Transcript Highlights:

• is also a very important Economic is also a very important Economic Development<00:09:35.920>
• Sherman Associates believes this Cub tax credit is the most effective economic development tool to leverage
• <01:03:14.440> Development<01:03:15.400> the<01:03:15.599> proposed Local Economic
• Development the proposed Local Economic Development the proposed change<01:03:16.400> would<01
• that help Foster Local Economic that help Foster Local Economic Development<01:09:21.159> grow

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If you talk to the economic development.
• <00:55:13.599> development<00:55:14.240> f for a lot of the economic development f
• So, in in of economic development stuff.
• <01:12:01.040> development<01:12:01.520> and and economic development and and economic
• And then the last bucket is the economic development thing.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Development.
• Development.
• Development.
• Development.
• and Economic Development.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been funded by the Economic Development Administration, Tech Hub.
• We are the state's science and tech economic development office within the Economic Development Department
• Comprehensive economic development services and coordination.
• I am the Manager of Technology and Economic Development at Sandia National Laboratories.
• Under the Legislative Finance Committee and under Economic Development and something else.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the partnership to be a joint between the two for economic development and industrial development
• 00:01:41.240> development<00:01:41.760> and<00:01:41.840> industrial economic development
• and industrial economic development and industrial development<00:01:43.240> for<00:01:43.440
• <00:02:03.280> and<00:02:03.360> development we have an economic and development we
• have an economic and development um<00:02:05.560> district um district um district that<00:02

Keywords: Local and Private - Room 210, 24 March, 2026; 10:45 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee took up a long list of local and special-purpose bills, mostly involving county or municipal utility districts, repealers on local taxes, and small local appropriations. Early actions included House Bill 2210 for Bolivar County, creating a utility district in Choctaw for sewer operations and maintenance, and Senate Bill 3408, which by committee substitute renamed the Yazoo economic partnership to the Yazoo Economic Alliance and clarified its economic and industrial development powers. Members asked whether the Yazoo entity already existed and whether it could own property; the sponsor said it was already in statute and the change was primarily a name update with added flexibility to share and contribute funds to projects. Both bills passed without opposition. The committee also approved Senate Bill 3409 for Lowndes County, authorizing the Mississippi Industrial Fire and Rescue District to serve as the site of a megasite around the Golden Triangle Regional Airport Authority. Other local measures passed included House Bill 1599 extending Brandon’s prepared-food sales tax repealer for tourism and parks, House Bill 1811 for Noxubee County extending justice court assessment repealers for county capital improvements, and several Humphreys County bills authorizing one-time contributions to the Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation and the Belzoni Humphreys Development Foundation. Additional bills extended or renewed local tourism, parks, and recreation taxes in Belzoni, Oakland, Ripley, Southaven, and Fulton, and authorized or extended local court-cost assessments in Prentiss County. Later, the committee approved House Bill 1870 for Bolivar County, creating a sewer district and allowing the county to operate it, noting it duplicated the earlier Senate bill at the senator’s request. It also passed House Bill 1887 authorizing a $5,000 contribution to the Benevolent Protection of the Elks World Hill Lodge, House Bill 4000 for Grenada allowing construction, acquisition, and maintenance of wastewater collection and treatment systems, and House Bill 4112 for Tupelo restoring funds for the Northeast Mississippi Regional Wastewater District after an unintended consequence of a prior grocery tax change. Finally, Senate Bill 3410 was added off-agenda to authorize Brandon and the West Rankin utility system to enter into an agreement with a local operator for use of treated water for industrial purposes; a member asked who would approve the contract, and the sponsor said the board and city would approve it. All measures discussed were reported out or passed, generally by unanimous or voice vote, with no recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things I wanted to do in the Rural Economic Development committee is allow each of us, oh,
• We have 22 tribes in the state of Arizona, and I wanted to make sure that this rural economic development
• In Arizona, rural communities have very limited economic development tools.
• We know the long-term benefits to environmental protection and economic development.
• Okay, so again, barriers to economic development that tribal communities face.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee began with a series of presentations highlighting tribal communities as part of rural economic development. Representative Mae Peshlakai described Legislative District 6, emphasizing its large geographic size, the eight tribal nations within it, and the cultural and scenic importance of the Navajo Nation and other tribes. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis then presented on the Gila River Indian Community, focusing on its history, Hohokam heritage, water rights, the MAR-5 aquifer recharge project, cultural traditions, and the importance of collaboration with state lawmakers. Members praised the presentations and noted the need for greater attention to tribal issues in the legislature. The committee then took up SB 1016, with a strike-everything amendment that moved the property-owner petition requirement earlier in the process for municipal improvement districts and allowed certain notice and protest requirements to be waived. Supporters, including the mayors of Camp Verde and Clarkdale, said the change would improve transparency, reduce financial risk for small towns, and help rural communities build needed infrastructure such as wastewater systems, water lines, and housing-related improvements. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and passed SB 1016 on a 5-0 vote, with one member present and one absent. Next, the committee considered SB 1401, the Workforce Housing Accelerator Act, using a strike-everything amendment that would allow municipalities to create expedited plan review and permitting for qualified workforce housing projects and exempt project proceeds from the state portion of the prime contracting sales tax. Habitat for Humanity representatives said the measure would lower carrying costs and help build more affordable homes, while one member noted the tax exemption would reduce general fund revenue but supported the bill as a targeted tradeoff to address housing shortages. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1401 by a 5-1 vote. The meeting concluded with Representative Myron Sosec’s presentation on barriers to economic development on the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands. He discussed lower workforce participation, higher unemployment and poverty, limited access to capital, trust-land financing barriers, dual taxation, infrastructure deficits, and delays caused by federal and tribal review processes. He also highlighted Navajo economic strategies such as loan guarantees, renewable energy development, and tourism investments, and urged state action on tax reform, matching funds, and annual tribal field hearings. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth
• Economic development, affordable housing, access to quality education, and equitable digital literacy
• That really is the economic engine of our state.
• That really is the economic engine of our state.
• And, relevant to the work of this committee, if we want true economic development and a workforce ready

