Committee Summary for Senate Executive Departments and Administration (02/12/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB193 00:03:54.920 - 8:02:55 AM	Public Hearing	requiring the head of each state agency to submit a strategic plan for program activities.	Sullivan, Victoria(R)
SB191 00:17:35.360 - 8:16:36 AM	Public Hearing	relative to registration of vehicles in a fleet of 25 or more.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB197 00:31:22.799 - 8:30:23 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the medical supervision of the licensed registered nurse employed by the legislative facilities committee.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB197 00:34:45.719 - 8:33:46 AM	Executive Session	relative to the medical supervision of the licensed registered nurse employed by the legislative facilities committee.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB191 00:35:30.880 - 8:34:31 AM	Executive Session	relative to registration of vehicles in a fleet of 25 or more.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB193 00:37:03.880 - 8:36:04 AM	Executive Session	requiring the head of each state agency to submit a strategic plan for program activities.	Sullivan, Victoria(R)
SB185 00:38:56.000 - 8:37:57 AM	General Working Session	relative to office of professional licensure and certification investigations.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB95 00:39:44.520 - 8:38:45 AM	General Working Session	relative to summer camp cabins and the state building code.	McConkey, Mark(R)
SB93 SB 933 00:40:30.760 - 8:39:31 AM	General Working Session	relative to establishing an office of regulatory efficiency and oversight.	Innis, Daniel(R)[C+]2024
SB93 SB 933 00:47:34.000 - 8:46:35 AM	Executive Session	relative to establishing an office of regulatory efficiency and oversight.	Innis, Daniel(R)[C+]2024
SB183 not provided 00:49:07.799 - 8:48:08 AM	Public Hearing	relative to membership of the Pease development authority board of directors.	Altschiller, Debra(D)[CT]2024
SB183 not provided 01:58:48.520 - 9:57:49 AM	Executive Session	relative to membership of the Pease development authority board of directors.	Altschiller, Debra(D)[CT]2024
SB56 not provided 01:28:52.320 - 9:27:53 AM	Executive Session	relative to consolidating the New Hampshire health and education facilities authority within the business finance authority.	Innis, Daniel(R)[C+]2024
SB74 not provided 01:31:12.560 - 9:30:13 AM	Executive Session	relative to real property annual reporting requirements of state departments for permitting programs.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB21 2024-21 01:32:55.199 - 9:31:56 AM	Executive Session	relative to establishing a New Hampshire state trooper recruitment loan debt relief program and making an appropriation therefor.	Gannon, Bill(R)[C+]2024
SB92 not provided 01:42:10.119 - 9:41:11 AM	Executive Session	relative to the collection of birth worksheet information.	Rosenwald, Cindy(D)[CT]2024
SB94 not provided 01:43:56.760 - 9:42:57 AM	Executive Session	prohibiting municipal amendments to the state building code.	McConkey, Mark(R)
SB187 not provided 02:00:22.599 - 9:59:23 AM	Executive Session	adopting the dentist and dental hygienist compact.	Reardon, Tara(D)

SB193: Victoria Sullivan, Senate District 8 (Manchester and Litchfield) Support00:03:54.920 - 8:02:55 AM; Senator Victoria Sullivan introduced Senate Bill 193, which focuses on oversight of project-based spending, particularly regarding federal funds. She highlighted her experiences in Manchester and at the state level, noting inefficiencies and potential waste in the use of federal funds. Sullivan emphasized the need for transparency and efficiency in how funds are utilized, suggesting that a committee could evaluate specific projects to assess their cost-effectiveness and benefits to the state. She mentioned concerns about the long-term costs of using federal funds and whether they lead to positive outcomes, especially in education funding.
SB193: Unnamed Committee Member Information Only00:05:57.160 - 8:04:58 AM; A committee member asked Senator Sullivan about the specific programs that prompted her to introduce the bill, indicating an interest in understanding the scope and intent behind the legislation. The member sought clarification on how broad the bill's application would be and whether it was solely focused on federal funds.
