Committee Summary for House Executive Departments and Administration (05/21/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB428 00:05:28.320 - 10:04:14 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) relative to the state building code.	Alexander, Joe(R)[A]2024
HB156 00:07:04.960 - 10:05:50 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) relative to the duties of the advisory committee on state procurement.	Bixby, Peter(D)[CT]2024
HB85 00:09:30.160 - 10:08:16 AM	Executive Session	relative to temporary licensure for student respiratory therapists.	McGuire, Carol(R)[A+]2024
HB82 00:10:20.120 - 10:09:06 AM	Executive Session	relative to the regulation of various occupations.	McGuire, Carol(R)[A+]2024
SB178 2025-1743H 00:12:28.480 - 10:11:14 AM	Executive Session	relative to the department of health and human services laboratory services for testing of water supplies.	Gray, James(R)[C+]2024
SB180 2025-1748H 00:18:15.760 - 10:17:01 AM	Executive Session	designating Coos county as a distressed place-based economy.	Rochefort, David(R)
SB185 00:26:24.240 - 10:25:10 AM	Executive Session	relative to office of professional licensure and certification investigations.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB198 00:29:05.000 - 10:27:51 AM	Executive Session	declaring the third week in September to be New Hampshire service dog week.	Watters, David(D)[CT]2024
SB182 00:35:40.320 - 10:34:26 AM	Executive Session	relative to the maternal mortality review committee.	Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2024

HB428: Unnamed Speaker Information Only00:05:28.320 - 10:04:14 AM; The speaker discussed House Bill 428, which deals with the building code. They noted that Representative Pearson identified a retroactive provision in the bill as unconstitutional. Consequently, the speaker recommended non-concurrence and suggested requesting a committee of conference to correct the unconstitutional dates.
HB156: Unnamed Speaker Information Only00:07:04.960 - 10:05:50 AM; The speaker addressed House Bill 156 concerning the advisory committee on state procurement. They mentioned that the House agreed to a study committee proposed by the Department of Agriculture, but the Senate rewrote the bill to establish a permanent subcommittee of an existing committee. The speaker recommended non-concurrence, suggesting that the agricultural committee should revisit the issue next year.
HB85: Unnamed Speaker Information Only00:09:30.160 - 10:08:16 AM; The speaker discussed House Bill 85, which deals with temporary licensure for student respiratory therapists. They mentioned that the Senate amendment added more restrictions but still allowed students who have completed their first year to work under a temporary license. The speaker moved to concur with the Senate amendment.
HB82: Unnamed Speaker Information Only00:10:20.120 - 10:09:06 AM; The speaker talked about House Bill 82, which is a cleanup bill for the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). The Senate amendment added explicit permission for the Board of Electricians to form subcommittees. The speaker discussed the implications of this amendment and suggested concurrence, noting that it does not prohibit other boards from forming subcommittees.
SB178 2025-1743H: Representative Leyon Information Only00:12:28.480 - 10:11:14 AM; Representative Leyon moved amendment 2025-1743H for Senate Bill 178, which deals with laboratory water testing. The amendment was seconded, and the speaker was about to speak further on the amendment.
SB178 2025-1743H: Representative Leyon Support00:13:21.040 - 10:12:07 AM; Representative Leyon supported the amendment 2025-1743H to Senate Bill 178, explaining that the amendment clarifies the allocation of fees to the general fund and special funds. He emphasized the importance of having legislation that is clear and understandable, advocating for the amendment's adoption.
SB178 2025-1743H: Committee Members Vote00:14:17.000 - 10:13:03 AM; The committee voted unanimously to adopt amendment 1743H to Senate Bill 178, with all members except Representative Bailey voting in favor.
SB178 2025-1743H: Representative Lean Support00:15:08.800 - 10:13:54 AM; Representative Lean moved to pass Senate Bill 178 as amended by 1743H, expressing gratitude towards Representative Leyon for crafting the amendment. Lean highlighted the amendment's role in clarifying the financial flow, which was previously confusing.
SB178 2025-1743H: Representative Leyon Support00:15:56.560 - 10:14:42 AM; Representative Leyon thanked the department for their assistance in understanding the bill's financial flow, which enabled the formulation of the amendment. He expressed his appreciation for their support.
SB178 2025-1743H: Committee Members Vote00:17:08.119 - 10:15:54 AM; The committee voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 178 as amended by 1743H, with all members except Representative Bailey voting in favor. The bill was placed on consent without objection.