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in Paramount as part of its “Pocketbook Tour,” focused on affordability, cost pressures, and household impacts in Los Angeles County. The first panel centered on workers and learners, with testimony from the UCLA Labor Center and the Southeast Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board. Speakers described how rising living costs, tuition, and low wages force many students to work long hours, often in unrelated, low-wage jobs, while struggling with food, rent, bills, anxiety, and limited financial aid. Recommendations included expanding state-funded work study, creating a statewide internship tax credit for small businesses, improving financial aid formulas to reflect regional cost of living, increasing flexibility for students, and strengthening worker-rights education and career pathways. The second panel focused on microbusinesses and small business affordability. Testimony from microenterprise advocates, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network, and local business owners described rising commercial rents, labor costs, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, insurance, utilities, and disaster-related pressures as major threats to small businesses. Witnesses emphasized that small businesses are central to local economies and asked the state to expand technical assistance, low-interest financing, disaster support, supply-chain development, and community-based outreach. They also urged more intentional support for microbusinesses and home-based entrepreneurs, including networks that connect them to resources and help them build collective buying power. Committee members asked about possible state actions, including tax credits for hiring local workers or interns, support for trades and apprenticeships, and ways to partner more closely with SBDCs and chambers of commerce. Public comment echoed the hearing themes, with speakers highlighting student hardship, nonprofit mental health funding, renewable energy jobs and internships, and the need for state support for clean-energy incentives. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks and adjournment at 11:05 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> THE TRANSPORTATION TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL NOW COME TO ORDER BROOK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
• GOOD THINGS THAT WILL HELP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUR CONCERN IS THE REPEAL OF THE RPC OF STATUTES
• THEY PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT BY MAINTAINING A CERTIFIED REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS
• FOR THE EDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
• THEY ALSO PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BY PROVIDING GIS SERVICES, ECONOMIC MODELING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Isaac Romero, who is with the Economic Development Department. Thank you, Senators.
• President and Senator, this will establish the criteria by the Economic Development Department.
• Senator, it would be the New Mexico Economic Development Department with the approval of the Board of
• The Economic Development Secretary said he wanted this bill because, according to him, The border at
• We'll see what happens in economic development.