SB193: Victoria Sullivan, Senate District 8 (Manchester and Litchfield) Support00:06:44.000 - 8:05:45 AM; Senator Sullivan responded to the committee member's questions, reiterating the need for transparency and efficiency in the use of funds. She explained that while her main concerns were with federal funds, the bill could apply to any funding source. She provided examples of inefficiencies she observed, such as unnecessary staffing and the need for program consolidation, and emphasized that a committee would have the flexibility to delve into various programs and suggest improvements.
SB193: Unnamed Committee Member Information Only00:10:35.160 - 8:09:36 AM; Another committee member asked about the relationship between Senate Bill 193 and the Governor's Commission on Government Efficiency, seeking to understand if the bill would duplicate efforts. Senator Sullivan clarified that while the Governor's commission looks at agency-level efficiency, her bill focuses on project-level spending, indicating that they would be complementary efforts.
SB193: Unnamed Committee Chair Information Only00:11:21.200 - 8:10:22 AM; The committee chair closed the hearing on Senate Bill 193, noting that no further testimony was forthcoming. The chair announced a recess until 9:15 AM and mentioned that executive sessions for several bills would occur later, ensuring all committee members could participate.
SB191: Senator Howard Pearl, District 17, Lowden Information Only00:17:35.360 - 8:16:36 AM; Senator Pearl introduced Senate Bill 191, which aims to improve the efficiency of vehicle registration for large businesses with fleets of 25 or more vehicles. He discussed the complexity of the current registration process, especially for interstate trucking involving IRP registrations. He acknowledged a significant flaw in the bill that requires more time to address, and requested that the committee re-refer the bill back to allow for further development. He mentioned collaboration with Director Morasco and other stakeholders to refine the bill.
SB191: John Morasco, Director of DMV, and Elizabeth Mad, DMV Registration Bureau Information Only00:19:29.799 - 8:18:30 AM; John Morasco and Elizabeth Mad from the DMV provided insights on Senate Bill 191. They expressed gratitude to Senator Pearl for his proactive engagement in trying to improve efficiency for fleets. They highlighted several areas of the bill that need further discussion, including the differentiation between trailers and vehicles, potential IT upgrades for a 5-year registration sticker, the impact on the International Registration Plan (IRP), law enforcement considerations, and the financial impact of the proposed changes. They also discussed the mechanism for disbursing municipal portions of funds collected by the DMV back to the municipalities.
SB191: Bob Scully, New Hampshire Motor Transport Association Support00:23:17.279 - 8:22:18 AM; Bob Scully, representing the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association, expressed support for Senate Bill 191, acknowledging the need for further work on the bill. He emphasized the importance of the IRP and the potential complications with multi-year registrations without IRP approval. He suggested removing or reducing the 25-vehicle threshold to make the bill more accessible to smaller fleets. He also discussed the competitive disadvantage of registering trailers in New Hampshire versus Maine, where costs are significantly lower, and recommended examining Maine's registration rates to better compete.
SB191: Unknown Information Only00:26:20.720 - 8:25:21 AM; The speaker concluded the public hearing on Senate Bill 191, noting that no further testimonies were forthcoming and the hearing was closed.
SB197: Senator Howard Pearl, District 17, Loudon Support00:31:22.799 - 8:30:23 AM; Senator Pearl introduced Senate Bill 197, which aims to remove the medical supervision of the nurse employed by the Legislative facilities committee from the department, allowing the nurse to act within the scope of practice defined by the Board of Nursing and RSA 326-B, the Nurse Practices Act. He referred technical questions to Dr. Balor, the chief medical officer for the Department.
SB197: Jonathan Ballard, Chief Medical Officer, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Support00:32:26.919 - 8:31:27 AM; Dr. Ballard expressed gratitude to Senator Pearl for sponsoring the legislation. He explained that the bill updates language that has not been revised since 1995, removing the direct supervision of the nurse's station from the commissioner and aligning it with the Nurse Practices Act. This change is consistent with nursing practices in school nurses' offices throughout the state, and has been reviewed and supported by relevant stakeholders including the CEO of the State House complex and a current nurse.
