Transcript Highlights:

• c> are</c><03:39:23.640><c> just</c> So a few differences is we are just going to use the room and meals
• tax would be better it the r runin meals tax would be better it would<03:39:54.359><c> be</c><03:39:
• There's a lot of reasons why I thought just the room and meals tax would be better.
• It would be whatever the state's room and meals tax right now, that is 8.5%.
• </c><03:48:25.199><c> tax</c> Cannabis tax on the rooms and meals tax Cannabis tax on the rooms and meals

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 451, which would create a postconsumer paint stewardship program in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor Representative Karen Ebel described the bill as a bipartisan, broadly supported model based on PaintCare programs used in other states. She said consumers and businesses could drop off leftover paint at participating retailers or municipal household hazardous waste sites, with the paint then collected and recycled by the stewardship organization. She emphasized that the program is intended to reduce landfill disposal, improper dumping, and contamination of groundwater and soil, while also helping municipalities save on hazardous waste handling costs. Members asked several questions about how the program would work and how it would be funded. Ebel explained that the program would be financed by a small fee charged at the point of sale on paint products, not a general sales tax, and that retailers could either list it separately or roll it into the price. She said the fee would cover the Department of Environmental Services’ administrative costs, which were described as minimal, and that the program’s structure was developed with DES and industry input. Questions also addressed whether cans would be recycled and how collected paint would be processed; Ebel said the ACA and PaintCare representatives could provide more detail, but that the paint and containers would be handled through recycling or other approved disposal methods rather than landfilled. Representative Judy Aron, a co-sponsor and chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, testified in support, saying the bill had been developed over several years with stakeholders and would keep toxic paint out of landfills while saving municipalities and taxpayers money. Representative Peter Bixby, the ranking member of Environment and Agriculture, also supported the bill, saying his committee had heard it many times and that it had strong bipartisan enthusiasm. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• by Speaker Mike Johnson, Broadband Cable Price Notice Act, provides for written notice, method of delivery
• Speaker 1stam, Mike Johnson, Broadband Cable Price Notice Act, provide for written notice method of delivery
• It's got accountability and outcomes, and it's flexible delivery.

Bills: HR192 , HR193 , HR194 , HCR80 , HCR81 , HCR82 , HCR83 , HCR84 , HCR85 , HR188 , HR189 , HR190 , HR191 , SB134 , SB140 , SB281 , SB331 , SB384 , SB389 , SB415 , SB451 , SB458 , SB479 , SB504 , SB523 , HR38 , HR96 , HR160 , HCR31 , HCR61 , SCR19 , HB316 , HB549 , HB578 , HB646 , HB748 , HB798 , HB824 , HB988 , HB989 , HB1001 , HB1032 , HB1081 , HB1108 , HB1129 , HB1140 , HB1157 , HB1186 , HB1192 , HB1195 , HB1198 , HB1222 , HB1244 , SB73 , SB89 , SB128 , SB149 , SB191 , SB196 , SB238 , SB318 , SB340 , HB225 , HR1 , HR17 , HCR5 , HCR4 , HCR47 , HCR32 , HB362 , HB893 , HB990 , HB1007 , HB1153 , HB1243 , HB12 , HB42 , HB205 , HB222 , HB267 , HB324 , HB325 , HB350 , HB478 , HB610 , HB617 , HB745 , HB749 , HB752 , HB797 , HB807 , HB821 , HB896 , HB979 , HB992 , HB1000 , HB1024 , HB1050 , HB1166 , HB1172 , HB1173 , HB1207 , HB1218 , HB1223 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , SB127 , SB244 , SB256 , HB911 , HB306 , HB366 , HB1161 , HB1230 , HB59 , HB481 , HB772 , HB897 , HB1003 , HB1008 , HB1112 , HB1180 , HB1189 , HB181 , HB1118 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB284 , HB393 , HB458 , HB459 , HB525 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773 , HB864 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1058 , HB1082 , HB1113 , HB1234 , HB1240

Keywords: ACOG, maternal health, healthcare professionals, patient-physician relationship, obstetrics, gynecology, condolences, military service, veteran, community, memorial, visual acuity, student health, de-identified data, longitudinal analysis, education policy, property rights, carbon dioxide sequestration, expropriation, Landowner Bill of Rights

Transcript Highlights:

• all of a sudden uh we're you delivery all of a sudden uh we're you know<01:01:18.960><c> there's</c>
• Life-improving things like partaking in sports, activities outside of the home, vacation, proper meals
• When it comes to service delivery, we know pieces from social services, from a local dentist, primary
• , we know pieces from social delivery, we know pieces from social services,<02:27:40.479><c> from</c>
• is a that service delivery and is a valuebased<02:28:27.359><c> model</c><02:28:27.600><c> that</c><

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• of the other calculations that we have been paying, such as the disparity aid, the free and reduced meals
• of the other calculations that we have been paying, such as the disparity aid, the free and reduced meals
• of the other calculations that we have been paying, such as the disparity aid, the free and reduced meals

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• And<01:29:47.040><c> um</c> We want to argue on the money in the rooms and meals account.
• Um what would happen on the meals tax.
• </c><05:34:53.440><c> tax</c><05:34:53.680><c> would</c> fund was the rooms and meals tax would fund
• </c><05:35:51.840><c> And</c> distribution of rooms and meals tax.
• And distribution of rooms and meals tax.