Transcript Highlights:

• DEVELOPMENTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS THAT THE INDUSTRY CAN BRING TO THE AREA AND HAVE THE
• I'M SURE YOU BEING A DEVELOPER AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPER AT THAT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU GUYS?
• OUR TARIFF PROVIDES TARIFF OF WELCOMING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO OUR STATE BUT ALSO ENSURING THE CURRENT
• AND UTILITY DUKE HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN DEVELOPING AI SOLUTIONS NOW.
• WE USED AI TO DEVELOP BRIEFLY IN FOLLOW UP MODELING CONCEPTS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I lead the Technology and Economic Development Office at Sandia National Laboratories. Thank you.
• and increase economic development in the state of New Mexico.
• I'm the governor's economic development policy advisor.
• So you also, besides generating exceptional economic development, you also...
• It is an incentive-based tool to increase local economic development. ...Housing Alliance.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Referred to the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• Referred to the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• Refer to the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development, HB 518 by Leo Wilson, relating to
• Supplies provided by Cleaners referred to the Committee of Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development, HB 578 by Moody relating to certain sentencing procedures

Summary: The House met for first reading and referral of a large number of bills and joint resolutions, with no substantive debate on the measures themselves. The filings covered a broad range of topics, including agency rulemaking and regulatory deference, occupational licensing reciprocity, business entities, eviction procedures, higher education, public education, health care, elections and voting procedures, criminal justice, property tax and appraisal issues, transportation, agriculture, energy, and local government authority. Several proposals also addressed constitutional amendments on matters such as Medicaid expansion, property tax limits, quorum and special-session rules, voting citizenship proof, parental rights, reproductive autonomy, and state funding allocations. Many of the measures focused on education, public health, and election administration. Examples included bills on financial literacy in schools, school nurses and librarians, student meal debt policies, suicide prevention notices, menstrual products, and community-based learning programs, as well as election-related bills on voter registration, disability access, ballot corrections, political advertising, and voting equipment or procedures. Other notable bills dealt with housing and property issues, including evictions, homestead tax exemptions, and land ownership, along with criminal justice measures involving sentencing, juror challenges, trafficking-related nondisclosure, and firearm reporting or transfer restrictions. The House also referred a set of resolutions to the Local and Consent Calendars Committee. At the end of the proceedings, Mr. Bell moved that the House adjourn until 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in memory of James Edward Cook of Eustace, Texas. There was no objection, and the House adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Economic Development, Growth and Household Impact Committee hearing to ensure members of the
• Development.
• It would, through the Office of Economic Development, GO-Biz, as it's referred to.
• In our 21st century economy, there are few things that are more damaging to economic development than
• not having electricity because of development reasons.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, I jumped over to economic development. Okay. All right, I got it. Yes, I missed one spot.
• Oh, I jumped over to economic Oh, I jumped over to economic development.<00:07:49.800> Okay.
• Kylie Palmer, Deputy Commissioner for the Cabinet for Economic Development.
• as the Hazard-Perry County Economic Development Alliance.
• <00:29:10.640> Development<00:29:11.320> Road Kentucky Economic Development Road Kentucky

Keywords: The live stream ended prematurely due to a network issue. A full recording will be uploaded as soon as possible, 958, all

Summary: The committee first discussed and approved a new airport-related project involving two 60-by-80 corporate hangars. Members asked about how the project would generate revenue, and staff explained that hangar rent and fuel sales would help repay the costs, with more than half of the funding coming from the FAA. The project was approved by roll call vote. The committee then approved two large capital pool projects: a $1,715,120 roof replacement and skylight project for the Libraries and Archives building in Frankfort, and a $2,105,400 exterior renovation project for several state buildings, including Health and Family Services, the Kentucky History Center, and the State Office Building. After that, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority presented one loan increase and five grant reallocations. The loan increase was for Springfield’s wastewater treatment plant project, rising by $262,300 to just over $2.88 million because bids came in higher than estimated. Members asked about the delay between approval and bidding, and staff explained the design, environmental review, and state approval process can take one to two years. The committee approved the six action items, and then received informational updates on additional water projects that required no action. The Cabinet for Economic Development next presented one forgivable loan and 11 KPDI/KPDI EDF grant projects. The loan was a $1 million forgivable loan for the Perry County Economic Development Board to acquire the Coalfields Industrial Building, with repayment forgivable if a project creates at least 75 jobs. The grant projects included site-readiness and industrial development work in Pendleton, Elizabethtown/Hardin, McCreary, Floyd, Marion, Fleming, Graves, Eddyville/Lyon, Caldwell, Mercer, and Johnson counties. Members asked how local match percentages are set and were told they are based on county population and updated every two years; staff also explained that beneficiaries usually provide the match and are reimbursed after submitting costs. The committee approved the action items. Finally, the Office of Financial Management presented two new debt issues and three SFCC debt issues. The new debt items were a Kentucky Housing Corporation bond authorization of up to $600 million for single-family mortgage revenue bonds, including a $100 million initial transaction, and a $5.5 million multifamily conduit bond for 98 apartments in Lexington. Informational items covered University of Kentucky refunding bonds and Turnpike Authority refunding bonds, both of which produced savings. The three SFCC debt issues for Campbell, Edmonson, and Perry counties were then approved by roll call vote. The meeting ended with brief discussion of the upcoming calendar and scheduling before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• King's administration, Governor King vetoed some pretty significant legislation on economic development
• I hope we can benefit from this in securing our economic development foundation, which, in my opinion
• New Mexico has performed poorly in many areas of economic development and educational attainment.
• This progress is found in economic development and community development.
• In preparation for economic development and economic development diversification, tribes have invested

