Transcript Highlights:

• I think that when we're talking about building a 65-mile-long trail to offset the carbon emissions of
• /c><00:07:27.840> long<00:07:28.240> trail<00:07:28.680> to<00:07:28.919> offset
• building a 65 mile long trail to offset building a 65 mile long trail to offset the<00:07:29.560
• and<00:14:03.639> tab<00:14:03.920> fees<00:14:04.199> to<00:14:04.360> offset
• <00:14:04.720> the sales tax and tab fees to offset the sales tax and tab fees to offset the

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the estimated cost for a pension offset for National Guard order to state active duty, and that
• That's the estimated cost for a pension offset for National Guard order to state active duty, and that
• are from Representative Olsen's proposal to provide members of the National Guard with a pension offset
• <00:09:15.600> when<00:09:15.920> they<00:09:16.240> are with a pension offset
• when they are with a pension offset when they are mobilized<00:09:17.839> to<00:09:18.240>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's a gentleman, a retired state policeman, Brian Chase, who's now the head of an internationally
• Um, there's a gentleman, a retired state policeman, Brian Chase, who's now the head of an internationally
• Um, there's a gentleman, a retired state policeman, Brian Chase, who's now the head of an internationally
• So again, we'd have to offset that in the context, but there's other ancillary programs, and Mr.
• So again, we'd have to offset that in the context, but there's other ancillary programs, and Mr.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have done a pension offset for the Minnesota National Guard members when they're called to active
• This is for Representative Olsen's bill to add a pension offset for when the guard is called to state
• > when<00:04:46.960> the<00:04:47.600> guard<00:04:47.919> is pension offset
• for when the guard is pension offset for when the guard is called<00:04:48.400> to<00:04:48.639
• 2338 which provides a pension offset 2338 which provides a pension offset stipen<00:08:58.560>

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• In the case of those remaining emissions, offset strategies, renewable natural gas, or other things can
• Is it going to be an option on the carbon offset market?
• Is it going to be an option on the carbon offset market?
• There's our offsets protocol, where we have four carbon dioxide removal methods, and these are nature
• There's our offsets protocol, where we have four carbon dioxide removal methods.

Summary: The committee held an interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), then on hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility (EPR). On the CCUS topic, industry and nonprofit presenters described point-source capture, direct air capture, mineralization, and geologic sequestration, emphasizing Washington’s basalt formations and state trust lands as strong candidates for storage. They argued that CCUS can help hard-to-abate industrial sectors, support jobs and investment, and provide a pathway for compliance, while also noting the need for clearer permitting, subsurface rights, pipeline authority, and storage infrastructure. Ecology and Commerce staff explained current state policy touchpoints, including Cap-and-Invest offsets and exemptions for permanently stored CO2, the public comment process underway to define “thousand-year” permanence, and how CCUS might fit within the Clean Energy Transformation Act without counting emitting generation as non-emitting. Some presenters supported more state action and primacy over federal permitting, while others warned about costs, energy use, uncertain capture performance, and the need to ensure real net greenhouse gas reductions and long-term liability protections. Members asked about public meetings, whether mineralized carbon would qualify as exempt under the Climate Commitment Act, the timeline for Ecology guidance, aquifer and water-quality concerns, energy intensity of capture systems, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Responses said Ecology’s guidance process is already underway, public meetings will be virtual, mineralized carbon would likely qualify if it meets the permanence standard, and EPA rules require storage in deep saline formations below drinking water aquifers. Industry speakers said capture energy use varies by source and concentration, and one presenter noted that some states use trust funds funded by injectors to address long-term liability. The second half of the session shifted to hazardous waste and EPR. Ecology staff reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste management in Washington. They highlighted that E-Cycle and PaintCare are producer-funded, that the battery stewardship program will begin in 2027, and that the mercury lamp program is in transition after its prior stewardship organization exited, prompting enforcement notices and a pending replacement plan. Ecology recommended best practices for future EPR programs, including clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong agency enforcement and plan approval authority. Local government speakers from King County and Douglas County described rising collection costs, equity and access barriers, rural travel distances, and the need for stable funding and flexible local implementation. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and supports EPR as a way to shift costs from ratepayers to producers, while Douglas County emphasized that rural residents will participate when services are accessible and that future systems should account for geography and local infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• but those are actually partially offset but those are actually partially offset in<00:07:29.440>
• But that's offset by a decrease of 1% in adults without All right.
• Um but that's offset adults, about 08.
• This was partially offset by lower gross premium tax collections of around $30 million.
• This was partially offset by lower premium surcharge collections of $58 million.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the property is sold next year, were left in the bill and are being returned to the general fund to offset
• being returned to the general<00:03:57.280> fund<00:03:58.239> to<00:03:58.640> offset
• <00:03:59.280> that general fund to offset that general fund to offset that appropriation.
• :07:37.440> proceeds<00:07:38.080> would<00:07:38.319> have<00:07:38.720> offset
• So the sale proceeds would have offset that general fund appropriation. >> I see.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It addresses the real-world need for economic options for growers who are retiring or consolidating.
• I'm a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland biologist of 35 years.
• infrastructure throughout the Metro Boston region and current policy to bypass admission fees helps to offset
• Dottie was a retired nurse and lifelong Carver resident living in her forever home on a great pond at
• I'm a retired regional director of the U.S.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's an offsetting number there for the increase.
• So we know we can offset that number.
• But if we don't have the revenue to offset that, then we have to include that in the number.
• “And we're leasing from CoreCivic, even though the state built the prisons for the uranium offset.
• I think the offsetting number of the amount that cost to house another prisoner, transportation costs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a retired nurse. I spent 44 years as a nurse, so I have some concerns about our health.
• The value helps offset the cost of running local recycling programs.
• The coal plant in Mount Tom retired; Pilgrim has been decommissioned because it was incredibly dangerous
• I am a semi-retired primary care physician in Boston and the co-chair of Greater Boston Physicians for

