Transcript Highlights:

• We're almost there. >> So, we're not reading from the sheet. >> We're not reading from the sheet yet.
• So I'll just read the article. So I'll just read that.
• But let me just read the uh abstract. But let me just read the uh abstract.
• So I'll just read from the abstract.
• reading reading here.<01:48:48.400> Oh,<01:48:48.639> it's<01:48:49.040> quite<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met as a special House committee on COVID response efficacy, noted absences, and restated its mission to review New Hampshire’s pandemic response, including federal guidance, federal funds, emergency use authorization vaccination efforts, long COVID treatment, patient bill of rights implementation, and vaccination policies. The main business was discussion of a proposed letter or report language concerning current COVID vaccine recommendations for young children, especially those under age two, and how to support any conclusions with cited scientific and state sources. Representative Polozov argued that the committee should ask the governor or agencies to reconsider current recommendations, saying the committee should focus on whether vaccination is needed for that age group, whether it is effective, and whether the risks outweigh the benefits. He said he had distributed articles and wanted the committee to pair its conclusions with scientific and statistical data. Other members asked him to identify the specific New Hampshire DHHS and American Academy of Pediatrics sources for the recommendation, clarify the age range being discussed, and separate any evidence about adverse effects in other age groups from the infant/toddler demographic so the letter would be transparent and not misleading. Members generally agreed the letter should be carefully sourced and refined, with citations for each claim. The chair said the committee would treat the request as urgent and try to finalize a version by the next meeting, noting that some members would be traveling. The committee also discussed scheduling additional testimony in September and October, possibly with extra meetings, to continue gathering evidence and to hear from witnesses. The chair then began reviewing supporting articles, including studies he said were new since the 2024 report, and introduced a 2025 South Korea cohort study and another 2025 Italian cohort study as examples of the evidence he wanted to incorporate into an updated 2026 report.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a very sick population, one that has become even sicker post-pandemic and requires regular intervention
• What I have here, I'm going to read to you, is a collective statement testimonial from my office for
• I have cooked meals with individuals, helped them fold their laundry, read to them and with them, looked
• at my hip I had to forcibly pull it in feeling a distinct plop followed by immediate intense pain reading
• Our roles require frequent involvement in high-risk situations, physical interventions, and crisis management

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several retirement and workforce-related bills. House Bill 2980 would place county correctional nurses and certain medical staff into Group 4 retirement. Representative Trino, Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and nurse manager Leanne Cameron argued that correctional nurses work in dangerous, high-stress settings with frequent contact with incarcerated people, high rates of mental illness and substance use in the jail population, and significant workplace violence, and that the change would help recruitment and retention with limited statewide fiscal impact. The committee also heard Senate Bill 210, which would create a commission to study additional regular compensation and annual expenses for members of the General Court. Senator John Keenan said Massachusetts has high leadership stipends compared with other states and argued the current structure can affect independence and public trust. Representative O'Day testified on House Bill 2928 to extend Group 2 retirement to additional Department of Children and Families social workers, and SEIU 509 witnesses described frequent transport of children, crisis response, threats, assaults, and other high-risk duties that they said match Group 2 work. Additional testimony supported House Bill 2943 for DDS service coordinators and supervisors, with witnesses describing home visits in unsafe conditions, transport of vulnerable individuals, direct care during staffing crises, and exposure to violence. House Bill 2899 drew support from the Association of Social Work Boards for social work field placement grants, incentives for supervisors, and expanded retirement benefits for DCF social workers. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2613, a local retirement bill for Salem police officer Kathleen Roachville, who described a severe line-of-duty injury during an arrest involving a combative person in a mental health crisis. Finally, Susan Smith Campbell testified for reclassifying certain DYS administrative officers into Group 2 because of their direct involvement in restraints, assaults, and crisis management. After testimony concluded, the committee adjourned without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, I, I read a lot about contraband, right?
• Um, so I guess I should have asked, uh, Representative Cook this question, but I'm reading this bill.
• Early intervention improves emotional security and reduces the risk of developmental delays and attachment
• I'm, I'm reading this. And, uh, evidence in a hearing for a person dis uh charged with a violation.
• So I'm passing out, um, an article that I read this semes this, I said semester, I feel like I'm still

Transcript Highlights:

• It's much easier for us to read, for everybody to read.
• read, for everybody<00:24:19.679> to<00:24:19.919> read.
• <00:24:20.159> Actually, everybody to read. Actually, everybody to read.
• is really daunting to read legislation. is really daunting to read legislation.
• It's all over the reading and stuff.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We participated so we can contribute to collaborative interventions that work for the community.
• interventions that work for<00:37:34.320> the<00:37:34.480> community.
• didn't<00:53:48.640> know<00:53:49.680> how<00:53:49.920> to<00:53:50.079> read
• <00:53:50.640> the<00:53:50.880> risk didn't know how to read the risk didn't know
• how to read the risk assessment.<00:53:52.480> So,<00:53:53.280> we<00:53:53.599> did

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Each testifier will have one minute to testify, and I have read all of the testimonies.
• I will be reading a list of individuals who submitted written testimony for each measure.
• Each testifier will have one minute to testify, and I have read all of the testimonies.
• I will be reading a list of individuals who submitted written testimony for each measure.
• Each testifier will have one minute to testify, and I have read all of the testimonies.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 72 on pharmacy drew only support, with testimony from the University of Hawaiʻi system, the Board of Pharmacy, pharmacists, and others; no questions were raised. HB 237 on peer support programs also received broad support from the Department of Health, DHS, early learning officials, families, and advocates, with testimony emphasizing the value of peer-to-peer mentoring and support for parents, youth, and people with disabilities; no opposition or questions were noted. HB 250, the prior authorization bill, generated the most discussion. SHPDA supported a revised version focused on reporting prior authorization practices and creating a nonbinding working group to develop automation standards, while PCMA, HMSA, Kaiser Permanente, and others raised concerns about duplicative pharmacy requirements, unintended consequences, and alignment with federal timelines and reporting. Several medical groups and individual patients supported the measure, describing delays and burdens caused by prior authorization. A committee member asked whether the bill’s working group differed from a similar group in Senate Bill 1449, and the witness said it was intended to be the same. HB 303 on health care preceptors was supported by the Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi, nursing and health care organizations, and the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, which asked that pharmacists’ residency programs be specifically tied to national accreditation standards. HB 341, relating to issuance of SPURS to assist the Hawaii Island Community Health Association, drew support from the health center and related groups. HB 692 on Preschool Open Doors received extensive support from early learning, education, family, labor, and community organizations; testimony stressed the shortage of child care and preschool slots, especially on Kauai, and the need to expand access for families. Committee members asked about adding family child care providers and about licensing/certification barriers, and DHS said the bill was focused on current licensed child care facilities and that certification issues were a separate, broader problem. HB 700 on cognitive assessments also drew strong support, with the Department of Health, the Executive Office on Aging, disability advocates, the Alzheimer’s Association, caregivers, and others urging use of a validated cognitive assessment tool during annual wellness visits and asking that the age 65 threshold be removed; some witnesses supported keeping the data-collection portion as a pilot and emphasized early detection and reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary, please read.
• Secretary, please read.
• Senator Nilo, Secretary, please read.
• Secretary, please read.
• And continuing on Senate Third Reading, moving to item 91 by Senator Grove. Secretary, please read.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will give the bill its third reading as amended by the Senate. Third reading.
• Third reading. House file the Senate. Third reading.
• > reading.
• Third reading. Senate file conference. Third reading.
• Third reading as file number 2370.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I would like to ask the clerk to read the resolution. >> Clerk will read the resolution.
• clerk to read the resolution. clerk to read the resolution.
• Hearing none, The reading of the journal is dispensed with.
• And if you read the back of it, it also kind of goes into more detail.
• intervention or merging or anything. intervention or merging or anything.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not going to read all of the ones that are on the slide here, but in particular for Medicaid, I just
• I read the letter from the auditor, and it appears there were even issues in getting straight answers
• So Madam Secretary, on page 8, I'll make sure I'm reading this slide correctly.
• Intervention and post-intervention—the things that we're doing when we have a safety plan—that's not
• And I got a chance to read her letter of resignation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• do see that, and this stands to reason—you see the largest growth as the students are learning to read
• How do you achieve that goal of, at the end of the day, prevention and intervention?
• We read reports that say that Florida is fifth from the bottom in third grade reading.
• In grade four reading, Florida is still 10th among the states and outperforms the nation.
• on the science of reading.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education received a Department of Education presentation from Deputy Commissioner Juan Copa on Florida’s K-12 assessment system, including FAST progress monitoring, end-of-course exams, science, writing, alternate assessments, English language acquisition testing, and VPK progress monitoring. Copa reported year-over-year gains in ELA and mathematics, noted that end-of-course and science results also improved, and explained how assessment data are used for school grades, third-grade promotion, graduation requirements, and other accountability measures. He also reviewed the independent study required by SB 1048, which recommended keeping PM3 as the primary accountability measure, proceeding cautiously on further test-length reductions and remote testing expansion, and using PM1/PM2 only as supplemental evidence in limited cases. Committee members focused on whether the new system is improving student outcomes enough, what supports teachers and schools need to use the data effectively, and how Florida compares nationally. Chancellor Dr. Burns said the department is emphasizing implementation of the new standards, high-quality instructional materials, coaching, professional learning, collaboration, and school improvement support, and also pointed to resiliency education standards and mental health supports. Copa said Florida’s latest NAEP results remain mixed but still generally outperform the nation in some grades, while members pressed for more information on best practices, other states’ approaches, and how districts are using the data. Several members requested follow-up information, including the independent review report, breakdowns of PM1/PM2/PM3 results by grade and subgroup, details on VPK outcomes by provider type and full-day versus half-day programs, and data on use of the CLT versus SAT/ACT for graduation concordant scores. The committee also discussed third-grade retention outcomes, computer-based testing, district assessment calendars, and whether some districts still administer additional local testing. No votes were taken on legislation, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• has been an increase of, what is it, almost 75% of spending toward mental health services and intervention
• ... ...toward mental health services and intervention over the last several years.
• Earlier identification of student needs before they escalate through prevention and early intervention
• It seems that our young people, for their earliest intervention phases, if it's not your friends and
• New requirements for increased spending on housing interventions mean that counties have less money to

