Transcript Highlights:

• We don't know if the judiciary or whoever the administrative agency would be responsible for holding
• Uh, Michelle Aosta, judiciary. >> Okay. Sends comments as well.
• Uh Michelle Aosta, judiciary.
• So we'll add the amendment effective date to August 1st, 2027, as the measure moves on to Judiciary.
• </c> amendments as well as judiciary amendments as well as judiciary amendment.<00:46:33.839><c> Uh</

Summary: The Committee on Transportation heard several bills, beginning with SB 2010, which would authorize impoundment of motor vehicles for certain alleged or committed traffic violations. The Department of Transportation supported the bill, while the Department of the Attorney General asked for clarification in section 4 on who could seek remedies and what remedies would be available. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, citing unclear officer-initiated impound criteria, potential strain on judicial or administrative resources, and concerns about hardship for families and indigent owners; the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the bill with amendments, saying it should be limited to traffic offenses and could serve as an alternative to fines or imprisonment. The chair then recessed before moving to the next items. The committee next heard SB 2527 on commercial driver licensing, which would require state and county firefighters exempt from CDL requirements to be subject to an alcohol and substance abuse policy equivalent to or stronger than federal DOT standards. DOT, the Department of Human Resources Development, county officials, and the Hawaiʻi Firefighters Association all indicated support. SB 2697, which would prohibit driving on roadway shoulders except in limited circumstances, also drew DOT support, with the Attorney General, judiciary, and others submitting comments. SB 2812, requiring driver license applicants to be tested on the dangers larger vehicles pose to pedestrians and bicyclists, was supported by DOT but opposed by the Public Defender, who argued the excessive-speeding portion was too broad for first offenses and that the DUI-related language was unnecessary because DUI relicensing already requires re-examination. SB 291, clarifying that drivers whose licenses were revoked for certain alcohol-related offenses must undergo re-examination before relicensing, received DOT support. The committee then took up SB 3044, which would remove references to pedestrian countdown timers and the requirement that pedestrians begin crossing before the timer starts. DOT opposed the bill, but Hawaiʻi Appleseed supported it, arguing the current rule is confusing and can lead to citations even when pedestrians can safely cross. The Department of Health submitted late comments emphasizing the importance of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and physical activity, and the chair noted the split in testimony. Finally, SB 2995 proposed a zero-emissions rideshare rebate program funded by a rideshare fee and administered by DOT. Earthjustice strongly supported the bill, describing it as a fee-and-rebate structure to help rideshare drivers transition to zero-emissions vehicles. A witness for Tom Yamachika suggested that if the state wants to tax ridesharing, it should amend existing tax law instead of creating a new chapter, but the bill’s supporters said DOT was better suited to administer the rebate program and that similar models exist in California and Washington. The committee also heard SB 3153, which would authorize DOT to designate airport special district zones at airports statewide to improve security and enforcement; DOT’s airports deputy director supported the measure, saying it would clarify jurisdiction and help address trespassing and hazards, and senators asked about boundaries, mapping, and coordination with the Attorney General. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We initially were in Judiciary.
• And then we would be sending this back to Judiciary.
• I did promise we would bring judiciary.
• </c> for Judiciary if that's needed. for Judiciary if that's needed. Thank<00:07:31.680><c> you.
• Amended be, um, recommended to pass and sent to the Judiciary Committee. That's correct.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• The Judiciary Committee will come to order. Zoe, please call the roll. Chair Brannan.
• I have held corporations accountable and received a nice compensation for it.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard and voted on a series of bills covering child abuse reporting, firearms products liability, crime victim records, guardianship eligibility, historic monuments, animal welfare, juvenile justice, and restrictions on sex reassignment care for minors. HB 373, on the statute of limitations for violations involving required child abuse reports, passed unanimously. HB 1551, as amended, clarified that a firearm is not defective merely because it lacks optional safety features and preserved design-defect claims and nonretroactivity; after substantial testimony and debate, it passed 13-5. CS/HB 1113, expanding public-records protections for crime victims and briefly exempting law enforcement victims, passed unanimously. CS/HB 737, allowing courts more discretion in appointing guardians with prior felony convictions and adding a narrow exception for certain older convictions, also passed unanimously as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Expanding the school year, K-12, teacher compensation, K-12, and early childhood education, requiring
• If we are able, if the option is there for the judiciary and the district attorneys to use DoIT for their