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused mainly on two subjects: expansion of the Massachusetts bottle bill and bills to remove woody biomass from state clean-energy and greenhouse-gas programs. On the bottle bill, supporters from municipal, environmental, public health, and local government groups argued that the 5-cent deposit is outdated, redemption rates have fallen, and expanding coverage to more beverage containers—especially water, sports drinks, and small alcohol bottles—would reduce litter, cut plastic waste and microplastics, and save cities and towns money. Several speakers also backed raising handling fees for retailers and redemption centers, and some supported restoring a Clean Environment Fund so unclaimed deposits would support recycling-related purposes. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Beverage Association and the National Waste and Recycling Association, argued that curbside recycling and transfer-station systems are more convenient, that the targeted containers are valuable to local recycling programs, and that the proposal would shift costs onto consumers and municipalities. Committee members questioned witnesses about redemption rates, handling fees, the 2014 ballot question, and whether the bill had changed from prior sessions. The biomass portion drew strong support from Springfield officials, state legislators, environmental advocates, and public health groups. They said woody biomass should not count as clean energy because burning wood produces particulate pollution and carbon emissions, and they warned that current law contains a loophole that could help finance the proposed Palmer Renewable Energy biomass plant in Springfield. Witnesses emphasized Springfield’s air-quality and asthma burdens, the public health impacts of PM2.5, and the need to close the loophole before a January 1, 2026 deadline. One forest-industry witness supported a separate bill promoting modern wood heat with pollution controls, arguing it is cleaner than older wood systems and has minimal ratepayer cost, while noting that those credits would be affected if the governor’s broader energy affordability bill repeals the alternative energy portfolio standard. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs managed testimony by alternating between the bottle bill and biomass topics, asking speakers to keep remarks brief and to note when they agreed with prior testimony. Several legislators also testified in support of the bills, and committee members asked follow-up questions on deposit levels, retailer handling fees, recycling economics, and the public-health rationale for the biomass restrictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the numbers are a little offset, but You'll see Idaho National Labs is still our highest shipper.
• We have seen, uh, quite a few individuals accept the retirement, early retirement program.
• At Carlsbad, I think we had 25 people that I worked with previously that have accepted retirement, but

Transcript Highlights:

