Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:26:12.159><c> uhc><00:26:12.400><c> differentc><00:26:12.640><c> typesc> We need to invest
• in uh different types We need to invest in uh different types of<00:26:13.120><c> equipment.
• :21.120><c> thatc><00:26:21.440><c> typec><00:26:21.600><c> ofc> our spaces uh to hold that type
• of our spaces uh to hold that type of equipment.<00:26:22.720><c> Andc><00:26:23.039><c> alsoc><
• c><00:53:52.480><c> thec><00:53:52.640><c> thosec> type or sort.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force meeting began with approval of the July 14 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Kentucky Aviation Association. Association leaders described general aviation airports as important to rural access, commerce, emergency response, tourism, agriculture, and workforce development, and cited statewide economic impacts they said exceed $1.6 billion and support more than 9,400 jobs. They thanked the legislature for prior airport funding and said it had helped airports with basic operations and repairs. The association asked lawmakers for four things: continued appropriations for general aviation airports; relief or a more workable process for required financial audits, which they said can cost $10,000 to $20,000 or more and sometimes exceed a small airport’s annual budget; a regularized statewide appropriations process for airport infrastructure needs, which they said total about $100 million and are currently addressed unevenly; and funding for the Aerospace Education Reinvestment Opportunity Act to support scholarships and aviation workforce training. Members of the task force asked follow-up questions about the audit burden, the difference between financial and safety audits, and the difficulty of finding audit firms. The presenters said they would bring specific ideas back on audit reform. Eastern Kentucky University then presented on its aviation program. EKU leaders thanked the committee for prior support, including a $25 million appropriation for a new flight school building at Central Kentucky Regional Airport, and said the project is expected to break ground in 2026. They reported strong enrollment growth, with 502 aviation majors, most of them Kentuckians, and said the program has expanded flight hours and job placement. EKU also outlined plans to add an air traffic control program in response to Senate Bill 87 and the national shortage of controllers, saying it could train students to FAA standards if the university receives the needed investment in simulators, equipment, space, and faculty. They also discussed the need to replace an aging fleet of training aircraft, saying the current planes are decades old and costly to maintain, and that newer aircraft would improve training quality and reduce student costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> uhc><00:03:31.360><c> wec><00:03:31.480><c> doc><00:03:31.680><c> havec><00:03:31.840><c
• c><00:05:08.000><c> ofc><00:05:08.479><c> Uc><00:05:08.880><c> ofc><00:05:09.039><c> thosec><
• ><c> wasc><00:08:12.240><c> inc><00:08:12.360><c> thec><00:08:12.639><c> inc><00:08:12.800><c
• c><00:08:37.680><c> inc><00:08:38.440><c> uhc><00:08:39.440><c> uhc><00:08:39.560><c> thec>
• c><00:17:21.839><c> thatc><00:17:22.039><c> itc><00:17:22.199><c> hasc><00:17:22.360><c> toc>

Keywords: 0:01– Meeting start/roll call 0:34 – Approval of minutes 0:48 – Welcome of new committee members 1:34 – Council on Postsecondary Education 25:17 – Teachers’ Retirement System 27:00 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority 29:04 – Board of Veterinary Examiners 31:40 – Board of Nursing 34:01 – Board of Emergency Medical Services 36:15 – Fish & Wildlife Resources 40:34 – Department of Corrections 56:00 – Department of State Police 58:05 – Department of Criminal Justice Training 59:22 – Transportation Cabinet 1:00:18 – Department of Education 1:01:23 – Department of Employment Services 1:04:17 – Department of Workplace Standards 1:05:25 – Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction 1:06:59 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Sanitation) 1:13:50 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Trauma System) 1:17:46 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Radon) 1:18:30 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Medicaid Services 1:19:15 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. of Aging Services 1:20:36 – Other Business/Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and welcomed new members before taking up Council on Postsecondary Education regulations 13 KAR 2:120 and 13 KAR 2:130. The regulations, as amended by staff and agency amendments, update public university and KCTCS performance funding models to conform to 2024 Senate Bill 191 and the performance funding work group’s recommendations. Changes discussed included replacing the underrepresented minority metric with an underrepresented students metric defined as first-generation students, adding an adult learner metric, increasing the low-income degree premium, adjusting small-school and nonresident credit-hour weights, revising data aging and progression metrics, and adding STEM+H criteria in 13 KAR 2:120. Travis Pal of the Council on Postsecondary Education explained that the changes reflect the work group’s three-year review process and that the work group ultimately voted to define underrepresented students as first-generation students and to apply half-weighting between research and comprehensive universities for the new metric. Michael Frasier of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition and Eastern Kentucky University student government opposed 13 KAR 2:120, arguing that the regulation improperly applies weights where the statute does not clearly authorize them and that the funding changes disadvantage comprehensive universities and vulnerable students. He asked the committee to find the regulation deficient or, alternatively, recommend legislative clarification and a revised fiscal analysis. Pal responded that weighting has been part of the model since 2017, that CPE was following the statute and work group recommendations, and that the model could be changed by future legislation. Members asked about the timing of the broader performance funding review, and Pal said the full model is reviewed every three years, with the next work group cycle beginning in 2026. No motion to find the regulation deficient was made, and the committee allowed the regulations to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The committee then approved a staff amendment to Teachers’ Retirement System regulations 102 KAR 1:195 and 102 KAR 1:340, which require annual reporting of accumulated sick leave, leave policies, and salary schedules to TRS and make technical changes to the final average salary calculation and related definitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> thatc><00:01:22.880><c> youc><00:01:23.000><c> andc><00:01:23.120><c> thec> the dates um
• 24.040><c> Aprilc><00:01:24.360><c> 27thc><00:01:25.240><c> andc><00:01:25.320><c> 28thc><00:
• toc><00:02:07.160><c> hearc><00:02:07.360><c> somec><00:02:07.600><c> morec><00:02:07.800><c>
• c><00:36:34.080><c> typesc> applies to construction and other types applies to construction and other
• types of<00:36:34.440><c> services,c><00:36:35.400><c> itc><00:36:35.600><c> excludesc><00:36:

