Transcript Highlights:

• provide to communities across Oklahoma, from early literacy programs and student support to workforce development
• From early literacy story times to workforce development programs, from digital access and research assistance
• Contrary to the email we all received this morning, this is not a dramatic shift in economic development
• that exemption away from solar and battery storage because Quite honestly, these international development
• 1826 by Osborne of the House and Reinhart of the Senate, an act relating to the Oklahoma Local Development

Bills: HR1055, SB2170, SB1833, SB1198, HR1056, SB1730, SB563, SB1379, SB1645, SB2155, SB1280, SB1455, SB1456, SB1461, SB1457, SB1463, SB1465, SB1466, SB1344, SB1309, HR1054, SB2159, SB1948, HB1371, SB1365, SB1976, SB1975, SB2026, SB1565, SB1621, SB237, SB933, SB1427, SB1642, SB171, SB1873, SB2067, SB1623, SB1771, SB1805, SB1826, SB2072, SB444, SB2184, SB1966, SB1812, SB2117, SB2135, SB330, SB1239, SB1428, SB1531, SB1484, SB1405, SB3

Keywords: Oklahoma Agriculture Day, agriculture, farmers, ranchers, agribusiness, food production, wheat, cattle, beef, dairy, soybeans, cotton, poultry, pork, rye, rural economy, urban-rural, trade, commodity production, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• Beyond leadership skills, JROTC helps students develop strong character and a sense of civic duty.
• That developed during delivery outside of medical facilities.

Bills: HR1055, SB2170, SB1833, SB1198, HR1056, SB1730, SB563, SB1379, SB1645, SB2155, SB1280, SB1455, SB1456, SB1461, SB1457, SB1463, SB1465, SB1466, SB1344, SB1309, HR1054, SB2159, SB1948, HB1371, SB1365, SB1976, SB1975, SB2026, SB1565, SB1621, SB237, SB933, SB1427, SB1642, SB171, SB1873, SB2067, SB1623, SB1771, SB1805, SB1826, SB2072, SB444, SB2184, SB1966, SB1812, SB2117, SB2135, SB330, SB1239, SB1428, SB1531, SB1484, SB1405, SB3

Keywords: Oklahoma Agriculture Day, agriculture, farmers, ranchers, agribusiness, food production, wheat, cattle, beef, dairy, soybeans, cotton, poultry, pork, rye, rural economy, urban-rural, trade, commodity production, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• To be a procedure city limits, city zones, street district, district of the community development law
• Gross Legislative Bill 1135 would authorize the issuance of certain revenue bonds and certain taxpayer
• Certain first-class cities and a site and building development act create a grant program managed by
• Legislative Bill 1165A is an appropriation bill for the site and building development fund.
• The act provides an appropriation from the site and building development fund for fiscal years 2026-27

Bills: LB764, LB815A, LB839, LB888, LB955, LB972A, LB1029, LB1087, LB1091, LB1126A, LB1181A, LB1237A, LB1261A, LB304A, LB762, LB889, LB929, LB966, LB1022, LB1187, LR508

Keywords: law enforcement, correctional services, Department of Correctional Services, corrections officers, state prison employees, peace officer, certification, police standards, training academy, Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council, criminal justice, correctional staff, conditional officer, law enforcement authority, public safety, LB815A, LB815, appropriation, appropriations bill

Transcript Highlights:

• have guaranteed them that 100% of the costs of bringing those facilities will be borne by those developers
• It outlines that the curriculum will be developed viewpoint neutral developed by the Oklahoma State Department
• Peaker, my question regards whether the curriculum that's developed will be delivered by teachers or
• Developing new and more advanced AI systems means programmers and developers still need to have some
• Conference and fell in love with this program and decided to talk with the folks to help me develop it

Bills: HB2059, HB3920, HB2992, HB3267, HB4457, HB3800, HB3818, HB4425, HB4427, HB4430, HB4431, HB4333, HB4340, HB4343, HB4344, HB4363, HB4229, HB4230, HB4236, HB4246, HB1979, HB3431, HB3052, HB3047, HB3048, HB4092, HB4302, HB3261, HB3704, HB3312, HB3546, HB3849, HCR1021, HB4105, HB4159, HB4304, HB3835, HB3619, HB4490, HB3710, HB4201, HB3907, HB3748

Keywords: health care, medication, inmates, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, reimbursement, county jails, medical expenses, sales tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, procurement, transplant research, Oklahoma Tax Code, HB2992, Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, Corporation Commission, Oklahoma utilities, ratepayer protection, data centers, artificial intelligence computing, AI data centers

