Transcript Highlights:

• So, I support thing that drives me.
• Employers get no tip credit for wages.
• Employers get no tip credit for wages.
• </c> Minnesota um uh uh letter of support Minnesota um uh uh letter of support here<00:37:49.920><c>
• </c> room for the night, not the employers room for the night, not the employers who<00:47:40.640><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Employees do not have an interest in their employers by virtue of their employment.
• So, in other words, legislators are allowed to get money for their employers.
• I don't think the facts support that.
• I don't think the facts support that.
• It's okay to fund your employer. What's not okay is to do so in a way that benefits you.

Summary: The Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings held oral argument before the Legislative Ethics Board in the matter of Representative Tara Simmons, docketed as Legislative Ethics Board case 2025-5. The hearing concerned Simmons’ motion for summary judgment in an ethics complaint alleging violations of RCW 42.52.020 (conflicts of interest) and RCW 42.52.070 (special privileges), based on her work involving an EEC proviso, her employment relationship with EEC, a campaign surplus donation connected to AEJG and Jerry Stone, her involvement in an AEJG-EEC subcontract dispute, and related text messages with Anthony Powers. No evidence was taken; the session focused on legal argument over whether the alleged facts, if accepted as true, were sufficient to establish violations as a matter of law. Simmons’ counsel argued the complaint was legally insufficient because the alleged actions benefited her employer or others, not Simmons herself, and that existing board opinions allow legislators to support employers absent a direct personal benefit. He also argued the board was effectively trying to adopt a new bright-line rule prohibiting legislators from funding employers, which he said would be an improper retroactive change. Board staff, through Assistant Attorney General Julia Eisentrout, opposed summary judgment and argued the facts were enough to show Simmons had an indirect financial or other interest in EEC’s funding, that her job duties and legislative actions created conflicts, and that her actions around the donation, subcontract dispute, and text messages could be viewed as using her position to secure special privileges. A board member asked whether the allegations themselves were sufficient and whether the standard required assuming the facts as alleged; staff responded that the motion failed because the record contained sufficient facts to proceed, and that any factual disputes should be resolved at hearing. After rebuttal, the ALJ closed the oral argument and turned the matter over to the Legislative Ethics Board for deliberation. No ruling was issued during the hearing, and the board was to decide whether to grant the summary judgment motion or set the case for an evidentiary hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mariko Yoshihara, on behalf of the California Employment Lawyers Association, in support.
• Mariko, Yoshihar on behalf of the California Employment Lawyers Association and support. Thank you.
• Mariko Yoshihara on behalf of the California Employment Lawyers Association in support. Thank you.
• Mariko Yoshihara on behalf of the California Employment Lawyers Association in support. Thank you.
• Dixon. support witness, you know, these records are kept during the entire time of employment.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• registered a support position with the committee.
• Do we have any witnesses in support?
• Is there anyone in support of the bill?
• I'm here to speak in support of SB 1227.
• Matt Broad here on behalf of CSEA in support. Thank you. Staff of CSEA in support. Thank you.

Committee: House Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that just has a standard health plan, they leave employment, end up employed with an employer who may
• an employer who participates in a multi-employer plan, which is governed by ERISA.
• But I would say when you transition from one employer to another employer and you are an employee, this
• to support.
• to support.