SB180 2025-1748H: Representative Sachi Support00:18:15.760 - 10:17:01 AM; Representative Sachi moved to adopt amendment 1748H to Senate Bill 180, explaining that it removes a potentially unenforceable provision related to Coos County and includes a 20-year sunset on the designation of 'distressed' for Coos County. He believed this amendment would better serve the economic development interests of the county.
SB180 2025-1748H: Representative Freeze Information Only00:19:15.280 - 10:18:01 AM; Representative Freeze sought clarification on the amendment's effective date, confirming that the repeal of the designation would occur in 20 years, on July 1, 2045.
SB180 2025-1748H: Representative Schmidt Oppose00:20:28.640 - 10:19:14 AM; Representative Schmidt opposed the amendment, arguing that even if a provision is unenforceable, it could still be valuable. He emphasized the importance of considering Coos County's situation and hoped future lawmakers would consult with the county's commissioners.
SB180 2025-1748H: Committee Members Vote00:21:22.400 - 10:20:08 AM; The committee voted 14 to 2 to pass amendment 1748H to Senate Bill 180, with Representatives Pearson and Schmidt voting against it.
SB180 2025-1748H: Representative Slogic Support00:22:36.240 - 10:21:22 AM; Representative Slogic moved to pass Senate Bill 180 as amended by 1748H, correcting the motion to 'ought to pass with amendment' after a reminder from the committee. He had no further comments on the motion.
SB180 2025-1748H: Representative Schmidt Oppose00:23:55.520 - 10:22:41 AM; Representative Schmidt reiterated his opposition to the bill, emphasizing that the unenforceable provision could still be a good idea. He planned to write a minority report to clarify that the opposition was not to the concept but to the enforceability.
SB180 2025-1748H: Committee Members Vote00:25:09.600 - 10:23:55 AM; The committee voted 15 to 1 to pass Senate Bill 180 as amended by 1748H, with Representative Schmidt voting against it. The bill was not placed on consent due to the minority report.
SB185: Representative Gro Support00:26:24.240 - 10:25:10 AM; Representative Gro moved to retain Senate Bill 185, explaining that the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) is working on a policy to address concerns raised by a board representative. He suggested waiting until September to see the agency's progress and then decide on the bill's future.
SB185: Representative Pearson Support00:27:17.919 - 10:26:03 AM; Representative Pearson supported the retain motion, noting that the OPLC needed time to organically evolve and address its backlog. He believed waiting would allow for better decision-making on the bill.
SB185: Committee Members Vote00:28:12.000 - 10:26:58 AM; The committee voted unanimously to retain Senate Bill 185, with all members except Representative Bailey voting in favor.
SB198: Unnamed Representative Oppose00:29:05.000 - 10:27:51 AM; An unnamed representative moved to recommend Inexpedient To Legislate (ITL) for Senate Bill 198, which proposed a New Hampshire service dog week. The representative argued that since there is already a federal service dog month, and if supporters couldn't get the governor to recognize a state week, it was unnecessary.
SB198: Committee Members Vote00:29:50.000 - 10:28:36 AM; The committee voted unanimously to recommend Inexpedient To Legislate for Senate Bill 198.
SB198: Committee Members Information Only00:28:04.320 - 10:26:50 AM; The discussion focused on the value of service dogs and the implications of recognizing a special day for them in statute. One member expressed concerns about the necessity of statutory recognition, arguing that if the service dog organizations could secure a proclamation from the governor, it would achieve the same goal of raising awareness without needing to be enshrined in law. Another member supported the bill, emphasizing the importance of service dogs and the need to support their charitable efforts, voting against the motion to find the bill inexpedient to legislate (ITL). The committee debated whether statutory recognition would lead to the cessation of advocacy efforts by the organizations once the goal is achieved, suggesting that continuous efforts are more beneficial. Ultimately, the committee voted 10 to 6 in favor of ITL, with a minority report to be written by Representative Long. The decision was made to explain the rationale to a constituent in Dover who supported the bill and to encourage them to continue seeking a gubernatorial proclamation.
SB182: Representative Lan Oppose00:35:40.320 - 10:34:26 AM; Representative Lan moved to find Senate Bill 182 inexpedient to legislate, describing it as not a simple housekeeping bill but one that makes broad and sweeping changes to the maternal mortality review panel. Concerns were raised about the bill's impact on data validity and potential violations of the New Hampshire Constitution, particularly regarding the expansion of access to personally identifiable information of women who die during or within a year of pregnancy, including those unrelated to pregnancy or who had abortions. The bill also changes the appointment of the panel's chair and allows for payment of panel members, which was seen as a significant financial note without a fiscal note provided. Lan argued against the bill, emphasizing the need to protect privacy rights post-mortem and questioning the necessity and scope of the changes proposed.
