Transcript Highlights:

• am here representing uh our<00:38:51.560><c> members</c><00:38:52.160><c> in</c><00:38:52.400><c> prek
• c><00:38:52.920><c> through</c><00:38:53.160><c> 12</c><00:38:53.560><c> public</c> our members in prek
• through 12 public our members in prek through 12 public education<00:38:54.280><c> across</c><00:38:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• money away this is not trying to take money away from<01:38:47.040><c> universal</c><01:38:47.600><c> prek
• It's</c><01:38:48.800><c> to</c><01:38:49.040><c> ensure</c><01:38:49.280><c> that</c> from universal prek
• It's to ensure that from universal prek.
• > person is when a child is actually person is when a child is actually attending<01:39:00.560><c> prek
• . and and we've got to do attending prek. and and we've got to do a<01:39:03.760><c> better</c><01:39

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:47:49.280><c> a</c> may or may not be participating in a may or may not be participating in a prek
• 50.480><c> many</c><00:47:50.640><c> of</c><00:47:50.720><c> our</c><00:47:50.880><c> children</c> prek
• So many of our children prek program.
• 00:47:56.640><c> participating</c><00:47:57.119><c> in</c><00:47:57.359><c> a</c><00:47:57.520><c> prek
• </c> are not participating in a prek program. are not participating in a prek program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened hearings on SB 69, including a germane amendment on school board votes to accept or reject gifts and donations, and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Prime sponsor Rep. Glenn Cordelli said the literacy program was modeled on earlier HB 671, would be funded through gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements to the governor and legislature. Members questioned changes from the earlier bill, including the move away from center-based language, the lack of a dollar threshold for school board action on donations, anonymous gifts, and whether the amendment preserved enough evaluation data. Testimony on the donation provisions raised concerns about broad language, timing, and public-meeting requirements. Rep. Timothy Han and Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association both noted that school districts already have policies and asked how the bill would work for routine donations, anonymous gifts, and situations that might require non-public discussion under right-to-know law. Wilson cited examples such as field-trip scholarships, backpack drives, and sports uniforms, and said the association was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails. Rep. Han said school boards may need to discuss some gifts in non-public session and that the bill should better address those circumstances. On the early literacy amendment, Wilson and others questioned whether the program was sufficiently developed, whether it was appropriate to rely on a primarily online model for very young children, and how it would interact with special education services and IEPs. A representative from Waterford.org, Rob Riley, testified in support, saying the program would be supplementary, adaptive, and family-engagement based, and that Waterford could provide devices and internet access for families who need them. He said the program would work alongside school districts and IEP teams rather than replace existing services. No vote was taken during the hearing; the chair said the committee would later exec the bills and try to get reports in for the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• extremely important kindergarten is extremely important as<01:20:32.960><c> is</c><01:20:33.199><c> prek
• in</c><01:20:34.640><c> getting</c><01:20:35.040><c> schools</c><01:20:35.679><c> getting</c> as is prek
• as in getting schools getting as is prek as in getting schools getting children<01:20:36.159><c> in<

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 9 minutes, then reviewed a deferred personnel contract involving workers’ compensation claims administration. Staff explained that the roughly $50 million figure included about $48 million for claims payments and up to $1.45 million per year for administrative services, with billing based on a fee schedule for specific services rendered. Senator Meredith raised concerns about the vendor’s history, the scoring and bid process, and prior allegations involving the company; the administration responded that the procurement had been conducted under 45A through open competition, with outside scorers and no finding of wrongdoing tied to this contract. Meredith moved to disapprove Contract 167, Hart seconded, and the committee voted 5-2 to disapprove it. The committee then deferred a Western Kentucky University personal services contract because the vendors were still not registered with the Secretary of State’s office. Hart moved to defer the contract until the August 2026 meeting, Meredith seconded, and the motion carried. The committee also approved the agenda covering the various contract lists and deferred items. Next, the committee heard from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on several personal services contracts for medical staffing and related services. Secretary Steven Stack and staff explained that staffing shortages often require outside vendors, that the contracts were competitively bid under 45A, and that the cabinet uses a streamlined vendor pool for specialized needs such as actuaries, auditors, and technical consultants. The committee approved Contracts 52 through 55 without objection. Discussion then began on Contract 61, with Meredith expressing concern that the committee lacked enough detail to judge whether the services could be performed in-house or whether the exchange of resources was appropriate; Stack said the contract was intended to provide efficient access to specialized outside expertise. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on Contract 61 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:42:34.240><c> So</c><00:42:34.480><c> prek</c><00:42:34.880><c> to</c><00:42:35.119><c> 2</c>
• So prek to 2 is about third grade.
• So prek to 2 is really<00:42:35.599><c> more</c><00:42:35.839><c> about</c><00:42:36.000><c> number</

