Video & Transcript Research : 'volunteer program'
Page 106 of 500
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force (8-20-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- gets accomplished uh within our program. gets accomplished uh within our program.
- the FETP program and about $2 million in the HPP program.
- the FETP program and about $2 million in the HPP program.
- volunteered to be on our strike teams. volunteered to be on our strike teams.
- <01:19:46.880>
that program uh the $200 million program that program uh the $200 million program
Summary:
The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response.
Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19.
The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- income tax assistance and tax counseling for the elderly program.
- La Vega High School has been involved with these programs for five years, and these students and teachers
- Members, please welcome future IRS agents and current students from La Vega High School, and program
- But the reality is that those parents who have a child or student under the ESA program because they
- The Lone Star Card in Texas is the ID card for financial assistance programs across the state, such as
Summary:
The Senate opened with an invocation, messages from the House, and several recognitions, including county day delegations from Fayette, LaSalle, Jim Hogg, Austin, and others, as well as a recognition of Rob Keppel for his career with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. The chamber also adopted several resolutions, including SR 429 designating October 2025 as RET Syndrome Awareness Month and SR 432 honoring Rob Keppel. A doctor-of-the-day introduction and a public announcement about free skin checks were also made.
The Senate then took up and passed several bills. SB 1152, creating the offense of continuous manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, passed after suspension of the rules. SB 1868, regulating kratom and related substances, was amended to prohibit smokeable kratom products and kratom pills and to clarify THC variants such as Delta-8 and Delta-10, then passed. SB 1349, creating offenses for transnational repression and unauthorized enforcement of foreign law, drew debate over a failed amendment that would have added election misinformation and foreign meddling; the bill ultimately passed unanimously. SB 2037, expediting review of LNG environmental permits, passed after amendments clarifying fees and deadlines, with opposition focused on its energy-policy implications. SB 1164, addressing emergency detention and court-ordered inpatient mental health treatment, passed after a drafting-error correction and discussion of the bill’s basis in recommendations from the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health.
The Senate also advanced SB 2743 on prosecution of certain election offenses, which would allow a court process to disqualify a local prosecutor who repeatedly refuses to prosecute election cases and appoint the Attorney General; it passed to engrossment amid questions about evidence and local discretion. SB 1299, protecting nonprofit members, supporters, volunteers, and donors from disclosure by public agencies, passed unanimously. SB 2349, exempting certain short-term leases and temporary tenancies from floodplain notice requirements, passed unanimously. SB 2788, adding PSAT and pre-ACT scores for Texas Success Initiative exemptions and clarifying dual-credit eligibility, passed unanimously after amendment. SB 843, creating a TEA database of school district bonds, taxes, and bond-related projects and adding charter schools, passed after amendments on funding and scope.
Finally, SB 1832, allowing parents to transfer a student who was victimized by a public school employee to another campus, passed to engrossment after extended debate over whether the bill should also cover private schools and how it would interact with school choice and ESA policy. SB 39, revising the admission rule in commercial motor vehicle collision cases, was laid out and debated over its effect on negligent entrustment and related evidence, with the author emphasizing that the bill preserves the bifurcated trial structure and does not alter other admissibility rules.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Mar 24th, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Specifically, their Bridging Outstanding Opportunities with Tradeswomen Skills, or BOOTS, their program
- Apprenticeship programs such as Boots also provide incredible opportunities for women to learn on the
- , in programs that recruit women to this industry.
- Sierra is a graduate of the Boots Program with the Western States Regional Council.
- These apprenticeship programs can be.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement - 03/18/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Funds invested with the SBI, 288 of those through the volunteer firefighter account program, and 146
- in lot of volunteer time and they<01:04:57.119>
deserve <01:04:57.440>our <01:04:57.680 - Relief Associations around the state provide retirement benefits to nearly 15,000 volunteer and paid
- Relief Associations around the state provide retirement benefits to nearly 15,000 volunteer and paid
- plan do how does Statewide volunteer plan do how does that<01:15:58.920>
change <01:15:59.199>
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee Apr 22nd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We deserve to have access to retirement programs and to age with dignity.