• Income tax offset. page 217 House Bill 26 to 1 1410 page 217 House Bill 26 to 1 1410 Department<01:24
• <01:25:45.920> 290<01:25:46.480> I income tax offset 290 I income tax offset 290 I
• County sheriff offsetting revenue. County incentive payments.
• County sheriff offsetting revenue. County incentive payments.
• Volunteer firefighter retirement plans. B.7. Volunteer firefighter death and disability insurance.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the prior journal, and heard several brief recognitions before moving to business. Members welcomed foster care advocates for Child Abuse Prevention Month, Girl Scouts visiting the Capitol, and participants in Black Maternal Health Week, with remarks emphasizing foster youth voice, leadership development, and the need for culturally competent maternal health care and doula/midwife support. The chamber then took up House Joint Resolution 1026, honoring former Governor Roy Romer and designating a portion of I-25 as the Governor Roy Romer Memorial Highway. Supporters highlighted Romer’s long public service, his work on education and infrastructure, and his role in major state projects. A proposed amendment to strike the word “memorial” was withdrawn, the House suspended the rules to allow Romer to speak from the well, and Romer offered remarks about legislative collegiality and the importance of democracy and listening to opposing views. House Joint Resolution 1026 was adopted on a 60-0 vote, with four excused and one absent. After a brief recess, the House returned to special orders and resumed reading House Bill 1410 at length, continuing through extensive appropriations language for the Department of Human Services, including child welfare, youth services, Medicaid-related transfers, SNAP and benefits administration, and other funding line items. No final action on House Bill 1410 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• functions is they typically will receive Social Security income or disability, and then general funds offset
• They typically will receive Social Security income or disability, and then general funds offset whatever
• it needs to be a special budget line item that says we do this, but over here is the corresponding offset
• Next slide, please. normally a offset of expenditures, but normally a offset of expenditures, but if<
• to to offset that additional cost. to to offset that additional cost.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services heard a presentation on Kentucky personal care homes from representatives of the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities, Management Systems of Kentucky, and Elder Care Partners. Witnesses described personal care homes as a lower-cost, 24/7 residential option for adults with serious mental illness who do not qualify for nursing home care but need structured support, medication assistance, meals, housekeeping, transportation, and supervision. They said the homes are regulated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, are not Medicaid-funded, and rely on a state supplementation rate of about $50.70 per day, which they argued no longer covers operating costs because of rising food, labor, insurance, and maintenance expenses. The presenters said the sector has shrunk significantly over time, citing a drop from 64 homes in 2002 to 34 today among the homes serving this population, with 30 closures over 23 years and two more closures since August. They argued that the closures have contributed to homelessness, hospital overcrowding, and longer stays in psychiatric hospitals, and they gave examples of residents who had spent many months in hospitals before stabilizing in a personal care home. One provider also described spending more than $800,000 on capital improvements after acquiring Kentucky facilities and said reimbursement is too low to sustain safe operations. They asked for an incremental reimbursement increase over two years and said they have also proposed an assisted-living model for people with mental illness. Members asked about staffing, reimbursement, and the number of people still needing placement. The presenters said there is no requirement for licensed or certified staff in these facilities, though some homes use medication technicians and occasional LPNs. They estimated they are currently serving about 2,000 residents and said they receive roughly 30 referrals for every one person admitted, with many referrals involving people whose needs exceed the personal care home level. Senator Meredith and Representative Fleming said any funding request would need documentation of savings and corresponding budget offsets, while Representative Duval expressed support and asked about possible staffing and program improvements. The witnesses also compared Kentucky’s flat-rate reimbursement to a more individualized reimbursement model in Minnesota, saying a needs-based system would better match staffing and reduce hospitalizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• not allocated to any single budget activity, but in the state general fund balance is taken as an offset
• not allocated to any single budget activity, but in the state general fund balance is taken as an offset
• not allocated to any single budget activity, but in the state general fund balance is taken as an offset
• to that $2 146 million Federal offset to that $2 billion<00:09:11.480> number<00:09:12.480>
• Federal reimbursement is just taken as a generic offset to the total cost of DHS, and the fund balance