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The joint Minerals Committee met to select interim topics and announced its meeting dates for April 27-28 in Casper, June 4-5 in Casper, and August 27-28 in Cheyenne. Members heard public testimony on several economic development and minerals-related topics and were asked to identify their top priorities for later ranking and consensus. No formal votes were taken during this portion of the meeting. A major topic was removing obstacles to energy development in Wyoming, including possible regulatory, bonding, and permitting barriers. Testimony from the Mining Association and Energy Capital Economic Development supported revisiting barriers to development, similar to the earlier Regulatory Reduction Task Force. Another related topic was industrial siting exemptions on coal mine property, with testimony arguing that mineral-related projects such as rare earths, uranium conversion, and ferroalloys should not have to go through the full industrial siting process when communities have already dealt with similar development. Members also discussed industrial siting bonding requirements, including whether bonding or advance payments should be used to cover impacts on local services and emergency response, especially for projects like solar farms or battery storage. The committee also discussed coal bed methane industrial sovereign zones, tied to House Bill 120, with testimony seeking to include coal bed methane in value-added manufacturing zones. The sponsor said the goal was to create industrial zones that support economic development while protecting scenic values and limiting industrial sprawl. Another topic was sourcing curling stones in Wyoming, which was presented as a lighthearted but potentially useful way to promote Wyoming stone and broader dimension-stone quarrying; a state geologist testified that Wyoming has granite with similar mineralogy to stone used for curling stones elsewhere. Child care as an economic driver was withdrawn. The committee also heard support for a Business Council restructure review, though several members said the Minerals Committee should do the substantive review because the Business Council falls within its jurisdiction, while still coordinating with Appropriations. Finally, the committee heard a proposal for a domestic preference in residential general service contracts, extending Wyoming preference concepts beyond construction into goods and services, with testimony emphasizing local economic multipliers and possible exceptions for federal funding or other procurement limits.

Transcript Highlights:

• no matter what identify as independent no matter what type<00:32:19.600><c> ofc><00:32:19.720><c>
• ><c> thec> type of independent they are uh the type of independent they are uh the second<00:32:21.639
• go around leveling those<00:54:04.720><c> typesc><00:54:04.920><c> ofc><00:54:05.119><c> accusations
• c><00:54:05.680><c> Ic><00:54:05.760><c> wouldc><00:54:06.480><c> umc> those types of accusations
• I would um those types of accusations I would um take<00:54:06.799><c> ac><00:54:06.920><c> long

Bills: HF550

Keywords: redistricting, Bipartisan Commission, Minnesota Constitution, census, legislative districts, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And<00:01:08.480><c> soc><00:01:08.640><c> wec><00:01:08.800><c> havec><00:01:09.800><c> uhc>
• c><00:01:11.920><c> Itc><00:01:12.160><c> isc><00:01:12.880><c> SBc><00:01:13.400><c> 2371c
• c><00:58:44.120><c> Havingc><00:58:44.400><c> ac><00:58:44.440><c> patchworkc> this type of thing
• certain<00:58:57.160><c> typesc><00:58:57.400><c> ofc><00:58:57.480><c> products.
• c><00:58:58.520><c> Umc> certain types of products. Um certain types of products.