- for immigrants so we could have access to this program.
- immigrants so we could have access to this program.
- program, since they would not have otherwise come to our center.
- Peter Hansel, volunteer advocate with AARP California; AARP is in support.
Summary:
The Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee met on April 22, established a quorum, and adopted its 2023-24 committee rules. The hearing then considered five bills focused on aging, long-term care, immigrant seniors, nutrition, and emergency preparedness. AB 450 would create a task force to study the needs of undocumented Californians age 55 and older; supporters from CHIRLA and other advocates described barriers to housing, health care, retirement, and digital access, while members raised questions about eligibility and process. The bill was approved on a due pass motion and re-referred to the Committee on Human Services.
AB 508 would require residential care facilities for the elderly to disclose staffing information upon request at admission and when rates increase. The author and supporters argued that staffing levels are closely tied to quality of care and that families need transparency to make informed choices; a witness described her father’s death in an understaffed facility. Assisted living industry representatives opposed the bill as burdensome but said they were continuing discussions with the author. The committee adopted amendments and passed the bill to Appropriations.
AB 1476 would allow senior congregate meal programs to continue offering to-go meals, a practice expanded during the pandemic. Supporters said the option improved access for homebound and food-insecure seniors and helped bring people into senior centers; there was no opposition, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 1068 would create a working group on evacuation and sheltering needs for older adults and people with disabilities in long-term care during disasters, and AB 1069 would ensure area agencies on aging and aging/disability resource programs have access to emergency shelters to provide services. Both measures drew broad support from aging, disability, and advocacy groups, with testimony citing recent fires and evacuations, and both were approved and re-referred to the Committee on Emergency Management. The committee also left rolls open for additional members to add votes before adjournment.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Health Committee Mar 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- program, or the storm assistance for immigrants program, which provided state-funded disaster relief
- We do not administer any programs.
- I think strengthening care transition programs to prevent avoidable readmissions.
- You know, we had nurses who were willing to volunteer, but certainly, as time goes on, you can only volunteer
- We make sure that the program staff have everything.
Summary:
The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the health impacts of wildfires and the effects on health care systems and access to care. The first panel focused on public health consequences, with testimony from UCLA and UCSF physicians, a community organizer, and an Altadena recovery leader. Witnesses described acute and long-term physical harms from wildfire smoke and ash, including asthma and COPD exacerbations, cardiovascular and stroke risks, pregnancy impacts, infection risk, and possible added hazards from lithium-ion battery fires. They also emphasized mental health effects such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, “firebrain,” and the need for psychological first aid, trauma-informed community networks, and youth-focused resilience programs. Community advocates stressed that Latine, Indigenous, undocumented, and Black communities face disproportionate harm because of language barriers, unsafe work conditions, lack of insurance, and exclusion from disaster aid, and they called for stronger language access, worker protections, permanent disaster relief, and better outreach.
Committee members asked about air monitoring, masks, wind events, lithium-ion batteries, and how to reach communities with translation and emergency information. Panelists said AQI is useful but incomplete, that N95s help for smoke but P100 masks are needed for ash/asbestos exposure, and that communities should be warned to stay indoors and avoid windy dust-ups after fires. They also discussed the importance of building relationships during non-emergency periods, using text alerts and trusted community organizations, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate information. Several members and witnesses highlighted the need for more research on long-term health effects, especially for people with chronic lung disease, workers who cannot stay indoors, and residents exposed to repeated disasters.
