Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, under the Civil Practices and Remedies Code Chapter 15, it's going to be where the events
• The reality is that if y'all care about women's safety or children's safety, why are we having… a hearing
• Heterosexuality, homosexuality, and transgenderism—no man should violate women's or children's privacy
• We have seen how radical gender ideology is creeping into our classrooms and our children's lives.
• She used code words at the beginning because it was so difficult and sensitive, and we get these types

Bills: SB7, SB14, SB 7, SB 14

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct, abortion, civil liability, abortion-inducing drugs, qui tam actions, Texas Citizens Participation Act, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, healthcare regulations, impact fees, water conservation, reuse projects

Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaii Children's Action Network speaks in support on Zoom.
• Hawaii Children's Action Network supports this bill.
• <00:49:12.880> speaks Hawaii Children's Action Network speaks Hawaii Children's Action Network
• Uh Hawaii Children's Action committee.
• The zip code level. We equip our counties and our communities with the data so they live there.

Bills: HB2614, HB1660, HB1704, HB1563, HB1573, HB1777, HB1749

Keywords: cosmetics, returns, refunds, consumer protection, high-pressure sales, transparency, accountability, HB1660, Hawaii, county labor standards, counties, contractors, building permits, permit denial, permit suspension, permit revocation, wage theft, wages, benefits, hours

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2614, which would require merchants selling cosmetics to accept returns of newer unopened goods within specified time frames and expand signage requirements for return and refund policies. DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection strongly supported the bill, citing updated figures of 180 cosmetic complaints from 2020 to 2025, 54 still under investigation, 148 referred to class action litigation, and more than $1.3 million in consumer losses. Members questioned whether the bill was needed given the pending lawsuit and whether bad actors would comply, while the office responded that clearer signage would improve consumer awareness and could reduce complaints without limiting other remedies. No vote was taken. The committee then heard HB 1660 HD1, which would allow counties to require contractors to disclose wage, benefit, hour, and employment-status information and to deny, revoke, or suspend permits for certain labor-law violations. DLIR, the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, Operating Engineers Local 3, and Pacific Resource Partnership testified in support, arguing the measure would help deter cheating contractors, protect law-abiding employers, and keep bad actors from undercutting wages and taxes. One member raised concerns about possible delays to affordable housing projects and whether owners should be held responsible for contractors’ misconduct; supporters replied that compliance is a minimum standard, that county action would be discretionary rather than automatic, and that the bill would not bar counties from working with affordable housing developers. No action was reported. Finally, the committee took up HB 1704, adopting the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow telepsychology and temporary in-person practice across state lines. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans supported the measure, saying it would help fill major staffing gaps, especially for forensic evaluations and services in rural and neighbor-island communities. The Board of Psychology raised concerns about the compact’s scope, the need for a study focused specifically on psychologists, background-check requirements, possible loss of regulatory authority and revenue, and the need to update older statutory provisions. Hawaii Association for Justice opposed the immunity language in the compact, and Shawn Scanlon opposed the bill, arguing it could weaken cultural responsiveness and local control and suggesting the state instead improve temporary licensing and other in-state pathways. The committee also questioned the Department of Corrections about its vacancies and whether telehealth could be filled by local providers; no vote was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• with contractual obligations, the department referenced penalties outlined in Florida Administrative Code
• federal simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000 must be competitively procured as mandated by the Code
• federal simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000 must be competitively procured as mandated by the Code
• percentage of cases that convert from non-judicial to judicial status, and the staffing rates for children's
• Convert from non-judicial to judicial status, and the staffing rates for children's legal services for

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• and Administrative Code.
• Expenditures were coded to the promotion fund as a matter of routine practice.
• The administrative code is clear.
• , the Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that should follow, they say here's
• The Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that they say should follow.

