Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:02:02.640><c> youc><00:02:02.920><c> wec><00:02:03.119><c> havec><00:02:03.840><c> ac><
• > typec><00:25:43.440><c> ofc> special benefit to one uh type of special benefit to one uh type of
• <01:28:54.440><c> arec><01:28:54.600><c> thec><01:28:54.760><c> typesc><01:28:54.960><c> ofc>
• <01:28:55.080><c> peoplec><01:28:55.320><c> thatc> and those are the types of people that and those
• are the types of people that we<01:28:55.679><c> relyc><01:28:56.000><c> onc><01:28:56.159><c> to

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:50:24.000><c> ifc><00:50:24.160><c> it'sc><00:50:24.400><c> ifc><00:50:24.640><c> it'sc
• :34.560><c> typec><01:40:34.719><c> ofc><01:40:34.960><c> opposition,c> start seeing this type
• of opposition, start seeing this type of opposition, it's<01:40:36.239><c> symptomaticc><01:40:36.880
• in you know<02:04:24.800><c> forc><02:04:25.040><c> allc><02:04:25.280><c> typesc><02:04:25.520
• c><02:04:26.320><c> Thankc><02:04:26.560><c> you.c> know for all types of waste.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills on water, land, housing, permitting, and historic preservation. For SB 746/SD2/HD1 on invasive species, DLNR and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent but warned that a bounty approach for coconut rhinoceros beetle could have unintended consequences, divert resources from biocontrol research, and be vulnerable to abuse; Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the measure. The committee also heard SB 1541 on the WoE water system, with testimony from ADC, Kunia Village Title Holding Company, and Farm Bureau in support, emphasizing the importance of the system for agriculture and the high cost of water on lands already dedicated to farming. The most extensive discussion was on SB 66, relating to building permit review and county permitting authority. DPP opposed the bill, saying the problem is not just agency review time but the broader permitting process, including applicant corrections, outside-agency review, staffing shortages, and low pay that make it hard to fill vacancies. DPP said it already meets or beats existing review deadlines for residential permits and is using tools like electronic plans and AI to help applicants submit better plans. Several supporters, including Iron Workers Local 625, an individual witness, and Hawaii Food Industry Association, backed the bill but urged a pilot program or other safeguards; some also asked for broader permit coverage beyond single-family homes. Committee members questioned DPP about whether applicant correction time should count against the clock, whether self-certification could be used, and whether the state should fund any new mandate. The committee then took up SB 26 on affordable housing, with HHFDC, OPSD, and HCDA in support and no opposition noted. Finally, on SB 1263 relating to historic preservation, HHFDC and DLNR supported the bill, while OHA offered comments and requested amendments, especially on the new risk-based review process for high-, medium-, and low-risk areas. OHA said the new procedure should be implemented carefully and allowed more time, describing it as a pilot that should be done well to be useful while still protecting cultural and historic resources. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:13:58.800><c> isc><00:13:59.320><c> noc><00:13:59.560><c> harmc><00:14:00.240><c> uhc
• <c> andc><00:41:55.359><c> thesec><00:41:55.880><c> typesc><00:41:56.160><c> ofc> with Piropos
• and these types of with Piropos and these types of pesticides<00:41:57.560><c> isc><00:41:57.760><
• three<01:36:18.840><c> orc><01:36:19.000><c> fourc><01:36:19.320><c> typesc><01:36:19.880><c>
• ofc> three or four types of three or four types of pesticides<01:36:22.239><c> andc><01:36:22.400