The second panel addressed health care system response and access to care. DHCS and DMHC described emergency flexibilities used during the Southern California fires, including federal waivers, extended Medi-Cal renewal deadlines, reinstated coverage for some disenrolled members, suspension of prior authorization and prescription refill barriers, out-of-network access at in-network cost-sharing, and communication through websites, toll-free numbers, and social media. Hospital and community health center leaders described major operational strain: emergency room surges, canceled surgeries, dialysis disruptions, staff displacement, temporary housing needs, and financial losses. Huntington Health and AltaMed reported using incident command systems, temporary care spaces, bilingual and culturally tailored services, mobile clinics, infection control measures, and community health workers to keep care going. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better disaster staffing pools, more flexible facility rules, stronger mental health coverage, child care planning, and statewide coordination for future emergencies; no formal votes were taken.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- tab one, which is Senate Bill 1082 on statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program
- tab one, which is Senate Bill 1082 on statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program
- tab one, which is Senate Bill 1082 on statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program
- This amendment makes it clear that a provider or health plan can access the state program under specific
- Should that not be allowable, you can still apply for the state program. You're right.
Keywords:
provider disputes, health plan, dispute resolution, Medicare, Medicaid, healthcare regulation, background screening, athletic coaches, youth sports, criminal history, expungement, Florida statutes, medical freedom, vaccination, ivermectin, healthcare practitioner liability, immunization exemptions, ambulatory surgical centers, patient safety, licensure
Summary:
The committee took up several health-related bills. SB 1082, on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program, was presented as a way to let providers and insurers use the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims under state-regulated commercial plans. A late-filed amendment clarified when providers and health plans could access the state program, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168, which would centralize background screening clearinghouse functions at the Agency for Health Care Administration, also passed as amended after an amendment requiring sealed and expunged records to be included in screenings for qualified entities. Supporters said centralization would improve turnaround times, reduce duplication, and save costs; the sponsor said the bill also addresses coaches’ background screening language from last session. The committee then approved SB 1156, which moves ambulatory surgery center regulation out of the hospital-focused chapter of law into a standalone section, and SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, which would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designation changes affect those areas. Testimony on SB 1480 emphasized continuity of care for patients in underserved communities, and the bill was reported favorably.
The final and most heavily debated measure was SB 1756 on medical freedom, which would require state-approved educational materials on childhood vaccines, require practitioners to provide those materials and alternative schedules before vaccination, expand school immunization exemptions to include conscience-based objections, clarify that the Surgeon General cannot order vaccination during a public health emergency, and authorize pharmacists to provide ivermectin behind the counter without a prescription with written information and safeguards. The sponsor argued the bill strengthens parental choice and informed consent. Committee members raised concerns about vaccine-preventable disease risks, immunocompromised children, school outbreaks, and the impact of adding a new exemption. A Department of Health representative said the department would need to provide details on the history of exemption consultations and noted that removing the earlier consultation requirement had not been shown to increase outbreaks. The committee adopted a friendly amendment to give physicians the same liability protection as pharmacists for ivermectin dispensing, but rejected a substitute amendment that would have required a consultation for exemption requests. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed to the bill, with physicians, pediatric specialists, cancer advocates, parents of immunocompromised children, and public health groups warning that it would lower vaccination rates and endanger vulnerable Floridians. The bill remained pending after testimony, with the committee continuing to hear public comment.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- re-entry program.
- Coconino County is also building their Reach Out program.
- In concerning I sponsored the bill to fund the Reach Out program.
- We built a program and now we're spreading it out.
- I'm a volunteer attorney with Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
Keywords:
felony murder, unborn child, homicide, Arizona Revised Statutes, life imprisonment, death penalty, abandonment, concealment, dead body, class 5 felony, criminal offense, unlawful flight, eluding police, fleeing law enforcement, police pursuit, vehicle pursuit, reckless endangerment, felony enhancement, class 4 felony, class 2 felony
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 30th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Volunteers. Wahab.