Summary: The Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Access held its third hearing to review the state of youth mental health, progress under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), and remaining implementation and funding challenges. The chair emphasized that schools are often the main point where education, health care, and social services intersect for students, and that the committee’s goal is to ensure public investments translate into better access and outcomes. The hearing featured testimony from researchers, a youth advocate, state officials, and local practitioners. PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala reported that teen mental health remains a serious concern, with high rates of chronic sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, though recent California data show some improvement since the pandemic. She noted persistent disparities by gender, race, and rural status, and said school-based health centers, wellness centers, and community schools are associated with lower suicidal thoughts. Youth advocate Ella Cruz, speaking for NAMI California, described her own mental health struggles and argued that youth voice, peer-to-peer support, and reducing stigma are essential; she also said technology and AI cannot replace trusted adults or trained professionals. Committee members asked about phone use, stigma, cultural barriers, and how to make supports more accessible and relatable to students. Dr. Sohill Sood of the California Health and Human Services Agency said statewide survey data show declining stigma, increased counseling use, and lower suicide ideation among students, and he highlighted CYBHI’s certified wellness coaches, digital tools, awareness campaigns, and the first-in-the-nation fee schedule that allows schools and colleges to bill health plans for behavioral health services. He said the program is growing quickly, with more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue to date, while acknowledging that billing systems and coordination are still being built. Trina Frazier of Fresno County described a multi-tiered system of care supported by CYBHI, CalAIM, and other grants, serving thousands of students through school-based services, wellness centers, and mobile therapy units; she said ongoing funding and flexibility are critical. Rachel Kroberniski of El Segundo High School’s James Morehouse Project described a long-running wellness center and peer mentorship model that supports students in multiple languages, and said peer programs help students feel seen, connected, and more willing to seek help. Members broadly praised the flexibility, collaboration, and peer-based approaches described by the witnesses. Questions focused on sustaining funding after one-time grants expire, improving coordination among schools, counties, and providers, expanding the fee schedule to higher education, and ensuring continuity of care for students after high school. Officials said county offices of education, DHCS, and other partners are using communities of practice and technical assistance to spread best practices, and that CYBHI services can follow some young adults through age 25, with additional supports through community-based programs and digital platforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't read all my notes in thanking Chair Kilcoyne for organizing today's hearing as the lead chair
• You have my extensive written testimony, so I'll not read it word for word.
• You have my extensive written testimony, so I'll not read it word for word for you, but rather walk you
• And we've read in the media that we've had some back and forth.
• This progress reflects the Commonwealth's sustained commitment to life-saving interventions.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a Health and Human Services budget hearing in Clinton, with opening remarks from Chairs Meg Kilcoyne and Robin Kennedy, local officials, and many House and Senate members introducing themselves. The hearing focused on Governor Healey’s FY27 EOHHS and MassHealth budgets, with repeated themes of rising health care costs, federal funding uncertainty, workforce shortages, and access to care in underserved regions. Members also raised concerns about primary care shortages, rural and regional disparities, behavioral health access, maternal health, food insecurity, and the impact of federal policy changes on Massachusetts programs. EOHHS Secretary Kiame Mahaniah said the FY27 EOHHS budget totals $33.7 billion, reflecting mostly non-discretionary growth from health care costs, labor costs, caseload increases, and provider rate pressures. He highlighted targeted investments in foster care, family resource centers, maternal health, youth services, nutrition programs, immigrant legal services, and human service workforce rates, while warning that federal actions could strip roughly $3.5 billion annually from the state’s health care funding. In response to questions, he defended the administration’s cooperation with federal audits and program integrity efforts, discussed the primary care crisis, and said the state is trying to preserve core services while preparing for a more difficult FY28 budget cycle. MassHealth Undersecretary Mike Levine then described two major FY27 challenges: double-digit cost growth and the expected effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He said MassHealth’s proposed $22.7 billion gross budget includes a 7.5% increase and relies on a moratorium on new expansions plus targeted reductions, including a $1,000 annual adult dental cap, ending GLP-1 coverage for weight loss only, reducing care management to peer-state levels, and work groups to slow growth in PCA, adult foster care, and adult day health spending. Members questioned the impact on Boston Health Care for the Homeless, preventive care, and regional access; Levine said the changes are meant to preserve sustainability, that children and certain disabled populations remain protected, and that the administration will continue working with providers, advocates, and the Legislature on implementation and longer-term reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• The way I'm reading this is this audience around this table, I would audience around this table, I would
• The<00:10:48.640> way<00:10:48.720> I'm<00:10:48.959> reading<00:10:49.200> this
• <00:10:49.440> is<00:10:49.760> this The way I'm reading this is this wouldn't touch
• looks like, I I think intervention looks like, I I think that's<01:15:15.760> the<01:15:16.000
• And I um I do think intervention needed.

