[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6537606,"mediaKeyId","3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83","parentId",3515932,"title","Votes at a glance: committee moves a package of bills, retains a contentious foreign‑principal measure","audioSeconds",1377,"startMs",13990000,"endMs",15367000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83&start=13990&end=15367","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83/thumbnail_13990000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6537606/New-Hampshire/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-moves-a-package-of-bills-retains-a-contentious-foreignprincipal-measure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537606-d78589e0b8a2e231da758df541a050ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156116&Signature=XPyX6uVJrb84bwrD7QjRxaLTVV~EdYWD~oPa2Lqqv2MiTvilGK8iysoIBIdbSaXprFWk0Ss4GeYApm2APZsA0FDGS~VGINuWqzLnHork9qUAoJG4-eIv-73EhVectXswA95LIOm515GlsVCF9Pb2Crj5Nu5Rf2tecOYQedXsKOa0PXLwdrnTNwu6HGWEhyxQA4V3WmFT0~KQjiaktlDAxUe~Uf-1qqVodfwcaKrjD-5wrFn-5IM007qczf46-Vim3P8ZNdXrFj3BU4V1nv7Ano51N-NHgcz7G6Oza2Z1te6jUK3gAaqINyOkiiTKp7uQeYamTwgiAVrTSIO1DGq8kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","The committee considered and recorded final actions on numerous Senate bills during the session. Several bills were advanced and placed on the consent calendar; one measure concerning foreign principals was retained for further study after tied and subsequent procedural votes.

Key outcomes recorded in the transcript:
- SB 245 (ambulance/balance-billing): advanced as amended; full committee roll call recorded 16–0 (see separate article).
- SB 297 (public‑entity risk pools): advanced as amended and placed on the consent calendar (roll call recorded 16–0; see separate article).
- SB 124 (continuing‑care retirement communities): advanced and placed on the consent calendar (roll call recorded 16–0; see separate article).
- SB 162 (foreign principals / review of certain foreign investments): the committee considered an amendment and subsequent procedural motions; the committee ultimately retained the bill for further consideration (committee retained vote recorded 11–5). The transcript records extensive questions and debate over definitions, scope, and due process.
- SB 164 (prohibiting certain service agreements tied to property listings): the committee adopted an amendment that narrowed the bill and then voted SB 164 out of committee as amended (roll call recorded 15–1); the committee placed it on the consent calendar.
- A number of additional Senate bills were called and — based on the committee record — were placed on the consent calendar or passed by unanimous or near‑unanimous vote. Those motions were recorded as moved unanimously in the transcript; specific roll‑call tallies are provided where the transcript records them.

Most of the bills placed on consent had little or no extended testimony at the subcommittee hearing. Committee members said that matters requiring additional work (for example, PBM reimbursement and pharmaceutical benefit manager oversight; and PBM/PBSA technical issues) were retained for further research. The committee recorded which items would be returned to the floor with amendments or be held for more work.

The committee’s minutes show a mix of unanimous passages and a small number of divided votes on measures that raise definitional or due‑process concerns. The retained items will be the subject of further subcommittee work and additional drafting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (05/27/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Alongside substantive measures the committee advanced, it voted on a set of bills (many placed on the consent calendar) and retained a contentious foreign‑principal bill for further work.","taxTitle","Commerce and Consumer Affairs, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17743,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6537611,"Committee backs SB 124 to strengthen oversight of continuing-care retirement communities",226,7582000,7808000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83&start=7582&end=7808","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83/thumbnail_7582000.jpg","/articles/6537611/New-Hampshire/Committee-backs-SB-124-to-strengthen-oversight-of-continuing-care-retirement-communities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537611-6a4365a02b73a00ad35ab8c49e62c7a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156116&Signature=iXr1Lzy8P0RGwK7DEhIZDk5w-C4qD7SPQQwtdmTzOqbRQmJ9ZH7mqFr5T9PJaAoHKKFDWCPAvgml1fzbadJ6R1yxJ3ABaODnM~IVIYmsrmbTcwBisHhksa9lBWy9obTOPlOmwc6aeUzGLWA-8hDt9wKcFgHRcmp7BTH9e1Vd8IYMHjAcFolw2-d7oROWoLu6bVN0Aev2kME97ztLbRXKuFCq3~9CragOd7-dNJmSKdg1tWHHKi67QL5M-JTEZcykJ5dTXrEiBS4RerYXC89uZjhbYLCMwZVgvv9tVAQQHqapa-rc0FMZidcELgi5hSHxOKnWWgBjK3GqutIxwnQAUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee voted to advance Senate Bill 124, a comprehensive update to the continuing‑care retirement community (CCRC) statute (RSA 420‑D) that adds licensing, financial reporting, escrow protections and enforcement tools intended to protect residents’ entrance fees and long‑term care access.

