Transcript Highlights:

• Laborers Local 270 from San Jose, in support. Sean Radford, Laborers Local 185, in strong support.
• I'm a laborer from 261. Good morning. My name is Rodrigo. I'm labor from 261, San Francisco.
• Larry Stark, Laborers Local 185, I support. Larry Stark, Laborers Local 185, I support.
• We have to address the worker, the labor issue.
• Matthew Madrigan, Labor Union, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Natural Resources Committee heard three major bills. SB 237, by Senator Grayson, proposed a package of fuel-supply and permitting changes aimed at stabilizing gasoline prices during California’s energy transition. Supporters, including state officials, Kern County representatives, labor groups, and industry groups, said it would help retain in-state refining and drilling capacity, reduce price spikes, and protect jobs. Opponents, including environmental justice and conservation groups, argued it would expand oil drilling without enough community protections and would not meaningfully address climate goals. After extensive testimony and questions about emissions, sunsets, and long-term strategy, the committee passed SB 237 on a due pass vote, with some members voting no or not voting. SB 352, by Senator Reyes, sought to strengthen implementation of AB 617, the community air protection program, by codifying the Environmental Justice Bureau in the Department of Justice, extending monitoring requirements, and requiring annual legislative reporting. Supporters said the bill would improve accountability and ensure that funding for impacted communities actually produces emissions reductions. Some environmental justice advocates were neutral or not fully supportive because they wanted stronger language, while business and industry groups opposed the bill, arguing it was added late and duplicated existing processes. The committee approved SB 352 on a due pass vote. SB 840, by Senator Limon, was the cap-and-invest reauthorization package. It would update offset protocols, adjust how revenues are spent, and continue funding for key climate, housing, transit, and community programs, including AB 617. Support came from environmental groups, labor, local governments, housing advocates, and clean transportation organizations, while some agricultural interests objected that the package did not sufficiently prioritize climate-smart agriculture and methane reduction programs. The committee passed SB 840 on a due pass vote as well. All three measures were later confirmed out of committee after calls were lifted.

Transcript Highlights:

• between skilled nursing facilities and the cost of waiver services.
• This maintains the annual growth in SNF rates that's capped at 5% of labor cost and 1% for non-labor
• It's kind of incentives to the skilled nursing facilities if they meet certain metrics.
• We are the trade association representing most of California skilled nursing facilities.
• Many of us work in skilled nursing facilities, and we provide very critical Many of us work in skilled

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health began with a hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California health programs, focusing first on reproductive health state investments. HCAI outlined five state-funded reproductive health programs created after Dobbs, including uncompensated care, practical support, capital and clinical infrastructure, and workforce programs. Essential Access Health and Planned Parenthood testified that these funds have served hundreds of thousands of patients, but warned that the uncompensated care program is fully awarded and needs renewal, and that Title X and Medicaid-related federal uncertainty continues to threaten access. Members questioned who the uncompensated care program serves, why Medi-Cal covers a large share of abortions, and whether Planned Parenthood could expand prenatal services; public commenters urged continued support for reproductive health access. The committee then took up long-term care services and supports, starting with the HCBA and Assisted Living Waiver programs. DHCS reported large wait lists for both programs and said enrollment is limited by workforce and provider capacity, while LAO noted that increasing slots alone may not increase access without additional programmatic changes. Members pressed the department on whether more slots should be added given the lower cost of home- and community-based care compared with skilled nursing facilities, and public testimony argued that the wait lists should be reduced and that staffing concerns do not fully explain unused capacity. The committee also heard testimony on congregate living health facilities, where providers and a patient family described the homes as critical, lower-cost alternatives to nursing facilities for younger, medically complex people. Witnesses requested short-term bridge funding, while DHCS said it is proposing to transition CLFs into a managed care benefit by January 1, 2028, which would remove caps and expand access statewide. The final long-term care topic was PACE. DHCS explained that it has paused new PACE applications and service expansions for at least two years to reassess oversight capacity and develop a statewide strategic growth framework, while existing programs continue operating. CalPACE supported the pause as a planning measure but asked for four additional state nurse positions to reduce delays in level-of-care determinations and speed enrollment for frail older adults. Members shared personal stories about how PACE has helped family members and asked how the state will meet growing demand; DHCS said stakeholder engagement will begin later in the year and that some existing applications already in process will continue. Public commenters broadly supported PACE, HCBA, and CLF funding requests. The hearing then moved to the Department of Health Care Services’ 2026-27 Medi-Cal budget and related trailer bills. DHCS said Medi-Cal spending has grown due to coverage expansions, higher acuity, rising utilization, and especially pharmacy costs, and it described proposals to extend the current skilled nursing facility financing framework for one year while the state develops a new value-based payment strategy. LAO said most recent Medi-Cal spending growth has been driven more by higher per-enrollee costs than by caseload growth, with pharmacy spending growing especially quickly, and recommended better and more timely data to analyze the drivers. Members expressed concern about the rapid rise in Medi-Cal spending and asked for more detail on the largest cost increases.

