Transcript Highlights:

• to reflect New Hampshire being the local versus a Ward and Manchester being the local compared to Lebanon
• local compared and Manchester being the local compared to<00:13:49.079><c> um</c><00:13:49.600><c> Lebanon
• </c><00:13:50.360><c> compared</c><00:13:50.839><c> to</c><00:13:51.320><c> Portsmith</c> to um Lebanon
• compared to Portsmith to um Lebanon compared to Portsmith compared<00:13:52.519><c> to</c><00:13:52.759

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, when war first broke out in Lebanon, my home country, I was beyond devastated.
• 11.760><c> in</c> 29 last year when war first broke out in 29 last year when war first broke out in Lebanon
• 13.200><c> country</c><01:04:13.960><c> I</c><01:04:14.079><c> was</c><01:04:14.240><c> beyond</c> Lebanon
• my home country I was beyond Lebanon my home country I was beyond devastated<01:04:16.079><c> I</c><

Bills: HF29 , HF921 , HF922 , HF1048 , HF1049

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: railroad, infrastructure, transportation funding, environmental remediation, capital investment, HF921, tax increment financing, TIF, excess tax increment, school district aid, levy adjustment, property tax levy, education finance, Minnesota education aid, decertification, local government finance, school funding formula, state aid reduction, referendum equalization aid, debt service equalization

Transcript Highlights:

• center in Littleton; River Valley primary location in Claremont, but instructional locations in both Lebanon
• 01:57:44.400><c> locations</c><01:57:45.000><c> in</c><01:57:45.199><c> both</c><01:57:45.400><c> Lebanon
• </c> instructional locations in both Lebanon instructional locations in both Lebanon and<01:57:45.960

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

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• this municipalities in this state state state because<01:20:29.280><c> like</c><01:20:29.679><c> Lebanon
• </c><01:20:30.400><c> they</c><01:20:30.719><c> don't</c><01:20:31.040><c> think</c> because like Lebanon
• they don't think because like Lebanon they don't think they<01:20:31.600><c> would</c><01:20:31.760>
• ><01:21:08.480><c> know,</c><01:21:08.800><c> city</c><01:21:09.040><c> like</c><01:21:09.199><c> Lebanon
• ,</c><01:21:10.080><c> we</c> So, you know, city like Lebanon, we So, you know, city like Lebanon, we

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 110, as amended by the Senate, which would establish fees for alteration-of-terrain applications and direct the Department of Environmental Services to adopt rules for a permit-by-notification process for certain projects. Trisha Milo introduced the bill for Senator Lang and noted that the department had worked on the amended language. Matt Mayberry of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association said the industry strongly supported the bill, describing it as a public-private partnership that would speed review for developers without affecting local control, with builders paying the costs rather than taxpayers. Members focused heavily on how the bill’s fee structure and permit thresholds would work, especially for projects near shoreland, wetlands, and protected water bodies. Representative Opel raised concerns about whether the bill reduced review of habitat and shoreland impacts or shifted costs unfairly; Philip Trobridge of DES explained that the bill does not eliminate those reviews and that shoreland projects still receive greater scrutiny. He said the bill creates different tiers, with the permit-by-notification process applying to certain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet that are not in protected shoreland, while larger or shoreland-affected projects remain under the standard review process. He also said the proposed fees were based on sustaining the program, covering added habitat and species review responsibilities, and keeping reviews efficient. Trobridge said the new fee structure would generate about $1.2 million in additional revenue and help fund additional staff and related program costs. He stated that the department had worked with the regulated community and believed the fees were fair and reasonable, though he acknowledged the bill’s wording was confusing and that the threshold could be revisited later if the new process works well. Members also discussed how the state process interacts with local approvals, and Trobridge said both state and local approvals are required before a project can begin. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We saw that in 1982 or 1983 when so many terrorists departed Lebanon for Tunis.
• We saw that in 1982 or 1983 when so many terrorists departed Lebanon for Tunis.
• We saw that in 1982 or 1983 when so many terrorists departed Lebanon for Tunis.
• We saw that in 1982 or 1983 when so many terrorists departed Lebanon for Tunis.
• We saw that in 1982 or 1983 when so many terrorists departed Lebanon for Tunis.