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence honoring a deceased member, then approved the April minutes. The first major presentation was from Chelsea Florey of Child and Family Services on the Diversion Task Force and related grant programs created with one-time funding from HB 1012. She reported that five of six proposals were funded, with youth diversion services operating in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and a Red River Children’s Advocacy Center program focused on problematic sexualized behavior. Members discussed barriers such as staffing shortages, voluntary family engagement, service fatigue, and the need for better coordination, broader outreach, and possible changes to diversion eligibility rules so low-level cases can remain in diversion longer. Several legislators pressed for more practical system changes and clearer service navigation, while Florey said the task force is trying to build a service array or hub and is leaning on the Children’s Cabinet for broader recommendations. The committee then heard from North Dakota Lottery Director Thomas Lawler, who gave an operational overview and biennium report. He described the lottery’s history, games, retailer commissions, Pick and Click subscriptions, Players Club membership, and revenue distribution. For the 2023-25 biennium, about $67 million in tickets were purchased, with roughly $16.2 million transferred overall, including money for the general fund, drug task force grants, and compulsive gambling prevention and treatment. Members asked about the compulsive gambling allocation and whether the amount is set by statute. A lengthy presentation followed from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on criminal justice data connectivity and reentry. Adam Anderson explained that North Dakota’s jail, court, HHS, and correctional systems use multiple separate databases that do not communicate in real time, requiring manual cross-checks and staff communication. He said the department is exploring a centralized hub or other integration approach, but noted challenges with identifiers, vendor contracts, confidentiality, and cost. Robin Schmolenberger then updated the committee on a Medicaid data-sharing project with HHS, saying monthly application assistance is now occurring in correctional facilities and that automated bi-directional data exchange is expected in late 2026 to help suspend and reactivate Medicaid coverage and identify former foster care youth. Members also discussed parole, probation, transitional housing, and the need for better real-time notifications and clearer data definitions. The committee also received an update from county representatives on the 24/7 sobriety program, including a recent attorney general opinion that if a court waives 24/7 fees, sheriffs may use the cheaper twice-daily breath test or urine testing instead of SCRAM bracelets or drug patches. Finally, Bruce Johnson of the Racing Commission presented on an audit report, acknowledging serious findings involving overspending from the promotion fund, grant documentation failures, a breeders fund eligibility reversal, and repeated procurement violations. He said the commission has already changed its procedures by tracking fund limits monthly, requiring grant applications and itemized reports, enforcing breeders fund rules as written, and routing purchases through procurement with written contracts. The committee asked follow-up questions throughout but took no formal votes on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• rather than the current California Building Code.
• This is a shift from general commercial to simple residential code for small housing projects.
• With that, I respectfully request your aye vote. new building code.
• by our Attorney General to clarify the elections code.
• And court-appointed children's counsel.

Summary: The Assembly met on May 23, 2025, established a quorum after a roll call, and proceeded through a long House of Origin floor session with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine parliamentary actions. Early in the day, a motion by Assembly Member Gallagher to suspend the rules and take up AB 12 immediately failed on a 18-39 vote. The chamber then moved through the daily file, with many measures passing by wide margins, often with bipartisan support and little or no opposition. Among the notable bills discussed were measures on law enforcement oversight and records access (AB 847), CalFresh data-sharing exemptions (AB 593), campus-area housing for students and staff (AB 893), insurance and wildfire hardening updates (AB 1), missing middle housing code changes (AB 6), tribal peace officer status in a pilot program (AB 31), utility bill analysis before new mandates (AB 61), fairgrounds funding (AB 258), Diwali as a state holiday (AB 268), labor and worker organizing rights (AB 288), algorithmic price-fixing and antitrust enforcement (AB 325), elections and jail voter information (AB 331), protections for judges and court personnel (AB 343 and AB 352), school construction procurement (AB 361), school-zone speed limits (AB 382), transit worker protections (AB 394), blue carbon coastal mitigation (AB 399), K-9 standards for law enforcement (AB 400), livestock carcass composting (AB 411), translation of housing materials (AB 413), immigrant educational rights notices (AB 419), gun violence restraining order implementation (AB 451), special education and child care measures (AB 560 and AB 563), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), and disability access protections for businesses (AB 649). Several bills addressed housing, energy, public health, and public safety, and many authors emphasized affordability, transparency, and administrative efficiency. The session also included several ceremonial or recognition items, including ACR 73 declaring Italian American Heritage Month, which was adopted by voice vote after 65 coauthors were added. Most measures were approved overwhelmingly, though a few drew some dissent, including AB 421? no—AB 399 passed 42-30, AB 450 passed 49-6, AB 461 passed 49-8, and AB 621 passed 58-0. The transcript ends partway through AB 772, which was introduced as an educational equity bill addressing cyberbullying after school hours, but the remainder of that item is not included in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Single parents cannot find child care close to home that fits their work schedule and their children's
• Single parents cannot find child care close to home that fits their work schedule and their children's
• that young children, ages 3 to 5, have access to equitable services across program types so that children's
• As long as we fund education on a zip code basis, there are going to be gross inequities, including..