Bills: SB1423, SB1426, SB1502, SB1377, SB1983, SB1466, SB1645, SB1647, SB1847, SB1565, SB1562, SB1329, SB1383, SB1833, SB1555, SB1344, SB1839, SB1280, SB1832, SB2001, SB1405, SB2143, SB1989, SB1393, SB1392, SB1395, SB1400, SB1220, SB1516, SB1239, SB1531, SB1349, SB1221, SB1538, SB1309, SB1434, SB2108, SB2121, SB2171, SB2061, SB2112, SB2138

Keywords: Oklahoma Hospital Advisory Council, hospital licensure, public health, State Department of Health, State Board of Health, hospital regulations, healthcare regulation, hospital standards, hospital construction, hospital operations, stroke care, stroke system, emergency medical services, EMS transport, psychiatric treatment, chemical dependency treatment, substance use disorder, drug storage, pharmacy, quality indicators

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill requires developers and contractors to submit disclosures about their workforce development
• to bond their interconnection payments.
• If other states do this — New York just started this — if developers could bond those payments, that
• developer based here in Massachusetts.
• developer based here in Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of energy bills, with much of the discussion focused on offshore wind, battery storage, solar, nuclear study proposals, and a bill to redefine clean energy. Several Barnstable-area legislators and witnesses raised concerns about offshore wind transmission infrastructure near neighborhoods, beaches, and drinking water supplies, and supported bills to create a special commission and increase local input and oversight. In contrast, environmental, consumer, labor, and clean energy groups strongly backed offshore wind expansion bills, arguing that offshore wind lowers long-term costs, improves winter reliability, reduces fossil fuel dependence, supports jobs and local supply chains, and should include wildlife protections, labor standards, and community benefits. Some witnesses and committee members noted that parts of the offshore wind legislation overlap with the Governor’s energy affordability bill, and asked for clarification on which provisions were new versus duplicative. The committee also heard testimony on battery storage and solar legislation. Two student witnesses and several industry representatives supported a bill to study grid battery storage, saying storage can reduce outages, lower peak prices, and improve grid resilience during extreme weather. Witnesses from solar and storage companies supported a broader clean energy transition bill that would expand storage procurement, create a retail-style storage program for distributed batteries, set a 10-gigawatt solar target by 2035, and streamline siting and interconnection. Committee members pressed witnesses on whether these provisions were already included in the Governor’s affordability bill and asked for a section-by-section breakdown of what was new. One witness also urged allowing developers to bond interconnection payments to reduce financing costs. Another major topic was a bill defining clean energy, especially whether existing pumped-storage hydropower should qualify for subsidies or be excluded. Supporters of the bill argued that existing pumped storage should not receive additional ratepayer subsidies because it is already built, can have environmental impacts on rivers and ecosystems, and could cost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Opponents said pumped storage is an important reliability resource and should remain eligible. The committee also heard testimony on nuclear-energy study bills: some witnesses supported creating a commission to examine nuclear power as a reliable, carbon-free option, while others opposed nuclear study bills and argued that nuclear is costly, unsafe, and inconsistent with the state’s clean energy goals. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think it should have any negative impact on solar development or the pace of solar development
• And you see a cluster developing around climate tech, for example.
• developer based here in Massachusetts.
• Many projects take months or years to develop.
• geothermal companies or develop developers that want to work with geothermal companies.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 4144, the Governor’s Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act, with the administration arguing the bill would lower bills in the short and long term while expanding clean energy supply and innovation. The Governor and Secretary said the bill would reduce or restructure charges on customer bills, reform Mass Save, expand securitization as a financing tool, speed interconnection, create energy-ready zones, strengthen consumer protections in competitive supply, and allow broader state procurement of energy resources. They said the package could save consumers billions over time and would help address high energy costs, especially during extreme heat and winter spikes. Committee members pressed the administration on several provisions, especially securitization, asking whether the bill requires an apples-to-apples comparison of total costs over time, including interest and lost tax revenue, versus paying through rates. Administration witnesses said DPU review and public comment would be required and said they would work to clarify the language if needed. Members also questioned the bill’s solar and procurement provisions, including reduced net metering compensation for some large facilities, the scope of all-resource procurements, and whether hydro, solar, and nuclear would be included; the administration said those resources were contemplated and that procurement would still be reviewed by DPU. Other questions focused on the short-term relief from bill changes, the treatment of low- and moderate-income discounts, and whether the bill’s heat pump and Mass Save reforms would help customers who cannot afford upfront costs. Several witnesses and committee members discussed Mass Save reforms, including securitization of program costs, on-bill financing, pre-approval of rebates, and shifting program administration away from gas utilities. Administration witnesses said the changes were intended to reduce volatility, lower administrative costs, and better align costs with long-term savings. Questions also touched on geothermal permitting, municipal participation in offshore wind procurement, and the proposed repeal of the ballot requirement for nuclear power, which the administration defended as preserving future options under heavy review. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described. Supportive testimony came from labor, environmental, business, planning, and development groups. The AFL-CIO, NECA, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts backed the bill, emphasizing lower bills, job creation, labor standards, just transition protections, and cleaner energy. NAIOP, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and MAPC supported provisions on energy-ready zones, interconnection reform, microgrids, extreme-heat shutoff protections, and Mass Save improvements. A HEET representative praised the bill’s use of securitization, geothermal, and utility financing tools but urged guardrails and workforce protections. Overall, testimony was broadly favorable, with most witnesses calling for refinements rather than opposing the bill outright.

