Transcript Highlights:

• I wouldn't know the schedule that would be flushed out once the working group is established, and they
• would come up with the schedule.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs heard two concurrent resolutions. HCR 33 proposed asking the U.S. Postmaster General to relocate the Pearl City Post Office from Kamehameha Highway and Acacia Road to Navy property on the Pearl City Peninsula. Testifiers, including Pearl City Neighborhood Board chair Larry Verrett and resident Lena Ala Baiton, supported the move, citing severe congestion, narrow access, safety concerns, and the potential to improve traffic flow and support transit-oriented development. Members noted a similar Senate measure had already passed, and HCR 33 was recommended to pass unamended. The committee then considered HCR 157, which would establish a task force to simplify permitting for enhanced economic development and coordinate state and intergovernmental permitting processes. Testimony in support was submitted by representatives connected to DBED/HHFDC and others. In discussion, members questioned whether such a task force was necessary, what projects it would address, how often it would meet, whether it could include housing and local-level projects, and what the cost might be; the response was that the resolution would provide more structure, no similar project had been executed before, and costs were not yet known but could be addressed later. The committee ultimately recommended HCR 157 pass unamended, and the recommendation was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• committee chair that the subcommittee has completed its deliberations and recommend that HB 1988 be scheduled
• chair that the subcommittee has completed its deliberations and recommends that House bill. 3513 be scheduled

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to jump the schedule here around a little bit. Senator Girdler is here.
• He added that he was going to jump the schedule around a little bit.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:12 HB390 Discussion: 01:05 HB390 Vote: 02:35 HB233 Discussion: 04:18 HB233 Vote: 07:12 HB423 Discussion: 08:17 HB423 Vote: 10:51, 958, all

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 390, which would complete the Department of Transportation’s transition from the old AVIS system to CAVIS for insurance verification. Rep. Michael Meredith explained that the current insurance verification process still runs on the old system, creating a 30- to 45-day reporting delay that allows people to register vehicles by showing only an insurance card. Members voted to give the bill a favorable expression, with Chair Carpenter noting it would support real-time verification and could help reduce uninsured motorists. The committee then heard House Bill 233, a consumer protection measure aimed at post-disaster repair scams. Rep. Wade Williams said the bill expands existing protections to all contractors and tree removal companies, creates a five-day cancellation period after an insurer says some services are not covered, bars mechanic’s liens in certain consumer financial disputes while preserving them for work outside the insurance claim, and adds a $5,000 civil penalty enforced by the Attorney General. After questions about how it differed from Senate Bill 24, the bill also received favorable expression. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 423, with a committee substitute adopted at the outset to allow commercial insurers and the Department for Medicaid Services to provide more specific reasons for prior-authorization denials. Rep. Kim Moore and Cory Meadows of the Kentucky Medical Association described the bill as a long-negotiated prior-authorization reform that would create a gold-carding or exemption program for qualifying providers, reduce red tape, and speed patient care. The committee approved the substitute and then gave the bill favorable expression. At the end, Senator Yates corrected the record to be marked as voting yes on House Bill 390 and House Bill 233.

Transcript Highlights:

• concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate yesterday in accordance with the Senate's planned work schedule
• Taking time out of their families, their schedules, their businesses to get more engaged in our community

Transcript Highlights:

• concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate yesterday. in accordance with the Senate's planned work schedule
• rigorous. long program, the people that you see here today are taking time out of their families their schedules

