The House Finance Committee voted 18–7 to advance Senate Bill 118 as amended, a bill that changes Medicaid policy on the personal-needs allowance and includes the provisions of House Bill 53, which would allow home cultivation of medical cannabis for qualifying patients.

Senate Bill 118 would change the frequency of cost-of-living adjustments for the Medicaid personal-needs allowance from every five years to annually. Representative Daniels explained the program context: "In New Hampshire, Medicaid recipients must spend down to $2,500. Medicaid currently allows an individual in a long term care facility to keep $30 each month as a personal needs allowance," he said, adding the allowance had been adjusted in 2020 to $74 and is scheduled to rise to $90 in July under current statute.

Supporters, including Representative Seaworth and Representative Weber, said the adjustment smooths the budgetary impact of periodic, larger increases and preserves dignity for nursing-home residents who use the allowance to pay for incidental personal items such as grooming, clothing and communication. "The personal allowance comes out of the patient's money, not state money," Seaworth said, summarizing the effect on patient finances and the state's federal cost share. Representative Weber emphasized that items covered by the allowance include a cell phone, which can be a resident's lifeline to family.

Several committee members objected to the separate attachment of House Bill 53 (home-grown medical cannabis) to SB 118. Representative Nell O'Menkel (committee member) said the cannabis language was not germane and lacked funding for enforcement, and predicted it could imperil the underlying Medicaid provisions on the Senate floor. Representative Daniels also opposed the final bill, citing the marijuana language and expressing concern the Senate had not generally approved recent marijuana bills.

The committee adopted the motion of ought to pass as amended (18–7). Representative Daniels said he would file a minority report. Supporters argued the fiscal note for the annual adjustment shows a relatively modest estimated state cost (50% general funds / 50% federal funds) — roughly $50,000–$100,000 in FY26 and $100,000–$500,000 in later years — and that annual adjustments avoid a larger one-time jump every five years.

The bill was advanced to the calendar; committee members flagged enforcement, fiscal impacts and the political risk of attaching the medical cannabis provision as follow-up issues.