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Oversight Committee met to review statewide education improvement and assessment issues under RSA 193-C:8-a, with the chair focusing on curriculum frameworks, academic standards, and resource elements tied to the state’s adequate education statutes. The chair walked through the statutory relationship between minimum standards for public school approval, academic standards, and local control of curriculum, noting that New Hampshire law requires curriculum frameworks to guide what students should know and be able to do while leaving districts flexibility in instruction. He also raised concerns that some subject areas appear to have current frameworks or standards while others do not, and suggested the committee may need to consider an amendment creating a curriculum frameworks and academic standards coordinator at the Department of Education. Nate Green, director of the Division of Education Analytics and Resources, explained that the terms “academic standards” and “curriculum frameworks” have evolved over time and are often used interchangeably, but can mean different things depending on the subject area. He said the state’s more prescriptive standards largely developed after No Child Left Behind, especially in math, ELA, and science, while older or less-tested subjects such as arts, physical education, and health often retained looser framework-style documents. Green outlined one possible approach of standardizing terminology, but also said New Hampshire could instead define curriculum frameworks separately as a combination of standards, curriculum, and instructional approaches. He emphasized that state standards must support statewide consistency and assessment, while local districts retain control over how they teach. Committee members discussed how these distinctions affect different grade levels and subjects, using examples from math and science to show that minimum standards are broad while academic standards are more specific and grade-level based. Green described how science standards are organized by physical science, life science, and earth/space science across grade bands, while math standards are more directly tied to individual grades. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported during this portion of the meeting; the discussion remained informational and exploratory as members considered whether statutory language or departmental organization should be updated.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have<00:59:20.160><c> a</c><00:59:20.319><c> prek</c><00:59:20.720><c> through</c><00:59:21.040><c
• > 8</c><00:59:21.200><c> school</c><00:59:21.520><c> now</c><00:59:21.920><c> with</c> have a prek through
• 8 school now with have a prek through 8 school now with about<00:59:22.799><c> 520</c><00:59:23.760>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved corrected minutes from October 6 after members noted and fixed several transcription and spelling errors, including a clarification that a comment about SAU numbers came from former Senator Jim Rubin. The vote to approve the corrected minutes was moved, seconded, and adopted with one abstention. The main presentation came from Chuck Bates of the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), who described the organization, its certification program, and the role of school business administrators. He explained that ASBO members handle accounting and financial management, facilities, food service, HR, information systems, transportation, and risk management. He also outlined the certification program, which includes 21 courses, most online, plus four in-person workshops unique to New Hampshire, and noted that many members are not certified because the state licensure requirement was removed. Bates then addressed the committee’s interest in SAU consolidation and county-wide restructuring. He said business administrators often manage multiple budgets, attend school board meetings, and serve as a visible point of contact for the community. He argued that consolidation would create operational and financial challenges, including staff and facility relocation, differing accounting systems, lack of a standardized chart of accounts, and uncertain return on investment. He said the biggest obstacle would be local control, especially in small towns that do not want outside decisions affecting school closures, class sizes, or student transportation. Committee members questioned him about the distinction between administrative and academic control, the size of district offices in larger cities, and what might reduce administrative costs; Bates responded that many administrative costs stem from legislation and that consolidation would be difficult to implement without local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I have one<00:27:07.360><c> building</c><00:27:07.600><c> that's</c><00:27:07.919><c> prek</c><00:
• 27:08.320><c> and</c><00:27:08.559><c> K</c><00:27:08.799><c> with</c> one building that's prek and K
• with one building that's prek and K with about<00:27:09.279><c> 160</c><00:27:09.840><c> of</c><00:27