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met for an introductory overview of its jurisdiction and staff roles. Nonpartisan House Research and House Fiscal staff explained that they draft bills and amendments, prepare bill summaries and background research, answer legal and fiscal questions, and help track revenue and budget effects. They also distributed a Budget Overview Brief intended to condense the larger budget materials into a more usable format for members. Staff then walked through the Human Services budget and the committee’s areas of responsibility. They described the department structure, noting that DHS oversees administration, compliance, rulemaking, and county support, and that the overall Human Services budget is large, with medical assistance as the dominant program. They also explained recent and upcoming reorganizations: many children and family-related functions are moving to the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Direct Care and Treatment is becoming its own agency, and some homelessness-related functions remain at DHS. Staff reviewed how the budget is organized by program and budget activity, the difference between direct appropriations and standing appropriations, and how forecasted programs and “tails” work in the budget process. The presentation also covered Medicaid financing and long-term care. Staff explained the federal-state FMAP match, including Minnesota’s current 51.16% federal match for most Medicaid spending, the CHIP match, and the 90% federal share for the expansion population. For long-term care, they outlined Medical Assistance services for elderly and disabled people, state-funded long-term care supports, and Board on Aging programs. They highlighted the personal care assistance program’s phaseout and replacement by Community First Services and Supports, and reviewed the five home- and community-based waivers. Members asked one question about refugee resettlement funding, specifically whether it covers flights; staff said they would need to follow up on the exact use of the federal funds. No bills were heard, and no formal votes or other committee actions were taken during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 5109, authorizing the town of Falmouth to expend funds to offset certain costs associated
• And House Bill 5109, authorizing the town of Falmouth to expend funds to offset certain costs associated
• And an act authorizing the town of Falmouth to expend funds to offset certain costs associated with the
• An act authorizing the town of Falmouth to expend funds to offset certain costs associated with the installation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House took up several local bills after suspending procedural rules and Joint Rule 12 for a petition from Mark J. Cusack concerning military creditable service for judges, referring it to the Committee on Public Service. The House also considered four local measures: a Harwich affordable housing trust bill, a Charlemont commercial recreation tax bill, a Millis senior property tax exemption bill, and a Falmouth sewer-related funding bill. All were advanced through second reading and ordered to a third reading. The chamber then passed to engrossment a series of additional local bills, including a Hopkinton bridge designation bill, a Nantucket charter amendment, a Swampscott disability property tax exemption bill, an Arlington senior tax exemption amendment, and a Reading home rule charter bill. Each was approved without recorded opposition. The House later recessed and returned to consider a supplemental fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill, House Bill 5348, reported out of Ways and Means with a total appropriation of $300 million. House Bill 5348 was taken up by suspension of the rules, read a third time, passed to be engrossed, and then passed to be enacted after the constitutionally required separate vote, with no votes in opposition recorded. The House adopted an order to meet again Wednesday at 11 a.m., and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• to offset the $100,000 appropriation<00:36:58.280> um<00:36:58.720> for<00:36:58.920><
• Lines four through six are offsetting Lines four through six are offsetting adjustments<00:53:05.520
• <00:53:09.560> amounts<00:53:10.400> uh these kinds of offsetting amounts uh these
• <00:54:04.920> amount 10 displays the offsetting amount 10 displays the offsetting amount
• You can see, skipping ahead a little bit, the offsetting special revenue fund transfer out displayed

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it helps offset those costs. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you.
• Yes, so it helps offset those costs. Okay, thank you so much.
• However, he's going to reach a point where he retires.
• Once a provider leaves or retires, healthcare is gone.
• Some of that has been offset by Torch.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the cost of that brings in to offset the cost of that division<00:29:03.480> our<00:29:03.679
• Are you offsetting that someplace else?
• that are you are you offsetting that someplace<01:52:39.400> else<01:52:40.400> so<01:
• Those COLAs drive our benefits, particularly judicial retirement. They drive the benefits.
• Yeah, but some of that is offset by revenue, right? So you're collecting some.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Insurance Commissioner DJ Bettencourt on the New Hampshire Insurance Department budget. He said the department is self-funded through assessments on insurers based on New Hampshire premium volume, with about $8 billion in premiums written in the state and a department budget of roughly $15.5 million. He explained that the department has 88 authorized positions, eight vacancies, and that three full-time positions were unfunded after the governor’s requested 4% reduction exercise. He also said the department is trying to balance staffing needs with not overburdening carriers during a hard insurance market. A major topic was the department’s $2.6 million rebate to industry from the prior fiscal year, which Bettencourt described as a credit against the next assessment rather than a direct cash payment. Members questioned why that credit was not reflected as a reduction in the upcoming budget, and Bettencourt and staff explained that the budget assumes full staffing and full spending, with any year-end surplus returned to insurers. The commissioner said the department had added staff in recent years for succession planning and to preserve institutional expertise, and that the rebate reflects careful budgeting rather than excess spending. Members also asked about staffing changes by division, including positions unfunded in fraud, property and casualty examinations, life and health examinations, and tax. Bettencourt said fraud investigations remain strong and that the department can use outside contractors for examinations, with those costs billed to the company being examined. He also described the department’s examination process, including periodic financial exams and targeted market conduct reviews triggered by consumer complaints or trends. Additional questions covered OIT transfers, the department’s oversight of fully insured health coverage, the insurance premium tax and fines going to the general fund, and the department’s limited role in auto repair reimbursement disputes, where he said complaints have recently declined.

Transcript Highlights:

• complete offsets to your tax obligation. complete offsets to your tax obligation.
• , respect to the offsets, respect to the offsets, then<01:24:37.520> we<01:24:37.679> can
• It's just an offset. So it does not affect net metering.
• > sales<02:29:15.760> tax<02:29:16.240> to offsetting change on sales tax to offsetting
• So let's use it to offset that work.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She never had to retire because she'd never had an income.
• She said that tuition from three- and four-year-old classrooms is needed to help offset the cost of care

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.