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing of Senate and House committees focused on restricted use pesticides in Hawaiʻi, with opening remarks framing the issue as one of health, environmental impact, and state-level regulation. The briefing reviewed the history of pesticide disclosure efforts, including prior county actions, a 2016 court ruling that shifted responsibility to the state, and Act 45, which enabled disclosure of restricted use pesticide data. Speakers highlighted 2019 reporting data showing concentrated use in parts of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, especially near schools and communities, and identified fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene and metam sodium as among the heaviest-used products. Concerns were raised about potential links to cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive harms, Parkinson’s disease, and developmental effects, as well as the lack of long-term mixture studies and the need for better buffer zones, reporting, and farmer transition support. The Department of Agriculture’s pesticides program manager described the state’s regulatory framework, explaining the distinction between general use and restricted use pesticides and the department’s role under FIFRA and Hawaiʻi law. He outlined the branch’s enforcement, education/certification, registration, and laboratory functions, including inspections, complaint response, market surveillance, applicator certification, product review, groundwater protection modeling, and special registrations. He also noted staffing and resource limitations, including the absence of an in-house toxicologist and long-term monitoring capacity, and compared Hawaiʻi’s resources to California’s much larger pesticide regulatory program. He said the department supports Act 231, which was passed the previous year and is moving forward this session. A pediatrician speaking for the Hawaiʻi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized concerns about chronic low-level pesticide exposure in children, citing AAP policy statements and technical reports that associate exposure with cancer, leukemia, birth defects, neurobehavioral issues, and asthma. Drawing on work with the Kauaʻi Joint Fact Finding Task Force, the speaker said the group found the west side of the island to be an unhealthy community but could not prove causation because of missing drift, geospatial, and biomarker data. The testimony pointed to elevated cancer mortality, pneumonia admissions, obesity, dialysis, and developmental delay indicators, and described concerns about pesticide drift near schools and homes, including reports of children becoming ill after nearby spraying and low levels of chlorpyrifos detected in dust samples. An environmental health scientist from the University of Hawaiʻi described a pilot project using restricted use pesticide data in a public health context. She said the project began after seeing maps of Central Oʻahu pesticide use and aimed to pair GIS data with health and ethnicity data, while also conducting community focus groups. Preliminary focus group themes included calls to action, voting and policymaker awareness, concern about pesticide use near homes and fields, lack of community consent, and a desire to stay engaged. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• has not<00:50:30.960><c> beenc><00:50:31.200><c> anyc><00:50:31.440><c> typec><00:50:31.599><c
• > ofc><00:50:31.760><c> spectacularc> not been any type of spectacular not been any type of spectacular
• ><c> thosec><01:08:31.600><c> typesc><01:08:31.839><c> ofc> uh, fire, police, parks, those types
• of uh, fire, police, parks, those types of things<01:08:32.239><c> arec><01:08:32.400><c> funded
• c><01:08:57.440><c> Ifc><01:08:57.679><c> thisc><01:08:57.920><c> amendmentc> type of things.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> typec><00:35:38.960><c> ofc> significant uh depending on the type of significant uh depending
• on the type of cooling<00:35:39.440><c> systemc><00:35:39.760><c> usedc><00:35:39.920><c> andc
• ><00:35:40.160><c> thec><00:35:40.240><c> typec><00:35:40.400><c> ofc> cooling system used and
• thec><00:51:40.800><c> typec><00:51:40.960><c> ofc><00:51:41.040><c> permittingc><00:51:41.520
• ><c> wec> within the type of permitting we within the type of permitting we currently<00:51:42.000>

Bills: HF3793, HF3699, HF793, HF3322, HF3426

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for high-risk<00:12:43.000><c> MAc><00:12:43.200><c> providerc><00:12:43.600><c> types.
• c><00:12:43.920><c> Itc><00:12:44.040><c> requiresc> high-risk MA provider types.
• different<00:16:15.520><c> servicec><00:16:15.839><c> typesc><00:16:16.200><c> whoc><00:16:16.320
• typesc><00:16:20.880><c> toc><00:16:21.280><c> thec> It also adds provider types to the It also
• c><01:02:45.360><c> Umc><01:02:45.560><c> soc><01:02:45.680><c> thec> high-risk provider type

