such as Caltrain electrification, and the need for regional self-help. There was no registered opposition witness, though some members spoke against the bill. The committee ultimately voted 11-5 to pass SB 63 as amended to the floor, with the committee amendments also removing urgency language.

Transcript Highlights:

• In this case, we should ask ourselves if this is a service that the taxpayers need to fund.
• Under current practice, public payroll systems funded by Texas taxpayers can be used to channel money
• Taxpayer-funded, and using them for dues collection is a form of indirect subsidy to private groups.
• That's a reasonable standard to uphold the interest of taxpayers.
• It reinforces that taxpayer resources should be directed to the people's business and not Thank you for

Bills: SB75 , SB715 , SB776 , SB1299 , SB1405 , SB1968 , SB2021 , SB2077 , SB2148 , SB2321 , SB2330 , SB2411

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Medical assistance fraud steals from hardworking taxpayers across Minnesota.
• assistance fraud steals from Uh medical assistance fraud steals from hardworking<00:02:30.120><c> taxpayers
• </c> hardworking taxpayers across Minnesota. hardworking taxpayers across Minnesota.

Summary: The committee heard House File 2354, a bill by Representative Norris to strengthen Minnesota’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and combat medical assistance fraud. Norris explained that the bill, previously part of a broader Human Services program integrity package, was being converted into a standalone measure through the A9 amendment. The amendment made conforming changes and shifted the appropriation to ongoing funding from a special revenue fund, which Norris said was important to secure a three-to-one federal match for additional staff. As amended, the bill would increase investigative and prosecutorial capacity, create new penalties for Medicaid fraud over $100,000 and over $1 million, align prison time with other theft laws, extend the statute of limitations, and include medical assistance fraud under the state racketeering law. Norris and supportive members emphasized that Minnesota’s fraud unit is smaller than comparable states and that the added funding would help hire more staff. Members Pinto and Cleborne, along with Representative Koznick, offered supportive comments about the importance of the bill and broader legislative efforts to address fraud. The A9 amendment was adopted by voice vote, and after discussion the committee voted to refer House File 2354, as amended, to the General Register. The motion passed by voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> return on investment for taxpayers. return on investment for taxpayers.
• </c> these issues and ensuring that taxpayer these issues and ensuring that taxpayer funds<03:11:56.080
• </c> taxpayer 12% more. taxpayer 12% more.
• As too many taxpayers well know, the VA spends millions of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars training
• </c> taxpayers investments in these programs. taxpayers investments in these programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with this bill, it will now be nine bills wasting taxpayer money.
• and women and burdening our taxpayers with higher infrastructure costs because of Trump's war.
• </c><03:09:38.319><c> save</c> fuels rather than help taxpayers save fuels rather than help taxpayers
• It's just a way to guarantee American taxpayers' money keeps flowing to the fossil fuel industry.
• It's just a way to guarantee American taxpayers' money keeps flowing to the fossil fuel industry.