Representative Miles (sponsor) described the bill as a response to recent CCRC failures and as requested by the Insurance Department. The measure strengthens the licensing process, requires regular financial reporting, creates escrow protections for entrance fees, establishes a resident bill of rights and authorizes early action by regulators — up to receivership — when warning signs appear.

The bill was developed with industry stakeholders, the Office of the Long‑Term Care Ombudsman, the state Commission on Aging and nonprofit providers including RiverWoods and Taylor Community. Representative Miles said no one testified in opposition and that LeadingAge Maine and New Hampshire was involved in the drafting.

The committee approved the bill and placed it on the consent calendar (committee roll call recorded 16–0). Sponsors said the bill protects seniors’ housing and savings while providing tools to intervene earlier when communities show financial distress.

Committee members emphasized the high stakes for residents, noting entrance fees can represent life savings and that insolvency can jeopardize both housing and care access. The bill requires clearer disclosure, escrow rules for entrance fees and additional oversight so regulators can act earlier than under current law.","SB 124 was advanced to give regulators stronger licensing, reporting and escrow tools to protect residents and entrance-fee funds at continuing-care retirement communities (CCRCs); sponsors said the bill was developed with providers and ombudsman groups and had no opposition at hearing.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6537616,"Panel endorses revised SB 297 to clarify oversight of public-entity risk pools",9040,1280000,10320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83&start=1280&end=10320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83/thumbnail_1280000.jpg","/articles/6537616/New-Hampshire/Panel-endorses-revised-SB-297-to-clarify-oversight-of-public-entity-risk-pools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537616-1d63620af9b1d70024369fcc93556c98/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156116&Signature=b0K-7xdG470b03cIXNnrLc9xV6HU0UNxzWfXRQ71MNhl1MqM2K2WHlt09xWjHWKY6ucKnxwCrXQVNv8veWrZFkTpzyHh2zC3EDGMo2bHZC9VIgmXggVHp6Jq2ZDDbA2opOWQpItNsZwft0Jt4r31ufbH7jc902BmmcjEKTjyNSWCVZPgSjFbKjJ2aFiYK1YYuAvC1W2rezjRy4mw-YaSzIJ9lCByWqVJpt2pCD35Vq21e4o2OABPkrWgcof1f2OTK3wrJNsZ7VJVEZ64ISPWURkc1KU3gy8R3~MrpTDseeFLu2YDtJwzPTGyB9bn3qrXetmoK3N5nhhslFX0dAAcDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee voted to advance Senate Bill 297, a measure that clarifies regulatory boundaries between the Secretary of State and the Department of Insurance for public‑entity risk pools and that adds reserve and transparency safeguards for member‑owned pools.

Representative Miles moved the amendment and described it as a compromise designed to preserve the RSA 5‑B model for member‑owned pools while creating clear rules for pools that elect a different corporate structure and therefore would be regulated as insurance companies under RSA 420‑R. The amendment incorporates a prior Carson amendment requested by the Senate and adds statutory language that distinguishes the two regimes.

Lisa Duquette, executive director of SchoolCare, testified in opposition to shifting pools to insurance‑department oversight in a way that she said could impose duplicative regulatory costs and jeopardize tax‑exempt status for governmental pools. Duquette told the committee that SchoolCare serves more than 100 public entities and provides about $250 million annually in employee benefits; she said the insurance‑department licensing model could create examination fees, higher reserve requirements and additional accounting burdens that ultimately would be borne by political subdivisions and taxpayers.

Supporters of the amendment, including members who worked with both the Secretary of State’s office and the Insurance Department, said the revision strengthens accountability and gives regulators tools to intervene early if a pool becomes underfunded. The amendment retains member‑ownership and assessability rules for RSA 5‑B pools and adds steps the Secretary of State can use when a pool shows signs of insolvency.

The committee voted to advance the amendment in subcommittee and later voted the bill out of committee as amended. The full committee recorded a roll‑call vote in favor and placed the bill on the consent calendar (committee roll call recorded 16–0). Committee members said the changes aim to protect taxpayers while preserving options for different corporate forms.

Duquette’s testimony and subsequent questioning by Representatives Spear and Gibbs focused on concrete cost drivers: examination fees, dual accounting (statutory and GAAP), reserve requirements and the potential for tax reclassification of pools. Committee members asked for fiscal notes and acknowledged differing preferences among town governments and the New Hampshire Municipal Association.