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> toc><00:12:10.120><c> givec><00:12:10.279><c> certainc><00:12:10.639><c> typesc><00:12:10.839
• ><c> ofc> employees have to give certain types of employees have to give certain types of notification
• ><c> typesc><00:41:38.480><c> ofc> adjudicators to hear those types of adjudicators to hear those
• types of cases<00:41:39.160><c> soc><00:41:39.520><c> soc><00:41:39.720><c> atc><00:41:39.920>
• and so that's the type<01:28:54.560><c> ofc><01:28:54.679><c> workerc><01:28:55.040><c> Ic><01

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:48:04.480><c> withc><00:48:04.720><c> thisc><00:48:05.280><c> typec> our previous experience
• with this type our previous experience with this type of<00:48:05.680><c> proposalc><00:48:06.240>
• type<00:48:23.839><c> toc><00:48:24.000><c> anotherc><00:48:24.960><c> umc><00:48:25.119><c> as
• /c><00:53:12.880><c> uhc><00:53:12.960><c> toc><00:53:13.200><c> whatc><00:53:13.839><c> types<
• /c><00:53:14.160><c> ofc> can speak at all uh to what types of can speak at all uh to what types of

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> linkedc><00:01:27.840><c> fromc><00:01:28.000><c> thec><00:01:28.080><c> briefingc> And
• the procurements types<00:27:08.400><c> ofc><00:27:08.520><c> questionsc><00:27:09.080><c> orc>
• <00:27:09.200><c> procurementc> types of questions or procurement types of questions or procurement
• :30:09.880><c> otherc><00:30:10.200><c> typesc><00:30:10.600><c> ofc> ability to use other types
• of ability to use other types of make<00:30:12.040><c> itc><00:30:12.160><c> easier.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Government Operations held an informational briefing with the State Procurement Office on its small business procurement program. SPO staff described the program’s purpose as expanding access to state contracting for small businesses, including veteran-, Native Hawaiian-, and women-owned firms, and said they are seeking to make the current five-year initiative permanent before it ends in June 2027. They reported outreach efforts, a new website and newsletter, statewide surveys, draft administrative rules, and a 38% increase in small business registrations in the HANS database. They also explained that the program is intended to support outreach, education, certification, compliance, and a statewide database to connect agencies with qualified small businesses. Committee members focused heavily on whether the program is producing measurable contract awards, not just registrations. The chair and senators questioned the definition of “small business,” noting that SPO currently relies on SBA standards in HANS and is considering a Hawaii-specific definition based on employees, revenue, and Hawaii residency. Members raised concerns that the data showed only a small number of registered businesses receiving awards and that the database does not yet track awards well enough to evaluate performance. SPO responded that the database has had funding gaps, that the position was only filled in February 2025, and that the agency is still building the system and rules needed to track outcomes accurately. A major theme was how to make the program more effective for very small or “micro” businesses and how to reduce the complexity of state procurement. Members discussed the difference between set-asides and bid preferences, with SPO explaining that set-asides are generally tied to RFPs and preferences to IFBs. The committee suggested that future rules should make participation easier, provide more training and hand-holding, and possibly create pathways for micro businesses or groups of small businesses to bid together. No votes or formal actions were taken; the briefing ended with the committee asking SPO to provide more performance data and clearer information on outreach results and database contents.

Transcript Highlights:

• on the this does have some restrictions on the type<00:22:32.559><c> ofc><00:22:32.720><c> housing
• <00:22:34.120><c> essentiallyc> type of housing it can be it essentially type of housing it can be
• ><00:25:00.440><c> thisc><00:25:00.559><c> typec><00:25:00.679><c> ofc> housing<00:25:04.120><c
• ><c> typec><00:27:11.799><c> ofc><00:27:12.080><c> rentc><00:27:12.480><c> capc> but again having
• some type of rent cap but again having some type of rent cap on<00:27:13.360><c> itc><00:27:14.360