Bills: HF4862, HF4598

Keywords: apprenticeship, education, teacher training, grant program, labor and industry, workers' compensation, Minnesota workers' compensation, Workers' Compensation Advisory Council, reinsurance association, Workers' Compensation Reinsurance Association, WCRA, occupational disease, presumption, first responders, firefighter cancer, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, police officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician

Transcript Highlights:

• services for kids and early intervention services for kids and families<00:09:52.640> um<00:09
• Slide Nine is just, and you can read these, these are just some of our accomplishments that we've had
• slide nine is just uh and you can read slide nine is just uh and you can read these<00:15:36.680
• <00:25:55.440> to served and you know any interventions to served and you know any interventions
• Do you want to talk about recreation and early intervention while she's coming up with the numbers?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division of Long-Term Supports and Services presented its budget and program overview as part of the Department of Health and Human Services operating budget review. Leadership described the division’s three bureaus—Aging and Adult Services, Developmental Services, and Family-Centered Services—and explained that the division provides guidance, technical assistance, quality monitoring, and contracted provider oversight across the lifespan. Members also discussed staffing, with reported vacancy rates of 4% in Aging and Adult Services, 15% in Developmental Services, and 6% in Family-Centered Services; the division said the higher BDS vacancy rate is partly due to the small number of authorized positions. The governor’s budget had left eight positions unfunded in the division, including three in Aging and Adult Services and five in BDS. A major topic was the division’s roadmap initiatives, especially building a system of care for healthy aging and strengthening developmental disabilities systems through a new reimbursement rate structure. The division said it contracted with an actuary to study DD service costs and found rates had not been reviewed since 2017 and were significantly below actual costs and other states’ rates, contributing to provider shortages even when services are authorized. Members asked about the impact on service delivery and whether rates would need to rise overall; the division said its strategy is to focus on lower-cost services that help people remain in the community. The division also reported waiver enrollment figures, including about 4,161 people on the Choices for Independence waiver, 3,688 average nursing facility residents, 5,061 people on the DD waiver, 228 on the acquired brain disorder waiver, and 488 children on the in-home support waiver, while noting there is no funding waitlist but provider availability remains a constraint. The division highlighted IT modernization as a major accomplishment, especially moving Adult Protective Services and Developmental Services into the New Heights system. Officials said these changes improve case-note access, data retrieval, service authorization tracking, and transparency for providers, and they asked for future oversight discussion focused on IT leverage. Members noted that New Heights maintenance is budgeted in the Office of the Commissioner under class 27 and suggested better transparency on system costs and benefits. The division also reported that it closed out a long-running CMS corrective action plan for BDS on July 1, 2023, and said it is now focused on strengthening the system rather than compliance alone. Other discussion covered the Aging and Adult Services bureau’s name change from Elderly and Adult Services to Adult and Aging Services, intended to avoid negative connotations and better reflect preventative services. The bureau described Adult Protective Services trends involving scams, financial exploitation, self-neglect, and isolation, and explained that it administers the CFI waiver, determines medical eligibility for nursing facility level of care, and braids funding from Medicaid, state funds, Older Americans Act money, Social Service Block Grants, and other grants. Members asked about waiver growth targets and federal consequences if enrollment remains below projections; the division said it would explain the shortfall in a future waiver amendment and did not anticipate a federal penalty. The meeting ended without any votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• prevention and intervention solutions, and the restorative practices initiative.
