Transcript Highlights:

• The motion is to re-refer to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee.
• <00:09:22.079> committee<00:09:22.440> wanted they in the workforce committee wanted
• they in the workforce committee wanted to<00:09:22.880> address<00:09:23.200> was<00:09
• The bill is on to the Workforce Development Committee.
• NOS the bill is on to the Workforce NOS the bill is on to the Workforce Development<00:31:49.159

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard extended discussion on House File 8, a bill aimed at changing Minnesota’s permitting and environmental review process. Supporters said the bill is intended to help small and medium-sized businesses and projects that face long delays, and argued that the proposal does not lower environmental standards. They described the bill as modeled in part on provisions used in other states, including a staggered permitting process and an expedited option, and said the goal is to improve transparency, reporting, and real-time public access to permit information. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could also benefit large corporations and major industrial projects, including mining and other large facilities, rather than just smaller businesses. Several lawmakers questioned the use of county-based public input, the lack of tribal consultation, and how the bill would interact with treaty rights and communities outside the affected county. Others argued that the bill could create risks by speeding permits for bad actors or by allowing larger entities to pay for expedited treatment. Testimony also referenced examples from the Minnesota Chamber’s report, with a witness disputing the claim that permitting alone drove companies out of Minnesota and saying those cases involved more complex facts. The committee first considered a motion to lay the bill on the table, but that motion failed on a 5-7 roll call. The committee then voted on a motion to re-refer House File 8, as amended, to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. That motion passed 7-5, and the bill was sent on to that committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, this will healthcare workforce bill.
• it aligns with New Hampshire workforce it aligns with New Hampshire workforce trends<00:18:39.679
• our healthcare workforce solution. our healthcare workforce solution.
• > and<00:19:03.280> especially workforce that's growing and especially workforce that's
• discretionary funds tied to workforce discretionary funds tied to workforce policy<00:20:54.080>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have degrees in hand, some go straight for the workforce.
• They have degrees in hand, some go straight for the workforce.
• credential Minnesota faces a Workforce credential Minnesota faces a Workforce shortage<01:18:10.199
• Minnesota students in the workforce need these changes now.
• <01:25:27.280> shortages we can address the workforce shortages we can address the workforce

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our community, workforce, and economy depend on it.
• Our community, workforce, and economy depend on it.
• Our community,<00:41:46.000> workforce,<00:41:46.560> and<00:41:46.800> economy<
• 00:41:47.359> depend community, workforce, and economy depend community, workforce, and economy
• Hawaii Pacific Health and all of our hospitals, we are dedicated to having a safe workforce.

Bills: SB2275, SB2390, SB2540, SB3142, SB2414, SB2340, SB2848

Keywords: Medicaid, disability, buy-in program, workers with disabilities, income eligibility, premium structure, biomarker testing, health insurance, medical coverage, state law, health maintenance organization, juvenile justice, youth penalties, minors, court fees, court costs, fines, surcharges, restitution, fee waiver

Summary: The House Committee on Health heard testimony on a series of bills related to public health, pharmacy regulation, disability access, and health care infrastructure. HB 1535, creating an income tax credit for automated external defibrillator installations, drew support from the Department of Health, tax department comments, and public testimony emphasizing AED access in community and transit settings. HB 1765, requiring safety warnings for spear fishing gear, received comments from DLNR and strong support from a free-diving safety advocate who described blackout risks and argued for point-of-sale warnings. HB 1549, which would repeal the law prohibiting drug paraphernalia, drew mixed testimony: the Department of Health, the Public Defender, and harm-reduction advocates supported repeal as a public health measure, while HPD and a county prosecutor opposed it, warning it could encourage drug use and create public safety issues. The committee also heard HB 1550, which would exclude drug testing products from the definition of drug paraphernalia. The Department of Health and harm-reduction advocates supported the bill, saying drug checking tools save lives and help prevent overdoses, while one written opponent was noted. HB 1995, allowing people who are blind or deaf to receive disabled parking permits, drew opposition from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Disability and Communication Access Board, and other opponents, while a few written supporters were also noted. HB 1671, allowing licensed dental hygienists to place interim therapeutic restorations in public health settings, received support from the Department of Health and several oral health organizations, with the Board of Dentistry offering comments. HB 1643, establishing a framework for pharmacy audits and record retrieval, prompted the most extended discussion. The Board of Pharmacy and independent pharmacy representatives supported the bill as a needed framework to limit burdensome audits and protect patient care, while HMSA raised concerns about possible conflicts with upcoming federal PBM reforms and potential unintended consequences. Committee members questioned both sides about timing and workload, and supporters argued the bill was needed now to protect rural and independent pharmacies. Finally, HB 1978, appropriating funds for a new outpatient care center in North Kona, received strong support from Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Queen’s Health Systems, the Kona-Kohala Chamber, and others, who described it as a long-term investment in West Hawaii’s health care capacity and economy. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• sources of dogs and cats sold at pet stores, providing a civil penalty for the Committee on Trade, Workforce
• Environmental Quality for the storage, taking, or diversion of state water, for the Committee on Trade, Workforce
• relates to the wages paid to certain workers with disabilities, referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce
• tenant or prospective tenant in connection with the residential lease for the Committee on Trade, Workforce
• increasing criminal penalties and authorizing a fee for offenses, referred to the Committee on Trade, Workforce