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:54:46.000><c> fromc><00:54:46.400><c> thisc><00:54:46.720><c> typec><00:54:47.040><c> of
• c> have graduated from this type of have graduated from this type of program.<00:54:48.240><c> Inmates
• > mec><01:16:02.400><c> aboutc><01:16:02.719><c> thisc><01:16:02.960><c> typec><01:16:03.199>
• <c> ofc><01:16:03.440><c> idea,c> to talk to me about this type of idea, to talk to me about this
• type of idea, they<01:16:04.719><c> putc><01:16:04.880><c> mec><01:16:05.040><c> onc><01:16:05.199

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:09 State of the Judiciary: 00:02:33 The Corrections - KCTCS Reentry Program: 00:49:44 Update on 2022 RS SB 90: 01:27:49, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on the Judiciary met on November 6, 2025, approved the minutes, and welcomed guests including Kentucky Specialty Courts manager Elizabeth Nichols and Boyle/Mercer Family Court Judge Bruce Petri. The committee then heard the Chief Justice of Kentucky, Deborah Lambert, deliver her state of the judiciary address, focused largely on judicial branch funding, facilities, technology, and specialty court programs. Chief Justice Lambert said the branch is facing a projected $14.3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and asked lawmakers for supplemental support, access to reserve funds, and higher base appropriations to cover inflation and nondiscretionary costs. She also requested a 15% across-the-board pay increase for judicial branch employees, citing salary gaps with other state workers and declining judicial compensation relative to national averages. She emphasized that the branch has received a clean FY 2025 audit and said the requests were intended to sustain current operations rather than expand them. A major portion of her remarks covered court technology and facilities. She described the move to Chamberlain during Capitol renovations, the purchase of that building as a cost-saving measure, and the need to fund courtroom audio/video systems and a new statewide case management system. She also discussed courthouse maintenance, flood damage, mold issues, security system upgrades, and the $47 million asset preservation fund created last session, while asking for additional local facilities funding and one-time disaster-related support. Lambert highlighted specialty court and statewide program results, including foster care review boards, family recovery courts, court designated worker programs, drug and mental health courts, and the Judicial Commission on Mental Health. She thanked legislators for prior bills and support, including House Bill 1, Senate Bill 26, and the CES law, and said 2026 recommendations will focus on civil commitment reforms under KRS 202C. During questions, Senator Wheeler asked whether some courthouses are being overbuilt; Lambert said most facilities are inadequate, though some may be larger than needed, and that future needs and population changes must be considered. She also noted that virtual hearings and technology have improved efficiency. No votes or formal committee actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:07:14.400><c> HBc><00:07:14.960><c> 104c><00:07:15.840><c> FNc><00:07:16.720><c> uhc>
• ><c> toc><01:41:57.600><c> thec><01:41:58.239><c> typec><01:41:58.480><c> ofc><01:41:58.719><
• c> knowledgec> have access to the type of knowledge have access to the type of knowledge that<01:41
• mile to make sure they're receiving all of<01:50:20.400><c> thosec><01:50:20.639><c> typesc><01:50
• 50:22.880><c> theirc> of those types of services um, in their of those types of services um, in their

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:04:48.120><c> electricalc> clarifies what types of electrical clarifies what types of electrical
• type<00:42:25.000><c> activitiesc><00:42:25.840><c> only.
• c> type activities only. type activities only.
• ><c> differentc><01:19:29.360><c> typesc> million possibilities of different types million possibilities
• /c><01:19:38.480><c> intoc><01:19:38.640><c> theirc> type of work.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• uhc><00:02:53.280><c> thosec><00:02:53.519><c> typec><00:02:53.680><c> ofc> like Marshall County
• :50.200><c> typec> questions one in regard to uh this type questions one in regard to uh this type
• <c> uhc><00:48:35.000><c> thosec><00:48:35.319><c> thosec><00:48:35.559><c> typesc><00:48:35.760
• ><c> ofc><00:48:35.960><c> thingsc><00:48:36.319><c> soc> bypass uh those those types of things
• c><01:14:35.800><c> youc><01:14:35.920><c> knowc><01:14:36.320><c> ac> type of neglect that we

