Transcript Highlights:

• top of the global list for tourism taxes, and warns that local families, restaurant workers, tour operators
• have choices and may choose elsewhere, which could hurt local families, restaurant workers, tour operators
• that run restaurants people that are that run restaurants people that are tour<00:12:49.680> operators
• um workers at hotels all tour operators um workers at hotels all of<00:12:52.839> these<00:12
• And this law, when enacted, is a measure for transparent display fees.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the House Committees on Tourism, Housing, and Economic Development and Technology began with House Bill 604, which would raise the transient accommodations tax by 1 percentage point starting January 1, 2026 and direct the revenue to the Hawaiian Homes General Loan Fund. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands supported the bill as a source of consistent funding, while the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed it, warning that Hawaii already has very high tourism taxes and that further increases could hurt visitors, workers, and the broader economy. The committees later voted to pass HB 604 with amendments as an HD1 and to defer the date; the vote was adopted, with one member noted as having reservations in the housing committee vote and one no vote in that committee. The committees then heard House Bill 973, which would require transient accommodations brokers and others to display all resort fees, taxes, and government-imposed charges upfront in advertised prices and would establish penalties. The Office of Consumer Protection expressed concerns about the bill’s intent requirement and noted a forthcoming federal FTC rule on junk fees; the Hawaii Hotel Alliance strongly supported the measure as promoting transparency and uniformity, and a public witness also supported price transparency while questioning the size of the penalties. After questions about federal rescission of the FTC rule and enforcement authority, the committees voted to pass HB 973 with amendments as an HD1, including removal of the intent requirement and technical changes, and the recommendation was adopted unanimously. House Bill 594, relating to hotel service disruptions, would require hotel keepers to give notice of disruptions to guests and third-party vendors and allow damages. The Attorney General’s office recommended amendments to add a purpose section and savings clause to address First Amendment and contract clause issues, and Unite Here Local 5 supported the bill, saying guests are not always notified of disruptions and that the measure would improve transparency; the union agreed with the legal amendments. The committees voted to pass HB 594 with amendments as an HD1 and to defer the date, adopting the recommendation. The final measures were House Bill 448 and House Bill 449, both related to technology enablement and economic development for small businesses, including tourism-related businesses. HTDC strongly supported both bills but emphasized that technology should be targeted to the actual problem and coordinated with sister agencies rather than applied broadly; the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Chamber of Commerce also supported HB 448, and HB 449 received support from HTDC and HFIA. The committees adopted amendments to HB 448, including moving a $250,000 appropriation to the committee report, and to HB 449, including deleting duplicative language tied to HB 448 and moving a $500,000 appropriation to the committee report; both bills were passed as HD1s with deferred dates, and the hearing adjourned after the votes were adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, this is an operating request. Yes, this is an operating request. Okay, all right.
• <01:50:22.040> or for long-term care operations or for long-term care operations or something
• clear budget no cap on assessment fees clear budget no cap on assessment fees and<02:21:33.399><
• <03:01:26.040> um so that's one of the ca of operating um so that's one of the ca of operating
• not going to be able to operate so we're not going to be able to operate so we're going<03:49:56.720>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3454 by Tony Tinderholt relating to the liability of vehicle storage facility operators for money
• HB 3497 by Richard Hayes relating to fees required to be provided by a tenant or prospective tenant in
• HB 3503 by Drew Darby relating to the social work licensure compact authorizing fees for the Committee
• HB 3505 by Lacey Hull relating to the continuation of operation of a healthcare provider participation
• HB 3519 by Lyle Larson relating to increasing criminal penalties and authorizing a fee for offenses,

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, Madam Chair, facility fees are fees that we're seeing increasingly on consumer health care bills
• We also know that these fees don’t... ...facility fees make it more confusing and expensive.
• So if you go in and they say the facility fee is twice what the fee is, you can say not today and they
• So these are fees that these hospitals are claiming for overhead fees.
• Representative Lord asked whether the facilities cannot charge the fee or must let the fee be known.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These fees go coastal cleanup funds.
• Uh my question is the fees question.
• Uh the fees Thank you for the question.
• be improving business operations be improving business operations technology<02:44:14.880> and
• <02:44:19.439> infrastructure digital and operational infrastructure digital and operational