Committee: House Business

Summary: The House Business Committee introduced several RS measures and advanced one bill. RS 33-267, from Rep. Cheatham, would exempt four-plex dwellings from mandatory sprinkler requirements to reduce housing costs and would add heat-detection devices in new construction to address garage fires involving lithium-ion batteries. Members discussed whether heat detection was already being added in the rules package, and some expressed concern about changing prior sprinkler policy, but the RS was introduced. RS 33-022, a travel insurance regulatory framework based on a national model act, was also introduced after testimony that it would standardize consumer protections, disclosures, licensing, and a free-look period. RS 33-208, on third-party litigation financing, was introduced with support for disclosure requirements and a prohibition on foreign adversary participation. RS 33-065, aimed at reducing barriers to manufactured housing by easing zoning treatment and covenant restrictions, was introduced despite questions about consultation with cities and counties. RS 33-274, creating a voluntary portable benefits plan for independent contractors, was introduced after questions about how it would interact with existing benefit plans and whether contributions would be limited to hiring parties. The committee then heard House Bill 530 on oral chemotherapy parity. Rep. Bruce and Rep. Green described the bill as a response to cancer patients facing much higher out-of-pocket costs for oral anti-cancer drugs than for IV treatments, and several witnesses, including Susan G. Komen, a cancer patient, a St. Luke’s pharmacist, and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, testified in support. They said the bill would not create new coverage mandates but would require equal cost-sharing treatment for oral and IV anti-cancer medications, helping patients avoid delayed or abandoned treatment. Members debated whether the bill should include a $250 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs; the sponsors said the substitute RS removed that cap while preserving parity, and some members preferred the cap for predictability. A motion to table the bill failed, and HB 530 was sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The substitute RS 33-222 was then introduced. Finally, RS 33-262, from Rep. Skog, was introduced to cap interest and fees on loans from non-regulated lenders, targeting payday and title lending practices described by supporters as predatory and trapping borrowers in cycles of debt. Members raised concerns about whether the cap could reduce access to short-term credit, while supporters cited examples of 200% to 300% or even higher effective rates. The committee also noted existing Idaho usury law questions during discussion. The RS was introduced, and the meeting adjourned after announcements about upcoming floor and committee schedules.

Transcript Highlights:

• But with that, I will be not supporting the substitute motion, and I will support the original.
• So I will not be supporting the substitute motion and will support to send this to the floor.
• It means employers are...
• You're dealing with employers.
• I do not support this motion. There are more than one... I do not support this motion.

Summary: The committee approved the March 3 and March 10 minutes, then introduced RS 33592C1, a proposal for a state pilot program to study psychedelic substances for PTSD and traumatic brain injury, with the sponsor saying no state funding was requested. The committee also heard and advanced Senate Bill 1255, which would add tribal health care facilities and tribal police officers to Idaho’s involuntary commitment process so tribal members in mental health crises can be evaluated and held more quickly; tribal representatives and the sponsor said it would improve coordination without changing state funding or the underlying commitment standards. The bill was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1257 on foster care visitation and permanency. The bill would clarify that visitation can include in-person, video, phone, and written contact, limit in-person visitation after substantiated serious physical or sexual abuse unless a court finds it is in the child’s best interest, and allow