Transcript Highlights:

• He has poor motor skills; that means he cannot tie his shoes or cut his food at meals.
• Our labor creates value that gets extracted and gets by those who own capital. That's our system.
• Our labor creates value that gets extracted and gets by those who own capital. That's our system.
• Our labor creates value that gets extracted and gets by those who own capital. That's our system.
• ><c> that</c><01:24:35.040><c> gets</c> Our labor creates value that gets Our labor creates value that

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations on two tax bills: House File 4123, by Representative Agbaje, would expand Minnesota’s net investment income tax to include certain business income, especially income from S corporations and LLCs not subject to federal self-employment taxes, while keeping the current rate and million-dollar threshold; she said it would raise an estimated $88.7 million next year. House File 4616, by Chair Gomez, would impose a 1% annual tax on fortunes above $10 million. Gomez framed the bill as a response to growing wealth inequality and argued that wealthy households and large fortunes should contribute more to public services, while Agbaje said her bill would broaden the tax base and help meet state needs. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project, Erica Mominee of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Lauren Richards, and teacher Kristen Sinicariello, said the bills would help address wealth and income inequality and provide needed revenue for public health, education, and other public services. They pointed to federal tax cuts for high-income households, cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, and strains on state agencies and schools. Richards said small businesses already pay more than large corporations like Amazon, and Sinicariello argued that higher revenue would support classrooms and help equalize opportunity. Opponents, including Brian Cook of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Dalton Danielson of the Minnesota Business Partnership, and John Beschi of NFIB Minnesota, warned that both bills would hurt business competitiveness and investment. They argued that HF 4123 would effectively create a new higher tax tier for pass-through businesses and that HF 4616 would be difficult to administer, could force sales of illiquid assets, and could discourage entrepreneurship and capital investment. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee moved through bill presentations and public testimony before member discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• President Ruggerio made his career in the labor movement, working with the Laborers' International Union
• President Ruggerio made his career in the labor movement, working with the Laborers' International Union
• </c> infrastructure to the environment, labor infrastructure to the environment, labor protections,<00
• slave</c><04:54:40.480><c> labor.
• </c> they use child slave labor. they use child slave labor.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• skilled nursing facilities and the cost of waiver services.
• So I believe that the cost of one year of skilled nursing facility care is $110,000 on average.
• This maintains the annual growth in SNF rates, capped at 5% of labor costs and 1% for non-labor costs
• It's kind of incentives to the skilled nursing facilities if they meet certain metrics.
• We are the trade association representing most of California skilled nursing facilities.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most veterinarians have worked their hearts out to serve animals their entire careers, honing their skills
• deprive the pet and the owner of appropriate diagnosis and treatments, compromise the efficiency and skills
• again every professor, every class, was: use your powers of observation, touch that animal, use that skill
• manufacturers, and in Massachusetts alone, the industry supports over 52,000 jobs and nearly $6 billion in labor
• manufacturers, and in Massachusetts alone, the industry supports over 52,000 jobs and nearly $6 billion in labor