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• shelters, DES, which helps adult protective services, state employees, and ACJC, as a victim's compensation
• And then in the judiciary, several years ago, county probation salaries went up by $10 million.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee of Appropriations met on January 21, 2026, and first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor and Arizona Department of Water Resources both supported the bill, describing it as a backup measure to protect Arizona’s Colorado River entitlements if post-2026 negotiations among the basin states fail. Members discussed how the bill relates to the governor’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund proposal, and staff clarified the two funds serve different purposes. The committee approved HB 2116 on a 17-1 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which would provide $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expand the work beyond state trust lands to private lands. An amendment in the chair’s name was adopted to extend the coordination timeline, broaden the agencies involved, and revise language about mapped sites and appropriable surface water. The sponsor said the bill is intended to identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge rather than letting most rainfall evaporate. ADWR testified neutrally, supporting the mapping effort but raising a concern about language that could be read as requiring the department to determine whether water is appropriable, which it said is a legal question for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148, as amended, was then heard and approved 11-7. The bill would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies and set requirements for those appropriations. The chair’s amendment excluded federal research grants to universities, university employees, and the Arizona Board of Regents. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, saying the legislature should know how federal funds are being spent. No outside testimony was offered, and the committee approved the measure after debate about legislative oversight of federal funds. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, tax conformity, sports betting, lottery and tourism revenue assumptions, SNAP administrative costs and error-rate penalties, developmental disability and Access caseload growth, and K-12 enrollment and ESA spending. Members repeatedly questioned the executive budget’s use of one-time funding for ongoing costs, especially for SNAP administration and DES staffing, and expressed concern about rising supplemental needs and the lack of long-term budget capacity. No votes were taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• shelters, DES, which helps adult protective services, state employees, and ACJC, as a victim's compensation
• And then in the judiciary, several years ago, county probation salaries went up by $10 million.

Bills: HB2053 , HB2116 , HB2148

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, whether that'll be a legislative fix or if that's something that we work with the judiciary, it
• Mexico where we didn't have enough weather stations, and there were people not being paid for their compensation

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• include one of these provisions, which is my bill to create a fraud restitution fund that will compensate
• And I do notice on here that there were no errors on the judiciary bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, the strike-everything adopted by the Judiciary Committee for House Bill 2861 establishes
• Madam Wippin, members, the strike everything adopted by the Judiciary Committee for House Bill 2861 establishes
• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 4136, as amended by the Judiciary Committee, establishes the offense
• Madam WIPP, members, House Bill 4136, as amended by the Judiciary Committee, establishes the offense
• of unlawful entry and are on a resident's 136 as amended by the Judiciary Committee establishes the offense

Summary: The meeting was a caucus-style review of two packets of bills, with staff reading summaries and members briefly explaining several measures. Topics included appropriations for pregnancy resource centers, home- and community-based services for the elderly and people with disabilities, veteran specialty courts, child care grants and infrastructure, language acquisition services for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, ambulance service regulation, short-term rental rules, tourism improvement areas, manufactured home installer licensure, CPR/AED training in schools, veterans’ park fee exemptions, and multiple child welfare and family-court bills. Several Senate bills were also reviewed, including optometry standards, behavior analyst licensure transfer, virtual mental health hearings, and assisted-living residency rules. Members speaking for bills emphasized themes such as supporting aging in place, improving rural ambulance access and reporting, protecting children in DCS cases, preventing poverty alone from being treated as neglect, and expanding access to health screenings and services. Other sponsors described measures to help veterans, strengthen school safety, and create local funding or improvement mechanisms for tourism and child care. Some bills were described as technical or administrative changes, such as post-nuptial agreement rules, tax lien procedures, and local government contract posting requirements. No formal votes were taken in the transcript excerpt, but many bills were noted as being on the consent calendar or third-read consent calendar, while a few had been removed from consent or were not yet on a calendar. The meeting concluded after the final bill on the second packet, HB 4025, was summarized as creating a study committee on gasoline and petroleum refinery feasibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, the strike-everything adopted by the Judiciary Committee for House Bill 2861 establishes
• Madam Wippin, members, the strike everything adopted by the Judiciary Committee for House Bill 2861 establishes
• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 4136, as amended by the Judiciary Committee, establishes the offense
• Madam WIPP, members, House Bill 4136, as amended by the Judiciary Committee, establishes the offense
• of unlawful entry and are on a resident's 136 as amended by the Judiciary Committee establishes the offense