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 1 and HB 2 reviewed comparison documents and worked through a long list of House and Senate positions, agreeing on some technical or already-enacted items while setting aside others for later discussion. Early on, members agreed to delete a House Bill 2 section tied to a bill already passed into law, and a representative explained a technical amendment to the EFA provisions clarifying enrollment-cap repeal language and compulsory attendance rules for EFA students. That amendment was discussed but a vote was postponed because not all members were present. The committee also noted that the overall EFA budget numbers had already been settled separately. Several items were either agreed to or held for further negotiation. Members agreed to delete sections already covered by other enacted bills, including BTLA-related language, and to accept a technical amendment changing "municipalities" to "political subdivisions" in a section affecting funding eligibility. They also agreed on some items involving workers’ compensation second injuries, certain pilot-program language, and some sections related to state loan repayment and other technical corrections. In contrast, they set aside or disputed items involving site evaluation, lottery-related provisions, opioid abatement, the Commission on Aging, Granite Advantage premium costs, renewable energy/offshore wind funding, special education funding, and several education trust fund and unique-fund provisions. The committee spent substantial time on policy disputes. The House side argued against keeping money in dedicated Fish and Game funds rather than increasing the main Fish and Game fund, while the Senate side defended its approach and raised concerns about fee impacts, including one tied to the fishing license. The members also discussed a housing appeals board proposal, with one member suggesting a possible compromise that would preserve some function while shifting duties and possibly sunsetting the arrangement later; the contracts for the positions were noted as running through June 30, 2028 and June 30, 2029. Another extended discussion concerned the child advocate records-access section, which one side wanted removed as policy that should go through the normal bill process, while another member asked to hold it and suggested a possible middle-ground, time-limited approach. Later, the committee agreed to remove sections already handled in other bills, including House sections 254 and 255, and discussed but did not resolve disputes over liquor licensing functions, cannabis-related language, cost containment, special education, and several fee and fund provisions. The Senate explained its position on the governor’s commission language, saying opioid abatement trust funds could not be used for that purpose and that the commission should continue to be funded through 5% of gross liquor profits; it also described renaming the body the Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention and expanding its scope to include problem gambling. The meeting ended with several major items still open for later negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• 06:25.639><c> mil</c><00:06:26.120><c> 300,000</c> 1453 or 145 mil 300,000 1453 or 145 mil 300,000 meals
• 00:06:29.919><c> pass</c><00:06:30.039><c> it</c><00:06:30.120><c> over</c><00:06:30.240><c> to</c> meals
• and I'm going to pass it over to meals and I'm going to pass it over to Lindsay<00:06:30.720><c> to<
• While I'm proud of the positive impact of free school meals across the state, I believe that we can do
• across the state I believe School meals across the state I believe that<01:35:52.560><c> we</c><01:35

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• ’m hearing discussions about, you know, what if we cut Title One funding federally, what if school meals
• Sixty percent of our universal meal funding comes from the federal government.
• Sixty percent of our universal meal funding comes from the federal government.
• ><01:46:09.199><c> of</c><01:46:09.320><c> our</c><01:46:09.440><c> Universal</c><01:46:09.880><c> meal
• </c> down um 60% of our Universal meal down um 60% of our Universal meal funding<01:46:11.159><c> comes

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And then my other question is for Universal School Meals administration.
• admin it has this notation that meals admin it has this notation that says<01:13:44.639><c> rolling<
• We can come back to your question on the unemployment and the Universal School Meals.
• I really wanted that question about the Universal School Meals and understanding why it's zeroed out
• </c><01:20:39.520><c> and</c> the um Universal School meals and the um Universal School meals and understanding

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We sat down, and I wanted to have a cultural meal. When the waiter came up...
• And usually I let my wife pay for the meal. He would not take the credit card from her.
• No, we can't give more funding for programs like Meals on Wheels.
• I appreciate Rio Nuevo having a sliver in my district, and, you know, investments in Meals on Wheels,
• As we heard earlier, the meal program for the free and reduced-price lunch meal program, the additional