Bills: S3082, S3090, H5425, H5130, H5114

Keywords: animal telehealth, veterinary telemedicine, veterinary telehealth, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, pet care, companion animal, livestock, remote veterinary care, synchronous audio-video, telemedicine, prescription drugs, antimicrobial drugs, controlled substances, xylazine, compounding pharmacy, veterinary practice, Massachusetts Controlled Substances Act, animal owner

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on late-filed bills, with testimony heard both in person and remotely. The committee reviewed several measures, including H. 355 and S. 3082 on veterinary telemedicine/telehealth, H. 5445 on additional liquor licenses for East Hampton, and S. 3090/H. 5114 on consumer-connected devices and software support disclosure. The chair outlined hearing logistics, including three-minute testimony limits and written testimony submission, and noted that Lawrence High School students were present to observe. On the veterinary bills, supporters of H. 355 argued that allowing veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship remotely would improve access to care for pets whose owners face transportation, mobility, or anxiety-related barriers, and could help veterinarians continue practicing through telemedicine. Opponents of S. 3082, including the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association and several veterinarians, said the initial in-person exam is essential to detect conditions that cannot be seen on video, avoid misdiagnosis, and preserve the standard of care; they emphasized that teletriage and follow-up telemedicine are already used after an in-person relationship is established. Committee members pressed both sides on the distinction between teletriage and establishing the relationship, the timing of annual exams, and whether limited exceptions for sedatives or other pre-visit needs might be workable. Senator Lovely testified in support, citing a recent Lyme case where follow-up telemedicine would have been useful. On H. 5445, Representative Gomez and East Hampton Mayor Salem Derby urged approval of the bill to authorize eight additional liquor licenses, saying the city has reached its current cap, needs economic development, and wants to support downtown revitalization and new restaurant growth. Members asked about public safety and the number of licenses sought; the mayor said local public safety officials support the request and that the licenses would be for restaurants, not bars. On S. 3090 and H. 5114, consumer advocates and cybersecurity experts supported requiring manufacturers of connected devices to disclose software support timelines, arguing it would improve consumer transparency, cybersecurity, and reduce e-waste. Industry groups opposed the bills, saying fixed disclosure requirements could be impractical, create confusion, burden small businesses, conflict with federal efforts, and be difficult to apply to appliances, lighting, and other products with long lifecycles. The committee did not take a substantive vote on the bills during the hearing; at the end, staff announced a forthcoming poll for House members, and the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our grandson, Lucius David Weaver, suffered a brain injury during labor and delivery due to the gross
• These are skills that our economy depends on. Hiding from diversity does not make it disappear.
• These are skills that our economy depends on. Hiding from diversity does not make it disappear.
• So my comprehension skills are really, really good, but it's not clear.
• So my comprehension skills are really, really good, but it's not clear.

Summary: The committee first considered CS/HB 1263 on the Office of Insurance Regulation. The sponsor said the bill would strengthen OIR’s tools to oversee property insurance, including market conduct and solvency exams, claims handling oversight, mandatory discounts for certain mitigation measures, storage of mitigation inspection forms, and clearer authority over pharmacy benefit managers. An amendment narrowing fingerprinting requirements was adopted, and the bill passed favorably after supportive testimony from OIR and others. Members then heard CS/HB 527, which would require a human review before an insurance claim can be denied or reduced when artificial intelligence or automated systems are used. After an amendment removing the term “algorithm” was adopted, the bill drew opposition from several insurance industry groups, while consumer and labor witnesses supported it. The sponsor argued the measure was needed after reports of AI-driven claim denials, and the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/HB 637 on farm equipment “lemon law” protections, with an amendment clarifying who qualifies as a consumer, refund rights, repair timelines, and an effective date. The committee next took up CS/HB 1007 on data centers, which would create a regulatory framework for siting and operating large data centers, limit NDAs in some circumstances, set PSC tariff requirements, and restrict certain locations near homes and schools. After an amendment narrowing the five-mile buffer to data centers over 50 megawatts and adding noise-study requirements, the bill drew mixed testimony from business, consumer, and local-government groups, with supporters emphasizing guardrails and opponents warning about competitiveness and site restrictions. The bill passed favorably despite several no votes. Later, the committee approved CS/HB 1291 on the NICA birth-related neurological injury compensation program after a strike-all amendment revised reimbursement and assessment provisions; testimony included support from NICA and concerns from the Florida Justice Association and a family affected by the program. The committee also passed CS/HB 185 on a sales tax exemption for home-hardening products, CS/HB 425 on a historic African-American cemetery preservation program, CS/CS/CS/HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations, CS/CS/CS/HB 657 on community associations and HOA/condo reforms, and CS/CS/HB 1221, the DFS agency package. The final bill discussed was CS/HB 1001, which would restrict county and municipal DEI-related actions and contracting; the sponsor explained the strike-all, and members began questioning its definitions and exceptions, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s final disposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to give you the tools that you need, whether that be coping skills, counseling, whatever that
• Sorry, my skills are even worse than Judge Brazzles, I think, when it comes to this stuff.
• Everything's, we all know, at the cost of labor, everything's gone up.
• Everything's, we all know, at the cost of labor, everything's gone up.
• So if you look at the budget numbers here, at the cost of labor, everything's gone up.