SB197: Committee Information Only00:34:45.719 - 8:33:46 AM; The committee moved to executive session to vote on Senate Bill 197. A motion to pass was made and seconded, with no further discussion before the vote, which passed unanimously.
SB191: Committee Information Only00:35:30.880 - 8:34:31 AM; The committee moved to executive session to vote on Senate Bill 191. A motion to pass was made and seconded, with no further discussion before the vote, which passed unanimously.
SB193: Committee Information Only00:37:03.880 - 8:36:04 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 193, with some members expressing concerns about its vagueness and overlap with existing initiatives by the governor. A motion to pass was made and seconded, but the vote was not unanimous with some opposition noted. The decision was made to not pass the bill on consent.
SB185: Senator Information Only00:38:56.000 - 8:37:57 AM; The senator mentioned that Senate Bill 185 is still under negotiation and will continue to be held.
SB95: Senator Information Only00:39:44.520 - 8:38:45 AM; The senator noted that Senate Bill 95, related to summer camps, is being worked on by Senator Mononi in collaboration with the Fire Marshal's office and is almost ready but still needs some final adjustments to the language.
SB93 SB 933: Deana Jurus, Executive Director, OPLC Information Only00:40:30.760 - 8:39:31 AM; Deana Jurus discussed a situation involving the long-standing practice of licensure for LNAs who are enrolled in LPN or RN programs. She noted that this practice lacked clear statutory authority, leading to potential denials of applications. She proposed an amendment (SB 933) to include an additional pathway for LNA licensure, allowing students who have completed a Fundamentals of Nursing course to be eligible. This amendment aims to resolve the issue quickly and prevent disruption to healthcare staffing.
SB93 SB 933: Unidentified Speaker Information Only00:44:27.520 - 8:43:28 AM; The speaker discussed the process for licensing as an LNA, emphasizing that there are no additional steps beyond completing the fundamentals and submitting documentation before one can work as an LNA. They mentioned that hospitals have been hiring LNAs before the completion of their first year in an approved nursing education program, indicating a need for LNAs and the current practice of offering jobs to students before they complete their exams.
SB93 SB 933: Unidentified Speaker Information Only00:45:14.040 - 8:44:15 AM; The speaker introduced an amendment to Senate Bill 93, explaining that it is a complete replacement of the original bill. They discussed the urgency of passing this amendment to address an issue with the LNA licensing process, noting that the governor and other key stakeholders are aware and supportive. They clarified that this amendment does not affect other types of nursing licenses or those in specific LNA programs.
SB93 SB 933: Unidentified Speaker Information Only00:47:34.000 - 8:46:35 AM; The speaker moved to pass Senate Bill 93 with the amendment, stating that it would address the issue with the LNA licensing process. There was no further discussion or opposition to the amendment, and it was passed unanimously.
SB183 not provided: Deor Aler, State Senator, District 24, representing Greenland, Rye, Exeter, Stratham, Hampton, Hampton Falls, and Northampton Support00:49:07.799 - 8:48:08 AM; Senator Aler introduced Senate Bill 183, which aims to add representation from Rye and Hampton to the Pease Development Authority board of directors. They emphasized the importance of these towns having a voice in decisions affecting their local ports and harbors, given their direct impact on the communities' economies, environment, and quality of life. They argued that adding these seats would enhance transparency, communication, and regional collaboration.
SB183 not provided: Chris Muns, State Representative, Rockingham District 29, representing Hampton Support00:56:13.640 - 8:55:14 AM; Representative Muns supported the bill, highlighting that it would give Hampton and Rye a say in the management of their harbors. He suggested considering adding Seabrook to the board as well, given its proximity to Hampton Harbor. He urged the committee to recommend the bill as ought to pass, emphasizing its straightforward nature.