• <00:14:22.320> and<00:14:22.560> restorative<00:14:23.519> practices Intervention
• and restorative practices Intervention and restorative practices so<00:14:24.720> this<00:14:
• things like the Youth Intervention things like the Youth Intervention Program<00:15:06.279> that
• crime prevention and intervention crime prevention and intervention Solutions<00:15:09.519> and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if you've ever read them. It's powerful—if you want a good cry.
• They are absolutely horrifying. difficult to Define um I I read um and difficult to Define um I I read
• <00:45:09.319> them<00:45:09.760> it's read them it's read them it's a<00:45:11.640>
• So I am reading this with both my OBs in mind and our general counsel.
• <01:01:51.880> this counsel that's going to read this counsel that's going to read this language

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on House Bill 553, which concerns the definitions of child abuse and neglect in RSA 169-C, including psychological maltreatment and the rebuttable presumption of harm. The chair and members emphasized that the bill is intended to clarify definitions rather than create punishments, and they discussed concerns that had arisen after the bill’s earlier drafting. Representative Eimon stated his view that the bill is constitutional, citing case law, and members noted that amendment 114 would restore language refined by the prior study committee and address trauma-informed wording, especially around substance use disorder and newborns. A major portion of the discussion focused on whether the bill could be read to treat ordinary parental discipline or disagreements with a child—such as grounding, taking away car keys or a phone, or refusing gender-affirming care—as abuse or neglect. DCF Deputy Director Jen Ross explained that screeners look at the nature of the allegation and whether the parent’s conduct is likely to cause serious psychological or emotional harm; she said routine discipline or prudent parenting would not be screened in, while persistent ridiculing, terrorizing, bullying, isolating, threats, or similar conduct could qualify. She also said that denial of gender-affirming care, by itself, would not be treated as neglect, but the agency would consider the full context and any resulting harm or need for mental health care. DCF General Counsel Susan Larby added that the legislature’s earlier definition of psychological maltreatment and related policy already focus on pervasive emotionally abusive behavior, and that the bill is meant to make the statute more understandable and transparent, not to change the core neglect standard. She and other speakers said the goal is to identify serious harm and provide services, not to remove children for ordinary parental decisions. Lisa Massio of the Office of the Child Advocate said the bill and related placement language are intended to preserve family unity and fill gaps where courts have interpreted neglect too narrowly or inconsistently. Members also discussed a proposed concise analysis from Representative Maral and asked about CPSW qualifications and training; DCF said staff generally have backgrounds in human services, social work, psychology, or education and receive a 12-week Core Academy on policy, law, investigations, and family engagement. No vote was taken in the portion provided, and members indicated they wanted to continue refining the amendment before sending anything to the Office of Legislative Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• They represent lost opportunities for intervention during critical developmental windows.
• They represent lost opportunities for intervention during critical developmental windows.
• The economic and social benefits of timely ASD intervention, including reduced long-term care costs and
• In my office today, I have two qualified clinicians who could have Intervention matters the most.
• When intervention starts later or is repeatedly interrupted, treatment becomes more complex and less