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth met to approve prior minutes, confirm Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee, and receive several presentations. The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review team reported on unexpected child deaths in Arkansas, saying its 2023 review covered 148 of 170 non-natural deaths, with the remainder unavailable due to criminal investigations or missing records. Of the reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined, and members discussed how the report’s recommendations could be used by agencies and nonprofits for prevention work and grant applications. Committee members also asked about age breakdowns and how the data could be shared without identifying individual cases. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was intended to confront data on juvenile incarceration and system outcomes. Senator Missy Irvin, judges Troy Braswell and Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described the state’s long-running reform efforts, including the SAVRY risk assessment, diversion programs, and efforts to keep more youth in their communities. They said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, but also emphasized ongoing gaps in mental health, substance abuse, and school-based supports. Members raised concerns about school data sharing, behavioral health access, and how to better identify youth with disabilities or trauma earlier. Judge Braswell and others stressed that many youth in the system have significant trauma, family instability, or unmet treatment needs, and that judges need individualized information to make decisions. Several members discussed the role of schools, the school safety dashboard, and the need for stronger community providers, especially in rural areas. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided data on commitments, facility use, demographics, offense levels, length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, and costs. He said commitments rose after the pandemic and then began to decline, while secure and detention costs increased with the need for more beds; he also noted that most youth in custody have behavioral health needs and that DYS works closely with DCFS, courts, and providers. No final action was taken on HCR 1010 during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So those parenting skills that are required today are significantly different even than our parents.
• So those parenting skills that are required today are significantly different even than our parents.
• We partner with the Department of Labor to help parents find jobs and better employment.
• We partner with the Department of Labor to help parents find jobs and better employment.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first considered Senate Bill 1439, which would extend the reporting deadline for a school construction and resource allocation study committee from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2027. Rep. Handy said the change had no fiscal impact and simply gave the nine-member committee more time to finish its work. A motion to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed unanimously. The main item of discussion was Senate Concurrent Resolution 126 on community schools. Rep. Galaviz, Sen. Lent, and several testifiers, including United Way’s Katie Marshall and American Falls Superintendent Randy Jensen, described community schools as locally driven partnerships that connect schools with families and community organizations to address barriers to learning. They cited examples such as tutoring, after-school programs, food support, GED and job assistance, early learning, mentoring, and limited health-related access such as mobile clinics, all with parental consent and local control. Supporters argued the model strengthens families and helps students succeed, especially in rural communities. Several members raised concerns that the resolution and the community schools model could expand schools into health, social services, and other roles better left to families or outside agencies. Questions focused on whether the approach could become too centralized or resemble a broader “wraparound” model. Superintendent Debbie Critchfield said Idaho was the only state of 19 to have its federal community schools grant reinstated after review, and emphasized that Idaho’s approach is parent-empowering and community-based rather than the school replacing the family. After debate, a substitute motion to hold SCR 126 in committee failed, and the motion to send SCR 126 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed on a roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• world, people in different colors, cultures, languages, and faith are able to come to this country and labor
• The civil rights movement in this nation, like the labor movement, was long, torturous, and full of violence
• A student at Commodore Stockton Skill School, Journey Rose loved to bake and go shopping.
• A student at Commodore Stockton Skill School, Journey Rose loved to bake and go shopping and loved the