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we know how to do this when it comes to integrating workforce development solutions into new tech.
• So some of the workforce pieces that tie to ag we want to do the same thing with.
• The career rating is industry certifications allow for the workforce that we need because they don't
• This is a workforce development piece. And this makes sense when it comes to workforce development.
• But that's pretty much what we're talking about when we're talking about integrating workforce with the

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• From, you know, foster care, incarceration, workforce, all of those things.
• for it to be statewide, and that's really imperative in order to partner with all of, you know, workforce
• worked well with Robert Magoo, the chief information officer, and with Launch, and many of those workforce
• And that's really imperative in order to partner with all of, you know, workforce, with veterans, partner
• Um, and, um, many of those workforce initiatives and, um, and with the, uh, 1033, you know, uh, pilots

Summary: The committee first approved a motion, then heard a lengthy presentation on homelessness policy and behavioral health. Testimony focused on the view that Arkansas should shift toward more data-driven, outcomes-based responses to homelessness, including stronger treatment options for serious mental illness and substance use disorder, better data collection, provider accountability, and possible statewide use of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model. Speakers from Fort Smith, Restore Hope, Our House, and Western Arkansas Counseling described local work, the need for better coordination across providers, and the role of crisis services, ACT teams, and employment support. Members asked about sex offender tracking, the difference between sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, how to scale successful programs statewide, and whether Arkansas could apply for a statewide Continuum of Care or CCBHC planning grant. The discussion also touched on camping bans, civil commitment, and federal funding changes, with several speakers urging the state to pursue the CCBHC planning grant and more transparent reporting systems. After the homelessness discussion, the committee moved through a series of Department of Energy and Board of Nursing rule reviews. DEQ proposed updating the post-closure cleanup threshold for solid waste matters from $50,000 to $2 million to match Act 791 of 2025, and members asked about financial assurance and oversight; the rule was reviewed without objection. The Board of Nursing then presented multiple rule changes tied to recent acts, including adding fees for dialysis patient care technician registration, expanding contact-information requirements, implementing APRN delegation authority to unlicensed workers, clarifying APRN authority for death certificates and durable medical equipment prescriptions, updating certified medication assistant training and insulin-injection authority, and conforming independent-practice rules for clinical nurse specialists. Each rule was reviewed without objection. Near the end of the meeting, Senator Irvin announced that UAMS had completed its NCI designation submission for the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute, calling it an important milestone for the state. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> For an announcement, Economic Workforce Development will meet immediately upon recess in 409 for
• Development will meet Economic Workforce Development will meet immediately<00:21:13.920> upon
• >> The economic and workforce development meets today upon recess in room 409.
• >> The economic and workforce development meets today upon recess in room 409.
• <00:25:57.440> development uh economic and workforce development uh economic and workforce