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, a proposal tied to the Southern Regional Education Board’s crisis recovery network. Senator West and Dr. Puit explained that, for an additional $10,000 in dues, Kentucky would help create a network of 40 trained counselors in each of the 16 Southern states to provide post-crisis stabilization and psychological first aid after events such as the Marshall County shooting. They emphasized that the effort would be complementary to local and state response, would run through the school district, would not replace therapeutic services, and would allow districts to coordinate parent notifications and other protocols as usual. Members asked about parent involvement and whether pastoral counselors could participate; the presenters said local districts would remain in charge and that pastors could be included if properly credentialed. The committee then voted, and SCR 43 passed with the expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up Senate Bill 207, the School of Innovation Act, with a committee substitute. Senator West described the bill as creating an optional path for districts to contract with an outside education service provider for a three-year school-of-innovation model, aimed at turning around low-performing schools or supporting other schools that want to innovate. He said the model would preserve core district functions such as transportation, facilities, and SEEK funding, while allowing waivers from certain statutes and regulations inside the school building. The committee substitute also added a high-quality instructional materials component, creating a vendor-supported repository of vetted instructional materials that KDE would still control, with testing data used to evaluate whether the materials were improving outcomes. Members questioned how the proposal differed from existing district-of-innovation law and what safeguards would exist for students. Senator West said the bill would repeal the unused district-of-innovation framework and replace it with a clearer process and guardrails, including KDE oversight, attendance rules, and authority to shut down a school arrangement for financial malfeasance. He also said the model could work with local partners, including superintendents’ associations, and could be used by magnet or other schools, not only low-performing ones. The discussion also touched on whether the bill would allow more flexibility in choosing third-party providers and whether it could support longer-term recovery and even philanthropy in schools. The transcript ends during the discussion of SB 207, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• DHSc><00:01:56.039><c> toc><00:01:56.320><c> comec><00:01:56.479><c> toc><00:01:56.680><c> the
• 00:01:59.640><c> Ic><00:01:59.960><c> believec><00:02:00.200><c> onc><00:02:00.759><c> thec>
• umc><00:02:27.280><c> we'rec><00:02:27.480><c> clearc><00:02:27.680><c> onc><00:02:27.800><c
• c><00:02:32.920><c> moneyc><00:02:33.480><c> receivedc><00:02:33.760><c> byc><00:02:33.959><c
• c><00:04:48.720><c> 56%c><00:04:49.720><c> ofc><00:04:49.880><c> itc><00:04:50.039><c> arec

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:00:53.120><c> surec><00:00:53.199><c> thec><00:00:53.440><c> chairc><00:00:53.600><c> of
• > fundc><00:01:10.560><c> uhc><00:01:10.720><c> toc><00:01:10.960><c> helpc><00:01:12.080><c>
• c> andc><00:01:12.960><c> fraudc><00:01:13.360><c> victimsc><00:01:13.920><c> recoverc> scam
• <c> sentc><00:01:46.880><c> toc><00:01:47.520><c> umc><00:01:47.759><c> thec><00:01:48.320><c
• ><c> thec><00:02:17.360><c> uhc><00:02:17.840><c> inc><00:02:18.080><c> thec><00:02:18.239><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those purely local uh<00:21:39.480><c> typesc><00:21:39.679><c> ofc><00:21:39.919><c> transactions
• c><00:21:40.919><c> soc><00:21:41.159><c> wec><00:21:41.279><c> doc> uh types of transactions
• ><c> heatsc><01:33:14.000><c> anotherc><01:33:14.480><c> typec><01:33:14.679><c> ofc><01:33:14.800
• type of fluid to create<01:33:15.639><c> thec><01:33:15.760><c> steamc><01:33:16.080><c> thatc
• 01:33:17.560><c> there'sc><01:33:17.840><c> anotherc><01:33:18.119><c> typec> turbine and then