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Andrew can schedule that and he can set up these sessions and help us run it.
• Andrew can schedule that and he can set up these sessions and help us run it.
• We're a little<01:17:55.920> behind<01:17:56.200> schedule,<01:17:56.480> but<01
• :17:56.720> but<01:17:56.880> this<01:17:57.040> was little behind schedule, but
• So, she might be, if we can work it into her schedule.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's all that we have scheduled to testify on this measure.
• Um, what's important to us as a department is how we look at absorption schedules.
• I think what's really schedules.
• Um, they'll work with our outside vendor in coordinating an interview schedule.
• coordinating an interview schedule. coordinating an interview schedule.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint Education and Higher Education committees met on February 10, 2026, first hearing HB 1676, which would create an AI and education task force, require documentation from AI vendors before procurement or use, and appropriate funds. The Department of Education, Public Charter School Commission, and University of Hawaii all supported the bill’s intent and described existing AI literacy efforts, teacher training, guidance for students and staff, and privacy/monitoring safeguards. DOE said it had already convened an AI task force, produced a report, trained over 10,000 educators, and embedded AI into computer science and broader curricular guidance. Members questioned DOE about student privacy, harmful content monitoring, personal devices, cell phone policy, teacher training, and whether AI literacy should extend beyond computer science into all subjects and across rural schools. After discussion, the chair announced HB 1676 would be deferred to Friday, February 13, and that a HD1 draft would be prepared. The chair said the committee would revisit the task force composition and procurement standards, with possible elimination of the procurement section, and circulate the revised draft before the next hearing. The committee then recessed and later reconvened for HB 1811, a student loan repayment program for educators. Testimony from the Department of Education, Public Charter School Commission, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, HSTA, and the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus was generally supportive, with HSTA and the Teacher Standards Board emphasizing teacher recruitment and retention, student loan burden, and the need to address the teacher shortage. In decision-making on HB 1811, the committees adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments. The main amendment collapsed the repayment structure into a single disbursement of up to $25,000 after five years of service, with technical/non-substantive changes and a corrected effective date. Both the Education and Higher Education committees voted unanimously in favor. Later in the meeting, the Education Committee began hearing HB 1561 on student meals, which drew broad support from the Public Charter School Commission, Department of Health, HSTA, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, and many individuals. Appleseed requested amendments to ensure charter schools are treated the same as other public schools if eligibility expands and to address reimbursement issues for schools already participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision; members discussed those concerns but no action was taken in the portion of the transcript provided. The committee then moved on to HB 779, on expanding student meal coverage, where DOE supported the intent but said it could not support the bill in its current form because of fiscal constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• At midnight, we ended the meeting having done no business and scheduled a second public hearing.
• So, um, and it also says that scheduled.
• this, who's going to pay for this, where do you fit it into the schedule, does the whole school do it
• this, who's going to pay for this, where do you fit it into the schedule, does the whole school do it
• Schedule this, who's going to pay for this, where do you fit it into the schedule, does the whole school

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:28:38.760> plan<01:28:39.000> to We came up with a plan to build time into our schedules
• 01:31:36.040> into<01:31:36.280> our<01:31:36.400> teacher<01:31:36.880> schedules
• <01:31:37.880> and training into our teacher schedules and training into our teacher schedules
• with MDE to have guidance ready for our secondary teachers for Phase 2 in August so we can stay on schedule
• So we can stay on schedule.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He does talk a little bit about what's going on and her schedule, and she's basically on the move all
• She's a single gal, but she loves her job, and she's scheduled for getting out with 32 years of service
• He does talk a little bit about what's going on and her schedule, and she's basically on the move all
• I also cover state government elections and pensions. and she's uh scheduled for getting out and she's
• Our units are typically scheduled into rotational missions around the globe.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee held its first hearing of the session and began with introductions from members and staff, many of whom shared personal or family connections to military service. The chair emphasized that the committee would work respectfully and invited members to raise concerns directly. No votes or formal actions were taken during the opening portion of the meeting. The main substantive item was an overview presentation from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. Commissioner Brad Lindsay described the agency’s mission, statewide footprint, and strategic goals, noting Minnesota has more than 286,000 veterans and that MDVA serves veterans in all 87 counties. He outlined the department’s structure, including eight veterans homes, four state veterans cemeteries, tribal and campus outreach, and the agency’s focus on seamless support, awareness of programs, stewardship of resources, and workforce retention. Deputy Commissioner Ben Johnson then detailed the Programs and Services Division, including federal VA claims assistance, veterans employment and education support, state veterans cemeteries and memorial affairs, the State Soldiers Assistance Program, homelessness prevention, tribal veteran service officers, women veterans services, the Minnesota GI Bill, licensing and certification assistance, the state approving agency, veterans preference, emergency assistance, the LinkVet line, and the Minnesota Service Core partnership with Lutheran Social Services. He also noted the agency’s work on food insecurity and burial services. The presentation was informational only, with no committee action reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• all pediatrician or specialist doctor's visits in accordance with each of our schedules, so that we
• <04:39:34.879> all but not limited to scheduling all but not limited to scheduling all pediatrition
• so that we both have the schedules so that we both have the opportunity<04:39:39.840> to<04:39
• They just schedule another mediation appointment four months down the road, so I don't see how this by
• in sight right they just schedule in sight right they just schedule another<04:50:03.638> mediation