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they transferred their operations.
• they transferred their operations.
• how we are able to operate statewide.
• operating restrictions in caps.
• Short-term rentals are primary issues, including tax assessments, unfair permitting fees, and operating

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 2265 narrows what Arizona courts may charge criminal defendants by prohibiting various court fees
• It would also limit courts from creating any new fees against criminal defendants unless the legislature
• The Senate amended the bill by removing the limit on courts creating new fees.
• The Senate amended the bill by removing the limit on courts creating new fees against criminal defendants
• for certain waste disposal fees and contributions.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The intent was that everybody would pay that fee with regards to House Bill 1998. program, but the way
• One additional fee, not two? Because I thought they only paid two.
• No, it's a standard. $15 fee, but we're expanding the basket. OK, thank you. Yes, ma'am.
• I just think it's interesting that a one-time fee of making sure that your staff—I mean, we made all
• We operate over 1,200 shelter beds in this city.

Bills: SB1117, SB1373, SB672, SB1986, SB1098, SB626, SB1784, SB2480, SB2487, SB437, SB660

Keywords: dentistry, botulinum toxin, aesthetic treatments, dental regulation, training, medical staff privileges, hospital administration, healthcare regulation, Texas Health and Safety Code, consistency in privileges, SB 672, Texas hospital emergency operations plan, hospital diversion, emergency department, cyberattack, cyber security, power outage, electrical outage, patient diversion, hospital preparedness

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, they still pay that fee.
• You still have to register, and you still have to pay the fee.
• We do not operate 24 hours, and we're not a pedestrian bridge as well.
• So we run the toll operation.
• It's already operating, and there's been no accidents.

Bills: HB767, HB 1242, HB1373, HB1404, HB1708, HB1936, HB2041, HB2198, HB2270, HB2315, HB2415, HB2427, HB2455, HB2457, HB2522, HB2523, HB2686, HB2763, HB2775, HB2944, HB3034, HB1683, HB1695

Keywords: highway designation, memorial, Montgomery County, Paul P. Mendes, transportation, HB 1242, Texas Transportation Code, U.S. Highway 281, Brooks County, Ernesto Soliz Cantu, memorial highway, road naming, TxDOT, road signage, commemorative resolution, memorial markers, county road 304, Huppergate Road, Los Robles Trail, Farm-to-Market Road

Transcript Highlights:

• The operative word is triage.
• But the operating costs are there; the agency operating costs are there.
• The operating costs are there; the agency operating costs are there.
• single fee program.
• a solid waste operator.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented an overview of its budget and operations, emphasizing that it is the lowest-spending agency in state government and that its general fund allocation has declined since 2019. Commissioner Arling House explained that DAS also handles back-office functions for several administratively attached boards, which has affected staffing and spending comparisons. He said the department’s current general fund spending is roughly split between retiree health and other operations, and that the presentation was based on adjusted authorized spending rather than the original budget figures. A major portion of the meeting focused on retiree health benefits and the long-term effort to control costs. Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane described how the state moved from a projected deficit in retiree health to savings through a series of changes, including higher premium contributions, co-pay adjustments, and shifting Medicare retirees into Medicare Advantage arrangements to capture federal reimbursement. She said the state has about 12,500 retirees and spouses on the plan, with roughly 10,906 Medicare retirees and 1,580 non-Medicare retirees, and that the savings have depended heavily on federal funding and procurement decisions. She also noted that Medicare retirees pay Part B premiums and that the state has grandfathered older retirees from some premium contributions. Members asked about what the expenditures cover, why the state offers retiree health instead of simply giving retirees a payment to buy coverage themselves, and whether out-of-pocket costs changed under Medicare Advantage. Keane said the plan covers actual health claims or insurance premiums, that co-pays and maximum out-of-pocket limits remain in place, and that the state has no authority to change benefit details without legislative action. She explained that retiree health is a long-standing employee benefit that wraps around Medicare and is not collectively bargained in the usual sense, though its eligibility rules and cost-sharing have been tightened over time to better target the benefit to long-term state service. The discussion also covered vendor performance problems. Keane said Anthem recently won the contract back from Aetna, but its pharmacy subsidiary, Caroline, caused serious service disruptions. DAS responded by withholding payments, assessing more than $2 million in performance guarantees, and hiring a third-party auditor to review the pharmacy processes. The current contract runs through the end of calendar year 2026, and officials said they are watching federal Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes closely because future savings are uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• The hearing will operate under the new joint rules adopted by the House and Senate.
• That means most farms, 64% of them, are already operating at a loss on their direct agricultural operations
• First, it's the most expensive U-Fund option at 1.22% fees.
• First, it's the most expensive U-fund option at 1.22% fees.
• Second, it only guarantees at 1.22% fees. Second, it only guarantees coal exclusion.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the co-chairs explaining committee procedures, testimony limits, submission instructions, and the new deadlines for acting on House and Senate bills. The committee then heard testimony on several bills related to agriculture, land use, environment, housing, transportation, and taxation, with legislators often taken out of turn. No votes were taken during the hearing. The first major topic was H. 3206, a bill to allow fossil fuel-free 529 college savings plans to qualify for the state tax deduction if MEFA does not offer a comparable option. Representative Steve Owens said the bill would not force MEFA or Fidelity to change existing plans, but would create a definition for fossil fuel-free funds and extend the deduction to qualifying out-of-state plans. The committee also heard strong local testimony on a Belmont home-rule petition, H. 3970, to change tax treatment for the Belmont Country Club under Chapter 61B. Belmont residents and officials argued the private golf course receives an unfair tax break that shifts costs to other taxpayers, while Senator Brownsberger and Representative Rogers supported the measure as a way to help the town recover revenue. Committee members asked about town meeting support, the club’s lack of payment in lieu of taxes, and the size of the tax savings. The committee next heard testimony on a vehicle miles traveled tax proposal, S. 1925, from Senator Barrett and economists Gilbert Metcalf and Christopher Knittel. They argued that declining gas-tax revenue and rising fuel efficiency, especially with electric vehicles, require a more stable transportation funding source; they also said a VMT tax could be designed to be revenue-neutral and mildly progressive, though members raised concerns about administration, fairness, EV disincentives, and the possibility of annual tax shocks. The largest block of testimony focused on the Ahead Act, H. 3194/S. 1973, which would double the deed excise fee and dedicate the new revenue to affordable housing and climate adaptation. Supporters from MACDC, MAPC, FICC, Boston Climate Action Network, CLF, 350 Mass, CHAPA, and a tenant advocate said the bill could generate about $300 million annually for housing production, vouchers, weatherization, resilience, and environmental justice communities, and that it links two urgent crises with a stable funding stream. The committee also heard testimony on the Conservation Land Tax Credit bills, H. 3147/S. 2083, which would raise the annual cap on the credit from $2 million to $5 million for three years and then sunset back down. Conservation groups and a landowner said the program has conserved thousands of acres and that the higher cap would reduce delays and help meet state conservation goals. Finally, the committee took testimony on the Fairness for Farm Workers bills, S. 2011/H. 3107 and S. 2012, which would extend overtime, minimum wage, breaks, and paid time off protections to farm workers and include a refundable tax credit to help farmers offset overtime costs. Senator Gomez and advocates described the bills as overdue civil rights and public health measures, citing low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and the racial history behind farm labor exclusions. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3240, a bill to give municipalities a local option vacancy tax on chronically vacant shopping malls, with the sponsor arguing it would help towns address blight, encourage redevelopment, and potentially create housing and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:28.560> 247 institutions still need to operate 247 institutions still need to operate
• So very, very small operating budget there. So very, very small operating budget there.
• So very very small operating members. So very very small operating budget<02:09:26.239> there.
• operational challenges ahead. operational challenges ahead.
• general fund operating general fund operating budget. budget. budget.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides language that reduces the 50% cap of added fees to 25%.
• First, it could charge the same rates, fees, and charges to the extraterritorial customers that it is
• After holding a public hearing, the rates, fees, and charges must be just and equitable and based on
• Used to derive the rates, fees, and charges for the municipal customers.
• Unfortunately, as the bill is written, doesn't just impact costs and fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the implementation fees and the recording fees and all of the fees that go along with that.
• 40:13.760> along fees and all of the fees that go along fees and all of the fees that go along
• And the way that family farms operate is they operate among their family to operate their farm.
• And the way that family farms operate is they operate among their family to operate their farm.
• is they operate among their family to operate their farm.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We operated under contract. It's been happening for like 50 years.
• We operated under contract. It's been happening for like 50 years.
• They come from the trap tag, the permit tag, and trap tag fees.
• I'm just curious about the trap fee surplus, I guess you referred to it as.
• That don't cost an arm and a leg to operate, and we want everybody to have a chance.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held its annual State of the Fishery forum, focusing on salmon, Dungeness crab, kelp, ocean conditions, and related aquaculture and committee reports. Opening remarks from committee leadership emphasized climate impacts, reduced federal NOAA support, state investments through Proposition 4, coastal resilience funding, and the importance of fisheries to rural economies and tribal communities. Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot described a decade of drought and climate stress, highlighted progress such as Klamath River dam removal, wetland restoration, and the state’s salmon strategy, and warned that federal funding uncertainty and staffing cuts could undermine restoration and fishery recovery efforts. Senator Cortese raised concerns about illegal cannabis cultivation damaging riparian habitat and water flows, and both Crowfoot and Fish and Wildlife Director Bonham said enforcement against illicit grows remains a major environmental priority but is constrained by resources. Director Bonham provided a broad update on California fisheries, reporting encouraging signs for salmon after several difficult years, including improved ocean conditions, stronger returns in some runs, and successful short recreational openings in 2025. He also noted major challenges, including reduced federal hatchery production at Nimbus, ongoing uncertainty around winter-run and spring-run recovery, and the need for continued habitat restoration, monitoring, and hatchery investment. On Dungeness crab, Bonham said the fishery remained valuable but constrained by whale entanglement risk, warming ocean conditions, and domoic acid concerns; he described new marked-line distribution, ropeless and alternative gear trials, and ongoing aerial and vessel monitoring. He also said the department’s unified cannabis enforcement task force had served numerous warrants and seized large amounts of illegal cannabis, but more funding is needed for sustained operations. In the salmon panel, Yurok Tribe fisheries director McCovey said the Klamath still faces low run sizes, climate-driven warming, wildfire impacts, and federal uncertainty, but he pointed to dam removal, restoration work, and AB 263’s river-flow protections as major advances. PCFFA president Bradshaw stressed that the three consecutive salmon closures have devastated coastal communities and argued for major reinvestment in aging Central Valley hatchery infrastructure and better broodstock management at Fall Creek. CalTrout’s Schneider said salmon remain at risk statewide, but cited Prop 4, habitat reconnection, floodplain restoration, improved water management, and monitoring as the main tools for recovery. In the crab panel, CDFW’s Schumann reported that the 2024–25 season produced record prices per pound and about $55 million in value despite delays and trap reductions, but he warned that three confirmed whale entanglements and elevated whale presence could force a conservative opener for 2025–26. PCFFA’s Domrash supported marked line, alternative gear, and a new gear-recovery network, while also criticizing the current ramp system as a response to a problem not fully grounded in science.