Bills: HR26

Keywords: domestic terrorism, Antifa, law enforcement, criminal activity, violent protests, political ideology, federal response, socio-political conflict

Transcript Highlights:

• I like to joke that here you can drive for three hours north and you end up in Lebanon, New Hampshire
• In Israel, you end up in Beirut, Lebanon. And it's a slightly different experience.

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Anti-Semitism opened by approving the minutes from its November 5, 2025 meeting and outlining plans for its next meeting on November 20, when it expects to vote on the draft master report and recommendations. The chair explained that revised drafts would be circulated, changes would be handled by motion, and the final vote would be by roll call. The meeting then moved through several public panels focused on prevention, education, workplace support, and community safety. Parents for Peace testified that anti-Semitism and extremism should be treated as a public health crisis and urged state funding for training in K-12 schools, healthcare, and law enforcement. The panel described its intervention work with radicalized youth and families, argued for early-warning training for educators, and recommended diversion resources for courts and prosecutors so cases can be addressed before they escalate. Commissioners asked about the origins of radicalization, the need for school-based training, and how to connect courts and police to available resources. Project Shema’s Orrin Jacobson argued that effective anti-Semitism education must be nuanced, pluralistic, and grounded in a better understanding of Jewish identity and contemporary anti-Semitism, especially in conversations about Israel and Palestine. He said the group has run dozens of workshops in Massachusetts and emphasized that institutions should adopt content-neutral norms, train staff and administrators, and measure whether trainings lower tensions and increase willingness to intervene. Commissioners asked about handling activists who reject nuance, the role of faculty versus students, and whether classroom norms should limit teachers from advancing personal agendas. A workplace panel from Klaal and Combined Jewish Philanthropies presented survey data showing many Jewish employees feel unsafe being openly Jewish at work and that antisemitism training is the top requested support. They described rapid growth in Jewish employee resource groups, existing programming and stipends for ERG leaders, and recommended mandatory anti-Semitism training, support for Jewish affinity groups in public and private sectors, and broader convenings of major employers. The commission also heard from Truah rabbis and educators, who urged stronger interfaith solidarity, a state office of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships, and explicit attention to democracy and civil rights as part of anti-Semitism strategy. After a recess, the commission heard from Israeli-American, Russian Jewish, and Persian Jewish witnesses who described antisemitism as a lived, personal, and civic issue affecting immigrants and their families. They called for inclusion of diverse Jewish voices in state initiatives, stronger protections for Israeli-American businesses, and recognition that anti-Zionist rhetoric often becomes direct harassment of Jews. The chair said the testimony and suggested edits would be incorporated into the draft report, and the meeting ended with plans for further revisions before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• them as an FTO, and has the federal government on three Muslim Brotherhood international chapters in Lebanon
• Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. It's essential to be clear here about what H.C.M. is not about.

Bills: HB2009 , HB2022 , HCM2001 , HCM2002 , HCM2004 , HCR2001 , HM2001 , HM2004

Committees: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections , House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Keywords: campaign contributions, foreign contributions, constitutional amendments, public disclosure, Arizona Revised Statutes, elections, voter registration, provisional ballots, primary election, voter participation, Muslim Brotherhood, terrorism, foreign terrorist organization, national security, Islamist extremism, Congress, Arizona, domestic security, CAIR, terrorist organization

Transcript Highlights:

• I can speak directly for Hancock: we tuition students to New Lebanon in New York because of where we

Bills: H4867 , H4927

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Keywords: school choice, education policy, educational funding, public schools, student enrollment, applied behavior analysis, autism, education, special needs, school access, therapeutic interventions

Transcript Highlights:

• second item from three memorandums requiring a surplus land review for New Ipswich, Belmont, and Lebanon

Summary: The Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee approved the April 14, 2025 minutes and then considered several capital items, mostly Department of Transportation property dispositions and one Department of Business and Economic Affairs lease amendment. BEA requested approval to amend its Granite Center LLC lease to absorb space used by Gopher, explaining that the arrangement would keep both agencies in the same building, allow flexible space allocation, and produce a modest net savings while using federal funds reimbursed through an interagency arrangement. The committee asked about Gopher’s role, the floor layout, and whether federal money was indirectly subsidizing the lease; the item was approved. DOT items approved included sale of a former maintenance parcel in Raymond, vacant land in Dover, a permanent utility easement in Conway for the Conway Water Precinct, and a direct sale of limited access right-of-way in Seabrook to C&J Seabrook LLC for parking expansion. Members asked about environmental liability on the Raymond parcel, the size and location of the Conway easement, and whether C&J would charge for parking; C&J said the expansion would support a successful facility and that parking revenues help fund improvements such as paving, lighting, and security cameras. The committee also approved a small Salem parcel sale to Brooks Property LLC. The Department of Environmental Services received approval to transfer 37 acres near a New Ipswich flood control site to the town as part of a long-running settlement involving cemetery encroachment onto state land. DES said the agreement, reached with the town in 2023, reflects prior legislation and includes payment to the state; members asked whether there was any current dam damage, and DES said there was none. In miscellaneous business, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission said the governor had directed cancellation of the planned RFP sale and that the matter would instead proceed as a ground lease through a new RFP process. The committee also noted informational items on Council on Resources and Development minutes and surplus land reviews, set the next meeting for September 29 at 9:30, and adjourned by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• The number one feature is I've lived a year in Beirut, Lebanon. I lived a year in Kosovo.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• And then also for Carroll County and Lebanon Circuit Court, new boilers and controls for $2.85 million
• <00:38:26.240><c> Carol</c><00:38:26.560><c> County</c><00:38:26.800><c> and</c><00:38:26.960><c> Lebanon
• </c><00:38:27.359><c> Circuit</c> for Carol County and Lebanon Circuit for Carol County and Lebanon Circuit

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• I was a city question for you, um I was a city councelor<01:01:18.960><c> in</c><01:01:19.119><c> Lebanon
• > a</c><01:01:19.920><c> long</c><01:01:20.079><c> time</c><01:01:20.319><c> and</c> councelor in Lebanon
• for a long time and councelor in Lebanon for a long time and we<01:01:21.520><c> um</c><01:01:22.319

Committee: Senate Transportation

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• dangerous stretch of interstate in probably the continental United States of America, and that is from Lebanon
• I would really love it if you would come take a ride with me on I-44 from Lebanon to Rolla.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 4 testimony on the Missouri Department of Transportation’s FY 2027 budget request. Director Ed Hassinger said MoDOT’s priorities are delivering projects on time and under budget, restoring maintenance capability, improving roadway safety, and being more customer responsive. He highlighted progress on legislatively designated projects, declining fatalities over the last three years, and the need to continue the pay plan and add 100 maintenance employees to address “windshield issues” such as litter, potholes, signs, deer removal, and mowing. He also warned that eliminating general revenue transit funding would severely hurt rural transit agencies that rely on it to match federal dollars. Members raised concerns about MoDOT’s customer service, staffing, overtime, turnover, and the agency’s relationship with local governments and constituents. Several representatives described frustrating interactions with MoDOT and pressed the director to change the agency’s culture and improve responsiveness. Hassinger said the department is trying to do that, that it has made progress, and that it is hiring more workers; he reported about 15-16% turnover, about 119 maintenance vacancies, and roughly 80 new hires in January. He also said MoDOT inspects county bridges every two years, has increased funding for off-system bridge programs, and reduced the local match requirement for those programs. The committee then moved through the budget book line by line. MoDOT staff explained that some appropriations were being restored because prior reductions were made in anticipation of a federal road fund proposal that did not pass, and that the supplemental and FY 2027 budget would restore core administration, program delivery, and safety/operations authority. Members questioned large lapses and unspent balances, and staff said those reflected reserves, vacancies, multi-year contractor payments, and local reimbursements that had not yet been submitted. The committee also discussed debt service for the I-70, I-44, and Focus on Bridges programs, the status of I-44 improvements and environmental work, the I-44/I-49 design-build project near Springfield, the remaining balance in cost-share funding, and a Springfield pedestrian bridge project that several members criticized as low priority but said would be completed because it had already been funded. No final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We manufacture products in Derry and have dispensaries in Lebanon, Keene, and Dover.
• Wellness is one of the ATCs and one of the three that manufacture products and have dispensaries in Lebanon