Bills: SB2706, SB2320

Keywords: workforce development, agriculture, biosecurity, pilot program, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, University of Hawaii, Leeward Community College, DHRD, training, apprenticeship, career pathways, credentialing, job training, internship, hands-on experience, state employment, workforce pipeline, agricultural jobs, biosecurity jobs, general fund appropriation

Summary: The committees first heard SB 2371, which would prioritize lease offers on agrivoltaics parcels for beginning farmers, require annual compliance reports to DAB, authorize penalties for noncompliance, and allow solar facilities on certain agricultural lands. DAB, the State Energy Office, PUC, and Hawaii Farm Bureau generally supported the intent, while OPPSD recommended amendments to preserve agricultural lease affordability and strengthen food-production language. Members questioned whether the bill would meaningfully encourage solar on ag lands, whether beginning farmers would have enough information to use such parcels, and how the bill would interact with Land Use Commission review. The Farm Bureau said agrivoltaics remains challenging and largely in pilot form, and noted the Mililani project as a promising example of dual use. The committees voted to pass SB 2371 with amendments, with one member expressing a preference that it be opened to all farmers rather than only beginning farmers. The next measure, SB 2800, appropriates funds to DAB, DLNR, and ADC for acquisition, repair, and maintenance of irrigation systems. All testifying agencies and the Farm Bureau supported the bill, and members pressed them for estimates of needed funding and the condition of existing systems. DAB cited major repair needs, including Waimea, Molokai, Kahuku, and Kawailoa, and said its backlog could total roughly $65 million; ADC estimated about $35 million for several systems; and DLNR said its current needs for three systems were about $35 million, with the largest cost tied to piping in Kekaha. The committees amended the bill to defer its effective date to July 1, 2050 and to blank out the appropriation amounts in the bill text, with the agencies’ requested amounts to be included in the committee report for consideration. SB 2800 then passed in AEN, Water and Land, and EIG. The final measure discussed was SB 2718, a food hub pilot program beginning in 2028 that would require state departments and UH to source 30% of certain food purchases from local agricultural products, create a nutrition- and ʻāina-based school program, and have DAT partner with a regional aggregator for Native Hawaiian staple crops. DAT, DOH, the Farm Bureau, Food Plus Policy Group, HAPA, and others supported the bill’s intent, while the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opposed it, saying it is already struggling to meet the current local procurement percentage and faces procurement and quantity barriers, especially for staple items used daily. The testimony focused on whether agencies could realistically meet the higher local purchasing target and whether smaller farms could supply the needed volumes.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> inc><00:09:50.000><c> ac><00:09:50.160><c> lotc><00:09:50.279><c> ofc><00:09:50.519><c>
• ><c> hec><00:10:37.000><c> wasc><00:10:37.120><c> inc><00:10:37.200><c> thec><00:10:37.279><c
• c><00:14:16.600><c> ofc><00:14:16.839><c> thec><00:14:17.279><c> uhc><00:14:17.600><c> Wc>
• c><00:14:24.720><c> umc><00:14:25.399><c> yeahc><00:14:25.600><c> soc><00:14:25.920><c> Ic>
• ><c> ac><00:22:05.360><c> yearc><00:22:06.039><c> uhc><00:22:06.360><c> asc><00:22:06.559><c>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard confirmations for two Hawaii Technology Development Corporation board nominees, Jaclyn Ka and Gregory Oara. Testimony for both was overwhelmingly in support. Supporters for Ka emphasized her Kauaʻi roots, work in workforce development and digital equity, and ability to connect schools, industry, and community needs. In her own remarks, Ka said she wants to bring resources to Kauaʻi and the neighbor islands, strengthen local workforce pathways, and use the HTDC board to help local residents access technology jobs and training. Members questioned Ka about how to reduce reliance on mainland hires for jobs at PMRF and other technology employers, how to better align training with local needs, and how to connect Kauaʻi schools, community college programs, and creative media/digital technology efforts. Ka described KDB’s role in building islandwide digital media and drone clubs, professional development for teachers, and partnerships intended to create a pipeline from school to workforce. She also said the legislature can help mainly by listening and staying informed about local needs. For Oara, supporters highlighted his engineering and semiconductor background, his experience in academia, industry, and startups, and his potential to help HTDC with technology commercialization, IP, and exportable services. Oara said he wants HTDC to better support early-stage companies, improve coordination among universities, government, and the private sector, and create a directory of technical skill sets to connect startups with needed expertise. He also discussed AI, saying Hawaii can contribute by developing smaller, locally relevant models rather than only relying on large-scale data-center infrastructure. The hearing focused on these nominations and testimony; no vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><04:11:50.920><c> bec><04:11:51.040><c> ac><04:11:51.119><c> newc><04:11:51.520><c> typec
• 05:09:50.280><c> thisc><05:09:50.480><c> typec><05:09:50.638><c> ofc><05:09:50.798><c> scenario
• c><05:09:51.718><c> umc> the example in this type of scenario um the example in this type of scenario
• <c> typesc><05:13:36.440><c> ofc> is going to occur um and those types of is going to occur um and
• those types of things<05:13:37.600><c> umc><05:13:37.760><c> soc><05:13:38.080><c> therec><05:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:01:06.040><c> seec><00:01:06.200><c> whatc><00:01:06.320><c> happensc><00:01:06.600><c>
• can charge interest rate that lenders can charge for<00:03:20.280><c> certainc><00:03:20.560><c> types
• types of secondly mortgage for certain types of secondly mortgage products<00:03:22.840><c> Fannyc>
• <c> thec><00:31:34.559><c> samec><00:31:35.320><c> umc><00:31:35.480><c> typec><00:31:35.679>
• <c> ofc><00:31:36.159><c> ofc> talking about the same um type of of talking about the same um type

