Committee Summary for Senate Ways and Means (05/07/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
Unclear 00:03:27.599 - 8:32:13 AM	General Working Session	Unclear

Unclear: Senator Murphy Information Only00:03:27.599 - 8:32:13 AM; Senator Murphy briefly mentioned leaving early the previous night and returning to the session after getting a good night's sleep. He noted the discussion points from the previous night, including a 3% Medicaid reduction, mental health, and DD cuts, humorously attributing the responsibility to Cindy.
Unclear: Senator Sullivan Information Only00:05:37.800 - 8:34:23 AM; Senator Sullivan led the pledge of allegiance at the start of the session and introduced the topic of the day, which was to discuss revenues and make predictions for the finance committee's budget preparation. She highlighted the importance of understanding economic trends to guide their conversation.
Unclear: Senator Sullivan Information Only00:06:33.600 - 8:35:19 AM; Senator Sullivan presented a document from the governor's office detailing revenue projections from the Department of Revenue Administration (DRA). She proposed starting the discussion with business taxes for the years 2025, 2026, and 2027, and set a preliminary number for 2025 business taxes at 1.075 billion, seeking input from the committee.
Unclear: Senator Rose Information Only00:08:26.160 - 8:37:12 AM; Senator Rose expressed a preference for a lower estimate on business taxes for 2025 due to economic uncertainty, consumer confidence, and potential supply chain disruptions. He advocated for a conservative approach, suggesting it's easier to add funds later than to cut spending.
Unclear: Senator Victoria Information Only00:10:19.200 - 8:39:05 AM; Senator Victoria agreed with the need for a conservative approach, citing his business experience and the lack of optimism among customers and vendors. He suggested a lower number for business taxes for 2025 at 1.07 billion.
Unclear: Senator Sullivan Information Only00:11:51.519 - 8:40:37 AM; Senator Sullivan continued the discussion on business taxes for 2026, suggesting a number of 1.15 billion, considering factors like Federal Reserve interest rates and inflation. She expressed cautious optimism for economic improvement but not at the usual rate.
Unclear: Senator Rose Information Only00:12:51.360 - 8:41:37 AM; Senator Rose expressed less optimism for 2026, citing a higher risk of recession and uncertainties in trade wars. He leaned towards a lower estimate for business taxes for that year.
Unclear: Senator Victoria Information Only00:14:13.360 - 8:42:59 AM; Senator Victoria supported a conservative estimate for 2026 business taxes, citing extreme uncertainty in national markets and consumer demand. He suggested a number lower than 1.15 billion, expressing cautious optimism for 2027.
Unclear: Senator Sullivan Information Only00:15:08.800 - 8:43:54 AM; Senator Sullivan responded to the committee's input, calculating the percentage increase implied by her suggested number for 2026 business taxes. She proposed a compromise number of 1.095 billion for 2026, which was between the suggestions made by her colleagues.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:17:23.199 - 8:46:09 AM; The Senator expressed optimism about the economy, noting that businesses are feeling more positive about future growth due to anticipated lower costs of money as inflation decreases. He mentioned that businesses are likely to move forward with projects that were on pause due to high inflation rates last summer. He emphasized his cautious approach to budgeting, referencing past experiences with budget deficits and expressing a preference for having surplus funds rather than facing a deficit in the future.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:20:45.720 - 8:49:31 AM; The Senator discussed the business tax totals, suggesting a number of 1185, which was slightly higher than his initial estimate but within the range discussed. He expressed a cautious optimism about future economic conditions, referencing the slow recovery of supply chains post-lockdowns and the potential impact on employment and prices. He also mentioned a general consensus among the group to move forward with the suggested number.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:23:09.520 - 8:51:55 AM; The Senator discussed the rooms and meals tax projections for 2025, suggesting a number of 334.5, which was a compromise between various estimates. He noted the strong performance of the rooms and meals tax and expressed cautious optimism about future growth based on conversations with the hospitality industry. He also mentioned the potential impact of reduced Canadian travel and increased regional travel within New England.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:25:05.039 - 8:53:51 AM; The Senator discussed the rooms and meals tax projections for 2026, suggesting a number of 342, which was a compromise between various estimates. He noted the potential for consumer fatigue and economic pressure that might affect discretionary spending. He also mentioned the impact of reduced Canadian travel and increased regional travel within New England as factors influencing his decision.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:26:21.760 - 8:55:07 AM; The Senator discussed the rooms and meals tax projections for 2027, suggesting a number of 365, which represented a significant increase from the previous year. He noted that this was a $20 million jump on a $300 million revenue stream and expressed cautious optimism about future economic conditions based on the strong performance of the rooms and meals tax.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:27:38.799 - 8:56:24 AM; The senator expressed a cautious approach to revenue estimates, particularly influenced by seasonal factors like ski and summer weather affecting local economies. They supported a revenue estimate of 350 for rooms and meals, which was agreed upon by the committee.