SB182: Representative Howard Support00:37:27.440 - 10:36:13 AM; Representative Howard supported the bill, arguing that understanding the reasons for maternal deaths is crucial for improving healthcare access and provision. Howard addressed constitutional concerns by stating that dead people do not have certain constitutional rights, particularly regarding privacy provisions, and emphasized the importance of reviewing data to address maternal mortality issues.
SB182: Representative Dere Support00:38:34.960 - 10:37:20 AM; Representative Dere viewed the bill as a simple housekeeping measure, aimed at aligning state terminology with federal standards and enhancing the panel's effectiveness by adding representatives from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the Department of Corrections. Dere argued that these additions would help address potential state agency contributions to maternal deaths and improve the panel's ability to make recommendations in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Dere did not see issues with the changes to personally identifiable information access, believing current provisions were sufficient.
SB182: Representative Lan Oppose00:41:02.480 - 10:39:48 AM; Representative Lan further opposed the bill, questioning the necessity of adding DCYF to the panel given their existing workload and the potential for the bill to intrude on personal privacy. Lan emphasized the importance of protecting the privacy of deceased individuals and argued that the bill's changes were not just housekeeping but represented a significant expansion of power and intrusion into personal information.
SB182: Representative Howard Support00:44:30.319 - 10:43:16 AM; Representative Howard clarified the legal perspective on privacy rights after death, stating that the right to privacy does not necessarily extend post-mortem according to federal court rulings. Howard emphasized that this does not apply to defamation laws but argued that the bill's focus on maternal mortality data was essential and legally sound.
SB182: Representative Dere Support00:45:24.560 - 10:44:10 AM; Representative Dere responded to concerns about the panel's functioning, suggesting that adding more parties could improve its effectiveness. Dere clarified that the changes to personally identifiable information access were language updates and not proactive expansions of access, addressing privacy concerns raised by others.
SB182: Representative Lan Oppose00:47:32.800 - 10:46:18 AM; Representative Lan continued to oppose the bill, emphasizing the significant privacy invasion proposed by the bill and the lack of a crisis necessitating such changes. Lan expressed confidence in the current panel and department but argued against the bill's broad scope and privacy implications.
SB182: Representative Scitec Information Only00:50:46.119 - 10:49:32 AM; Representative Scitec raised concerns about the right to privacy post-mortem, noting that while federal law may not recognize it, the New Hampshire Constitution might offer more protection. Scitec suggested that this issue deserved further examination, indicating a potential area for future legal exploration.
SB182: Representative Howard Support00:51:50.440 - 10:50:36 AM; Representative Howard addressed the New Hampshire constitutional right to privacy, explaining that it does not necessarily extend to deceased individuals. Howard reiterated the importance of the bill's focus on maternal mortality data and argued that privacy concerns were not applicable in this context.
SB182: Representative Lan Information Only00:52:58.960 - 10:51:44 AM; Representative Lan considered a compromise on the bill, suggesting that adding the Department of Corrections without DCYF might be acceptable. However, the addition of DCYF was not supported due to their current workload and focus on living children.
SB182: Representative Bro Information Only00:53:51.720 - 10:52:37 AM; Representative Bro suggested retaining the bill to allow for further discussion and potential compromise, indicating a willingness to explore other options rather than immediately voting on the bill's fate.
SB182: Representative Lan Information Only00:55:09.839 - 10:53:55 AM; Representative Lan withdrew the motion to find the bill inexpedient to legislate and moved to retain it, supported by a second, to allow more time for consideration and potential amendments.
SB182: Representative Schmidt Information Only00:56:27.440 - 10:55:13 AM; Representative Schmidt supported the motion to retain the bill, citing experience on the vital records privacy board and acknowledging the complexity of privacy issues in small communities. Schmidt emphasized the need for further examination of the bill's implications.

McGuire, Carol(Chairman)(R)[A+]2024	Sytek, John(Clerk)(R)[B]2024	Layon, Erica(V Chairman)(R)[A]2024
Schmidt, Peter(D)[CT]2024	Thibault, James(R)	Howard, Heath(D)[F]2024
Sellers, John(R)[A-]2024	Sheehan, Vanessa(R)[A]2024	de Vries, Erica(D)
Dargie, Paul(D)	Davis, Fred(D)[F]2024	Bailey, Glenn(R)[A+]2024
Pearson, Stephen(R)[B]2024	Grote, Jaci(D)[CT]2024	Long, Patrick(D)
Slottje, Jeremy(R)