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 3 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with an invocation by Reverend Vincent Russell of Greater Fairview Baptist Church, and then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. The bulk of the meeting consisted of introductions and recognitions of guests in the galleries, including representatives of the Red Cross, Omega Psi Phi members, local chamber of commerce and county officials, a Jackson Municipal Airport Authority representative, a doctor of the day, junior pages, and several Jackson State University Day at the Capitol guests and administrators. Members also made a series of announcements about committee meetings and Capitol events. These included meetings for Finance, Appropriations, Energy, Judiciary A and B, Public Health and Welfare, Public Property, Veterans and Military Affairs, Economic and Workforce Development, Universities and Colleges, Local and Private, and others. Announcements also highlighted special events such as William Carey University Capital Day, Jackson State University Day at the Capitol, the Mississippi Songwriters and Hall of Fame luncheon, the Mississippi Forestry Commission's 100-year celebration, and choir performances by New Albany High School and Newton County High School. No substantive floor debate or votes on legislation were recorded in the transcript beyond procedural motions. The Senate agreed to recess, first until 4:00 p.m. and later until 8:00 p.m. or until the last committee report was filed, with the journal to reflect adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next morning. Members also requested that the Senate adjourn in memory of Brigadier General George Cronia and James Jefferson.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of our students graduate totally debt-free and are able to enter the workforce and be successful
• That's what Our whole state university system and our workforce system in higher education is all about
• We've really put a major emphasis on workforce in this budget.
• We put $79.3 million in workforce development capitalization incentive grant funds to our public schools
• Eligible to receive this line funding and to improve our workforce.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 498, Representative Duval, an act establishing the adult workforce diploma pilot program.
• 49.520> establishing<00:29:50.159> the<00:29:50.480> adult<00:29:50.960> workforce
• act establishing the adult workforce act establishing the adult workforce diploma<00:29:52.080><
• House Bill 435 to economic development<00:36:43.119> and<00:36:43.440> workforce<00:36:
• development and workforce investment. development and workforce investment.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:11 Report of Committees 06:05 Orders of the Day/HB 320 07:52 HB 366 14:55 HB 389 17:22 HB 56 22:10 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 25:47 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 29:20 Petition of Impeachment Filed 31:24 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 32:03 ConC/Rules Report 36:31 Floor Amendments 37:29 Adjournment 37:47, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the pledge, recorded 96 members present, excused absences, and approved the journal from January 27, 2026. The Senate clerk announced passage of Senate Bills 17 and 181 and requested concurrence. Committee reports advanced a number of bills on health insurance, judiciary, local government, and transportation topics, including measures on pharmacist reimbursements, hearing aid coverage, feeding and eating disorders, grooming a minor, local government liability, water fluoridation, cigar bars, chickens on residential property, highway pavement markings, motor vehicle titles, and pedestrian issues; all favorable reports were treated as first readings and placed on the calendar. The House then took up and passed House Bill 320 on human trafficking, with the sponsor explaining it would equalize penalties for promoting human trafficking with those for trafficking itself and increase the penalty when the victim is under 18. A member asked whether the bill included additional funding for cyber enforcement; the sponsor replied it was not an appropriation and would not require new funding, though prior budgets had increased support for anti-trafficking efforts. The House adopted a title amendment changing the bill’s title to combating human trafficking. The chamber also passed House Bill 366, which clarifies that materials portraying a sexual performance by a minor include computer-generated images and requires 85% service of the sentence before probation or parole; the sponsor said it was supported by law enforcement and prosecutors. House Bill 389 on reading and writing in schools also passed as amended by House Committee Substitute 1. The sponsor said it would require annual updates to the state dyslexia toolkit, expand professional development and coaching, require local school boards to develop processes for universal screening and diagnostic tools, and add dyslexia instruction to teacher preparation programs; the substitute added conformity with IDEA and revised the instructional language. Members spoke in support of early dyslexia detection and one member noted the bill updated prior legislation associated with former Rep. Bam Carney. House Bill 56, an omnibus Department of Agriculture bill, then passed; it addressed amusement ride inspections, grain warehousing penalties, egg handler licensing renewal timing, exemptions for small producers, and repealed obsolete tobacco and egg marketing board provisions. All three bills passed by roll call with 95 or 94 votes in favor and none opposed, and clinchers were applied. During announcements, members noted upcoming committee meetings and events, including a suits-and-sneakers day and cancer-related breakfast, caucus meetings, and committee meetings. New bills and resolutions were introduced, including measures on local occupational license fees, early learning and child care, tuition waivers, an adult workforce diploma pilot, motor vehicle usage tax, contract procurement, Fish and Wildlife Resources, adoption, veterans’ benefits, Cabinet for Health and Family Services operations, organ donation safety, hate crimes, prescription drugs, and resolutions on the Kentucky-Japan partnership and veterans’ benefits accreditation. The clerk also reported a petition of impeachment filed against Judge Julie Goodman. The House then referred a group of bills to committees, reported floor amendments for House Bills 321 and 416, and adjourned until 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• So labor and workforce development, this is nearly exclusively the state's unemployment insurance program
• You can think of this as essentially the money that's going to support. federal workforce that's in the
• The possibility of a dramatic decrease in the federal workforce or a decreased pause For more information
• And our workforce development programs.
• But they also create the workforce that we depend on for our innovation economy. That's very true.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's going to be plenty more discussions, but the fact of the matter is we need a workforce.
• This is an ongoing conversation we will have, but the fact of the matter is we are losing a workforce
• The teachers are leaving left and right, and we need to make sure we have the workforce to support them
• and workforce need, Assembly Bill 2206 seeks to close the loophole while offering community colleges
• need, or does there have to be an actual workforce need still for the actual occupation?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are autonomous vehicles a disruptor when it comes to our workforce?
• , They're balancing between technology, workforce, and safety at the same time.
• Another point of view is that it creates workforce; it creates jobs.
• I do understand there being a concern over workforce.
• I do understand there being a concern over workforce.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• as a primary engine for workforce as a primary engine for workforce development<00:02:23.200>
• The college has a long-standing reputation for meeting Minnesota's workforce needs.
• So, they really come into our workforce So, they really come into our workforce being<00:18:23.120
• <00:18:46.960> Alex<00:18:47.360> Tech entering the workforce for us.
• Alex Tech entering the workforce for us.