courts to consider a parent’s likely long-term incarceration when deciding permanency and termination. Department officials, foster parents, adoptees, and child welfare advocates testified that the bill would protect children from re-traumatization and give courts clearer statutory guidance. Some members raised due process and parental-rights concerns, arguing the bill could expand agency power or reduce protections, but after a failed motion to hold the bill in committee, the committee approved it on a roll call vote and sent it to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee also resumed testimony on House Bill 808, which would expand the Medical Freedom Act. County, hospital, city, business, and public health witnesses opposed the bill, saying it would create conflicts with federal health and accreditation rules, weaken school and child care immunization protections, reduce the usefulness of the IRIS immunization registry, and interfere with employer and public-safety decisions. Supporters argued the bill would strengthen bodily autonomy and parental choice and reduce coercion around vaccines. The sponsor closed by saying the bill was about protecting private medical decisions, but no final action on HB 808 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• you, and we support you.
• Trying to support her, and they didn't have enough money to support their kids.
• I support guaranteed income.
• We support local farms, we support California-grown products, we support California producers, so it
• supports, and even more.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We, too, would support those, and we've voiced that support to other proponents of the bill, so we'd
• The program was designed to support.
• The program was designed to support.
• Please support this bill. Thank you.
• Please support this bill. Thanks.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2437, which would put the Department of Health’s authority to accredit opioid treatment programs into statute and allow the department to set a fee to cover the cost of those services. The prime sponsor and DOH said the bill would preserve a service that is especially important to tribal and rural providers and would be self-sustaining rather than supported by the general fund. Members asked about the relationship between DOH and HCA and whether the bill would duplicate existing authority; staff and the department said DOH already performs the accrediting role and the bill mainly formalizes that authority and fee-setting power. Public testimony on the bill was then closed. The committee then held an extensive work session on the federal 340B drug pricing program and later opened public testimony on House Bill 2145, which would prohibit manufacturers, distributors, and third-party logistics providers from restricting 340B drug acquisition or delivery and from requiring claims or utilization data as a condition of access. Committee staff and NCSL gave background on how 340B works, recent growth in the program, contract pharmacy issues, and state efforts in other jurisdictions. Testimony on HB 2145 was sharply divided: hospitals, community health centers, tribal representatives, contract pharmacies, and labor groups said the bill would protect safety-net providers, rural access, HIV and behavioral health services, and tribal programs from manufacturer restrictions; business groups, pharmaceutical companies, and employer coalitions argued the program has expanded beyond its original intent, lacks transparency, shifts costs to employers and taxpayers, and should be addressed through federal reform instead. No vote was taken in the excerpt. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2155, which would bar non-human entities from using nursing titles such as RN, APRN, or LPN or otherwise implying they are licensed nurses. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to protect patients from being misled by AI systems and to preserve transparency and public safety as health care technology expands. The Washington State Nurses Association testified in support, saying AI can be useful but should not replace nurses or be presented as a licensed professional. A member asked about enforcement and liability, and staff said they would follow up on those details.