Transcript Highlights:

• You mentioned that you were only operating at $200,000.
• On the next page, the regulatory fees.
• The regulatory fees per the compact are the fees that the tribes have agreed to pay the state in lieu
• Fees, but that, again, that's a separate fee from the revenue-sharing fees.
• I'm very concerned about the way they operate.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sure you heard Senator Inhoosa's questions regarding the IOLTA fees and the reduction in those fees
• A court where filing fees are paid.
• So yes, 19% of our annual reports... ...has been operational.
• We also get a little fee from lawyers in terms of their licensing, and then there is a fee on surety
• Brazos County wanted to expand their operation.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant. The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit. A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, I teach a range safety officer course, and to do that I have to teach how to operate different
• <00:28:15.640> different<00:28:15.919> types<00:28:16.120> of how to operate
• different types of how to operate different types of firearms<00:28:17.399> you<00:28:17.519>
• and you can also um there's operations and you can also um there's there's<01:57:10.880> a<01
• if the judge finds that attorney fees amount is reasonable.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs met on February 19, 2025, and first heard House Bill 150, which would prohibit lending a firearm to someone who does not have a firearm permit or a registered firearm. The Department of Law Enforcement and the Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, though HPD said enforcing any time limit on a loaned firearm would be difficult. Several members of the public opposed the measure, arguing it would interfere with lawful lending for hunting, competitions, training, military-related use, and family situations, and could create unintended criminal liability. One supporter said the bill would strengthen gun safety and encourage more responsible ownership. No vote was taken during the testimony portion described. The committee then heard House Bill 186, which would make harassment by stalking a class C felony. The Office of the Public Defender requested deferral, arguing the bill would remove a misdemeanor option that can help deter escalation and could be unnecessarily severe and burdensome. Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying stalking can be a precursor to more serious violence. The Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney raised concerns about how the new felony would fit within the existing grading scheme, noting that aggravated harassment by stalking and first-degree terroristic threatening are already class C felonies. April Bautista testified in strong support, describing her own experience with domestic violence and stalking and urging passage of the bill. Committee members discussed whether other penalty structures might be possible, but no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard House Bill 991, which would delete the term “agent of the contractor” from criminal history record check provisions to comply with FBI requirements. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center supported the bill with comments, explaining that the FBI had found the term too broad for fingerprint-based background checks tied to access to federal tax information. In addition, House Bill 995 was introduced, changing deadlines for annual firearms carry reporting; the Department of the Attorney General supported it, saying the revised deadlines would allow a more complete report, and HPD was also heard on the measure. The transcript ends before any votes or final committee actions on these bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• fees for each registration year.
• /c><00:20:23.520> registrant the registration fees, the registrant the registration fees, the
• shall pay all registration permit fees shall pay all registration permit fees and<00:20:26.480><
• Senator Carson, will keep operating.
• authority to operate state government. authority to operate state government.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not actually raise the fees; it just raises the caps on the fees.
• But why is it, **Madam Chair**, that only the commercial fees...
• The fees have been stagnant for over 50 years.
• These fees will help ...to increase our staff.
• These fees will help me cover those fee-based programs and get more staff online. Thank you.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: During the legislative meeting, House Bill 287 was discussed, which proposes the establishment of a permanent Health and Human Services Committee to oversee the state's $14.4 billion expenditure in this area. An amendment to the bill was adopted, which clarified funding and operational details. Public comments were solicited, but no one spoke in opposition. The committee ultimately voted, with some members expressing concerns about budget implications, but the motion to pass the bill as amended was made and seconded, with several members opposing it. House Bill 371 was also addressed, which focuses on creating an Acequia Infrastructure Fund to support land grant and Acequia communities. The bill aims to provide a financial mechanism for these communities to access funds for infrastructure projects without relying on capital outlay requests. The committee discussed the bill's implications, potential funding sources, and the need for further amendments regarding representation and oversight. A motion to pass the bill was made, with some opposition noted, particularly regarding the lack of specificity in the bill's provisions. Lastly, Senate Bill 143 was presented, which seeks to raise the caps on inspection fees under the Egg Grading Act, among other agricultural regulations. Supportive testimony was provided by representatives from agricultural organizations, emphasizing the need for updated fee structures. The committee engaged in discussions about the bill's implications for consumers and the agricultural sector, ultimately moving towards a vote to pass the bill.