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 19, 2025, and first heard SB 137 SD2 HD1 relating to electric utilities. The Division of Consumer Advocacy and the Public Utilities Commission said they stood on their written comments, IBEW Local 1260 supported the bill, and Ulupono Initiative also supported it. Hawaiian Electric supported the intent but asked for an amendment, saying the bill’s definition of “acquiring entity” was too broad and could unintentionally cover purely local utility transactions. A later witness from Life of the Land supported the bill only if the merger/acquisition language were removed, arguing the PUC would not have a workable mechanism to let a cooperative intervene in a utility sale process. Committee members questioned whether the bill could still work without that section, and Ulupono said it was open to clarifying language but did not seek to remove the provision; the discussion ended without a vote in the excerpt provided. The committee then took up SB 1220 SD2 relating to a renewable gas tariff. The Division of Consumer Advocacy and the PUC again stood on written comments. HGas strongly supported the measure, saying it would create a faster, more cost-effective path for a voluntary renewable gas tariff without requiring a full rate case, while preserving PUC oversight and consumer protections. The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas also supported the bill, emphasizing that it would expand consumer choice and help Hawaii’s clean energy goals while keeping the program voluntary and shielding non-participating customers from costs. Henry Curtis of Life of the Land opposed the bill, arguing that HGas already had an active rate case and could have raised the issue there, and that the proposal did not increase renewable gas supply or speed up acquisition; he called it a gimmick. In response, HGas said the bill was mainly a mechanism to speed filing and that the details would be worked out in a PUC docket. Committee members pressed HGas on whether the measure would actually add renewable gas, what source would be used, and whether customers would simply be paying more for the same gas; HGas said it had two projects in development, including banagrass and hydrogen-related work, and that the tariff would be a voluntary opt-in rate for customers seeking renewable natural gas to meet sustainability goals. No vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:09:51.519><c> wec><00:09:51.600><c> havec><00:09:51.720><c> ac><00:09:51.800><c> newc
• in that this there's a lot of resiliency in that this type<00:26:18.200><c> ofc><00:26:18.360><c>
• ><c> atc><00:26:19.679><c> thec> type of education does not occur at the type of education does not
• c> typec><01:13:18.280><c> ofc> issues if you're a different type of issues if you're a different
• type of farmer<01:13:18.800><c> ifc><01:13:18.920><c> youc><01:13:19.199><c> ifc><01:13:19.320

Bills: HF711, HF653

Keywords: agriculture, agricultural education, leadership development, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council, MAELC, chapter 41D, grant funding, general fund appropriation, commissioner of agriculture, farm education, youth agriculture programs, ag literacy, workforce development, extension education, research funding, extension services, technology transfer, grant programs, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• typec><00:54:41.359><c> ofc><00:54:41.599><c> situations.
• c><00:54:42.559><c> Butc><00:54:43.040><c> atc><00:54:43.280><c> somec> these type of situations
• c> type of things.
• ><c> morec><01:49:32.480><c> seriousc><01:49:33.440><c> trafficc><01:49:33.840><c> typec> legitimately
• more serious traffic type legitimately more serious traffic type offenses<01:49:34.639><c> thatc><