Transcript Highlights:

• your support.
• I work for the Employment Development Department as a legislative analyst, and I strongly support this
• I support the bill. ...or EDD, I support the bill.
• Irene Green, employment program representative with unemployment, and I stand in support with my siblings
• I support this bill.

Committee: House Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The lowest percentage of people with employer-sponsored insurance are those that work for small employers
• Most employers still offer a PPO plan.
• These payment mechanisms would support our ability to, I'll just use it. would support our ability to
• Is it the employer or the employee?
• So you're putting small and mid-sized employers. ...than big employers.

Committee: House Health Care Affordability, Select

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Naomi Kukak also in support for support.
• support.
• Brian Spicer in support. Sally Pallet Davis in support. Richard Spelman in support.
• Deborah Gray in support. Edward Coogood in support and Jean Simon also in support.
• </c> support. Richard Spelman in support. support. Richard Spelman in support.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of economic development, tourism, and tax measures. SB 2411 drew broad support from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the University of Hawaiʻi, the Chamber of Commerce, and Retail Merchants, with one technical amendment suggested to change a partnership term from six to seven years. Members asked about implementation and annual costs, and the department said it would follow up with cost information. HB 2583 HD1, relating to economic development and a loan loss program, also received support, but DBED noted the state already has the CBED loan program and suggested the proposal could be placed under that existing framework rather than creating a new program. HB 1612, based on business revitalization task force recommendations, was supported by DBED and several business and advocacy groups, including the Small Business Regulatory Review Board and Grassroot Institute. Testimony emphasized improving Hawaii’s business climate and using a ranking/reporting tool to measure progress, while one senator questioned whether the bill would simply fund another study instead of direct improvements. HB 1613, relating to HTDC, was supported by HTDC, the Chamber of Commerce, and startup and industry representatives who said a permanent marketing/branding specialist would help attract tech talent, founders, and investors; a member asked why the position was not in the budget, and HTDC said federal NIST funding uncertainty affected the request. HB 1614, also on economic development, was supported by HTDC and business groups, and members discussed whether the state was missing federal funds due to lack of matching dollars; HTDC said it was difficult to know, but matching funds could help leverage more federal grants. The committee then took up HB 2590 on taxation for creative industries. The Motion Picture Association and Hawaii Film Alliance strongly supported the bill, saying it would correct GET treatment for payroll service companies, restore motion picture and TV production as manufacturing, and repeal a 2022 provision affecting qualified expenses; the Department of Taxation said it would provide revenue-impact information later. Finally, HB 1950 HD1 on the transient accommodations tax drew strong support from DBED, HTA, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, hotel and resort groups, and others, who argued for a dedicated tourism marketing fund and said the state needs more stable, long-term marketing investment. The Tax Foundation opposed the special fund approach, arguing it would reduce legislative flexibility. Members pressed witnesses on the appropriate percentage for the fund, with HTA suggesting 10% to 12% of TAT collections, and the discussion focused on how marketing spending relates to visitor spending, tax revenue, and long-term tourism competitiveness.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. employers to list a salary. I mean, it employers to list a salary.
• </c> employer for me to know that. employer for me to know that.
• </c> nature of such employment. nature of such employment.
• <04:37:38.879><c> Support?
• Support? Uh so we are opposed opposed? Support?