Transcript Highlights:

• These developments have potential implications for state programs and services, and this committee is
• We've seen firsthand how uncertainty stifles business confidence and economic growth.
• development projects. ...to advance transportation, clean energy, decarbonization, and economic development
• development projects.
• And we're in the process of developing listening sessions...

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The inaugural hearing of the newly named House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability focused on how federal policy changes could affect Massachusetts, especially in education, health care, research, infrastructure, climate, and business conditions. Chair LaNatra said the committee was created to monitor federal funding decisions and their impacts on state programs and services. Members introduced themselves, then heard testimony from Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Sarah Mills of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Quentin Palfrey, the governor’s Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure. Howgate argued that the Trump administration and new Congress pose ideological, practical, and process-related risks to Massachusetts, citing proposed cuts to Medicaid, education, research, and other domestic programs. He said federal dollars make up about a quarter of the state operating budget and capital plan, warned against using one-time reserves to backfill ongoing federal cuts, and urged the state to prioritize core services while protecting areas where Massachusetts is especially strong, such as higher education and research. In response to committee questions, he said the House Medicaid proposal would still cost Massachusetts hundreds of millions and that international student and NIH-related changes could harm the state’s labor force and innovation economy. He also advised that the state communicate clearly without overreacting to daily federal developments. Mills testified that AIM members are most concerned about uncertainty, tariffs, Medicaid cuts, and NIH reductions. She said tariffs are raising costs, disrupting supply chains, and hurting small and medium-sized businesses, housing construction, and exporters, with AIM’s business confidence index falling to its lowest level since the pandemic. She said Medicaid cuts would raise employer health costs, reduce productivity, and strain the health care system, while NIH cuts would threaten Massachusetts’ life sciences and academic research ecosystem. In questions, she said AIM has increased federal outreach, is coordinating with the U.S. Chamber and the Massachusetts delegation, and is hearing concerns from employers about immigration compliance and workforce disruptions. Palfrey described the Healey-Driscoll administration’s efforts to maximize federal funding, including a biweekly interagency council, a municipal partnership effort, and a statewide roadshow. He said Massachusetts has secured nearly $9 billion from major federal laws for projects such as the Cape Cod bridges, Allston Multimodal, grid modernization, clean-energy school buses, and broadband. He also said the administration launched a public website to track federal impacts and is working with municipalities, nonprofits, and the Attorney General on grant changes, legal issues, and litigation. In response to questions, he warned that cuts to NOAA, NSF, Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs could affect services and the state budget, and said the administration is tracking changes to federal grant applications and conditions. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of those things to balance included weighing economic development, state and local tax revenue,
• So from this work group, we then created two subgroups: one for tax revenue and economic development.
• So from this work group, we then created two subgroups, one for tax revenue and economic development.
• My agency, the Department of Commerce, is also the economic development agency.
• It's also important to us that we keep in mind our overall economic development opportunities.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• We diversify our state's economic development and tourism strategies by using art and culture as economic
• Why, I Economic Development Council — not present.
• <01:31:56.480> Development already why I Economic Development already why I Economic Development
• Maui Economic Development Board?