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:28:50.399 - 8:57:36 AM; The senator discussed the tobacco tax estimates, mentioning a split between the agency's numbers and their own, settling on 1835 for 2025. They noted the impact of a new law on vape tax enforcement and collection, suggesting it would positively affect revenue.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:29:35.520 - 8:58:21 AM; The senator expressed optimism about the impact of a new law on vape tax enforcement, suggesting it would lead to better revenue collection. They agreed to the proposed number of 183.5 for the 2025 tobacco tax.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:30:46.480 - 8:59:32 AM; The senator discussed the 2026 tobacco tax estimate, opting for the higher end of the agency's range due to anticipated better enforcement of the vape tax. They agreed to the number 1784 for 2026.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:31:41.919 - 9:00:27 AM; The senator discussed the 2027 tobacco tax estimate, agreeing to keep it at 1777, influenced by trends in smoking and vaping, and the enforcement of the vape tax. They noted a shift from cigarettes to vaping in communities they work with.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:32:42.640 - 9:01:28 AM; The senator discussed the enforcement of the vape tax, expressing concerns about local law enforcement's capacity but agreed to keep the 2027 tobacco tax estimate at 1777.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:34:08.040 - 9:02:54 AM; The senator discussed the interest and dividends tax estimate for 2025, opting for the high end of the agency's range at 103, noting it was the last year of collection.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:34:56.159 - 9:03:42 AM; The senator discussed the communications tax estimates, agreeing to level fund at 29.1 for 2025 and 2026, and 2019 for 2027, noting a decline in landline usage.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:37:23.800 - 9:06:09 AM; The senator discussed the real estate transfer tax estimates, settling on 202.5 for 2025, 212 for 2026, and 225 for 2027, influenced by housing market trends and legislative actions.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:40:58.680 - 9:09:44 AM; The senator discussed the utility property tax estimates, agreeing to 48 for 2025 and 49 for 2026, noting the small difference in agency estimates.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:42:18.400 - 9:11:04 AM; The Senator concluded their discussion on utility property tax, highlighting that the increase in numbers is due to economic growth and asset revaluation. They proposed adopting specific figures for utility property tax for the next three years, which were agreed upon by the committee.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:45:53.599 - 9:14:39 AM; The Senator discussed liquor transfer revenues, proposing to adopt the house's estimate for 2025 and slightly deviate for 2026 and 2027 by incorporating anticipated revenue from mocktails and online sales. They argued that mocktails could be an additive factor to the liquor store's revenue, despite potential competition from grocery stores.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:50:54.240 - 9:19:40 AM; The Senator agreed to compromise on the liquor transfer numbers, settling on a figure that considered the addition of mocktails and other factors affecting liquor sales, such as higher-end liquor marketing and dining costs.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:52:37.280 - 9:21:23 AM; The Senator proposed accepting the agency's high estimates for insurance tax revenues for the next three years, which were adopted by the committee.
Unclear: Chris Information Only00:53:44.760 - 9:22:30 AM; Chris reported that there were no changes from the courts regarding court fees and recommended adopting the agency's numbers for the next three years, which were accepted by the committee.
Unclear: Chris Information Only00:55:09.040 - 9:23:55 AM; Chris mentioned that the securities revenue estimates remained unchanged from what was provided to the house, and the committee adopted these figures for the next three years.
Unclear: Chris Information Only00:56:12.319 - 9:24:58 AM; Chris discussed the beer tax and other fund revenues, noting slight adjustments in fiscal year 2025 and recommending adopting the agency's high estimates for the next three years, which were accepted by the committee.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:57:18.559 - 9:26:04 AM; The Senator proposed adopting the agency's numbers for the tobacco settlement fund for the next three years, with a slight adjustment for 2025, which were adopted by the committee.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:58:34.960 - 9:27:20 AM; The Senator discussed Medicaid recoveries, proposing to adopt the house's number for 2025 and slightly increasing the figures for 2026 and 2027 based on actuals, which were accepted by the committee.
Unclear: Senator Information Only00:59:46.880 - 9:28:32 AM; The Senator addressed lottery revenues, specifically focusing on historic horse racing (HHR) machines. They pointed out a significant discrepancy in revenue estimates due to an increase in the number of HHR machines and proposed adjusting the lottery revenue numbers accordingly for 2026 and 2027, which were adopted after some discussion.
Unclear: Senator Information Only01:08:01.119 - 9:36:47 AM; The Senator discussed road tolls, miscellaneous revenues, motor vehicle fees, and fishing game revenues, proposing to adopt the house and agency numbers for these categories, which were accepted by the committee.
Unclear: Chris Information Only01:11:07.679 - 9:39:53 AM; Chris summarized the work done on revenue estimates and explained the next steps, including amendments to House Bill one and the creation of comparison sheets with the governor and the house estimates.
Unclear: Senator Information Only01:12:03.679 - 9:40:49 AM; The Senator expressed optimism about future revenue growth, citing normalization of economic conditions and anticipated growth rates. They concluded the session, adjourning the committee.

Lang, Timothy(Chairman)(R)[B-]2025	Murphy, Keith(V Chairman)(R)[A]2025	Rosenwald, Cindy(D)[F]2025
Fenton, Donovan(D)[F]2025	Sullivan, Victoria(R)[A-]2025