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through routine business including deeming messages and committee reports read. The main item on the floor was Senate Concurrent Resolution 107, authored by Senator Richardson, commemorating Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Senators from multiple caucuses and leadership positions spoke in support, emphasizing King’s civil rights legacy, nonviolence, economic justice, solidarity across communities, and the need to continue his work in the face of current political and social divisions. Several members tied King’s message to present-day concerns such as discrimination, immigration enforcement, civil rights protections, and public policy priorities. The resolution was adopted by a roll call vote of 33 ayes and 0 noes. After SCR 107, the Senate moved to adjournment in memory. Senator Pérez asked that the body adjourn in memory of Alhambra Police Department Officer Alex Sanders, who died in a car pursuit accident while on duty; colleagues noted his service, family, and commitment to public safety. Senator McGuire then honored Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, describing his musical legacy, community involvement, and charitable work, with additional remarks from Senators Becker and Laird. Senator McNerney and Senator Alvarado-Gil also spoke in memory of the victims of a Stockton-area mass shooting, naming the children and young adults killed and stressing the need to confront gun violence and remember the victims’ lives and futures. The Pro Tem closed by thanking members for a day of reflection and announced the Senate would reconvene on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Perishable skills are polished each year by dozens of businesses ranging from small private security
• 2,000 to 3,000, sometimes even more than that, students and non-students practice these hands-on skills
• So, we develop student skills and we help protect our community.
• So, we develop student skills profile.
• ><c> security</c><01:04:38.960><c> is</c> Labor Statistics, cyber security is Labor Statistics, cyber

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, your Appropriations and Finance Committee, to whom has been referred House Labor Veterans and
• substitute for House Bill 158. adoption of a favorable committee report for House Labor Veterans and
• They are very skilled at placing descriptions of grant opportunities on their website.
• And it goes into, excuse me, talks about how our skilled workforce truly wants to stay in New Mexico
• Opportunities for a highly skilled STEM workforce. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• such as sheltered and supported employment, residential care and community living services, life skills
• We've really discovered that folks need to come out of school ready and gain more skills for the next
• I went down to... ...and gain more skills for the next things in life. And we're learning.
• Because under labor laws, if you have a set payday and you don't make that, you're in trouble.
• Because under labor laws, if you have a set payday, you realize this and you don't make that, you're

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , creative, and practical, and she is one of the best team players I know and is able to draw the skills
• Labor Day weekend in Red Doso, New Mexico, in August, or in September, I mean, it was the New Mexico
• When families are working together to ensure that their loved ones are given the skills so that... ..
• .are working together to ensure that their loved ones are given the skills so that they can communicate
• individuals really shows that there is love, there is patience, the development, if you will, of the skills

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our concerns center in a few key areas: transit, safety, labor, and local control.
• Our concerns center in a few key areas: transit, safety, labor, and local control.
• ,</c> already today, such as impacts on labor, already today, such as impacts on labor, prioritizing<
• I have gotten an informal agreement from Chair Kosnick that the bill is going to labor. >> Yeah.
• I didn’t specifically call out labor. Um, there are components and I think it’s very exciting.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the manager of the Minnesota Dual Training Pipeline Program at the Department of Labor and Industry
• program if pipeline wasn't also an acronym, and it stands for Private Investment, Public Education, Labor
• program if pipeline wasn't also an acronym, and it stands for Private Investment, Public Education, Labor
• They've got someone maybe in a lower skilled position who shows an interest and an aptitude to move up
• that they have so thank you chair skills that they have so thank you chair thank<00:51:15.599><c> you

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We need more skilled compassionate workers, not less.
• need it. 59% of skilled nursing facility...
• Skilled nursing facilities or hospitals backs up the entire system.
• Most of those folks went directly into a skilled nursing facility.
• The skilled nursing facility got an enhanced rate to admit them.