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on school governance and a proposed shift in responsibilities related to SAU consolidation, with committee members first discussing how school board members and other local officials would be selected for future testimony. The main presentation came from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, whose executive director Brady Belair and several principals argued that mandatory statewide administrative consolidation should be approached cautiously and that any consolidation should be voluntary and locally driven. They said anticipated savings may not materialize, citing possible higher personnel, transportation, and technology costs, and warned that forcing changes could create disruption without improving student outcomes. Principals testified that their jobs are already broad and demanding, centered on instructional leadership, student safety, staff supervision, family communication, and day-to-day crisis response. Kathleen Murphy of Amherst described working 60 to 70 hours a week and said principals spend substantial time coaching teachers, handling student issues, and supporting school climate; she said adding more administrative duties would compromise student learning and teacher growth. Adam Osborne of Bow Memorial School similarly described principals as daily problem-solvers who set school-level direction and create conditions for schools to thrive. The witnesses also emphasized that principals, superintendents, school boards, and business administrators have different training and responsibilities, and that specialized tasks such as special education compliance, FERPA/HIPAA issues, and labor matters require appropriate expertise. Committee members questioned the witnesses about overlap between superintendent and principal duties, the completeness of statutory responsibility lists, and whether some functions such as curriculum, discipline, hiring, and evaluation are shared. The principals acknowledged some overlap and collaboration, but said superintendents typically handle broader system-level, legal, and central-office responsibilities while principals focus on building-level leadership and teacher support. One member raised the earlier expectation that districts might move to a principal-plus-business-manager model, but the witnesses said that model did not develop as expected and that district structures vary widely. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:00:12.079><c> and</c><01:00:12.319><c> expulsions</c><01:00:12.880><c> for</c><01:00:13.119><c> prek
• </c> suspensions and expulsions for prek suspensions and expulsions for prek through<01:00:14.240><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Readiness uh School Readiness<00:34:19.560><c> plus</c><00:34:20.560><c> voluntary</c><00:34:21.560><c> prek
• </c><00:34:22.560><c> and</c><00:34:22.679><c> then</c> Readiness plus voluntary prek and then Readiness
• plus voluntary prek and then there's<00:34:23.000><c> a</c><00:34:23.200><c> total</c><00:34:23.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > teaching music to the entire student teaching music to the entire student body,<02:42:27.040><c> preK
• through</c><02:42:28.000><c> five,</c><02:42:28.720><c> including</c><02:42:29.040><c> the</c> body, preK
• through five, including the body, preK through five, including the Hawaiian<02:42:29.760><c> language

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriate for both that would be appropriate for both students<00:53:46.079><c> in</c><00:53:46.240><c> prek
• third</c><00:53:47.079><c> grade</c><00:53:47.680><c> and</c><00:53:47.920><c> for</c> students in prek
• to third grade and for students in prek to third grade and for older<00:53:49.079><c> students</c><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• would like to then use that to support would like to then use that to support their<00:08:35.680><c> prek
• 37.360><c> it</c><00:08:37.599><c> it</c><00:08:37.839><c> would</c><00:08:38.000><c> go</c> their prek
• So, it it would go their prek program.
• So, it it would go into<00:08:38.320><c> the</c><00:08:38.479><c> prek</c><00:08:39.039><c> program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• incredible dedication and work<04:39:12.639><c> of</c><04:39:12.879><c> these</c><04:39:13.279><c> preK
• </c><04:39:14.959><c> This</c><04:39:15.119><c> is</c> work of these preK educators.
• This is work of these preK educators.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 27, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• my</c><00:30:52.720><c> son</c><00:30:52.880><c> out</c><00:30:53.039><c> of</c><00:30:53.200><c> prek
• <00:30:53.919><c> because</c><00:30:54.159><c> I</c><00:30:54.399><c> could</c> take my son out of prek
• because I could take my son out of prek because I could no<00:30:54.720><c> longer</c><00:30:54.960>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• New Hampshire, with 3,500 members in New Hampshire, mostly<01:33:37.840><c> in</c><01:33:38.080><c> preK
• </c><01:33:38.560><c> through</c><01:33:38.880><c> 12</c><01:33:39.120><c> public</c> mostly in preK
• through 12 public mostly in preK through 12 public education<01:33:40.320><c> as</c><01:33:40.639><c>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to increase the number of college students who choose to remain and work in Alabama. which are 1521 prek
• classrooms across which are 1521 prek classrooms across the<01:18:58.719><c> state.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of</c><00:21:19.440><c> nashwa</c><00:21:20.440><c> to</c><00:21:20.880><c> do</c><00:21:21.880><c> prek
• c><00:26:00.720><c> also</c><00:26:01.760><c> um</c><00:26:02.760><c> daycare</c><00:26:03.399><c> prek
• </c><00:26:04.120><c> Nursery</c> Schools but also um daycare prek Nursery Schools but also um daycare
• prek Nursery schools<00:26:05.200><c> to</c><00:26:05.440><c> take</c><00:26:05.720><c> the</c><00:26