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Children and Family Law Committee opened with a brief prayer for Representative Grossman’s son, Oscar, who was reported to be in critical condition after a traumatic fall. The committee then took up House Bill 430, which would reduce DHHS retention of unfounded abuse and neglect reports from 10 years to 3 years. Prime sponsor Chairman James Spain argued that 10 years is excessive and burdens families with a long-lasting stigma, while emphasizing that founded reports and reports with reasonable concern would still be retained indefinitely. Committee members questioned whether longer retention helps identify malicious reporting or patterns of abuse, and whether parents understand the distinction between unfounded and unfounded with reasonable concern. The Office of the Child Advocate and DCF opposed the bill. Child Advocate Cassandra Sanchez said historical reports are important for identifying patterns, reviewing critical incidents, and understanding family dynamics, and that screened-out and unfounded reports can be essential context when later reports arise. She also noted that the records are highly confidential and not publicly accessible. DCF General Counsel Susan Larabe added that the bill could create inconsistencies by retaining screened-out reports longer than unfounded reports, and explained that unfounded reports can be used in court and in administrative reviews when there are multiple prior reports. The committee discussed how other states handle retention, with testimony that some keep records indefinitely and others for long periods. The hearing on HB 430 concluded, and the chair said the bill would not be executed until early March, leaving time for amendments. The committee then opened House Bill 187, concerning restraining orders sought by a parent on behalf of a minor child. Prime sponsor Representative Mike Belcher said the bill is intended to correct a gap in the law so children can access the same restraining-order protections adults can, through a parent or guardian, and framed it as an equal-protection issue. Members questioned why the proposal was placed in the child abuse and neglect statute rather than the civil restraining-order statutes, and whether it should instead be handled as a broader civil-law fix. Alanda Peterson, who said she created Jade’s Law, testified that the original wording was meant to protect all children, not just those harmed by family members, and supported expanding the language. The hearing continued with additional discussion of the bill’s scope and purpose.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the clerk of the court who does the scheduling.
• indicates that it's a Schedule I substance.
• <04:40:46.240> three indicated that was a schedule three indicated that was a schedule three
• <04:40:49.760> schedule<04:40:50.240> one<04:40:50.798> uh<04:40:51.680>
• uh it's a schedule schedule one uh uh it's a schedule schedule one uh uh substance. substance. substance

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Will it be, you know, will there be any trouble for college students in their schedule?
• <01:07:08.000> Uh, college students in their schedule?
• Uh, college students in their schedule?
• schedule. Um, whichever you prefer. schedule. Um, whichever you prefer.
• <05:22:58.480> You y'all are very behind schedule. You y'all are very behind schedule.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, while we perform daily vehicle safety checks, we do scheduled annual inspections by professional
• Uh, while we perform daily vehicle safety checks, we do scheduled annual inspections by professional
• Uh, while we perform daily vehicle safety checks, we do scheduled annual inspections by professional
• Uh, while we perform daily vehicle safety checks, we do scheduled annual inspections by professional
• Senator, that's a regular schedule.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe there's scheduled to be another $14 million coming into it.
• These include the annualization of recent FY2026 collective agreement adjustments, the FY2027 scheduled
• Now, here's the real curveball: do you have a four-and-two schedule or a five-and-two?
• April 9th, we have a scheduled meeting with our host Lou Evagulitis.
• We have a class scheduled for April, and then we have a class scheduled for September, which will be