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened, established a quorum, approved the journal, and received several routine messages, including House-passed bills transmitted to the governor and the revisor. During moments of personal privilege, senators welcomed guests including members of the Persian Cultural Circle for the annual Naruse breakfast, a niece shadowing Senator Judah, and leadership from the Netherland Public Library. A tribute recognizing March 20, 2026 as Naruse Day was read into the record, celebrating the Persian New Year and the Iranian-American community. On the consent calendar, House Bill 1191 passed 33-0. The bill concerns audits of school districts receiving state education fund money for capital construction projects for qualified charter schools, making the state auditor’s examination discretionary rather than mandatory. The Senate then laid over third reading of bills until March 24, 2026, pulled House Bill 1098 off consent for later consideration, and authorized the Joint Budget Committee to conduct business while the Senate was in session. The chamber then resolved into Committee of the Whole and adopted House Bills 1180 and 1189 on second reading. HB 1180 continues the Business Intelligence Center Advisory Board sunset process by repealing the board, while HB 1189 addresses property held by a community property spouse under the Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act. The committee report was adopted 33-0 and the bills were ordered revised and placed on the third-reading calendar. The committee also took up Senate Bill 112, concerning defendants who fail to appear in court and allowing certain pretrial release conditions for repeat failures to appear. Sponsor testimony emphasized that the bill was amended to use language from prior legislation and now focuses on repeated, willful failures to appear in the same case, with safeguards for municipal courts and situations where counsel is present. Supporters, including Senator Carson, argued the measure gives local courts a narrow tool to address repeated nonappearance and reduce burdens on judges, law enforcement, victims, and taxpayers; the discussion continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

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• <01:33:29.360><c> capacityc><01:33:29.840><c> thatc><01:33:30.080><c> wec> types of things that
• :12.320><c> typesc><01:37:12.560><c> ofc><01:37:12.880><c> upc><01:37:13.119><c> toc><01:37:13.360
• uh potential homeowners<01:43:55.119><c> ofc><01:43:55.440><c> thosec><01:43:55.679><c> typesc
• ><01:43:55.920><c> ofc><01:43:56.080><c> homesc><01:43:56.320><c> forc> homeowners of those types

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 2592, which would clarify the powers of the Mauna Stewardship and Oversight Authority regarding land use on Mauna Akea and related property transfers. The Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the rural property transfer but objected to language transferring conservation district use permits, saying CDUPs normally run with the land rather than being assigned to specific telescopes or observatories. The University of Hawaiʻi and the observatories generally supported the bill but urged clearer language, especially on the transfer of real property assets, related obligations and liabilities, and the inclusion of milestones for the transition. Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill’s overall intent but warned that some language could be overbroad and might improperly waive future beneficiary claims. Several testifiers opposed the measure, arguing it ignored DHHL lands and beneficiary rights, while others supported it as a way to clarify the authority’s role. Members questioned DLNR about the practical effects of transferring CDUP responsibility, and the committee emphasized that the bill was narrowly focused on specific land. The committee then took up House Bill 2593, which would authorize the Mauna Stewardship and Oversight Authority to extend existing leases and subleases for up to 10 years. The authority explained that the bill does not itself extend any lease, but instead gives the authority discretion to initiate a transparent public process if extensions are needed. The University of Hawaiʻi supported the concept but said the timing of any extension matters and noted possible legal requirements under state law. The observatories also supported the bill, describing it as a flexible tool during a broader transition process and noting that the authority has held many public planning workshops. Opponents, including Native Hawaiian and community testifiers, argued that the conservation lands should receive the highest protection, that the community had not consented, and that the observatories have had decades to plan ahead. One testifier urged the bill be deferred or killed for lack of clarity. In response to questions, the committee clarified that the bill only authorizes a process and does not itself extend leases, and that any extension would require public participation. The final measure discussed in the excerpt was House Bill 2047, relating to the AHAPU advisory committee. The discussion focused on the committee’s administrative relationship to the Department of Land and Natural Resources and whether DLNR should oversee basic legal compliance issues such as Sunshine Law and legislative reporting. DLNR explained that the committee is administratively attached to the department, which provides support on human resources, procurement, and legal questions, but that the committee itself generally handles its own operations. The department said it would route compliance questions to its attorneys and implement their advice. The hearing then moved on to House Bill 2231, which would transfer appointment authority for island burial council members from the governor and Senate to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees. OHA said it generally supported the change for geographic moku representatives, since it already nominates candidates for those seats, but expressed concern about taking on appointment authority for the large landowner seats because that role is less directly tied to its statutory duties.