Revenue Administration told the Fiscal Committee about remaining interest-and-dividends (I&D) tax refunds of about $21 million for the quarter and that carryforwards have largely been cleared; senators discussed implications for the rainy-day fund and budget estimates.

The Office of the Consumer Advocate told lawmakers that a Michigan consulting firm was selected for detailed operating-cost review in upcoming utility rate cases after the office narrowed its RFP scope; the office said few or no in-state firms offer that technical capacity.

Health and Human Services told the Fiscal Committee it cobbled together a capital stack and lifted a funding restriction to cover a late-added federally required element; officials said proceeds from a planned property sale are speculative and not counted on to meet the facility occupancy date.

The Judicial Council asked the Fiscal Committee to approve additional budget authority tied to a law change moving payment responsibility; the council’s director described recruitment challenges for public defenders and private conflict attorneys and said collections offices handling recoveries were abolished last year.

The Department of Administrative Services told the Fiscal Committee that testing uncovered design errors on a neighborhood construction project; an insurance settlement for engineers will fund remediation, test piles will begin, and the agency projects completion in 2027.

Board members on Nov. 20 weighed whether Swansea has already exceeded town-plan housing targets, expressed concerns about police, fire and water capacity (noting West Swansea), and discussed whether to update sections of the master plan more frequently; CIPC capital items including a town-hall rehab and a new fire engine were also noted.

A New Hampshire commission heard from the Children's Scholarship Fund and Department of Education staff about how EFA differentiates students with disabling conditions, the uneven documentation between MCDs and IEPs, variable transportation/contracted-service costs, and fiscal effects of proposed catastrophic-aid cap changes.

Ian Watt, director of New Hampshire's Division of Public Health, told the committee the CDC updated MMR/varicella recommendations (the combined MMRV not recommended as first dose for children under 4) and that the state continues universal purchase programs and access through providers and pharmacies.

The Alzheimer's subcommittee reported it will develop a needs-assessment survey to inform a state plan on Alzheimer's, recommended embedding brain-health materials into prevention and aging outreach, and called for adding cognitive measures to the BRFSS to better track long-term impact.

HHS chief financial officer Nathan White told the committee that HHS faces an upward vacancy trend, roughly 400 unfunded positions and a current projected general fund lapse just shy of $20 million; federal funds make up ~50% of HHS operating dollars and general funds about 31%.

The state Commission on Aging presented its annual report and an executive summary of a community transportation needs assessment, said New Hampshire's 65+ population now outnumbers children in the state, and recommended priorities under the AgeWell NH plan including transportation, caregiver respite and workforce development.

DHHS submitted its BRAIN Health Transformation grant on Nov. 4 ahead of the Nov. 5 deadline; Commissioner Lori Weaver told the oversight committee the application reflects almost all community input and that CMS will review and negotiate budgets, with approvals expected by Dec. 31.

A report on involuntary emergency admissions showed an average of 126 transports per month, with about 61.5% by law enforcement and restraints applied before transport in roughly half of cases; presenters said most restraints occur during sheriff transports and cited increases in transports linked to more beds coming online.

After detailed work on HB 292 the committee disposed of multiple bills on consent or moved them to interim study, including HB 222 (MOU for charter school special-education services), HB 101 (parent school enrollment; ITL), and other bills recorded multiple times as 5–0 on votes.

In executive session the Senate Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 292 as amended, creating a temporary revenue-stabilization loan against a district’s own adequacy funds (with reporting, audits, a 3-year participation cap and a 2030 sunset) aimed at addressing urgent cash-flow problems such as Claremont’s.

In executive session the Senate Education Committee voted 3-2 to advance House Bill 292 as amended. The measure creates a short-term revenue stabilization loan against a district’s future adequacy payments, adds reporting and audit triggers, limits participation and sunsets in 2030; it also temporarily reopens the Education Freedom Account eligibility for affected families.

Commission and public speakers pressed DES about soil sampling, enforcement and whether Saint‑Gobain or developers must finance removal; community members urged stronger state action and cited Bennington as an example of large‑scale soil removal.

The Environmental Service Department (DES) told the PFAS study commission it terminated a plant air permit effective Oct. 20, 2025, completed demolition work at the former facility, and reported 782 point‑of‑entry treatment systems installed. DES also said 163 additional properties were found above the 12 parts‑per‑trillion groundwater standard and that further soil sampling work plans are expected in 2026.

Commissioners discussed reviving the original nursing-home plan and pairing the facility with affordable housing on county land; a private developer is expected to present a concept in January, and commissioners urged further review before committing to the alternate Eric Drive site.

Commissioners described the county's electronic-monitoring system, exclusion-zone capability and a recent high-profile murder in another county; the Attorney General assigned Tom Villari to evaluate Stratford County’s program and staff were asked to meet him.

District officials told the budget committee a state supreme court decision could require a sending district to pay 80% of a receiving district’s per‑pupil cost if the receiving district is open‑enrollment, a change that could affect Hooksett’s contracts for high school placements such as Pinkerton.

Town staff told the Board of Selectmen that property/liability insurance rose about $23,600 (≈26%) and health‑insurance costs show a 55% line‑item increase, while an assessing services RFP returned two denials and a single proposer that quoted roughly $31,000 for general assessing and $40,000 for a 2026 revaluation. The board planned a work session to decide next steps.

The committee unanimously adopted an amendment to HB 206 narrowing the definition of "government agent" to law-enforcement actors and clarifying "secured premises" to mean a real fence; the panel voted 16–0 that the bill ought to pass as amended.

The committee adopted Amendment 3,091 to SB36, changing the effective date to July 1 and removing the term "estimated" from gestational‑age reporting; the amendment and the bill as amended passed on 10–7 votes after members raised privacy and clinical practice concerns.

Superintendent Bill Rirk told the Hooksett budget committee a SchoolCare assessment that initially was calculated at $553,074 for the district was reduced to $257,056, and the insurer-administrator notified the district its premium increase would be 7.7%, lowering the district's default and operating increase estimates. The board cut proposed staff and deferred a portable classroom to reduce the budget.