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, approved the journal, and welcomed several guests in the gallery, including a high school student and an advocate connected to the domestic violence bill HB 2995. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, first advancing HB 4155, HB 4156, and HB 4157, then HB 4164, HB 4165, and HB 4166, all with do-pass recommendations and no substantive amendments on those calendars. Later, the House also considered SB 1326, a victims’ rights measure, adopted a floor amendment, and reported it out as amended. The House corrected an earlier clerical error regarding HB 4155-4157 being referred to engrossing rather than third reading. The House then took up a long series of final passage votes on Senate bills. SB 2174, SB 2611, SB 1011, SB 1012, SB 1016, SB 1018, SB 1038, SB 1039, SB 1040, SB 1053, SB 1055, SB 1057, SB 1060, SB 1061, SB 1068, SB 1069, SB 1075, SB 1100, SB 1113 on reconsideration, SB 1160, and SB 1170 all passed. SB 2873, SB 1004, SB 1009, SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1049, SB 1093, and SB 1143 failed. SB 2995, the emergency family-law/domestic-violence bill known as the Alec and Lydia Act, passed with the required two-thirds vote after extensive debate; supporters said it would better protect children and clarify judicial standards, while opponents argued its definitions were overly broad and could harm families. SB 1018 on foreign laws also drew extended debate over Sharia law, with supporters framing it as a defense of American values and opponents calling it unnecessary and discriminatory. Several votes included explanations focused on policy concerns. SB 1004 on sex-offender registration and monitoring drew debate over whether electronic monitoring is effective. SB 1040 on voter registration transparency prompted arguments over public access to voter rolls versus privacy and security. SB 1118 on municipal zoning and historical homes was debated as a property-rights and local-control issue, with supporters saying it could help preserve affordable housing and opponents warning it would override local decisions. The House also adopted motions to reconsider prior actions on SB 1043 and SB 1100, and it requested the Senate return SB 1552 for reconsideration. The session ended with the House still processing additional Committee of the Whole business, including HB 4158, HB 4159, HB 4160, HB 4161, HB 4162, and HB 4163, with HB 4162 and HB 4163 receiving floor amendments and do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We sat down, and I wanted to have a cultural meal. When the waiter came up...
• And usually I let my wife pay for the meal. He would not take the credit card from her.
• area agencies on aging and the three agencies in LD21 will have funding to continue services like Meals
• And, you know, investments in Meals on Wheels, I appreciate that.
• As we heard earlier, the meal program for the free and reduced-price lunch meal program, the additional

Transcript Highlights:

• school</c> Those funds were paying for not just their dual credit tuition, but also transportation and meals
• seven schools have been paying over 5,000 a student for dual tuition, as well as, you know, their meals
• well as, you for dual tuition um as well as, you know,<00:15:44.400><c> their</c><00:15:44.600><c> meals
• ><00:15:45.240><c> transportation</c><00:15:46.160><c> to</c><00:15:46.320><c> and</c> know, their meals
• , transportation to and know, their meals, transportation to and from<00:15:46.600><c> on</c><00:15:46.720

Committee: Joint Appropriations & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• They receive more meal money. But also, as part of that, facilities are required to upgrade.
• commissary probably comfortably accommodates 12 to 15 people, so players are having to take their meals
• people so players are having to take 15 people so players are having to take their<00:07:31.080><c> meals
• ><c> eat</c><00:07:32.080><c> at</c><00:07:32.199><c> their</c><00:07:32.360><c> lockers</c> their meals
• and eat at their lockers their meals and eat at their lockers different<00:07:33.120><c> things</c><

Transcript Highlights:

• In Aging and Independent Living, we add language to require meals to senior citizens be expended in accordance
• 00:39:34.320><c> language</c><00:39:34.720><c> to</c><00:39:34.800><c> require</c><00:39:35.200><c> meals
• </c> Living, we add language to require meals Living, we add language to require meals to<00:39:35.640

Transcript Highlights:

• They have all these restaurants around the square that put together kind of a meal plan for any of the
• together</c><00:28:47.600><c> kind</c><00:28:47.760><c> of</c><00:28:47.840><c> a</c><00:28:48.000><c> meal
• </c> square that put together kind of a meal square that put together kind of a meal plan<00:28:48.559

Bills: HB517 , HB520 , HB233 , HB354 , HB517 , HB520 , HB233 , HB354

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: underground damage prevention, one-call notification system, utility locating, excavation safety, dig safe, call before you dig, utility lines, underground utilities, pipeline safety, gas pipeline, electric utility, telecommunications, water utility, wastewater, cable television, locate request, premark, tolerance zone, positive response, contract locator

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> I did not finish my meal. >> I'm sorry. [laughter] >> Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• </c><00:02:14.800><c> not</c><00:02:14.959><c> finish</c><00:02:15.200><c> my</c><00:02:15.440><c> meal
• </c> &gt;&gt; I did not finish my meal. &gt;&gt; I did not finish my meal.