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Through these protections, parents will have the assurance that their children's personal information
• biometric data, health data, including reproductive and gender-affirming care, and neural data, and children's
• Reproductive and gender-affirming care and neural data, children's data, identity-related information
• work on the legislation that is now before us and has also managed to infuse the Uniform Commercial Code

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, recognized several guests in the chamber, and adopted a resolution congratulating Coleman-Nee on election as National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. It also took up several local and personnel matters, including a sick leave bank for Emily Cullick and later Paul Stavarski, and local bills affecting the town of Weston and a Dorchester housing/library procurement exemption; those measures were advanced to third reading or engrossment as appropriate. The chamber also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committees. The main business was Senate No. 2516, the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act, which came before the Senate on a Ways and Means substitute (Senate Document 2608). Senators Creem, Moore, Charles, Feingold, Keenan, and others spoke in support, describing the bill as a comprehensive consumer privacy measure with data minimization rules, limits on sensitive data, protections for minors, and strong Attorney General enforcement. Several amendments were debated, with many rejected or withdrawn, while some were adopted, including provisions on geolocation data protections, opting out of targeted advertising, affiliate and merger/acquisition protections, internal operations exemptions, parental access to child data, and a Ways and Means amendment. A number of other amendments on employee data, union data, loyalty programs, AI training, reporting, and related issues were either not adopted or held/withdrawn. After the amendment process, the Senate adopted the amended Ways and Means substitute and ordered the bill to a third reading. The bill was then passed to be engrossed on a roll call vote of 40-0. The Senate also adopted an order to adjourn to the following Monday at 11:00 a.m. and to dispense with printing a calendar. The session adjourned in memory of Darrow Logan Alexander of South Boston.

Transcript Highlights:

• Khloe Cole, a detransitioner, fears that these treatments will cut children's lives short and that the
• :43:26.440> will<00:43:26.640> cut<00:43:26.839> children<00:43:27.119> children's
• treatments will cut children children's treatments will cut children children's lives<00:43:27.760
• I worked for the state and the children's psychiatric hospital, as well as the Department of Correction
• about their children's healthare number three<03:59:55.040> it<03:59:55.199> targets<03

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was on staff at Children's Hospital in Chicago.
• I was on staff at Children's Hospital in Chicago.
• I was on staff at Children's Hospital in Chicago.
• I was on staff at Children's Hospital in Chicago.
• code name, Project<01:31:23.440> Bigfoot.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• names, or even their children's school is published online, it puts the entire family at risk.
• names, or even their number, children's names, or even their children's<00:14:30.399> school<
• non-work contact information, children's non-work contact information, children's names,<00:14:55.600
• <00:32:31.279> We of children's schools and locations.
• We of children's schools and locations.

Bills: HF1567, HF2809, HF3380

Keywords: public safety officer, peace officer, correctional officer, law enforcement, police privacy, officer safety, doxxing, personal information, data privacy, government data practices, private data, internet posting, online disclosure, residential address, phone number, email address, family member protection, child safety, school information, public records

Transcript Highlights:

• eliminate language that had existed for many years and is no longer applicable, such as the use of SIC codes
• forth with this legislation, and the task force would work to support the family to ensure that Children's
• forth with this legislation and the task force would work to support the family to ensure that children's
• division processes were running smoothly and, to ensure that children's division processes were running
• When I worked for the Jackson County Children's Division as a specialist and also as a chief investigator

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Parents and educators already collaborate every day to support children's learning and well-being.
• Parents and educators already collaborate every day to support children's learning and well-being.
• <00:45:03.559> of<00:45:03.760> conduct code of conduct code of conduct violation<00:45
• If you're looking for parents like that, you go directly to the executive director of the Children's
• would like to participate in children's would like to participate in children's Sports<01:48:29.760

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is legislation to amend and reenact a section of the Code of Virginia related to impersonation of
• Compensatory relief when a locality is found to be willfully violating the Code of Virginia.
• This legislation amends sections of the Code of Virginia relating to the Brown v.
• I've looked in the code.
• I've looked in the code, and I've looked at this bill and 1524 and a couple others.