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division 2 work session first took up HB 506, a bill dealing with the return of seized firearms. Members discussed how the measure would shift background-check processing for firearm returns through the Department of Safety, while the physical firearms would still remain with local police unless State Police had taken custody. The department said the bill would change which cases come to it, and members clarified that the bill concerns the background-check decision rather than possession of the firearms. The committee then voted OTP on HB 506 FN by a 7-0 roll call. The committee next discussed HB 671, establishing a kindergarten literacy readiness program. Department of Education staff explained that the bill grew out of a COVID-era Waterford contract that provided home-based early literacy support for families using federal relief funds, at a cost of about $600,000 per year, but that the program ended when those funds expired. Members raised concerns that the bill’s $1 appropriation was not realistic, that the prior program lacked sufficient outcome data, and that the references to ESSA tier-one benchmarks were unclear. The department said it was conducting a broader literacy needs assessment and updating the state literacy plan, including data from the zero-to-five range, K-5, and dyslexia-related work. Waterford representatives described the program as an early-literacy, pre-K readiness service for children ages zero to five, originally designed to work in homes with computers and internet provided where needed, and later expanded in some settings such as daycares and pre-K classrooms. They said the program used assessments at the beginning and end, had served hundreds of children, and was intended to support family engagement and kindergarten readiness. Despite that testimony, members remained concerned about funding and the lack of clear results, and one member moved to retain the bill for more information. The discussion ended with the bill retained rather than advanced.

Transcript Highlights:

• 02:16.159><c> programs</c><02:02:16.880><c> and</c><02:02:17.199><c> universal</c><02:02:17.760><c> prek
• </c> afterchool programs and universal prek afterchool programs and universal prek programs<02:02:19.199

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, March 19, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be if you you want children to be if you you want children to be successful from day one to enter preK
• successful from day one to enter preK successful from day one to enter preK kindergarten that that certainly