Summary: The work session focused on HB 54, which would allow New Hampshire’s alternative treatment centers to operate for profit. Chair David Nagel opened by identifying the main concerns: whether members agreed with the bill conceptually, whether the proposal could be shaped to avoid a gubernatorial veto, and whether it could lead to “big cannabis” taking over. He also emphasized that the bill would not change the existing oversight structure, which remained under RSA 126-X. Representative Wendy Thomas said the governor’s objections in past sessions appeared to center on the state’s preference for a state-run model and broader policy concerns, but no one present knew the current governor’s position. Several speakers argued the bill was primarily about financing and access, not expanding the number of dispensaries. Matt Simon of Granite Leaf Cannabis said the current nonprofit structure makes it difficult to raise capital, pay down debt, and open additional access points, and that the bill would be a corporate restructuring rather than a change in day-to-day regulation. Brandon Pollock of TASCAL Wellness said medical cannabis programs in most other states are for-profit, and that New Hampshire’s nonprofit requirement has left ATCs burdened with high-interest debt and higher prices that push patients to Maine, Vermont, or the street market. He said converting to for-profit status could allow conventional financing, lower prices, and help keep patients in the regulated program. Members also discussed whether for-profit ownership would invite outside corporate control. Witnesses said the bill would not open the market to new operators, would not change advertising rules, and would include restrictions on ownership transfers for a period of time; “foreign corporation” was explained as an out-of-state entity. One speaker noted that the bill is similar to earlier versions that passed both chambers with strong support but never became law. No vote was taken during the work session; the discussion was informational and aimed at addressing concerns before the bill moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• originally built to power mills downstream on the Mascoma River, all the way down through Enfield and Lebanon
• Some of these monitors are kind of early warning lights for us, like in Lebanon, that gives us an indication
• for</c><01:11:19.640><c> us</c><01:11:19.800><c> like</c><01:11:19.960><c> in</c><01:11:20.080><c> Lebanon
• </c><01:11:20.920><c> that</c><01:11:21.080><c> gives</c> lights for us like in Lebanon that gives lights
• for us like in Lebanon that gives us<01:11:21.400><c> an</c><01:11:21.520><c> indication</c><01:11:22.080