Transcript Highlights:

• development with private activity bonds.
• I mean, I guess, so when we issue bonds with private activity bond Authority, that's a federal resource
• in that when someone buys the bonds, they don't have to pay tax, um, on the bond.
• And I think development and the pace of that development is now forcing us to do more of that.
• And the developers are moving out into area where they can buy land cheaper, um, develop that land and

Transcript Highlights:

• . development. development.
• Because judges can't get bond, can't forfeit bonds, and get that money.
• percentage bonds in the state.
• If you have a bail bonds license through a city bond, it sets it at a year.
• business, I had a $100,000 bond on that. business, I had a $100,000 bond on that.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a homebuilder and developer from El Paso.
• the unit development will shrink.
• It's, it's, it's coupled with bonds.
• or apartment development.
• bonds and some are used with state, uh, tax-exempt bonds for the, for the, uh, supplemental financing

Bills: HB164

Keywords: HB 164, HB164, Texas Flood Recovery, Reimbursement, and Reconstruction Program, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, Hill Country floods, July 2025 floods, flood recovery, disaster relief, flood reimbursement, reconstruction grants, resiliency standards, floodplain, base flood elevation, FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance denial, property damage, tenant assistance, rental property

Transcript Highlights:

• The campuses have developed structural deficits across the UC system.
• It was a metric developed four decades ago by the LAO and Department of Finance to try to reach...
• CCN implementation is being conducted in phases, with phase one template development completed...
• So the Budget Act Finance and LAO allocated $10 million for a work group to develop the system.
• I don’t... ...you know, we’ve been giving constant feedback as templates are being developed.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have actually develop.
• That section also includes a broad surety bond mandate.
• . bonds. bonds.
• <00:51:03.680> These securing a surety bond. These securing a surety bond.
• sections and I'm seeing the surety bond sections and I'm seeing the surety bond part<00:58:59.760

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for allow nonprofits to use to bond for allow nonprofits to use bonding<00:40:36.560> Authority
• <01:12:19.560> a producers like purus we can develop a producers like purus we can develop
• She said this is great for community development, economic development, workforce development, Minnesota
• She said this is great for community development, economic development, workforce development, Minnesota
• Development this is great for economic Development this is great for economic development<01:42:10.960

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, if you could speak to bonding as well. Oh, bonding, yeah, okay.
• So, there were bonding Ordinances.
• this year by an oversight the handling of the revenues for this bond.
• And I spoke with our bond counsel today, Modrell Sperling.
• We do have our bond counsel in place.

Transcript Highlights:

• This extension will allow the city to develop and plan multi-year infrastructure projects for streets
• The current 4-year reauthorization cycle creates funding uncertainty that can impact project development
• And requiring 75% of a taxing unit's governing body to propose a GEO bond election or M&O tax reelection
• Members, as you may be familiar, there's a, uh, economic development tool called a TURS tax Investment
• Uh, when, uh, whenever the, uh, municipality is going to, uh, go out and, uh, Uh, issue bonds for that

Transcript Highlights:

• So your Senate decided to lower some of these obligations with bonding and lines of credit because of
• That was eliminated: the $100 million bond that was for the Southwest Pipeline Project.
• It was a little like the concept we did with the FM version when we bonded it.
• The Workforce Development Committee concurs with those changes and asks the Senate to concur.
• The Workforce Development Committee concurs with those changes and asks the Senate to concur.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum present and handled a mix of conference committee appointments, appropriations bills, policy bills, and House amendments. Early in the session, the chamber appointed conference committees for SB 2399 and for House-amended SBs 2213 and 2354, and also named conference committees for HB 103, HB 1308, and HB 1169. The Senate then took up several appropriations measures, including HB 1612, which creates the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine at UND; the Senate adopted an amendment shifting the funding to a one-time $250,000 Community Health Trust Fund appropriation with a required $250,000 match from other sources, and the bill passed 39-7. HB 1193, the “Back the Blue” grant, was amended to make the funding one-time and focus on officer retention, then passed 41-5. HB 1329, a government spending database proposal for school districts, was amended into a legislative study and passed 42-4. HB 1020, the water budget, received extensive amendments reducing and reallocating funding across major water projects, adding studies and oversight changes, and passed 45-0 with the emergency clause. HB 1581, a tribal tourism grant, also passed 40-6. The Senate rejected HB 1330, which would have authorized divestment from direct investments in Chinese companies; after debate over the prudent investor rule, trade impacts, and whether the bill singled out one nation in law, it failed 20-26. HB 1534, limiting property valuation increases, and HB 1266, adjusting the disabled veterans property tax credit, both failed unanimously or nearly so after committee recommendations against them. HB 1566, which would have created a regulatory framework for a product discussed as kratom, was amended on the floor to convert it into a study and then passed 31-15. The chamber also passed HB 2241 on charter schools after a House amendment changed the funding formula to the statewide average from the prior year, and HB 2022, the indigent legal counsel budget, after House changes added funding flexibility, offset lost fee revenue, and included a study on a public defender office. The Senate concurred in several House amendments and then passed a number of Senate bills. SB 2375, allowing joint negotiations between dental providers and insurers under Attorney General oversight, passed 44-2. SB 2251, clarifying that open records requests during state audits should be referred to the audited agency, passed 46-0. SB 2159, related to nuclear energy research, passed 43-3 after House amendments required Industrial Commission approval and consultation with the radioactive waste advisory council. SB 2155, changing gratis antelope license rules, passed 30-16 after debate over landowner rights and tag distribution. SB 251, setting fees and an audit for the Private Investigative and Security Board, passed 44-2. SB 2280, the prior authorization health insurance bill, passed 43-3 with a House-added study and consumer protections. SB 2023, the Racing Commission budget, passed 41-5 after a House change made internship funding one-time. SB 2232, changing prenatal substance exposure reporting requirements and related toxicology rules, passed 44-2. SB 2241, authorizing public charter schools, passed 39-7. The session ended while the Senate was still processing SB 2022’s final passage vote, but the bill had already cleared concurrence on House amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 1417 by Assembly Member Stephanie and relating to offshore wind and energy development
• The bill requires offshore wind developers to report to the California Energy Commission any funding
• The Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development serves as California's central organizing
• I am pleased to introduce the College Health and Safety Bond Act, Assembly Bill 48.
• after bond after bond, where politicians have not followed through on commitments to voters.

Summary: The Assembly convened with a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long daily file of bills. Early procedural motions included a failed attempt to suspend the rules for AB 1219, followed by consideration of numerous measures on housing, veterans, education, elections, energy, wildfire prevention, public safety, and consumer affordability. Several bills drew bipartisan support and passed overwhelmingly, including AB 878 on safety accommodations for survivors of violence, AB 948 on school district facility maintenance, AB 81 and AB 88 on veterans’ mental health and student aid, AB 640 on school board fiscal training, AB 660 on housing permit timelines, AB 1048 on workers’ compensation billing disputes, AB 1119 on dual credentialing, AB 1172 on inhalable anti-seizure medication access, AB 1227 on wildfire prevention, AB 1285 and AB 696 on lithium-ion battery safety, AB 1417 on offshore wind transparency, AB 1530 on disaster recovery assistance, and AB 353 on affordable home internet. Some measures drew opposition or more divided votes, including AB 704 on sealing certain misdemeanor records, AB 1249 on early voting access, AB 1280 on thermal energy incentives, AB 1448 on offshore oil protections, AB 380 on price gouging, AB 402 on Cal Grant increases, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification, and AB 1084 on expedited gender-change and name-change court orders. The Assembly also granted reconsideration on AB 435, a child passenger safety bill, and passed it after debate on the five-step safety-seat standard. The floor debate featured recurring themes of affordability, housing, wildfire preparedness, election access, veterans’ services, and public safety. Supporters of the election bill AB 1249 argued it would simply add a Saturday early-voting option in non-VCA counties, while opponents raised concerns about verification and county staffing. AB 30, authorizing E15 gasoline in California, was presented as an urgency measure to lower fuel costs and passed unanimously on the urgency and the bill. AB 1466 on groundwater disputes was also taken up, with the author arguing it would reduce frivolous litigation and better represent all water users; the vote was 42 ayes and 17 noes. After completing the file, the Assembly recessed for lunch, later returned, and continued with additional file items, with many measures passing on strong bipartisan votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dennis Ling for the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism stands on its written testimony
• ><00:03:47.519> Economic Department of Business Economic Department of Business Economic Development
• and Tourism debed stand on Development and Tourism debed stand on its<00:03:50.439> written<00
• The Works Special Arts Fund is currently funded by tax-exempt GO bonds, and so if you're going to expand
• the use of the fund to also include performing arts, there may be a risk to the state's GO bonds and