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Employment Development Department.
• disconnected or at risk of disconnection from education, employment, housing, or other support systems
• Maybe employers have changed their behavior.
• And And to protect workers and law-abiding employers.
• , care, you know, we support, currently we are supporting over 800 veterans and 57 percentage of our

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing no other individuals in support.
• And with that support, this is why I'm here today.
• I will just tell you my role, obviously, is to represent the governor as the employer in employee-employer
• I support my nominee 100%. Thank you. Thank you. I love that.
• Ted Topin, for the State Engineers, PECG, in support.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee first handled several routine items, approving two governor appointments not required to appear: Armin Meyer to the Division of Consumer Financial Protection and Uca Danka to the California State Lottery Commission. The committee also approved referral of bills to committees, a Rules waiver request to suspend SR 55 for guest access on the Senate floor on April 6, and floor acknowledgments, with each action passing 5-0. The committee then heard from Arania Ortega, appointed to the Public Employment Relations Board. Members asked about her background at CalHR and the Department of Finance, her approach to board decision-making, recusal rules, the status of AB 288, PERB’s caseload and backlog, ride-share enforcement, and the legislative employees’ unionization process. Ortega said PERB currently has no backlog, is preparing for possible new workloads, and has recusal procedures that would automatically exclude her from certain state employee and child care cases for one year. Public testimony supported her appointment, and the committee voted 5-0 to move her nomination to the full Senate. The committee also heard from Monica Erickson, nominated to lead the Department of Human Resources. Questions focused on state labor negotiations, CalPERS, recruitment and retention, telework, discipline and HR training, DEIA efforts, hiring pipelines, degree requirements, veteran hiring, return-to-office implementation, and the gender pay gap. Erickson said CalHR has reduced the vacancy rate from 20% to 17%, is expanding recruitment tools and class consolidations, is working on a skills-matching tool and career counseling, and has helped reduce the gender pay gap from 21.1% in 2013 to 12.2%. Public witnesses spoke in support, and the committee approved her nomination 5-0 to advance to the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is Wagner-Peyser, and that's your employment and re-employment type of services.
• An employer can apply for this federal tax credit if they are hiring somebody who has a barrier to employment
• Health care, health care support is, again, short term and long term, Health care, health care support
• Employer from wherever the employer is located. It could be at their job site. It could be at home.
• Employer from wherever the employer is located. It could be at their job site. It could be at home.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous minutes, and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has been reviewing statewide cash, liquidity, and investment practices, finding that the state generally manages money well but could improve forecasting, automation, and coordination across agencies. He highlighted that the state has about $35 billion in liquid assets and investments, with most in longer-term investments, and described a change already underway replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work. Members also discussed the impact of House Bill 1176 on Legacy Fund earnings and the possibility of future legislation to avoid losing investment returns when large transfers are made all at once. The board also noted that some agencies still hold funds outside the Bank of North Dakota system, and that this is being reviewed. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the Task Force on Government Efficiency, saying the group has focused on how to measure whether programs are actually working. He said the task force has not yet proposed legislation, but the administration has agreed that new and expanding programs should answer five questions, including who is affected, what outcome is expected, whether there is another way to do it, and how success will be measured. Members discussed the need for dashboards, program evaluators, better data collection, and possible use of artificial intelligence to identify duplicate or outdated programs. Toman said the task force will continue reviewing agency workflows, with upcoming presentations from courts, the university system, the auditor, and other agencies, and that future legislation or rule changes may be needed to require performance metrics. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota presented labor market and program updates. He reported that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5%, labor force participation is about 68.7%, and the state continues to rank near the top nationally. He reviewed job openings, in-demand occupations, and several workforce programs, including H-2A agricultural worker inspections, the Job Placement Partnership Program with DOCR, and virtual and in-person job fairs. Davis said the DOCR partnership has shown strong results, with lower recidivism and higher earnings for participants, and he emphasized that Job Service tracks outcomes and reports them to federal and state partners. Members asked about child care subsidies, workforce participation, agency coordination, and whether more staff are needed for H-2A inspections. Finally, Allen Knutson presented the updated S&P Global revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the last update, making the revenue outlook more favorable but still volatile. S&P’s baseline forecast showed the current biennium’s four major tax collections about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and a much larger increase for the next biennium, though he cautioned that federal tax changes and oil market uncertainty could alter the numbers. In an alternate scenario using higher near-term oil prices, he estimated about $242 million more in oil and gas tax collections and roughly $120 million more for the Strategic Investment Fund. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about changes in tribal oil production assumptions.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, we have BNF director in support, and we have HSDA also in support.
• We have in support BNF director, and also O in support. Thank you very much.
• We have BNF director in support, as well as HGA again, all in support.
• We have BNF director in support, HGA in support, and HHSC in support. A Brian Revel in opposition.