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on several health care bills focused primarily on autism services and kidney disease coverage. Committee chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by outlining hearing procedures, testimony rules, and filing deadlines, and noted the hearing would be recorded and written testimony accepted. They said the day’s topics included affordability and access to behavioral health services, provider reimbursement, Medicare coverage for vulnerable populations, and MassHealth eligibility asset exemptions. A major portion of the hearing concerned House Bill 4623, which would add board-certified assistant behavior analysts (BCABAs) as a recognized mid-level supervisory role in the MassHealth reimbursement framework to help address long wait lists for autism spectrum disorder services. Representative Lisa Field, actuaries, clinicians, and autism service providers testified that the current two-tier model limits workforce capacity, contributes to long delays, and leaves families waiting months for care. Supporters said the bill could expand access, improve retention, and potentially reduce MassHealth costs, while also helping providers meet growing demand and new administrative requirements. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 4425 and Senate Bill 2737, which would allow Massachusetts residents under 65 with end-stage renal disease to purchase Medigap coverage. Legislators, dialysis advocates, and patients described high out-of-pocket costs under Medicare, barriers to kidney transplant eligibility without secondary insurance, and the financial strain on patients and families. Testifiers said the change would affect about 846 residents, could modestly increase premiums, and might reduce Medicaid spending by preventing asset spend-downs. Senator Gomez and others spoke from personal experience with dialysis and transplant care. Finally, the committee heard testimony on House Bill 4353 and Senate Bill 2587, which would require regular data-driven review of MassHealth ABA reimbursement rates. Providers and association representatives argued that reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation, workforce shortages, accreditation costs, and new 2026 MassHealth policy requirements, and said the bills would improve transparency and ensure rates reflect the true cost of care. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs thanking participants, inviting additional written testimony, and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• reports um and I encourage you to read reports um and I encourage you to read them<01:56:03.199>
• <02:10:11.599> that<02:10:11.760> our number of interventions that our number of interventions
• I mean, the school results that I'm reading for the most part are going down.
• <03:46:39.600> for school uh results that I'm reading for school uh results that I'm reading
• What I'll do is just read the title.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The public hearing focused on HB 290, which would raise cigarette and e-cigarette/vaping taxes and create a committee to study tobacco and nicotine tax policy. Representative Jerry Stringham introduced the bill as both a public health and revenue measure, arguing that nicotine use causes health harms and public costs, and that New Hampshire’s cigarette tax has been unchanged at $1.78 per pack since 2013. He said the bill would raise the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to $2.78, still below most New England states, and would also adjust vaping taxes, which he described as having been set as placeholder rates in 2019. He said the bill would also establish a study committee to review broader tobacco and nicotine taxation, including products such as premium cigars. In response to questions, Stringham said the proposed cigarette tax would be roughly equal in real dollars to the 2008 rate after inflation, and he suggested that a smaller annual increase could be considered, though he believed a larger increase would have a stronger public health effect. He explained that the vaping tax structure differs between closed and open systems because one taxes a fixed hardware product while the other taxes reusable liquid, and he said the proposal would move the rates toward a more uniform approach. He also said New Hampshire would remain below neighboring states even after the increase, though members raised concerns about cross-border shopping, business impacts, and preserving the state’s competitive advantage. Several members questioned whether the bill’s main purpose was revenue or reducing smoking and vaping. Stringham said he viewed it primarily as a public health bill, but also as a revenue measure, and said he would consider it successful even if consumption fell enough to reduce revenue. Other members emphasized personal freedom and argued the committee should focus on taxation rather than cessation, while some supported the bill as a way to capture revenue from out-of-state buyers and keep New Hampshire’s rates below surrounding states. The hearing consisted of testimony and questions only; no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are we evaluating whether people can read? Mr.
• But, and we read and do math. That ought to be like the question, okay?
• Because it doesn't matter what else we're funding if you can't read, then we failed.
• If the kids can't read, we failed. So I just bring that up.
• I should be able to look at them and read them, but if I miss something, I would appreciate when you're