Keywords: March 11, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• affected by the federal law 10 US code affected by the federal law 10 US code 1408<01:41:38.000>
• I can uniform code of military justice.
• Okay, we have a lot of Revenue Code.
• > records,<02:31:09.600> including to their children's records, including to their children's
• Children's portal.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Aligning statute with guidance for time-based codes from the Minnesota Department of Health's rule and
• The Children's and Youth and Families wants two more FTE just for compliance.
• 35.799> the for more staff uh for compliance um the for more staff uh for compliance um the children's
• youth<00:26:37.240> and<00:26:37.480> families<00:26:38.080> wants children's
• and youth and families wants children's and youth and families wants two<00:26:38.600> more<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, even though it's not in code, just to give a more robust review of the books, we did count
• So you've spent a lot of time creating code, and we've also put that into rules.
• and overturned and also some of the challenges where, you know, books have been found to violate the code
• can cancel their contracts and no longer be spending taxpayer money on selling our students' and children's
• I didn't see it until this morning, but they're questioning their children's ability to get the same

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We always say not Medicaid, kind of like Medicaid, but it is our children's health insurance product.
• Services, operation oversight of the state, mental health treatment facilities and coordination of children's
• transition to a nationally standardized claims ERs to as we transition to a nationally standardized claims code
• So we have over 700 behavior, health service codes that will be rip rolling out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sure, yes sir, um, 287g references the federal code, and, um, and it is basically an agreement with.
• Their killers are their children's killers are behind bars for 45 years. For the exact same thing.
• Beyond the 10% cost savings requirement set forth in the. government code, MTC has saved taxpayers millions
• like I said, gives them the opportunity to seek housing, and do things like participate in their children's

Bills: HB153

Transcript Highlights:

• this is our contact information so you can send us e-mail us at our website and also scan that QR code
• And if you've got the QR code, you're ready to go.
• And we divide this between us and our Children's Medical Services program at the department as well.
• Through their partnerships on the local level are women infant and children's program at the department

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• should be able to readily identify the number of defendants who have been penalized under the current code
• We'll move on to our next measure which um HP 1565 relating to the penal code.
• um HP 1565 relating to the penal code. um HP 1565 relating to the penal code.
• Children's Justice Centers, AAW of Children's Justice Centers, AAW of Hawaii,<00:53:58.400> Hawaii
• Next up, HB 1665 relating to the penal code.

Bills: HB1546

Keywords: Medicaid, health insurance, healthcare access, insurance subsidies, pilot program, affordable care, preventive services, low-income, community engagement, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2083, which would add homeless shelters to Hawaii’s drug-free/safe-zone protections. The City and County prosecutor’s office strongly supported the bill, saying service providers asked for the change because drug activity near shelters can undermine recovery efforts. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, focusing on a possible notice problem because many shelters are not readily identifiable and the bill’s 750-foot distance requirement could be difficult to apply. The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii also opposed the bill, arguing it would expand criminalization of poverty and drug use and that drug-free zone laws are ineffective and disproportionately harmful. The prosecutor’s office said it would do more research on the notice concern. The committee then moved on without taking a vote in the transcript provided. The committee next discussed HB 2087, which would change the treatment of abuse of family or household member cases by ending the deferred-acceptance pilot and returning to the prior statute. The prosecutor’s office supported the bill, saying the pilot had not reduced backlog as intended and that domestic violence cases should remain petty misdemeanors without deferral. The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Public Defender’s Office both opposed HB 2087, instead urging extension of the pilot for another five years so the legislature can better evaluate how deferred acceptance is working. They said deferrals can be a useful incentive for behavior change and that more data is needed before ending the program. Committee members questioned the prosecutor about why Hawaii should differ from other counties and whether repeat offenders could keep receiving deferrals; the prosecutor said the deferral is available only once and reiterated support for returning to the old statute. The committee then heard HB 2096 on aggravated circumstances in child protective proceedings. The family court and Attorney General’s Office supported the bill, saying current law limits aggravated-circumstances findings to the early return hearing, which can prevent findings in the most serious abuse cases when key evidence is not yet available. They said the bill would allow such findings later in the case and, with proposed amendments, would let the court consolidate aggravated-circumstances and termination-of-parental-rights hearings to reduce delay and appeals. The Libertarian Party of Hawaii opposed the measure, arguing it would expand state power in family matters and could worsen outcomes for parents and children. Committee questions focused on the amended language, including what “another court of competent jurisdiction” means and whether a charge alone would be enough; the judiciary responded that criminal courts are included, but a hearing and opportunity to defend would still be required. Finally, the committee took up HB 1959, another domestic violence measure. The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Public Defender’s Office, the Crime Victim Compensation Commission, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, and county prosecuting offices testified in support. Supporters said the bill would extend the pilot program while keeping deferred acceptance of guilty pleas in place, giving more time to evaluate whether the program is working and whether a more formal diversion model should be developed. The coalition also suggested technical fixes to ensure judiciary data reporting continues and that the deferred-acceptance statute is not inadvertently repealed. No vote or final action was taken in the transcript before the committee moved on to the next bill.