Bills: HF2418, HF1666, HF232, HF344, HF402, HF431, HF468, HF547, HF583, HF1476, HF1711, HF2787, HF2788, HF3207

Keywords: capital investment, political subdivisions, state assistance, funding, project grants, child care, Slayton, state bonds, economic development, extended time revenue, school funding, state aid, career and technical education, CTE, STEM, secondary credit, after-school programs, summer school, learning year program, extended day

Transcript Highlights:

• behind our workforce.
• children and serve as the workforce children and serve as the workforce behind<00:02:45.560>
• They are the valued workforce behind the workforce, allowing parents to go to work and to school and
• <01:36:20.960> behind<01:36:21.320> the<01:36:21.719> workforce valued Workforce
• behind the workforce valued Workforce behind the workforce allowing<01:36:23.199> parents<01:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• multifamily developments with workforce multifamily developments with workforce housing<04:13:37.120
• amount of workforce housing that exists<04:19:12.720> now.
• how much housing is how much workforce how much housing is how much workforce housing<04:20:29.439
• So when you said workforce housing.
• They would have lower targets and existing workforce housing stock.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 38.680> LPN that time she was representing the LPN that time she was representing the LPN workforce
• She<00:10:39.880> represents<00:10:40.520> the<00:10:40.640> long-term workforce
• She represents the long-term workforce.
• No, we appreciate that, especially the workforce pipeline development aspect.
• the workforce pipeline Especially the workforce pipeline development<00:18:02.840> aspect.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard several governor’s message nominations for health-related boards and commissions. Kanwardeep Kaleka was considered for the Substance Abuse Kauai Service Area Board; he said his work as a psychiatrist and family physician on Kauai motivates him to improve mental health and addiction services. Kunani Dryer was considered for the Hawaii Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances; he emphasized 26 years of personal recovery, harm reduction experience, and representation of rural, LGBTQIA+, and Native Hawaiian communities. Olivia Kim was considered for the Center for Nursing Advisory Board; testimony highlighted her experience in nursing leadership, long-term care, and LPN workforce issues. Trisha Lynn Yamashita was considered for the Kauai Subarea Health Planning Council; she described her hospice leadership, public health and palliative care background, and focus on data-informed, community-centered planning. Emily Dong was considered for the Board of Certification of Operating Personnel Wastewater Treatment Plants; she stressed wastewater’s public health importance and the need to strengthen the operator workforce pipeline. Testimony in support came from the Department of Health and several organizations and individuals, including the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hina Mauka, the Kauai mayor, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and others. Committee members generally praised the nominees’ credentials and community ties, and repeatedly noted the value of lived experience, rural perspective, and workforce expertise. One nominee, Olivia Kim, was not present and was deferred to a later meeting for decision-making. At the end of the hearing, the committee took up the governor’s messages and recommended advise and consent for GM707, GM537, GM545, GM724, and GM790, with Senator Fevella excused and no objections recorded. GM662 was deferred to Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 3:20 p.m. in Room 225 because the nominee could not attend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• YOU HEAR ME TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE AND TALENT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US AT
• NOT ONLY DO WE NEED THE WORKFORCE AS A WHOLE WE NEED IT INSIDE DOT.
• DEVELOPING A STRONG WORKFORCE IS, HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL TENETS.
• WORKFORCE, DEMOGRAPHICS SO WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WITH THOSE RESOURCES.
• TALKED ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE WE'VE BEEN SPENDING ENERGY ON.