Bills: HB 1535, HB 123, HB 111, HB 180, HB 342, HB 1027, HB 1178, HB 610, HB 1277, HB 1615, HB 1620, HB 5342, HB 4885, HB 4751, HB 4689, HB 4530, HB 4488, HB 2149, HB 2041, HB 2071, HB 1813, HB 2282, HB 2248, HB 2243, HB 2522, HB 2310, HB 2513, HB 2300, HB 1902, HB 3719, HB 4284, HB 4327, HB 3743, HB 3778, HB 3801, HB 5153, HB 5147, HB 4877, HB 4850, HB 3158, HB 3261, HB 3005, HB 3033, HB 3138, HB 3099, HB 2849, HB 2967, HB 3488, HB 3477, HB 3466, HB 3396, HB 3469, HB 2594, HB 2776, HB 2564, HB 2298, HB 5331, HB 5646, HB 5247, HB 5323, HB 2015, HB 4384, HB 3896, HB 4014, HB 3627, HB 3594, HB 2524, HB 510, HB 561, HB 5111, HB 5446, HB 1181, HB 3963, HB 2785, HB 1661, HB 2460, HB 24, HJR 138, HB 3800, HB 42, HB 129, HB 677, HB 668, HB 2128, HB 2038, HB 2316, HB 3686, HB 2563, HB 1160, HB 3883, HB 2788, HB 2663, HB 3305, HB 3474, HB 1105, HB 3490, HB 3597, HB 1295, HB 3512, HB 3783, HB 2017, HB 3010, HB 3112, HB 4215, HB 3223, HB 3464, HB 3120, HB 4214, HB 4081, HB 4783, HB 4063, HB 2783, HB 5085, HB 2510, HB 3426, HB 4361, HB 1169, HB 2516, HB 4700, HB 3560, HB 3860, HB 3146, HB 184, HB 198, HB 247, HB 367, HB 449, HB 1778, HB 514, HB 632, HB 2582, HB 766, HB 2715, HB 2712, HB 3069, HB 3505, HB 1269, HB 4224, HB 5032, HB 2240, HB 5180, HB 3348, HB 4668, HB 4665, HB 3395, HB 3157, HB 4395, HB 4325, HB 4386, HB 4273, HB 2760, HB 2820, HB 1828, HB 1579, SB 2349, SB 1268, SB 610, SB 1577, SB 1369, SB 2032, SB 2034, SB 1057, SB 1044, SB 922, SB 1759, SB 1143, SB 1506, SB 1403, SB 2361, SB 870, SB 372, SB 72, SB 1583, SB 2314, SB 1267, SB 1273, SB 765, SB 552, HB 2145, HJR 112, HB 1804, HJR 110, HB 1194, HB 1531, HB 5008, HB 3421, SCR 27, HB 5398, HB 1407, HB 426, HB 1535, HB 123, HB 1773, HB 1871, HB 2035, HB 2448, HB 2492, HB 1411, HB 4753, HB 4666, HB 4529, HB 1499, HB 1610, HB 2028, HB 1506, HB 886, HB 3546, HB 796, HB 223, HB 1475, HB 3556, HB 4638, HB 111, HB 180, HB 342, HB 1027, HB 1178, HB 610, HB 1277, HB 1615, HB 1620, HB 5342, HB 4885, HB 4751, HB 4689, HB 4530, HB 4488, HB 2149, HB 2041, HB 2071, HB 1813, HB 2282, HB 2248, HB 2243, HB 2522, HB 2310, HB 2513, HB 2300, HB 1902, HB 3719, HB 4284, HB 4327, HB 3743, HB 3778, HB 3801, HB 5153, HB 5147, HB 4877, HB 4850, HB 3158, HB 3261, HB 3005, HB 3033, HB 3138, HB 3099, HB 2849, HB 2967, HB 3488, HB 3477, HB 3466, HB 3396, HB 3469, HB 2594, HB 2776, HB 2564, HB 2298, HB 5331, HB 5646, HB 5247, HB 5323, HB 2015, HB 4384, HB 3896, HB 4014, HB 3627, HB 3594, HB 2524, HB 510, HB 561, HB 5111, HB 5446, HB 1181, HB 3963, HB 2785, HB 1661, HB 2460, HCR 98, HCR 92, HCR 126

Keywords: Trinity River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, board of directors, governor appointment, public water authority, regional water authority, water resources, local government, natural resources, board training, ethics, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, complaint procedures, public comment, director removal, governance reform

Transcript Highlights:

• increasingly importantly seamless prek increasingly importantly seamless prek through<01:46:51.760><c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was the first session of a newly created House Education Funding Committee, which also handles career technical education and higher education legislation. The chair explained that the committee was split off from the larger education committee because of the high volume of bills in the prior biennium, and said its focus would be on education funding policy and related fiscal issues. He noted that the committee had already reviewed major topics with the Department of Education, including the foundation formula, building aid, career technical education, special education aid, catastrophic aid, and higher education funding, and that chancellors from the university and community college systems were scheduled to appear later that morning. The bulk of the meeting was an orientation on committee procedures and decorum. The chair reviewed attendance and replacement rules, hearing procedures, time limits for testimony, and how the committee would handle crowded hearings, early bills, and fiscal notes. He emphasized that hearings are not debates, that sponsors and co-sponsors may present but should not use their position to dominate questioning, and that the chair controls whether additional technical questions are asked of witnesses. He also stressed neutrality, saying members should not display buttons or placards or engage in running debates with testifiers, and that the committee should treat all testimony respectfully regardless of party or viewpoint. Additional housekeeping guidance covered security procedures, use of cell phones and computers during hearings, breaks and hydration in the dry hearing rooms, and courtesy toward the clerk and other staff. The chair also asked members to notify leadership in advance of absences and explained that some bills may require larger rooms or overflow arrangements. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this portion of the meeting.