Transcript Highlights:

• previously approved to the Hawaii Food Bank, we provided much relief to families worried about their next meal
• ><01:32:13.199><c> about</c><01:32:13.520><c> their</c><01:32:13.840><c> next</c><01:32:14.159><c> meal
• </c> families worried about their next meal. families worried about their next meal.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are not sure when they leave us where their next meal is coming from.
• 00:07:08.759><c> next</c> leave us where their next their next leave us where their next their next meal
• <00:07:10.680><c> uh</c><00:07:10.800><c> 25%</c><00:07:11.599><c> of</c><00:07:11.720><c> our</c> meal
• is coming from uh 25% of our meal is coming from uh 25% of our students<00:07:12.199><c> qualify</c>

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• with $55.2 million spent on emergency food assistance, $180 million to sustain the universal school meals
• $265 million for food security and nutrition programs, including $180 million for universal school meals
• Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, which delivers food to regional food banks, pantries, and meal

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, adopted two commendatory resolutions honoring the Plimpton Historical Society’s Deborah Sampson Day recognition and Megan’s Light’s Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month observance, and suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committee. The chamber also briefly recognized Diane Talk of the South Shore Regional Emergency Communication Center on her retirement after 30 years of dispatch service. Later, the Senate passed two local bills to enactment: House No. 4006, authorizing Dartmouth to grant an additional all-alcoholic beverages license, and House No. 473, relating to the charter of Westwood. The main business was the Senate Ways and Means presentation of the fiscal year 2027 budget, totaling about $63.3 billion. The chair described the budget as balanced, with no new taxes or tax cuts, based on a consensus revenue estimate of $986 million in growth over FY26 (2.4%), and including about $15.8 billion in federal financial participation and roughly $2.7 billion from the Fair Share surtax. The budget emphasized record local aid, including $1.376 billion in unrestricted general government aid, $7.66 billion for Chapter 70 education aid, increased minimum school aid, higher regional school transportation reimbursement, rural aid, and the revival of the Foundation Budget Review Commission. It also highlighted major investments in MassEducate free community college, food security, housing, and support for vulnerable residents. Members then engaged in extended colloquy on the budget’s major cost drivers and policy choices. Questions focused on debt service, pension and OPEB liabilities, MassHealth caseload and rising per-enrollee costs, child care funding, and program integrity in DTA and other benefit programs. The chair said debt service would be about $2.67 billion, pension payments would be $5.1 billion, OPEB would receive a $150 million payment, and MassHealth enrollment was projected at about 2 million with costs driven by acuity and medical inflation. He also said the budget includes no collective bargaining agreements and no state tax changes. Senators supporting the budget praised its investments in education, local aid, homelessness prevention, public health, libraries, and housing, while minority leaders and others stressed the need for fiscal discipline, transparency, and further work on affordability and municipal support. The Senate also received a House message on House No. 5316, which the House had nonconcurred in, and a conference committee was appointed on the disagreement.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also spend $180 million to sustain the universal school meals program and $15.5 million for the Women
• $265 million for food security and nutrition programs, including $180 million for universal school meals
• Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, which delivers food to regional food banks, pantries, and meal

Summary: The Senate first adopted two resolutions commending the Plimpton Historical Society for Deborah Sampson Day and Megan’s Light for recognizing May 2026 as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 on several House petitions, referred those matters to committees, and later took up final passage of two local bills: one authorizing Dartmouth to grant an additional off-premises liquor license and another relative to the charter of Westwood. Both bills were passed to be enacted and sent to the Governor. The main business of the session was the opening debate on the Senate Ways and Means FY27 budget, which was described as a balanced $63.3 billion proposal. The chair and supporters highlighted major investments in unrestricted local aid, Chapter 70 education funding, regional school transportation, rural aid, community college affordability, food security, housing, and health and human services. They also emphasized that the budget was built on the consensus revenue estimate, included no new taxes or tax cuts, did not use the rainy day fund, and relied in part on federal funds and Fair Share revenue. In extended questioning, the minority leader pressed for details on the budget’s assumptions and cost drivers, including federal participation, Fair Share revenue, debt service, MassHealth caseload and spending, pension and OPEB liabilities, settlement reserves, collective bargaining funding, and controls against waste, fraud, and abuse. The chair responded that federal funds account for about 22% of budgeted revenues, Fair Share revenue is estimated at about $2.7 billion, debt service is about $2.67 billion, MassHealth and related health and human services total about $36.4 billion, pension funding is $5.1 billion, and OPEB receives a $150 million payment. Members also discussed the C-3 child care program, DTA program integrity, and housing permitting reforms, with several senators speaking in support of the budget’s priorities and urging further debate and amendments before final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• with $55.2 million spent on emergency food assistance, $180 million to sustain the universal school meals
• $265 million for food security and nutrition programs, including $180 million for universal school meals
• Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, which delivers food to regional food banks, pantries, and meal