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:02:10.080><c> canc><00:02:10.160><c> goc><00:02:10.239><c> toc><00:02:10.399><c> thec>
• c><00:07:44.319><c> Typec> decide whether to grant charters.
• Type of<00:07:44.800><c> contractc><00:07:45.199><c> itc><00:07:45.440><c> arrangesc><00:07:46.000
• reviewing a contract a charter contract.<00:14:46.880><c> Umc><00:14:47.199><c> typesc><00:14:47.519
• Um types and amounts of insurance<00:14:48.880><c> liabilityc><00:14:49.519><c> coveragec><00:14:

Bills: HF3487, HF3421

Keywords: anonymous reporting, school safety, education, crisis intervention, threat reporting, early literacy, reading instruction, teacher preparation, teacher candidates, teacher licensure, educator licensing, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, field experience, supervised practicum, evidence-based reading, science of reading, literacy methods, teacher training, preservice teachers

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> hajinc> uh<00:13:31.240><c> upc><00:13:31.440><c> nextc><00:13:31.720><c> Kimberlyc><00:
• ><c> wec><00:15:55.519><c> movec><00:15:55.639><c> onc><00:15:55.759><c> toc><00:15:55.920><c
• company there's got to be some<00:51:16.480><c> typec><00:51:16.680><c> ofc><00:51:17.280><c> deterrent
• c> some type of deterrent if and for the some type of deterrent if and for the people<00:51:19.799><c
• type of state regulations that type of state regulations that help<00:54:16.599><c> concurc><00:54:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on January 28, 2025, and heard testimony on a series of bills dealing with vehicle titles, motor vehicle taxes, window tinting, license plates, electric bicycles, insurance penalties, vehicle inspection fines, and transportation discrimination. For HB 532, which shortens the time to forward a transferred vehicle title from 30 days to 14 days and allows a letter of attestation to serve as an endorsement certificate, testimony was listed in support from Councilmember U. Hajin and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and in opposition from Maui Mayor Richard Bisson and Sylvie Madison. HB 655 would require payment of unpaid motor vehicle taxes, fees, and penalties for the most recent five consecutive years of delinquency; the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi stood on written comments, with Tim Rymer and Robert Souza providing comments/support. HB 368, which would exempt certain medically sensitive drivers from sunscreen-device tint limits, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from several individuals. HB 226, lowering allowed windshield tint from 35% to 20%, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from TNT Tinting Specialists; members asked about federal preemption, and DOT said federal guidance applies to manufacturers while states retain authority over aftermarket tinting. The committee also heard HB 543, prohibiting license plate flipping devices and imposing a $2,000 fine, and HB 228, authorizing counties to adopt rules for electronic license plates, repealing flipping devices, and setting a minimum fine for obscuring plates; both measures had DOT support, comments from the Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and opposition from Sylvie Madison. HB 70 would require insurance for electric bicycles and create a regulatory framework effective January 1, 2026. The Office of the Public Defender opposed it, arguing the bill improperly distinguishes e-bikes from mopeds; PeopleForBikes and the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League opposed it as costly and unnecessary, while the Insurance Division said the bill could conflict with existing no-fault definitions and might fit better in the motor scooter/moped insurance framework. HB 231, increasing the fine for violating motor vehicle insurance requirements from $500 to $1,500, was opposed by the Office of the Public Defender, which argued it would burden low-income residents and add to court congestion; members debated whether higher fines would improve compliance. Later, HB 227 would add fines for operating a vehicle without a current inspection certificate and had DOT support. HB 184 would require operators of low-speed electric bicycles to have a driver’s license, instruction permit, or provisional license; Kawaii Path, PeopleForBikes, and Get Fit Kauaʻi opposed it as a barrier to low-cost transportation and noted concerns for riders with disabilities, while DOT later said it would support the measure and was asked to research whether other states have similar licensing requirements. The final major measure discussed was HB 468, which would require the Civil Rights Commission to investigate discrimination complaints involving transportation network company drivers and riders with service animals and allow DOT to issue penalties to the companies. The National Federation of the Blind of Hawaiʻi, the Disability Rights Center, and individual riders supported the bill, saying current protections lack enforcement and that denials still occur; Uber and Lyft opposed it, saying they already prohibit discrimination, train drivers, investigate complaints quickly, and that the bill would duplicate existing law and create unnecessary penalties. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So anyway, the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) that supports rural libraries.
• They also offer other types of literacies.
• They also offer other types of literacies.
• So it's good that you set up the 501(c)(3) as you did when you did.