With the amendment adopted, pools that remain organized under RSA 5‑B will retain Secretary of State oversight and member protections; pools that choose the RSA 420‑R corporate form will be subject to Insurance Department licensing and regulation under that statute.","The committee advanced SB 297 as amended to preserve secretary of state oversight for member‑owned RSA 5‑B pools while clarifying that pools organized under RSA 420‑R would fall under the Department of Insurance; testimony from SchoolCare warned dual-regulation could raise costs for political subdivisions.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6537620,"Committee backs compromise to curb ambulance balance billing, orders two-year cost study",6387,3053000,9440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83&start=3053&end=9440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515932-f2288460f65cea0545eeb00e8699ef83/thumbnail_3053000.jpg","/articles/6537620/New-Hampshire/Committee-backs-compromise-to-curb-ambulance-balance-billing-orders-two-year-cost-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537620-de6698c53723216fb3896d1a4531bdb8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156116&Signature=lteSgsRIKwYvxvhRak7~9i0NIC7S6NRAGMiZFAKNl0XMfj7990TFzJQ1Oaml8PApPYHcDMdIVvan-58lUyT2iHJsimcyHYLdBtwwPoUeyrCAo-99DMFW5-G~Pew2Vs9PDrdFRKb7rTvRD~rrIvhhwmPwJLHfjgdOV-P7eQ5w3sgLGcGslPLoXuYnuQ--MaOJzm-lFEkM18Twv9VMOjOx6YZGjl5EcKvVsiDlnIYNPM9szjEaS6Skfc5RZ40bzRx5jo1aC~eyFzECMS31MiRaaCe~sVySwyUzhM1cYP2N8E6UsNo8O8hxTDk0NryPZAQBdx1Pm5408EJxbNRwhaqSmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Insurance subcommittee and then the full committee approved an amended version of Senate Bill 245 aimed at eliminating surprise balance billing for ambulance transports and stabilizing payment to ambulance providers.

The bill, advanced by Representative Miles and seconded by Representative Spear, bars balance billing for emergency ambulance transports and sets a minimum reimbursement rule when no locally approved rate exists: insurers must pay at least 3.25 times the Medicare rate for the transport. The measure removes prior authorization for emergency dispatches, establishes a presumption of medical necessity for services dispatched by protocol, and requires insurers to process payments promptly.

Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by federal law that excluded emergency ground ambulance services from the No Surprises Act. Representative Miles, an emergency nurse and sponsor, said the package is intended to keep ambulances operating statewide, to protect patients from surprise bills and to give providers a predictable revenue path. The amendment adopted during subcommittee and carried to the floor included a transitional two‑year period and an independent cost study to collect detailed operating-cost data for ambulance services.

Speakers on the record urged the committee to balance fair payment with measures to encourage ambulances to join insurer networks. Representatives on the panel discussed procedural details in the amendment: carriers were given a shorter deadline to respond to network requests (45 days) while providers were given a longer, 60‑day window to complete contracting steps, reflecting differences in organizational capacity between insurers and local providers.

Subcommittee and committee votes: the subcommittee recorded an 8–0 “ought to pass” vote on the amendment; the full committee later approved SB 245 as amended and placed it on the consent calendar (recorded roll-call vote 16–0). The bill includes a two‑year sunset on certain transitional provisions so that lawmakers can review the independent cost study and the market effects before making changes permanent.

What the bill does not change: it does not alter federal payment rules for Medicare or Medicaid; speakers repeatedly noted that government program rates (Medicare/Medicaid) remain set outside state authority and that the bill addresses only commercial/other payers’ treatment of ambulance transports.

The committee recorded that the two‑year study and the statutory transition are intended to give providers time to adjust operations and for the state to pursue federal engagement (for example, with CMS) about program reimbursement levels. The full text of the amendment specifies the 3.25× Medicare floor, the 45/60 day timing differences, and the study mandate.

The committee’s action means the measure will move forward to further consideration with the adopted amendments; sponsors noted they expect further legislative review after the cost study completes.","The subcommittee and full committee moved SB 245 as amended to prohibit surprise ambulance balance billing, set an interim reimbursement floor tied to Medicare, require prompt insurer payment and commission a two-year independent cost study to measure ambulance operating costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: committee moves a package of bills, retains a contentious foreign‑principal measure

Committee backs SB 124 to strengthen oversight of continuing-care retirement communities

Panel endorses revised SB 297 to clarify oversight of public-entity risk pools

Committee backs compromise to curb ambulance balance billing, orders two-year cost study