SB183 not provided: Peggy Balone, State Representative, Rockingham 38, representing Greenland, Northampton, and Rye Support00:58:26.240 - 8:57:27 AM; Representative Balone spoke in favor of SB 183, sharing her personal connection to Rye Harbor and the need for direct representation on the Pease Development Authority board. She discussed the impact of PDA decisions on her community, including airport expansion and harbor management, and stressed the importance of local input to ensure fair and reasonable development that adheres to local ordinances and considers local resources.
SB183 not provided: Peggy Balone, State Representative, Rockingham 38, representing Greenland, Northampton, and Rye Information Only00:58:26.240 - 8:57:27 AM; Representative Peggy Balone's testimony concluded just before the snippet provided, and thus no further details are available in the given text.
SB183 not provided: Senator Riller, not specified Information Only01:02:48.520 - 9:01:49 AM; Senator Riller thanked Representative Bon for their input and sought their opinion on whether the proposed changes to the Portsmouth Development Authority (PDA) would dilute or enhance the voices on the board. Representative Bon believed it would be an enhancement, as diverse perspectives would lead to a better product.
SB183 not provided: Senator Riller, not specified Information Only01:03:33.880 - 9:02:34 AM; Senator Riller continued the discussion, emphasizing the impact of the PDA's work on communities like Rye and Hampton. They shared experiences of poor communication and lack of follow-through from the PDA, which required vigilance from local communities and did not foster good relationships.
SB183 not provided: Senator Riller, not specified Information Only01:05:06.920 - 9:04:07 AM; Senator Riller elaborated on their experiences with the PDA, mentioning instances where communications were ignored, and decisions were made without community consultation. They highlighted the need for better communication and representation from affected communities like Rye and Hampton.
SB183 not provided: Senator Riller, not specified Information Only01:05:53.880 - 9:04:54 AM; Senator Riller further discussed the challenges faced by businesses in Rye and Hampton due to the PDA's decisions, such as uncertainties about lease renewals affecting operations. They expressed a desire for earlier and more effective communication to alleviate stress on local businesses.
SB183 not provided: Senator Rib, not specified Information Only01:08:18.560 - 9:07:19 AM; Senator Rib inquired about the PDA's statute and the Division of Ports and Harbors Advisory Council, questioning its role and interaction with the community. They noted the council's composition and its potential to address communication issues.
SB183 not provided: Paul Breen, Executive Director of the Pease Development Authority Information Only01:10:39.760 - 9:09:40 AM; Paul Breen provided insights into the current board makeup of the Pease Development Authority and the roles of the Port Advisory Committee and Sky Haven Advisory Committee. He emphasized the importance of local input and advisory capacities and apologized for any communication issues, confirming that efforts were made to include Rye representation.
SB183 not provided: Senator Aler, not specified Information Only01:13:50.800 - 9:12:51 AM; Senator Aler questioned the representation of Rye on the PDA, noting that while a resident of Rye was on the board, they did not represent the town's interests directly. They discussed the need for more transparent actions and better inclusion of local planning and businesses.
SB183 not provided: Senator R, not specified Information Only01:15:24.800 - 9:14:25 AM; Senator R proposed amending the advisory council's makeup to include more local representation from Rye and Hampton, suggesting that local select boards should have the power to appoint members to better serve their communities.
SB183 not provided: Committee Chair, not specified Information Only01:58:48.520 - 9:57:49 AM; The committee decided to hold Senate Bill 183, as they wanted more time to discuss and review the Pease Development Authority's issues further. No final recommendation was made during the session.
SB56 not provided: Senator Ganon, not specified Support01:28:52.320 - 9:27:53 AM; Senator Ganon moved to pass Senate Bill 56, which involves consolidating two agencies that perform similar functions. They argued that the consolidation would be more efficient and cost-effective, specifically mentioning the tax-exempt bonds and the potential for a single back-room operation.