• Individual giving is still the largest pot of money for 501(c)(3)s in the nation.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative in support of fully funding the rural library endowment with an additional $29.5 million. The presenters described rural libraries as essential community infrastructure that provide not only books and internet access, but also early childhood programs, adult education, workforce support, telehealth, disaster response, and civic meeting space. They argued that the endowment would provide stable annual support for staffing and operations, help sustain libraries in very small towns and tribal communities, and support new or developing libraries. Members asked about eligibility, county coverage, how funds are distributed, and whether the state tracks broader outcomes such as job placements or certifications; the presenters said the State Library administers the funds and that the initiative itself is a nonprofit capacity-building organization, not the fund manager. Some members raised concerns about whether an endowment is the best long-term model versus recurring annual appropriations, and about the need for better reporting and state-library involvement. The committee then heard from food bank leaders Jill Dixon and Katie Anderson about food security and its economic impact. They said New Mexico’s five food banks and more than 500 partner agencies serve all 33 counties, distribute over 45 million meals, and rely mostly on philanthropy, with some state and local support. They emphasized that SNAP is a major economic driver, supporting grocery access, jobs, and local spending, and that recent legislative growth funding helped food banks respond to a surge in demand during a SNAP disruption. They also highlighted food banks as community hubs that can connect people to health care, job training, and other services, including through clinic referrals and closed-loop systems. In response to questions, they said food access gaps remain in some rural areas, that clients can generally seek food at other distribution sites without barriers, and that longer-term solutions should include more grocery access, healthy corner stores, and stronger broadband and health care infrastructure. The final presentations came from the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce. Gallup-McKinley described a shrinking workforce, youth outmigration, crime, health care shortages, malpractice costs, and gross receipts tax burdens as major barriers to rural economic growth, and urged action on workforce pipelines, housing, public safety, malpractice reform, and tax/regulatory changes. Artesia highlighted its murals, library, sports tradition, oil and gas, agriculture, federal training center, and refinery, while also noting workforce shortages, health care recruitment challenges, housing constraints, and the need for quality-of-life investments and more flexible regulation. The committee also briefly heard a bill presentation proposing a New Mexico-Ireland Trade Commission to promote bilateral trade and investment, especially in technology, agriculture, and energy sectors. No votes were taken because quorum was not reached, and the endorsement item was not acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> Ic><00:44:55.920><c> thinkc><00:44:56.160><c> wec><00:44:56.280><c> canc><00:44:56.440><c>
• some are very interested in installing some type<01:17:01.600><c> ofc><01:17:01.960><c> devicec>
• <01:17:02.880><c> umc> type of device um type of device um you<01:17:03.560><c> know,c><01:17:03.680
• :25.840><c> justc><01:25:26.200><c> forc><01:25:26.520><c> onec><01:25:26.880><c> typec><01:25
• :27.160><c> ofc> but not specify just for one type of but not specify just for one type of housing.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received a series of committee reports and appointments. Reports included favorable action on several bills from Finance, State Veterans and Military Affairs, and Business, Labor, and Technology, along with a recommendation to place some measures on the consent calendar. The chamber also moved through a long set of personal-privilege tributes and April Fools’ Day remarks recognizing Senate President James Coleman, the House, and various guests and organizations, with a few lighthearted fines announced for members participating in the joke tributes. On third reading, the Senate considered three consent-calendar House bills. House Bill 1024, concerning voluntary relinquishment of a child and extending the age from 72 hours to 30 days, passed 35-0. House Bill 1002, dealing with access to behavioral health providers and related licensing and network participation changes, passed 30-5 after several senators recorded no votes. House Bill 1023, clarifying a political party’s liability for certain accessibility requirements related to ballot access for persons with disabilities, passed 35-0. The Senate then took up House Bill 1259, an early childhood services measure affecting licensing exemptions, reimbursement, universal preschool funding, eligibility, reporting, and advisory bodies. A substantive third-reading amendment was adopted 35-0 after discussion about the bill’s treatment of 3-year-olds, and the bill then passed 32-3. House Bill 1058, providing protections for minors featured in digital content, passed 33-2. The chamber also granted, then withdrew, leave for the Joint Budget Committee to meet while the Senate was in session, and later moved into Committee of the Whole for second reading of House Bill 1120, a mobile-home taxation and delinquent property tax measure, where the Finance Committee report was adopted and an amendment was discussed to align legal-disability language and redemption-period provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:01:07.360><c> Uh,c><00:01:07.440><c> wec><00:01:07.560><c> doc><00:01:07.760><c> have
• <00:30:07.360><c> thesec><00:30:07.520><c> typesc><00:30:07.800><c> ofc><00:30:07.920><c> products
• c> applicable to these types of products applicable to these types of products because<00:30:09.280
• That that<00:40:37.200><c> process,c><00:40:38.360><c> thatc><00:40:38.560><c> typec><00:40:38.800
• ><c> ofc><00:40:38.920><c> farmingc> that process, that type of farming that process, that type of