Transcript Highlights:

• Establishes a state internship and workforce development program.
• Uh as well as the<00:04:07.280> state<00:04:07.519> internship<00:04:08.000> workforce
• the state internship workforce the state internship workforce development<00:04:08.879> program
• Establishes a state internship and<00:04:33.840> workforce<00:04:34.240> development<00
• and workforce development program. and workforce development program.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The conference committees reconvened on April 25, 2025, and worked through a series of measures, mostly public employment cost items, appropriations, workers’ compensation, data sharing, and retirement-related bills. Several bills were briefly held for later action because Finance/FIN-WAM or related release had not yet been received, including SB 382, HB 423, HB 480, HB 214, HB 828, HB 717, HB 1065, and HB 1036, with some of those rolled over to a 2:30 p.m. meeting in Conference Room 16. HB 1424, relating to appropriations, was described as requiring the Director of Finance to report on transfers between position funding and operating expenses; the conferees agreed to a CD1 and voted to pass it. HB 430, relating to internships, was also agreed to in CD1 with technical amendments removing certain appropriation language and was passed after clarification that the funding covered both years and included the Helima program. The committees then moved through a block of public employment cost items. HB 1026, HB 1027, HB 1028, HB 1029, HB 1030, HB 1032, HB 1034, and HB 1035 were each reported as having CD1 agreement and Finance/WAM release, with appropriations tied to various bargaining units and governor’s messages; each was voted out. HB 1036 and HB 1037 were held over due to release issues, while HB 1038 was noted as having CD1 and Finance/WAM release and was passed for bargaining unit 13. HB 1039 was also rolled over for lack of release. Later, SB 336 on defense of state employees was agreed to with technical cleanup and passed as a CD, and SB 1491 on departmental data sharing was amended to add agencies to the state longitudinal data system and require aggregation/anonymization of certain data before being passed as a CD. Additional measures were also resolved. SB 935, relating to government, was amended to reduce the ERS multiplier for judges beginning in 2031, remove sheriff and deputy sheriff language, and require a DHR study on changing vesting from 10 to 5 years; it passed as a CD with no appropriation. SB 1567 required DERT to complete a comprehensive review of classification and compensation systems by October 31, 2026, allowed a third-party contractor, required legislative reports, and included $1.75 million in the budget; it passed as a CD. SB 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, clarified covered employers, required automatic enrollment unless employees opt out, repealed a fee cap, and added funding for FY26 and FY27; it passed as a CD. SB 743 established a data sharing governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and required a legislative report; after a brief recess it was passed as a CD. SB 717 and SB 1065 were both continued to the later 2:30 p.m. meeting because release was still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• think I'm very proud to be associated and helping the governor and with Marquita. ...them with the workforce
• What we can do with workforce housing is create a fund that will allow people who have a job and live
• Suazo:** Workforce housing. We just barely started to scratch the surface.
• Together, we worked on infrastructure development and workforce development, which at that time were
• Chairman, Senators, I think the statistics show that in the workforce, there's only about 15% female.