• We have BNS director in support. We have BNS director in support and HGA in support.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology met on March 12 in Room 224 at the Hawaii State Capitol and heard testimony on several labor, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, collective bargaining, and related measures. On House Bill 202, which would revise the definition of the adequate reserve fund for calendar year 2026 and beyond, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations strongly supported the bill, saying it would protect the solvency of the Unemployment Insurance trust fund. The department explained that the reserve standard had been lowered from 1.5% to 1% in 2010 and argued that restoring it would better prepare the fund for future shocks. Questions focused on whether the change would affect employers’ costs and whether the trust fund had recovered fraud losses from the pandemic; the department said some fraud had been recovered and additional fraud tools were now in place. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including technical changes and a defective date, and adopted the recommendation. The committee also heard House Bill 477 on the Hawaii Employment Security Law, which the department supported as a modernization of the UI system but asked to amend for clarity, especially on registration-for-work language. The committee accepted those requested amendments and recommended passage with amendments. It then took up House Bill 1026 and House Bills 1027 through 1039, covering emergency appropriations for public employment cost items and collective bargaining for units 1 through 14. Testimony from the Budget and Finance director, United Public Workers, the University of Hawaiʻi, HGEA, UHSC, and others was generally in strong support, with one opposition noted on HB 1038. The committee moved all of those measures together and recommended passage with amendments. In its later decision-making agenda, the committee approved several previously heard bills with technical amendments and defective dates, including House Bill 423 on workers’ compensation, House Bill 480 on workers’ compensation, House Bill 162 on collective bargaining arbitration procedures, House Bill 164 on indebtedness to the state, and House Bill 1152 on tax administration. House Bill 214, relating to government and school resource officers, drew discussion about labor shortages and whether the bill should help train existing school resource officers into law enforcement roles; the committee still passed it with amendments. House Bill 874 on child performers was amended to require trust accounts for certain minors’ earnings and place oversight with DLIR’s Wage Standards Division, and House Bill 159 on qualified community rehabilitation programs was passed with amendments after the committee blanked the $850,000 cap for further discussion. All recommendations were adopted without recorded opposition, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not a case that this is something the employers are doing.
• Asking for support. Senator Torres: Thank you, Madam Chair.
• The employer community has not seen anything yet.
• Substitute House Bill 2089, supporting wildfire mitigation.
• So I'd encourage support.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met in executive session on March 2, 2026, and worked through two large groups of bills, hearing staff briefings, caucusing, and then voting each measure out to the Rules Committee. In the first group, the committee advanced bills on state accounts (HB 2675, with an amendment creating an adult day service facilities account), immigrant worker protections (2SHB 2105, after adopting a striker and Amendment 8 while rejecting amendments that would have changed enforcement and private rights of action), voting rights compliance (E3SHB 1710, with all proposed amendments rejected), AI content provenance and notices (E2SHB 1170, with Amendment 19 adopted to exempt state/local/tribal governments and certain video-game and technical uses), public official protections (2SHB 233, with a technical amendment adopted), WOTEC civil service coverage (HB 2249), JLARC work plan changes (HB 2120), LEOFF Plan 1 termination/restatement (E2SHB 2034, with several amendments adopted including creation of a pension surplus holding account and study directives, while proposals to redirect funds to the Climate Commitment Act or provide a lump-sum payment were rejected or withdrawn), supplemental retirement bargaining (HB 1069, with a striker adopted), port employee retirement exclusions (EHB 2179, with a striker adopted), local government revenue flexibility (ESHB 2442, with Amendment 72 adopted to remove a county public utility tax and other amendments rejected), wildfire mitigation funding (SHB 2089), and timberland REET changes (HB 1983). The committee also noted that it would not take action on some items in the packet, including SHB 1833. In the second group, the committee advanced bills on local housing tax remittance programs (ESHB 1717), renewable energy tax incentives and grants (E3SHB 1960, with a striking amendment adopted that adjusted rates, timing, and related provisions), nonprofit fundraising hall property tax relief (HB 2431), food bank sales tax relief (SB 6006), local tax increment financing (E2SHB 2451), temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health entities (SB 6297), school and child care-related sales tax exemptions (SSB 6351, with a substitute adopted and the competing amendment made out of order), behavioral health work group extension and leadership council creation (2SHB 2429), Working Connections Child Care changes (SB 6353, with Amendment 43 adopted), language access guidelines for state agencies (SHB 2475), unpaid wage recovery (2SHB 2479), firearms background check fee authority (HB 2521, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), public employee information sharing (HB 2091, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), and Office of Independent Investigations jurisdiction changes (ESHB 2508, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided). Throughout the meeting, members and staff discussed fiscal notes, implementation costs, and whether amendments would increase or reduce state impacts, with several amendments aimed at narrowing scope, delaying implementation, or shifting enforcement and funding responsibilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• in support and Kiana Otsuka in support. in support and Kiana Otsuka in support.
• </c> testimony in support. testimony in support.
• Takamini in support, and Darien Perovv in support.
• In support. Um the Okay. Thank you. In support.
• ,</c><01:19:06.480><c> and</c> support, Karen Takamini in support, and support, Karen Takamini in support