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Culture and Arts met on February 7 and heard testimony on two measures. HB 1025, relating to the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, received support from the East-West Center, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and Friends of Civil Rights, with the Department of the Attorney General submitting comments. No opposition was noted, and the committee later voted to pass HB 1025 with amendments. The chair said the amendments would incorporate the Attorney General’s comments, add a preamble clarifying legislative intent, and change the effective date to July 1, 3000; the vote was unanimous among members present, with two members excused. The committee also heard HB 1378, which would establish a Performing Arts grant program under the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The SFCA supported the bill but asked that section 5 be deleted, saying the Works of Art Special Fund is not the right vehicle for performing arts and that the agency’s positions are currently federally funded and should be shifted to general funds. The Attorney General likewise recommended deleting section 5, warning that expanding the Works of Art Special Fund could jeopardize the state’s tax-exempt GO bond status, and suggested creating a separate special fund in chapter 9 instead. DBEDT stood on its written testimony, and several arts organizations and individuals testified in support, with the chair noting about 23 supporters overall. During questioning on HB 1378, members asked about possible federal funding losses. The SFCA director said the agency is in discussions with other state arts agencies about potential reductions from the National Endowment for the Arts and related White House requests, and that the immediate goal is to protect federally funded positions by moving them into the general fund. The committee did not take final action on HB 1378 and deferred decision-making until Wednesday, February 12.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is the calculated amount of principal and interest on all bonds issued and outstanding, all bonds
• c> presentation with a bond sitting around presentation with a bond sitting around 10%<01:59:04.520><
• We've had a chance to talk to developers that are developing now in Kakaʻako and how they're doing it
• We've had a chance to talk to developers that are developing now in Kakaʻako and how they're doing it
• that are developing talk to developers that are developing now<06:05:28.320> in<06:05:28.520>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held its first informational briefing for 2025, beginning with member introductions and then hearing an economic outlook presentation from Dr. Eugene Tian of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Dr. Tian said Hawaii’s economy was in relatively good shape in several areas, especially construction, which he described as at a historical high, with construction employment above 40,000 monthly and building permit values and contracting tax base both up sharply. He also noted real estate sales had rebounded in 2024, the labor market had stabilized with unemployment around 2.9%, and initial unemployment claims were below 2019 levels. At the same time, he highlighted challenges including inflation running above the national rate, a shrinking labor force, lower employment compared with 2023, and continued weakness in visitor spending and arrivals. He said future growth would likely come from health care, professional services, construction, tourism recovery, and diversified sectors such as renewable energy, aquaculture, creative industries, and technology. Dr. Tian also discussed Hawaii’s economic structure and recovery, saying the state remains more concentrated in a few industries than the U.S. overall, with government and hospitality making up larger shares of the economy. He said non-tourism sectors had recovered, but tourism-related jobs and output were still below pre-pandemic levels, with Maui and the visitor industry still affected by the wildfire and COVID-19 impacts. He projected tourism and non-agricultural wage and salary jobs would not fully recover until 2027, and said population trends remain a concern because of aging, the likelihood of deaths outpacing births in coming years, and reliance on in-migration. After his presentation, the chair said questions would be taken later and the committee took a short break. After the break, Dr. Carano of the Hawaii Executive Director’s office presented a second outlook, saying Hawaii’s economy in 2025 looked better than 2024 overall, though he emphasized substantial uncertainty tied to the incoming federal administration. He said possible changes to tariffs, tax policy, immigration, and federal spending could raise inflation and keep interest rates higher than previously expected, which would affect housing, consumer debt, the dollar, and Hawaii’s visitor industry. He noted that U.S. visitors account for roughly three-quarters of visitor spending in the state, making federal policy especially important. He also said deregulation could be a long-term positive but would not likely have much effect in 2025 or 2026. As an additional risk, he pointed to bird flu and its effect on livestock, poultry, and egg prices. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our goal is to allow our resources to do what they do best, develop.
• By the way, because some of these wells didn't have bonds, some of the wells that have bonds are smaller
• This remarkable production was a result of the commitment of industry to develop innovative solutions
• Um, more than 15,000 megawatts of battery storage in late-stage development.
• It's going to take everything that we have on the grid and in the ERCOT development queue.