Summary: The committee met for what was described as its final meeting, with members and staff reflecting on the work of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care and noting that future work would likely shift to standing health and wellness committees. The meeting began with introductions and then moved into updates on major initiatives that originated from the committee, including Washington Cares, the Dementia Action Collaborative, and Medicaid long-term care programs. Presenters emphasized that these efforts were developed through long-term legislative-executive collaboration and were intended to help Washington prepare for the state’s aging population. On Washington Cares, DSHS described the program’s development from a 2014 research effort to its 2019 enactment, premium collection beginning in 2023, portability improvements in 2024, and 2025 changes including a grandfathered opt-out fix and a framework for supplemental private long-term care insurance. The agency said benefits are expected to go fully live next summer, with a pilot of up to 400 applicants planned for next January. On dementia policy, the Dementia Action Collaborative reported on the state dementia plan, Project ECHO training for providers, and pilot dementia-capable community programs at area agencies on aging, citing preliminary results that about 85% of family caregivers said services helped people remain at home. DSHS also reviewed Medicaid Transformation Project initiatives, including Medicaid Alternative Care, Tailored Supports for Older Adults, presumptive eligibility, and health-related social needs benefits such as rental assistance, nutrition support, and home modifications. The committee then heard an emerging issues panel from ombuds and disability advocates. Patricia Hunter of the long-term care ombuds program raised concerns about staffing shortages, resident rights, surveillance technology, private equity ownership of facilities, and illegal discharges or evictions. Betty Sweeterman of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds discussed people stuck in hospitals without medical need, gaps in behavioral health services for people with developmental disabilities, and the need for better workforce training. Todd Carlyle of Disability Rights Washington urged expansion and bundling of community supports such as PACT, GOSH, and peer bridgers to reduce repeated institutionalization and support discharge from inpatient psychiatric settings. Provider and labor panels followed, with nursing home, assisted living, supported living, and union representatives all emphasizing workforce shortages, low wages, Medicaid rate inadequacy, case management bottlenecks, behavioral health complexity, and the need for more flexible care models and stronger accountability for rate increases. No formal votes were taken; the meeting ended with public comment on manufactured housing and closing remarks thanking staff and participants for the committee’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• They the Department of Labor is here.
• Um, Department of Labor over the years.
• representing</c> labor department, I'm representing labor department, I'm representing either<03:24:27.439
• I'm here with John Department of Labor.
• </c><04:12:11.920><c> necessary</c> knowledge judgment and skills necessary knowledge judgment and skills

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing and then an executive session on Senate Bill 401, which DHHS described as a cleanup bill. Testimony from the department explained that the bill would repeal obsolete reporting requirements tied to a repealed municipal reimbursement program and to the now-repealed commission on demographic trends. No one testified in opposition, and the committee voted 12-0 ought to pass, placing the bill on the consent calendar. The committee then heard Senate Bill 402, which would eliminate certain non-compete agreements for physician associates going forward. Senator Gray introduced the bill, and a representative of the New Hampshire Society of Physician Associates said it would improve workforce recruitment and access to care without changing scope of practice or affecting existing agreements. Committee members asked about the length of current restrictions and whether the change would make New Hampshire more attractive to PAs. The committee voted 12-0 ought to pass and sent the bill to the consent calendar. Next, the committee took up Senate Bill 426, which would repeal the permissible fireworks committee. Senator Uler and the deputy state fire marshal said the committee’s original purpose had been overtaken by later changes adopting federal fireworks standards, and that the fire marshal now has the necessary authority. The committee voted 12-0 ought to pass and placed the bill on the consent calendar. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 469, a DMV modernization bill allowing electronic signatures in place of wet signatures for certain motor vehicle title and registration processes. Senator Lang, Carvana, the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, Copart, and DMV staff all supported the measure, saying it would reduce delays, errors, and paperwork burdens. Members asked about AI, consumer protections, costs, and how electronic signatures would work in practice, including in cases involving deceased owners. The transcript cuts off during that hearing before any committee action on SB 469.