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:15 HB 195 Discussion: 05:22 HB 195 Roll Call Vote: 16:33 SB 199 Discussion: 18:34 SB 199 Roll Call Vote: 41:25 SB 5 Discussion: 43:50 SB 5 Roll Call Vote: 46:35 HB 687 Discussion: 48:10 HB 687 Roll Call Vote: 50:15, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um<00:01:40.880><c> thatc><00:01:41.200><c> isc><00:01:41.280><c> ac><00:01:41.439><c> DFAc><
• c><00:01:42.880><c> Thisc><00:01:43.119><c> isc><00:01:43.280><c> ac><00:01:43.439><c> bill
• c><00:10:23.519><c> typec> repealer and I think all those type repealer and I think all those type
• <c> theyc><00:41:08.960><c> hadc><00:41:09.119><c> anyc><00:41:09.359><c> typec><00:41:09.440
• ><c> ofc> self-report if they had any type of self-report if they had any type of mental<00:41:09.920

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 18 February, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee began with process instructions about using committee substitutes, identifying bills with reverse repealers, and taking up noncontroversial items in blocks. It then approved Senate Bill 3051, the DFA budget, which included LBR-level funding with a reverse repealer and agency-by-agency allocations for the status of women, DFA, tort claims, state property insurance, BEAM, and Mississippi Home Corporation. Senate Bill 3052, the governor’s support budget, was also approved as a final-action bill without a reverse repealer, with members noting the reduction from the prior year was tied to lower federal funding. The committee then handled the IHL budget bills. Senate Bill 3053, the general support bill, included a 3% across-the-board raise for IHL professors and $20 million for repair and renovation at universities, plus $5 million for UMMC; it passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. Senate Bill 3054, the original IHL-related bill, passed without a committee substitute. Bills 3055 through 3059 were taken up in block and approved, providing 3% increases for A units at Alcorn State and Mississippi State. Senate Bill 3060, student financial aid, added about $7.7 million for scholarship costs, including MESG, MTAG, and Winters-Reed loan repayment, and passed as a committee substitute. The committee also approved the larger IHL budget bill with a reverse repealer and discussed, but did not fund, a UMMC cancer center request at that stage. Subcommittee 3 presented education-related bills. Senate Bill 3062 was approved at LBR with a reverse repealer and included a large transfer from the education enhancement fund. Senate Bill 3063 added $15 million for repair and renovation and $8.11 million for faculty pay raises, and passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. On Senate Bill 3064, the Employment Security Commission budget, members discussed whether the committee substitute included a reverse repealer and noted they might revisit that on the floor if needed; the bill was advanced. Subcommittee 4 then took up Senate Bills 3065, 3066, 3068, and 3069 in block and approved them: Ethics Commission funding increased for salary realignment and a database; Judicial Performance Commission language was tightened to freeze the director’s salary and ensure youth court oversight funds were used solely for that purpose; Tax Appeals Board funding was increased to restore cuts and vacancy funding; and Workers’ Compensation Commission funding rose to cover commissioner salary increases and related language changes. Later, the committee approved Senate Bill 3067 for the Department of Public Safety, which included a reverse repealer, LBR-level funding, additional money for furniture for the new headquarters, and reappropriation language. Senate Bill 3071, the GCRF bill, was approved with a reverse repealer and reappropriation language for prior-year projects. Senate Bill 3072, the Department of Mental Health budget, was approved with a reverse repealer and included $12 million for the Canopy project, prior-year invoice funding, and language tied to mental health-related legislation. Finally, Senate Bills 3073 through 3075 were taken up in block for licensing boards, with increases for the Chiropractic Examiners, Dental Examiners, and Pharmacy boards, including funding for licensing system updates, vacancy funding, and expansion of the pharmacy recovery program.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:02:22.720><c> hadc><00:02:22.800><c> toc><00:02:22.879><c> havec><00:02:22.959><c> thec
• c><00:02:36.560><c> Uhc><00:02:36.800><c> orc><00:02:36.959><c> ifc><00:02:37.040><c> Ic><00
• c><00:03:22.959><c> umc><00:03:23.680><c> isc><00:03:23.920><c> ac><00:03:24.080><c> billc>
• In other<00:13:37.040><c> typesc><00:13:37.200><c> ofc><00:13:37.360><c> stayerc><00:13:37.760>
• <c> payc><00:13:37.920><c> contracts,c> other types of stayer pay contracts, other types of stayer

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:01:29.640><c> Andc><00:01:29.840><c> hopefullyc><00:01:30.280><c> wec><00:01:30.400><c>
• ordinance limiting the zone to adopt an ordinance limiting the types<00:31:32.840><c> ofc><00:31:32.960
• ><c> usedc><00:31:34.280><c> toc> types of firearms that can be used to types of firearms that can
• ><c> typec><00:43:18.920><c> ofc> to make those assessments, what type of to make those assessments
• , what type of process<00:43:20.320><c> andc><00:43:21.160><c> uhc><00:43:21.360><c> rulesc><00