• Organization looking to perpetuate culture, economic development, and community development.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Finance informational briefing on grants and aids was held February 14 and was organized as a high-volume public testimony session with strict procedures: no Q&A, one representative per applicant, one minute per testimony, in-person testimony first, and then Zoom participants. The chairs also announced a recess at 11:00 a.m. for floor sessions and a reconvening at 1:00 p.m. Testimony was heard first from neighbor island applicants, then Oʻahu applicants, with members repeatedly directing speakers to line up and keep remarks brief. Neighbor island testimony focused on a wide range of capital and operating requests. Health and community projects included Hawaii Island Community Health Center’s workforce housing in Kau, Wuli Hawaiian Homestead Association’s learning center and predevelopment work, Rescue Tube Foundation’s beach rescue tube expansion, Puna Community Medical Center’s planned hospital/ER campus, Maui Humane Society’s free veterinary care after the wildfires, Hawaiʻi Care Choices’ palliative care readiness, and the Lyman Museum’s HVAC replacement. Other requests included the Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance’s Pāʻia Mill redevelopment, Laua 2020’s preschool and learning lab, Mālama Aina’s USDA-compliant meat processing facility, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association’s water safety programs, Kaha P Organization’s agriculture education support, Ohana Arts’ youth performance project, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center’s emergency closet, EOA Pacific’s Marshall Islands teacher training, and the Central Pacific Youth Athletic Club’s new facility. Oʻahu testimony included the YWCA Oʻahu/Pythink Center’s renovation of Juliet M. Atherton Hall and its community kitchen, West Oʻahu Community Health Center’s wildfire protection and security needs, the Early School’s playground improvements, Surfing the Nations’ food distribution center expansion, and Sounding Joy Music Therapy’s weekly services for people with disabilities. Speakers generally emphasized community benefit, workforce development, health access, food security, disaster recovery, and support for children, seniors, and underserved populations. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to Senate Bill 581, related to economic development.
• Our next up, Senate Bill 581, relating to Economic Development.
• Economic Economic Development<01:10:04.440> uh<01:10:04.600> we<01:10:04.719> are
• we're Economic Development and Tourism we're Economic Development and Tourism we're passing<01
• Next up, Senate Bill 989, relating to Economic Development.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard testimony on several bills, with much of the discussion focused on Enterprise Zones and related economic development measures. On SB 125, the committee heard support from DBEDT, the Department of Taxation, the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, and the Farmers Union. Members questioned how the bill would affect job-creation requirements and learned that existing companies and new companies are treated differently under the program, with existing companies generally subject to a 15% annual employment increase and new companies to a 10% increase, while the bill would extend the program period from seven to nine years. DBEDT also said the program has been effective, citing 1,162 jobs created or maintained at a cost of about $1.2 million, and noted that agriculture, manufacturing, and wholesaling are the main sectors involved. The committee then took up SB 729, also relating to Enterprise Zones, which would expand eligibility to better accommodate local manufacturers and value-added businesses that sell directly to retail rather than only wholesale. Testifiers from the Holua Collaborative and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying it would help small manufacturers and agricultural producers add value and adapt to internet-era sales patterns. A committee discussion clarified that the bill would add value-added processing as an allowable activity within the zones, and DBEDT explained that the current rules were written for a wholesale-dominated market. The Attorney General’s office also testified, raising a supremacy clause concern and recommending language changes to avoid conflict with federal law. On SB 129, relating to labeling requirements for fish, the Attorney General and the Department of Agriculture both raised concerns about federal preemption and enforcement. The AG explained that federal law governs fish labeling but includes an exception for processed fish, and recommended narrowing the bill to processed fish and defining that term to fit the federal carve-out. The Hawaii Longline Association supported the bill but suggested excluding canned tuna while including products such as poke, sashimi, and sushi. The Department of Agriculture said it does not currently enforce this kind of labeling requirement and would need to determine whether another agency should handle enforcement. The committee also heard SB 581, which would establish an aerospace and aeronautics development program within DBEDT. Testimony was generally supportive, but members pressed for a fiscal estimate, and the bill’s sponsor said a prior version of the office had operated on about $400,000 annually with a small staff. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, next up, HB 1612 relating to economic development.
• > has<00:06:45.039> a economic development program that has a economic development program
• based economic development loan program. based economic development loan program.
• First relating to economic development.
• Uh, next up, HB 1614 relating to economic development.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

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