- Aye, Syarto, Aye, Smallwood Quevas, Stern, Aye, Aye, Aye, Strickland, Aye, Aye, Umbard, Aye, Aye, volunteers
- They implement state and federal programs while remaining accountable to local communities, delivering
- When federal programs are cut or restructured, it is county employees, all 419,000 of them, who are asked
- Volunteers. Wahab. Weber Pearson. Aye. Winner. Aye. Senator Cortese moves a call.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a series of gubernatorial appointments and floor items. The chamber confirmed Dina Eltawasi as Director of Caltrans, Allison Salt Install to the Court Reporters Board, and Olivia May Assumption to the California Commission on Disability Access, and later confirmed William Adams to the California Exposition and State Fair Board. Each appointment was presented by Senator Grove and approved on roll call, with final confirmation votes recorded after calls were lifted.
Several measures were taken up on third reading. SCR 143, by Senator Umberg, honored Hmong and Laotian special guerrilla unit veterans who served with U.S. forces during the secret war in Laos; Senator Archuleta also spoke in support, and the resolution passed unanimously. SR 96, by Senator Cortese, proclaimed April as National County Government Month and highlighted the role of counties and CSAC; it also passed unanimously. SB 1347 clarified that stock albuterol authorization applies to all public schools, including preschools; SB 977 required chain restaurants offering children’s meals to provide at least one healthier option meeting nutrition standards; SB 1234 required fentanyl testing when juvenile dependency drug testing is already ordered; SCR 161 designated May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month; SR 101 updated the Senate Rules Committee membership by replacing Senator Jones with Senator Ochoa Bogh; and SB 1111 addressed liability for unauthorized AI-generated digital replicas. All of these measures were approved, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
The Senate also adopted SCR 128, by Senator Perez, declaring April 13–24, 2026, as High School Voter Education Weeks to encourage civic education and youth participation in elections. The consent calendar was then approved after Senator Cervantes removed SB 1381; the remaining consent items passed 35-0. Throughout the session, members introduced visiting groups, including Hmong and Laotian veterans, CSAC representatives, and students in the gallery. The day concluded with Senator Wiener’s adjournment in memory of disability rights activist Alice Wong, after which the Senate announced its next floor session and recessed.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Executive Departments and Administration (02/18/2026)
Executive Departments and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- In its rural transformation program.
- Subject to your questions. administer that new program. administer that new program.
- President Trump ending DEI programs and programs on environmental justice.
- . program. program.
- For example, I cite the refugee resettlement program because it is a federal program.
AL
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Health Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Public Health
Transcript Highlights:
- Wendy Woodward, Director of the IBC program at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
- I am the interim program director of the Westfield State University Physician Assistant Program.
- We are the only public PA program in the Commonwealth.
- I've been a participant in the Massachusetts PCA program since 2007.
- My travels have even taken me to volunteer and teach in other countries.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing to take testimony on a wide range of bills involving professional licensure, clinical practice, and public health-related workforce issues. The chair explained that no votes would be taken at the hearing and that the purpose was to gather public input. Early testimony focused on Marnie’s Law, with supporters describing the bill as a no-cost, preventive measure to require nursing education on inflammatory breast cancer after a family tragedy and arguing it could reduce misdiagnosis and save lives.
A major portion of the hearing centered on bills affecting clinical decision-making and licensure compacts. Supporters of the physician ownership/clinical autonomy bills argued they would protect independent practices from corporate interference after the Steward collapse, while supporters of EMS, dental, psychology, physical therapy, and physician assistant compacts said the measures would improve workforce mobility, reduce delays, and expand access to care, especially for rural patients, military families, and telehealth users. Several witnesses emphasized that the compacts would not reduce standards and would strengthen public protection through shared disciplinary databases and streamlined credentialing.