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The working group on the Omnibus Environment Bill opened with remarks from House and Senate co-chairs describing the agreement as a compromise with wins and tradeoffs for both sides, and thanking nonpartisan staff and administration agencies for helping negotiate the package. Staff then walked through the finance spreadsheet, explaining that the agreement met the group’s general fund target by combining new spending with cancellations and fund shifts across the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, BWSR, Metro Parks, the Zoo, the Science Museum, and other entities. Major fiscal items included PCA operating and permitting-efficiency funding, PFAS-related and mercury-related provisions, county feedlot reductions, closed landfill and remediation fund changes, groundwater and aquatic invasive species fee increases, DNR groundwater and AIS spending, ATV trail grants, watercraft enforcement, and several one-time appropriations and extensions for specific water quality and conservation projects. The policy walk-through covered Article 3’s community grants changes, including a requirement that grants benefit all regions of the state, permission to use some funds for trail maintenance and AIS management, prohibitions on awards to certain entities, and a DNR reporting requirement. Article 4 contained a range of natural resources and environmental policy provisions, including abandoned watercraft seizure and forfeiture authority, higher watercraft AIS surcharges, disabled veterans license fee reductions, a county-based replacement for the shotgun zone, a one-year crossbow extension, a continuous bass season, increased water use permit fees, PFAS sales exemptions for certain products, creation of the Sustainable Foraging Task Force, and a moratorium on DNR foraging rules shortened to July 1, 2026. Article 5 addressed state lands, including an additional Cass County land sale authority. Article 6 focused on PCA permitting reform, requiring more emphasis on complex Tier 2 permits in annual reporting, giving applicants five business days to fix deficiencies, allowing the PCA to decline expedited permitting when it lacks capacity, and letting the agency retain certain fees if expedited permits are completed early. It also included changes to environmental review procedures, feedlot permitting, and EQB rules. During member questions, Senator McEwen asked about the $952,000 ATV trail appropriation and whether projects must have permits before receiving funds; DNR Assistant Commissioner Bob Myers said no project list had been finalized and that grants would go through the existing process, with environmental review and readiness considered, but he said he would need to verify the exact permitting policy and follow up with the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And having this type of bill, which Carter... The last six months.
• practice this type of regenerative therapies.
• You shouldn't be able to use every type of tissue.
• Carpenter referenced for certain provider types.
• Carpenter referenced for certain provider types.

Bills: SB1014, SB1094, SB1146, SB1177, SB1192, SB1194, SB1214, SB1372, SB1390, SB1398, SB1399, SB1494, SB1557, SB1561, SB1564, SB1602, SB1603, SB1621, SB1628, SB1629, SB1713, SB1752, SB1776, SB1813, SB1814, SB1821

Keywords: gender transition, gender detransition, health insurance, medical procedures, insurance claims, official documents, Arizona law, gender reassignment, civil liability, minors, medical consent, detransition, dependent children, foster care, periodic review, court hearings, child welfare, public funds, prohibition, Arizona legislation

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several health-related bills, with the longest discussion centered on SB 1214, the Arizona Stem Cell Therapy Act. The bill would regulate stem cell and birth tissue therapies, bar use of tissues derived from aborted fetuses or embryos, require informed consent and disclosure for non-FDA-approved therapies, and create civil and criminal penalties for violations. Supporters framed it as a patient-safety and bioscience-innovation measure, while opponents objected to the abortion-related language and felony penalties. The committee approved SB 1214 on a 4-3 vote. The committee also advanced SB 1194, which would prohibit health professionals and institutions from denying care or reducing care quality based on vaccination status, and SB 1814, which creates a study committee on substance use disorder treatment standards and oversight. SB 1602, increasing monthly stipends for kinship foster care parents, and SB 1603, expanding child-only cash assistance eligibility for certain foster and relative placements, were both amended and passed unanimously. SB 1177, barring public funds from being used for gender transition procedures, and SB 1014, requiring insurance coverage for detransition care and related reporting, both drew strong support and opposition and were each approved on 4-3 votes. Later, the committee unanimously passed SB 1628, requiring insurers and health plans to report claims-denial and prior-authorization data to DIFI for public reporting, and SB 1629, requiring AHCCCS managed care organizations to give advance notice and network-adequacy documentation before terminating high-volume providers without cause. Supporters of both bills emphasized transparency and patient access, while opponents argued the measures duplicated existing federal or state oversight. The committee then heard SB 1752, which would criminalize commercial harvesting or sale of mescaline while preserving a religious-use defense; the sponsor said it was intended to address improper sales of peyote-derived substances, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:09:46.720><c> youc><00:09:46.839><c> mayc><00:09:47.000><c> bec><00:09:47.200><c> allowed
• <c> continuec><00:09:48.079><c> ifc><00:09:48.240><c> timec><00:09:48.440><c> permitsc><00:09
• us types of fuels and refine them for us this<00:11:49.160><c> isc><00:11:49.320><c> alignedc><00
• ><c> onc><00:17:02.240><c> thisc><00:17:02.399><c> typec><00:17:02.600><c> ofc><00:17:02.720>
• type of fuel I would also making on this type of fuel I would also recommend<00:17:05.280><c> that