Transcript Highlights:

• social worker may complete enhanced supervision with an attestation to the social worker applicant's skill
• social worker may complete enhanced supervision with an attestation to the social worker applicant's skill
• What's really important to me is that you have the skill, yes, and also it's very important what happens
• And that skill, yes, and also it's very important what happens in that room, and that comes with both
• It would also allow newly minted therapists who are eligible for licensure to hone their skills and to

Summary: The committee held its first meeting and heard four bills. HB 2286 would create an alternative route to social worker licensure by removing the exam requirement for advanced social workers and allowing enhanced supervision with supervisor attestation in place of the exam for independent clinical social workers. The sponsor and several social workers testified that the exam is a poor measure of clinical competence and can be a barrier to licensure, while opponents warned that removing the exam could affect public protection and Washington’s participation in the social work compact. Members asked follow-up questions about the compact, the exam format, and accreditation requirements, but no action was taken. HB 2363 would allow music therapy license applicants to practice under supervision for up to six months while waiting for exam verification. The sponsor described it as a technical fix to the new licensure system, and testimony from music therapists, educators, and a patient supported the bill as a way to avoid delays in hiring newly trained therapists while maintaining supervision and patient safety. The bill drew strong support in written testimony and no opposition in the hearing. HB 2324 would change tuition waiver rules for children of eligible veterans and National Guard members by giving eligible children eight years from the date of a parent’s disability determination to use the waiver when that determination occurs after the child turns 18. The sponsor said the bill is meant to align state law with federal dependency education benefits and prevent families from losing access because disability determinations can take years. The committee asked for clarification on how the new timing would work, and the hearing closed without a vote. HB 2098 would eliminate the cap on the advanced computing surcharge, expand Washington College Grant eligibility up to 100% of state median family income, and reduce resident undergraduate tuition by 10% for three years starting in 2027-28. Supporters, including students, labor, and advocacy groups, said the bill would improve affordability and access to higher education by asking large tech companies to pay more. Opponents from business and university groups argued the surcharge would be economically harmful, that the state already has substantial WEA funding, and that the bill would reduce tuition revenue without adequately backfilling institutional budgets. The committee heard extensive testimony and members raised questions about the surcharge cap, WEA spending, and the compacted funding structure, but no final action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee hearing.
• We are not asking for a change to the underlying labor format.
• AB 1883 is part of a package of bills the Labor Federation is sponsoring this year to update labor standards
• labor standards for the 21st century.
• Glenn Lovell, Napa-Solano Central Labor Council, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several workplace-related bills. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech training as part of existing harassment prevention training for employers with five or more employees; supporters said it would help workers recognize and report workplace hate, while opponents raised First Amendment and definitional concerns. The bill passed on a do pass motion and was re-referred to Judiciary, with the roll left open for absent members. AB 1940 would add perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause to FEHA’s sex protections and clarify related workplace protections; supporters emphasized workplace equity and retention, while business groups said existing accommodation laws already cover many issues and raised concerns about expanding protected classifications. It also passed and was re-referred to Judiciary with the roll open. AB 1838 would require bidders on public works projects to disclose recent wage-and-hour violations and how they were addressed; labor groups supported the transparency measure, while contractors and business groups questioned definitions and disclosure scope. It passed and was re-referred to Judiciary. AB 1859 would give joint labor-management committees access to public works job sites to help identify labor-law violations; supporters said it would improve enforcement of wage theft laws, while opponents raised due process, property access, and constitutional concerns. It passed and was re-referred to Judiciary. The committee also considered two workplace AI and surveillance bills. AB 1883 would prohibit certain invasive surveillance technologies in the workplace, including facial, gait, and emotion recognition, while placing limits on some facial recognition uses; supporters argued these tools are discriminatory and unreliable, and opponents said a ban was too broad and could eliminate useful safety and operational tools. The bill passed and was re-referred to Privacy and Consumer Protection. AB 1898 would require employers to give workers advance notice before using AI tools to surveil or manage workers, including disclosure of the tool’s purpose, data collected, and affected decisions; supporters framed it as a basic transparency measure, while opponents objected to the breadth of notice requirements, possible veto power over deployment, and enforcement language. It also passed and was re-referred to Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee additionally took up AB 1707, which passed and was re-referred to Appropriations with a consent-calendar recommendation, though the transcript does not provide the bill’s subject matter.