There was also testimony on bills to ensure safe medication administration and to protect the independence of complementary and alternative health care practitioners. Nursing representatives urged that only licensed professionals administer medications in hospitals, hospices, and home care settings, warning that delegation to unlicensed staff could endanger patients and nurses’ licenses. A complementary and alternative care witness supported consumer access with mandatory disclosures and limits on reserved medical acts. On the dental compact, witnesses were split: some supported portability and workforce flexibility, while others warned the compact lacked a hands-on skills exam and could weaken Massachusetts’ regulatory authority and patient safety. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on the psychology compact, physical therapy compact, and physician assistant bills, with most speakers favoring expanded interstate practice and reduced administrative barriers.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- , Tennessee Kaplan-Buehler was called to the ministry while still a teenager, and she went on to volunteer
- director for the Baylor College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program in Houston.
- A&M has more than 140 undergraduate programs and Master's and Ph.D. programs, and is among the nation's
- UT Austin offers more than 170 undergraduates. graduate degree programs, and more than 208 graduate programs
- Albertine in Texas program.
Keywords:
teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Apr 20th, 2026
Military and Veterans Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- SB 1040 would establish a state-local matching program to help finance the maintenance and repairs of
- CalVet would administer the program using an annual application and verification process.
- It cannot be overstated how important the CalFresh program is.
- For every meal our volunteers provide, SNAP provides nine.
- These federal cuts For every meal our volunteers provide, SNAP provides nine.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/05/2026 - House Rural Economic Development
Rural Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- But the Sonora Desert Museum does a lot of coordination for volunteer work. It's very intensive.
- Because as someone who again, some would say heroically went out and volunteered to pull buffalo grass
- They're volunteers.
- Professor Reddy is part of the space domain awareness program at the University of Arizona, where he
- I mean, the dinosaurs went extinct because they didn't have a space program, but we do.
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Agriculture and Forestry Committee Apr 23rd, 2025
Agriculture and Forestry
Transcript Highlights:
- It was because of that that we became... was because of that that we became long-term volunteers.
- I started volunteering at the age of 12.
- As you fast forward 25 years, we have a program now.
- One large part of our program for safeguarding these vital resources is wildlife disease surveillance
- The biggest battle that we fight to implement this program is the transportation of all materials.
Keywords:
wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, good samaritan, injured animals, orphaned animals, debilitated wildlife, wild birds, wild animals, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, permit exemption, animal rescue, animal welfare, veterinary medicine, veterinary licensing, animal cruelty, wildlife care, rehabilitation act, non-federally protected species, endangered species
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-04-15 (4:30PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And this does so by tasking FDACS with launching a targeted program.
- We're not saying forever... ...by tasking FDACS with launching a targeted program.
- So when these programs— is it your understanding that right now these programs are having issues or they're
- Always volunteers are needed to make sure that a lot of these programs work.
- Always volunteers are needed to make sure that, you know, a lot of these programs work.
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions, including family members, university guests, local officials, and student groups. The chamber then moved to special order bills, beginning with two Open Government Sunset Review measures: SB 7010, preserving a public records exemption for certain Department of Financial Services receiver information, and SB 7008, preserving confidentiality for financial technology sandbox application records. Both bills passed unanimously after brief explanations and no amendments.
The Senate also passed SB 1430 on post-judgment execution proceedings for terrorism victims, SB 910 on veterans benefits assistance, SB 832 on former phosphate mining lands, SB 796 on general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems, and SB 700, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill. SB 832 drew debate over a possible lawsuit and created a narrow strict-liability defense for landowners who survey and record notice of former phosphate property. SB 700 generated the most extended debate, especially over a provision removing fluoride from public water systems and related amendments on public health, local control, and study requirements; several fluoride-related amendments failed, while a technical amendment passed. The bill also included provisions on agricultural regulation, labeling, drones, lending, charities, housing for agricultural workers, and youth programs.
The Senate then approved several claims bills, including relief for Darlene Angerville and J.R., Eric Miles Jr. and Jennifer Miles, and Marcus Button, all involving catastrophic injuries and settlements paid by the relevant public entities. SB 994 on driver’s license education requirements passed after an amendment that increased penalties for texting while driving and added a distracted-driving education component. SB 1718, preserving a public records exemption for minors seeking an abortion without parental consent or notification, also passed unanimously. Several other bills were temporarily postponed.