SB74 not provided: Senator, not specified Support01:31:12.560 - 9:30:13 AM; The senator moved to pass Senate Bill 74, indicating significant discussions with the governor's office and relevant departments. They noted that although there were initial concerns, a consensus was reached to move the bill forward as it is, with the belief that compliance is achievable.
SB21 2024-21: Senator Ganon, not specified Support01:32:55.199 - 9:31:56 AM; Senator Ganon moved to pass Senate Bill 21 with an amendment to encourage more State Troopers due to a shortage affecting road safety. The amendment clarified eligibility criteria, such as requiring one year of service before applying for the program and ensuring payments only apply to the principal. They also agreed to remove the term 'tax-free' and adjust the duration from five to four years for clarity and compliance.
SB92 not provided: Senator MCU, not specified Support01:42:10.119 - 9:41:11 AM; Senator MCU moved to pass Senate Bill 92 with an amendment that keeps most of Senator Rosenwald's changes but reintroduces a one-minute score. They discussed the amendment's adjustments to the main language and received no opposition during the session.
SB94 not provided: Senator, not specified Support01:43:56.760 - 9:42:57 AM; The senator moved to pass Senate Bill 94, highlighting the need for a state policy to address the housing crisis by standardizing building codes across municipalities. They acknowledged the potential usurpation of local control but emphasized the necessity of consistent state guidelines to aid developers and address the housing shortage.
SB94 not provided: Senator Al Schiller, not specified Oppose01:44:46.440 - 9:43:47 AM; Senator Al Schiller opposed Senate Bill 94, arguing that it represents an overreach by the state into local control. They emphasized that municipalities should be able to have more progressive building codes if they choose, and that state intervention could hinder local planning efforts.
SB94 not provided: Senator, not specified Support01:45:32.520 - 9:44:33 AM; The senator supported Senate Bill 94, citing the need for a state policy to address the housing crisis and aid developers. They argued that inconsistencies in building codes across towns create barriers for developers, and a standardized approach could help move the needle on housing development.
SB94 not provided: Senator, not specified Support01:47:06.760 - 9:46:07 AM; The senator supported Senate Bill 94, acknowledging the importance of local control but recognizing the need for state policy in certain situations. They pointed out the diligence of the state in vetting building codes and suggested that the bill could help resolve the housing crisis while allowing communities to maintain good building standards.
SB187 not provided: Senator, not specified Support02:00:22.599 - 9:59:23 AM; The senator expressed disappointment in the lack of agreement among dental professionals regarding the dental hygiene compact. They suggested passing the bill and allowing amendments later, emphasizing the importance of public safety and the potential for future modifications.
SB187 not provided: Senator, not specified Information Only02:01:54.560 - 10:00:55 AM; The senator clarified that compact language must be adopted uniformly across states, and New Hampshire's adoption would not change local licensing standards. They discussed the limitations on amending compact language after adoption.
SB187 not provided: Deana Jerus, Executive Director OPLC Information Only02:02:44.159 - 10:01:45 AM; Deana Jerus clarified that the compact language is established by the initial adopting states, and New Hampshire would be adopting that established language. She noted that New Hampshire's licensing standards do not have to change due to the compact.
SB187 not provided: Senator, not specified Support02:04:18.280 - 10:03:19 AM; The senator supported re-referring Senate Bill 187, expressing frustration with the industry's inability to agree on a compact. They preferred not to get involved in the industry's dispute and suggested waiting for the industry to resolve its issues before moving forward.
SB187 not provided: Senator, not specified Support02:07:14.000 - 10:06:15 AM; The senator supported re-referral of Senate Bill 187, recognizing the need for a compact in healthcare but pointing out flaws in the current proposals. They expressed willingness to work on a solution and hoped to avoid the same situation in future sessions.

Pearl, Howard (Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	McGough, Tim(V Chairman)(R)	Gannon, Bill(R)[C+]2024
Altschiller, Debra(D)[CT]2024	Reardon, Tara(D)