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• and we have, of course, a number of hospitals, including Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center up in Lebanon
• We also have a number of outpatient clinics, including Heater Road in Lebanon.
• Lebanon, but I think, for the importance of this bill, it's also important to give you a little sense
• We also have a number of outpatient clinics, including Heater Road in Lebanon.
• We also have a number of outpatient clinics, including Heater Road in Lebanon.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 232 from prime sponsor Representative Mark Pearson, who said the bill is intended to protect conscience rights for health care professionals and students, especially in relation to abortion and sterilization-related procedures. He argued that protecting ethical objections would help retain and recruit medical workers in New Hampshire, reduce moral injury, and preserve patient access to care. Pearson said the bill is not meant to allow discrimination based on protected characteristics and emphasized that it is limited to objections to specific procedures, with an amendment added to address concerns raised by Chairman Lynn. Members questioned Pearson closely about the scope of the bill and amendment, including whether it could apply to non-physician staff such as schedulers or receptionists, whether a provider could refuse emergency care, and who would determine when an emergency exists. Pearson said the bill does not apply to emergency situations or to treatment after an abortion has already occurred, and he stated that emergency triage would control in obvious emergencies. He also said the intent was not to allow a person to take a job and then unexpectedly refuse duties, and he suggested the amendment could be tweaked to clarify its application to facilities and staff. Additional questions focused on whether the bill should be broader than the procedures listed, how it would interact with federal conscience protections, and whether it could affect contraception-related services, including pharmacies. Pearson responded that the bill addresses the specific issues raised by people he and his wife had spoken with, and he was open to revising the amendment to reduce ambiguity. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• American patriot Ambassador Tom Barrack, as I witnessed firsthand last week in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon
• Lebanon is fulfilling its pledge to disarm Hezbollah by year end.
• </c><02:10:42.719><c> Lebanon</c><02:10:43.199><c> is</c><02:10:43.440><c> fulfilling</c> Syria a chance
• Lebanon is fulfilling Syria a chance.
• Lebanon is fulfilling its<02:10:44.079><c> pledge</c><02:10:44.400><c> to</c><02:10:44.639><c> disarm

Bills: HR539 , HR747 , HB4216 , HB2635 , HB4233 , HB4490 , HB2503 , HB2643 , HB4215

Keywords: LaMonica McIver, censure, House of Representatives discipline, Homeland Security Committee, removal from committee, Newark, Delaney Hall, immigration detention facility, federal officers, assault on federal officer, resisting arrest, interfering with federal officers, ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, HSI, congressional ethics, House resolution, disciplinary resolution, 18 U.S.C. 111, immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• Under its vague provisions, a student from Lebanon, Syria, or Palestine could be reported and suspended

Bills: SB2972 , SB1909 , SB2815 , SB735 , SB2233 , SB800 , SB1069 , SB2683 , SB2986 , SB2058 , SB2310 , SB2055 , SB1032

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard several bills before recessing to the floor, with most measures left pending subject to the call of the chair. SB 2986 would allow public schools and universities to permit after-hours facility use by religious groups on the same terms as other nonprofits, and SB 1032 would open the Governor’s University Research Initiative to private and independent universities; both had committee substitutes adopted and were left pending after brief testimony. Supporters of SB 1032 from Rice and Baylor said the change would help Texas recruit top researchers and strengthen the state’s research economy. The committee also heard SB 2058, which would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to publish annual data on nursing clinical training sites to improve placement coordination, and SB 2683, which would bar public colleges from giving benefits or recognition to student organizations that receive support from foreign entities of concern; both were left pending after testimony. A large portion of the meeting focused on SB 2233, which would require public institutions of higher education to adopt policies prohibiting students or employees on nonimmigrant visas from publicly supporting terrorist activity or organizations, with enforcement through investigations, reporting to Homeland Security, and possible Attorney General action and fines. The author said the bill was intended to reinforce existing federal definitions and campus safety, while senators questioned the bill’s scope, the definition of terrorist activity, and the clause tied to U.S. policy or practice. Public witnesses, including civil rights advocates, law students, and others, argued the bill was vague, overbroad, unconstitutional, and likely to chill protected speech and increase surveillance of international students and Black and brown communities; several Jewish witnesses also said the bill misused Jewish safety concerns and could be used for viewpoint discrimination. SB 2233 was left pending after public testimony. The committee then took up SB 735, which builds on prior Holocaust education legislation by funding optional age-appropriate and bilingual curriculum, museum field trips, teacher preparation partnerships, annual reporting, and regional collaboration with Holocaust museums and education service centers. The author and invited witnesses said the bill responds to survey findings showing uneven Holocaust instruction and a need for better teacher training and accountability. A fifth-grade teacher and the director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio testified in support, emphasizing the need for accurate, age-appropriate instruction and professional development. The committee recessed before finishing the agenda, and SB 735 was set to resume after the floor session.