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s H-2 budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard first from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who outlined a $1.72 billion budget, up $69.8 million from FY26. She said the proposal emphasizes core operations, readiness, and partnerships with municipalities, and highlighted work on firearms-law implementation, State Police reform, DOC reentry efforts, hate-crimes prevention, emergency response, and planning for major events including the World Cup. Members also raised concerns about DNA backlog reporting, State Police academy boxing and training standards, ICE communication, disaster relief funding, crime lab staffing, EMS placement, and diversity in public safety leadership. Several exchanges focused on specific operational issues. Secretary Kwan and her team said the State Police are tracking the influx of forensic work from local sheriffs, that the boxing program remains suspended pending an IACP review and likely will not return in its prior form, and that EOPS has no direct communication with ICE but supports law-enforcement coordination where appropriate. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, though members urged a more permanent funding source. On the crime lab, staff said the roughly $4.5 million increase is intended to cover core operations and a structural funding gap rather than expand services. The secretary also said EOPS is not ready to absorb OEMS from DPH at this time, though she would keep an open mind. The committee then heard from district attorneys, led by Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden, who said the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association is seeking a 10% increase in operating budgets, including about $16.7 million for staffing salaries, to recruit and retain prosecutors, advocates, and support staff. He said the request reflects rising workload and the need to keep the criminal justice system functioning efficiently and fairly. The hearing was recessed briefly after the district attorneys’ opening remarks, with additional testimony expected to continue afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposes the updated schedule and budget for town and state highways, bridges, and paving projects
• It details the towns in which the various types of projects are scheduled. households money.
• Uh, you'll notice that next week the schedule has us in at 10:00 a.m. every morning.
• Uh you'll notice that next week<02:20:30.080> the<02:20:30.399> schedule<02:20:30.720><
• has us in at 10:00 week the schedule has us in at 10:00 a.m.<02:20:32.800> every<02:20:33.120

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, this removes the sunset clause scheduled for June 30, 2026, and that is the amendment.
• This removes the sunset clause scheduled for June 30, 2026, and that is the amendment.
• Frequently using weather stations, automated irrigation scheduling using remote telemetry, where you
• Knowing that her classmates, teachers, and staff had followed vaccine schedules let us know that she'd
• And some of the things that you may want to consider is how many childhood vaccines on the schedule were

Bills: S0036, S0620, S0796, S0934, S1080, S1096, S1366, S1536, S1548, S1580, S1588, S1620, S1756, S7034, S7044

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, candidate qualifying, federal office, election integrity, regulatory compliance, political candidacy, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services, payment bond exemption, Habitat for Humanity, Florida Forever Act, land acquisition