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Economic Development and Technology heard testimony on HB 976, a measure related to incentives for renewable fuels, including renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Supporters said the bill would help close the cost gap between renewable and conventional fuels, strengthen Hawaii’s energy security, support climate goals, and encourage local economic development. Testifiers from Pono Pacific, PAR Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Airlines/Alaska Airlines, the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Pacific Biodiesel, Aloha Carbon, and others described ongoing or planned projects, local feedstock development, and potential benefits for agriculture, waste diversion, and emissions reductions. Several testifiers also discussed proposed amendments. The Hawaii Renewable Fuels Coalition said it wanted to remove the import tax credit, eliminate the aggregate cap increase to avoid additional state funding, and revise local-production language to rely on a carbon-intensity threshold rather than location-based preferences. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised technical concerns about the bill’s administration, including prorating credits if the cap is exceeded and the feasibility of a 30-day filing window. Some supporters urged keeping solid waste, including construction and demolition debris, as eligible feedstock, while Energy Justice Network opposed that approach and also urged removing GMO-related language and waste-based feedstocks because of environmental and toxic emissions concerns. Opposition testimony focused on the bill’s cost and feasibility. Energy Justice Network and Ted Metros argued the measure could become a large subsidy for a refinery and questioned whether Hawaii has enough land and water to produce meaningful quantities of biofuel locally. Metros also criticized the refundable credit structure and said the state should not bear the cost for what he described as a benefit largely tied to tourism and imported fuel. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the chair later noted the committee had received 13 testimonies in support, 18 in opposition, and seven comments, and then invited further discussion on cost allocation and lowering caps to broaden participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:02:27.120><c> Kentuckyc><00:02:27.920><c> uhc><00:02:28.000><c> toc><00:02:28.239><c> go
• c><00:07:49.520><c> typesc> she's able to go to the kiosk that types she's able to go to the kiosk
• that types that<00:07:50.319><c> thatc><00:07:50.800><c> thatc><00:07:51.039><c> isc><00:07:51.199
• You also have other<00:19:34.080><c> typec><00:19:34.320><c> avatars.
• c> other type avatars.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ic><00:01:50.159><c> gotc><00:01:50.399><c> wasc><00:01:50.600><c> thisc><00:01:50.799><c> email
• c><00:01:57.880><c> ac><00:01:58.079><c> totalc><00:01:58.399><c> ofc><00:01:58.560><c> 56c
• 00:03:01.400><c> Ic><00:03:01.560><c> apologizec><00:03:02.480><c> butc><00:03:02.640><c> wec
• c><00:03:07.440><c> wasc><00:03:07.599><c> notc><00:03:07.840><c> justc><00:03:08.040><c> anc
• c><00:13:11.839><c> itc><00:13:11.959><c> isc><00:13:12.279><c> asc><00:13:12.440><c> muchc

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met on February 6 and began with decision-making items. SB 663, concerning additional positions for the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, was deferred again after the chair said the university’s response did not include the requested details on vacant positions, recruitment status, and fill dates. The chair said the committee needed the full information before considering new positions, and the university apologized for treating the request as informal rather than a formal committee inquiry. The committee then discussed SB 672, relating to capital improvement projects for the Y. Manalo Research Station. University representatives said the project had been identified late because of timing and that they were still developing a broader plan for SEAR research facilities. The chair questioned how the project fit within the university’s existing Board of Regents-approved CIP priorities and whether any current priorities should be displaced. The university said it could not unilaterally reprioritize the budget, and the measure was deferred pending better direction on how it fits into the overall plan. For SB 557, which would require the John A. Burns School of Medicine to direct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention for Maui, the committee heard strong testimony in support from Maui health care providers and community representatives. Supporters described severe shortages of physicians and dentists, long waits for care, and the need for housing, loan repayment, scholarships, transportation, and telehealth support to retain providers. The university said it was willing to help and suggested the work could be done through existing rural health and AHEC efforts. The bill was kept alive for further work, with the chair encouraging the parties to develop a plan. The committee also heard SB 1107, establishing a medical education position at JABSOM to support ECHO-style mentorship and guidance programs. The university opposed the bill, saying it did not believe the measure addressed a problem that needed fixing and that Hawaiʻi already has five ECHO clinics administered through the Hawaiʻi State Rural Health Association, not JABSOM. The committee then took up SB 1204, concerning integration of the Kakaʻako medical school and cancer center. University leadership asked for time to develop a plan and timeline, possibly with an external consultant, and requested the bill be withdrawn. The chair expressed skepticism, citing long-standing concerns about the cancer center’s finances and planning. Testimony included support from the American Cancer Society and a patient who warned that integration could jeopardize the cancer center’s NCI designation and clinical trials, while a university vice president said the NIH P30 grant does not require the cancer center and medical school to remain separate and that many NCI centers are integrated. No final votes were taken on the measures discussed in the excerpt.