At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to immediately certify all bills passed that day to the House, retain postponed bills on the special order calendar, and move CS for SB 7016 back to second reading; all motions were adopted. The Senate then adjourned until Wednesday, April 16, at 2:00 p.m. or upon the call of the President.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
04/27/2026 - Senate Health and Human Services
Senate Health and Human Services COR
Transcript Highlights:
- States, and one of the largest American Psychological Association-accredited internship training programs
- My training program is crucial for the people of Arizona, particularly our most vulnerable members who
- My role in this position requires me to ensure that my program and trainees are adhering to the ethical
- Outside of work, I have also been involved in a number of volunteer activities.
- as WIST, an organization of women leaders providing philanthropic support to leading educational programs
Summary:
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met, approved the March 25 minutes without objection, and heard testimony from Dr. Lynette Livesey, a nominee for the State Board of Psychologist Examiners. Dr. Livesey described her Arizona background, long career in psychology and public health, work with correctional and community mental health populations, and volunteer service. She said she has served on the board’s application review and complaint screening committees and values the board’s fair, collaborative approach, while noting concerns she has seen in family court-related complaints and the importance of communication among providers and agencies in behavioral health.
Committee members asked about her experience on the board, challenges facing the board, and broader behavioral health issues such as access to services, coordination among professionals, and how to measure success. One member encouraged her to meet with caucus members and discuss family court issues further. After discussion, a motion was made to recommend Dr. Livesey’s confirmation to the full Senate. The committee voted 5 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 not voting to advance her nomination, and then adjourned.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
04/27/2026 - Senate Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- States, and one of the largest American Psychological Association-accredited internship training programs
- My training program is crucial for the people of Arizona, particularly our most vulnerable members who
- My role in this position requires me to ensure that my program and trainees are adhering to the ethical
- Outside of work, I have also been involved in a number of volunteer activities.
- as WISH, an organization of women leaders providing philanthropic support to leading educational programs
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Thu Feb 6, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm Eric Yuchi, volunteer state co-lead for Moms Demand Action Hawaii chapter, representing our three
- Protect Kauaʻi, 100% volunteer grassroots nonprofit organization.
- <02:27:52.640>
Grassroots <02:27:53.399>nonprofit volunteer Grassroots nonprofit volunteer - thank you very much for your volunteer thank you very much for your volunteer efforts<02:28:02.040
- the agricultural enforcement program the agricultural enforcement program within<02:29:47.720>
Summary:
The committee hearing covered House Bill 279 and House Bill 392, both relating to firearms. HB 279 would restrict carrying or possessing firearm parts except at or between certain locations and in an enclosed container, define firearm parts and prohibited persons, and increase penalties for violations. The Department of Law Enforcement strongly supported the bill, saying it would close a loophole involving disassembled or “ghost gun” parts and help law enforcement charge people who carry weapons in pieces. Most public testimony opposed the measure, with speakers arguing it was unconstitutional, vague, hard to enforce, and would burden lawful gun owners, gunsmiths, and firearm dealers; several also said existing laws already cover the conduct. One supporter, Dennis Dunn, said additional firearm security could reduce theft and suicides. The chair noted the committee had received 270 testimonies on HB 279, with 39 in support, 234 in opposition, and one comment.
The committee then heard HB 392, which would prohibit the possession, transfer, and sale of ghost guns and establish mandatory minimum sentencing for using a ghost gun in a felony. The Department of Law Enforcement and the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s office supported the bill, saying unserialized firearms are difficult to trace and that prosecutors need clear laws to address them. Supporters argued the measure would help prevent untraceable weapons from circulating and align penalties with other firearm offenses. Opponents, including several gun owners and association representatives, said the bill was unnecessary because existing state and federal laws already prohibit unserialized firearms, and warned it could create confusion, criminalize lawful owners of antique or self-built firearms, and be difficult to administer. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion provided.