Summary: The committee first took up SB 354, the “Blue Ribbon Projects” bill, which creates a framework for large planned communities on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area and a streamlined local review process. Senator McLean presented the bill and a strike-all amendment, and members raised concerns about local control, conservation enforceability, data centers, concurrency, multi-county projects, and whether reserve lands could later be converted. Audubon Florida and 1,000 Friends of Florida opposed the bill, arguing the conservation protections were not permanent enough and that the reserve areas could be changed later; small-county representatives also worried about tax-base impacts. Supporters argued the bill would better manage growth, preserve green space, and provide a more orderly alternative to sprawl. After debate, the committee voted to report the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judiciary, school, and school board offices to disclose any non-U.S. citizenship. Amendments added disclosure about whether federal candidates intend to trade stock if elected and adjusted 2026 congressional qualifying procedures in the event of redistricting, including a new qualifying window and petition rules. The bill was reported favorably after brief support from a member of the public and discussion about candidate vetting. The committee also reported favorably CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill with amendments addressing My Safe Florida Home notices, condo pilot eligibility, firefighter hiring, unclaimed property, and related financial-services provisions. Next, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1620, a school board members’ bill of rights. A substitute amendment narrowed the bill to access to records, fiscal transparency, and nondisclosure agreements, while preserving board members’ rights to timely documents, budget information, and public comment, and setting deadlines for records requests. Superintendents and a school board member testified in support, saying the bill clarifies roles and prevents board members from being frozen out. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material”; one senator supported the terminology change but warned about preserving legal precedent and avoiding appellate issues. The committee then reported favorably SB 1548, an update to the Live Local affordable housing law expanding eligible sites and clarifying setbacks, airport proximity, and fair-housing protections. Finally, the committee took up the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates. The bill allows trained master’s-level VPAs to perform limited veterinary services under a veterinarian’s supervision, and an amendment tightened the standard to immediate supervision on premises. Supporters said the measure would expand access to care, especially in rural areas with vet shortages, while opponents argued it added unnecessary regulation. After testimony from veterinary educators and others, the bill continued with support expressed by committee members, including praise for the direct-supervision amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then last year updating what the values of that tiered rate schedule would be.
• approved and we've implemented<00:51:31.760> it<00:51:32.000> on<00:51:32.640> schedule
• Um, and then last year schedule.
• <00:53:39.440> Um,<00:53:39.920> this<00:53:40.160> is rate schedule would be
• Um, this is rate schedule would be.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the proposed school district fee schedule, our dues would increase approximately $120 per month
• ,<00:49:26.720> our<00:49:26.880> dues school district fee schedule, our dues school
• district fee schedule, our dues would<00:49:27.599> increase<00:49:28.400> approximately
• We have yet to understand what the fee schedule might look like because they have not introduced that
• again we're being charged um schedule again we're being charged um custodial<01:03:55.599> fees

Bills: SF0035, SF0090, SF0072

Keywords: education, cell phones, smart devices, school policy, student conduct, school property, rental fees, youth activities, education policy, Wyoming legislature, teacher licensure, teacher mobility, interstate compact, education compact, licensure reciprocity, reciprocal certification, teacher certification, professional teaching standards board, out-of-state teachers, military spouse

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I know after we get back in January that it will be a crazy schedule, so I can't imagine when
• we're going to actually schedule this meeting, but I'd be happy to try to have some sort of skeleton
• >> After that you have hearings scheduled >> After that you have hearings scheduled
• . and we will we'll adjourn right now. and we will send<01:55:30.239> a<01:55:31.119> scheduling
• type information out send a scheduling type information out with<01:55:33.520> several<01:55:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to review and amend the minutes from its previous meeting, correcting the date, several spelling and wording errors, and clarifying references to a scholarship fund and a member’s title. The minutes were then approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair then turned to the commission’s work plan under SB 57, emphasizing the need to prioritize the statutory topics and identify which issues require additional research, documentation, and possible spreadsheets. Members discussed a broad range of special education cost drivers and policy questions, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, whether referrals increased after COVID school closures, intervention processes before referral, the cost of services required under IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal law, state law, and DOE rules, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, district sharing of resources, dispute resolution, graduation rates, and adult learning outcomes. Several members raised concerns that school environments, mental health, bullying, and possible overidentification may be contributing to rising special education numbers and costs, while others cautioned that some reported district percentages may be inflated or unclear because of how the data are counted. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid when state appropriations are insufficient and require the governor to draw a warrant to cover shortfalls. Representative Ames explained that the bill had been recommended for interim study because the commission is already examining special education costing, and he highlighted the gap between FY24 special education costs of about $977.1 million and state aid of $33.9 million for catastrophic aid, $67.4 million for differentiated aid, and $50.8 million in federal IDEA funds, leaving local districts to cover about $825.1 million. He argued the commission should ultimately make clear that both the federal government and the state should contribute more. The Department of Education, through Melissa White, answered questions about data and oversight. She said special education counts come from IEPs entered into the state system using SASIDs, that DOE monitors districts through both desk audits and on-site visits, and that billing is checked against the services listed in each student’s IEP. She also said DOE’s special education work is largely federally funded, with roughly $56.7 million received through IDEA this year and about $49.1 million flowing through to LEAs, while the department retains a small amount for administration and statewide support activities. Members also discussed how adequacy calculations use special education counts from the state system and how those figures are reported.