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several personnel and employment bills. SB 2119 would require the state or counties to reimburse public officers and employees for approved work-related travel costs within 30 days; testifiers from the State Procurement Office, UPW, HGA, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and others supported the measure, citing delayed reimbursements. SB 3131 would update state position titles by changing “private secretary” to “executive assistant” and “secretary” to “administrative assistant” where applicable, and it drew support from DEED and comments from the State Librarian. SB 3069 would permanently exempt a limited number of specialized positions in DAGS Public Works and the Comptroller’s office from civil service; DAGS, HCDA, and DEED supported it, while UPW opposed it. Committee members questioned whether the exemption should be narrower and whether the positions should be consultants or actual employees, and DAGS said the roles were narrowly tailored, highly specialized, and intended to help manage complex projects such as Aloha Stadium, the convention center, and other major redevelopment work. The committee then heard SB 3180, which would repeal the limit on temporary employment in a single position for two 89-day terms. Testimony included support from the Procurement Office, DOE, DHRD, the State Librarian in opposition, UPW written comments, HGA, the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii, and others. Discussion focused on whether the bill was needed to address abuse of repeated 89-day hires and whether it would affect recruitment and career pathways. Finally, SB 2137 would allow departments, divisions, and agencies to assume hiring and recruitment functions from DHRD under certain conditions. DHRD opposed the bill, saying existing law already allows delegation and that agency-level recruitment often lacks the expertise and staffing to do the work; UHPA supported it, and UPW submitted written support. In questioning, DHRD said it had reduced backlog and was now current on screening, while also offering programs like Operation Hire Hawaii for faster agency-led recruitment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stepping back from leadership or leaving the workplace in Ireland, and employers wanting to support staff
• I urge you to support this bill so women across Massachusetts and workplace support.
• Expanding employment protections and reasonable accommodations supports economic stability, dignity,
• I urge you all to support this bill.
• I urge you all to support this bill.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing during a snowstorm, with members participating both in person and via Teams, and the chairs said testimony would be kept open for an additional week. The first bill heard was H.4796, an act relative to organ transplant vehicles. NORA New England testified in support, arguing that dedicated organ transport vehicles need authority to use lights and sirens so time-sensitive organs can be moved more quickly and safely without relying on EMS systems already stretched by 9-1-1 calls. No opposition was heard and the bill was then set aside as the committee moved to the next item. The bulk of the hearing focused on H.4838, an act expanding access to perimenopause and menopause care. Chair Decker, who filed the bill, said it was the product of a year of meetings with dozens of individuals and organizations and was intended as a starting point to identify gaps in care, training, access, and coverage. Testimony overwhelmingly supported the bill and described widespread misdiagnosis, dismissal of symptoms, limited clinician training, insurance barriers, medication access problems, and workplace impacts. Speakers included patients, clinicians, advocates, the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, and out-of-state and international experts, many of whom urged better education, public awareness, research, and workplace accommodations. Several witnesses emphasized that menopause affects whole-body health, including cardiovascular, bone, mental health, and work outcomes, and that Black women and other marginalized groups face greater barriers and worse outcomes. Some speakers noted the bill is important but largely a framework that will need further work to address coverage and access more directly. Blue Cross Blue Shield said it supports the bill and already covers menopause-related care and training, though the chair used the exchange to criticize broader insurer and state decisions on GLP-1 coverage for obesity. The committee took no vote during the hearing, and the chairs closed by thanking witnesses and stating that additional written testimony would be accepted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Other witnesses in support?
• You have a primary witness in support here? No. Are there any primary witnesses in support?
• Happy to support it today. Thank you very much. Thank you. Happy to support it today.
• Any other supporters of the bill who'd like to come to the mic to register your support?
• That seems very supportive.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of elections-related bills. It first approved three consent items: AB 808, AB 1029, and AB 1072. The committee then took up AB 1249, which would require non-Voter’s Choice Act counties to offer at least one Saturday early-voting location before statewide elections and allow in-person return of vote-by-mail ballots at designated county offices or satellite locations. Supporters said it would expand access for working voters and those with transportation barriers; some members raised concerns about ballot verification and added workload for rural counties. The bill passed the committee on a divided vote and was placed on call for absent members. The committee next considered AB 25, a voter ID and election integrity measure that would require citizenship verification, government ID for voting, tighter voter-roll audits, and a 72-hour ballot-counting deadline. The author and supporters argued it would restore public trust and improve election integrity, while opponents from the League of Women Voters, ACLU California Action, labor groups, disability advocates, and others said it would restrict access, burden vulnerable voters, and amount to voter suppression. After extensive debate, the committee voted the bill out on a narrow split and kept it on call. Members also approved AB 1164, which clarifies when voters are entitled to a replacement ballot and updates the Voter Bill of Rights language; AB 1441, which would create an independent citizens redistricting commission in Merced County despite opposition from the county board over cost and local control; and AB 16, which would clarify county election officials’ authority to begin processing vote-by-mail ballots earlier and clean up outdated code. The committee also heard AB 1411, which would require non-VCA counties to prepare voter education and outreach plans and use a Secretary of State template, with the sponsor saying it would improve voter information statewide.