Summary: The meeting reviewed two caucus packets covering a wide range of bills, with most items described by staff and then passed over without questions. Topics included appropriations for pregnancy resource centers, home- and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities, veteran specialty courts, child care grants and infrastructure, emergency shelter grants, language acquisition services for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, and uranium contamination monitoring. Other measures addressed utility plant replacement, local government investment pools, task-order contract posting, ambulance reporting and certificate-of-necessity changes, short-term rental regulation, tuition waivers for dependents of disabled veterans, memorial authorization, manufactured home installer licensing, CPR/AED training in schools, national park fee exemptions for military members and veterans, and a tourism improvement area funded by lodging businesses. Several bills focused on child welfare and family law, including expanded kinship placement notification, a neglect definition change tied to poverty, evidence rules in custody and dependency matters, DCS investigations when a protective parent is involved, and parenting-time supervision requirements. Health-related bills included midwife practice changes, controlled substance monitoring program updates, interstate EMS licensure, prostate cancer screening coverage, sleep apnea coverage, and resident electronic monitoring in care facilities. Judiciary and property-related bills included enhanced trespass penalties, post-nuptial agreement rules, tax lien excess proceeds procedures, and unlawful entry into residences occupied by vulnerable adults. A few members briefly explained or defended selected bills, including the child protection measures, the CPR training requirement, the ambulance reporting bill, the tourism improvement area bill, and the bill moving inter-facility transports away from police. The sponsor of HB 2950 emphasized it was a voluntary, opt-in lodging assessment with local approval and statutory guardrails. No roll-call votes were described in the transcript, and most bills were noted as being on consent or third-read consent calendars, with several removed from consent or not yet on a calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Judiciary Division B will not meet in the morning, and finance will meet on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in
• Judiciary Division A will meet in Room 409 on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
• Tomorrow, room 216.<00:12:10.560><c> Judiciary</c><00:12:11.279><c> Division</c><00:12:12.079><c> A</
• Judiciary Division A will meet in 216.
• Judiciary Division A will meet in room<00:12:13.360><c> 409</c><00:12:14.079><c> on</c><00:12:14.320>

Transcript Highlights:

• Your committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means will hold a decision-making meeting on this measure tomorrow
• Parsons, who was my first boss in this chamber when I worked for her as an intern in the Senate Judiciary
• c> worked for her as an intern in the worked for her as an intern in the Senate<00:10:25.440><c> Judiciary
• and</c><00:10:26.120><c> labor</c><00:10:26.480><c> Committee</c><00:10:27.160><c> in</c> Senate Judiciary
• and labor Committee in Senate Judiciary and labor Committee in the<00:10:27.480><c> 2013</c><00:10:28.160

Transcript Highlights:

• to move House File 2825 before the committee with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Judiciary
• Hudson renews his motion and recommends that House File 2825, as amended, be re-referred to the Judiciary
• House File 2825 is re-referred to Judiciary and Civil Law.
• However, we're pleased to report that due to the new competitive compensation packages that were negotiated
• However, we're pleased to report that due to the new competitive compensation packages that were negotiated

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• President, your Committee on Judiciary and Elections, having under consideration the matter of the governor's
• It stipulates that an independent municipal advisor must receive compensation from the school district
• Senate Bill 1215, enacting Sections 23-901 and 23-901.09 as a statute related to workers' compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, welcome everyone to the Judiciary Committee meeting hearing this morning on Tuesday, the 10th
• And we'll apply the ban only to compensated officers for both grantees and contractors per Hano and the
• /c><00:51:57.200><c> ban</c><00:51:57.599><c> only</c><00:51:57.839><c> to</c><00:51:58.240><c> compensated

Bills: SB2040 , SB2248 , SB2530 , SB2732 , SB2871 , SB2919 , SB3076 , SB3300 , SB3301

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 2248 would expand financial disclosure requirements to certain gubernatorial nominees subject to Senate confirmation. The State Ethics Commission supported the measure, saying disclosures should be filed before confirmation so the public and interested parties can review them in advance. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, with 22 supporters, no opposition, and one comment. SB 2530 would broaden Hawaii’s campaign contribution ban for state and county contractors to include officers and immediate family members, and would extend the ban to certain grantees and their officers and family members, with specified contract thresholds. The Campaign Spending Commission said the bill is its own proposal and would align the thresholds with procurement guidelines. Testimony was entirely favorable, with 30 in support, no opposition, and two comments. Members asked about conforming amendments and how the existing prohibition on soliciting contributions applies; CSC said the calendar-day language clarifies current practice and that the solicitation ban already applies to contractors, with the bill extending the same standard to officers and immediate family members. SB 2732 would require courts to consider a defendant’s ability to pay when setting bail, including excluding public benefits from income calculations and clarifying the 40-hour affordability benchmark for those above 150% of the federal poverty level. The Office of the Public Defender, the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, and the ACLU of Hawaii supported the bill, arguing that unaffordable bail creates wealth-based disparities, contributes to jail overcrowding, and can cause severe collateral consequences for people not yet convicted. There was one opposition testimony and 18 supporters. Committee discussion focused on when the 40-hour period should begin, how income would be verified, and whether misrepresentation could affect bail; the Public Defender said the measure should be read to start from initial appearance and that judges could address false statements through existing remedies. SB 2871 would prohibit discrimination based on perceived characteristics, association with someone who has or is perceived to have protected characteristics, and intersectional combinations of characteristics. The Department of Education supported the intent but asked for clear definitions, while the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission said the bill does not add new protected classes and simply codifies the Lamb v. University of Hawaii decision on intersectional discrimination. LGBTQ+, civil rights, ACLU, and other advocacy groups testified in support, with one opposition testimony and a total of 27 in support, two opposed, and one comment. The committee then heard SB 2919, which appropriates funds for one full-time public deputy public defender position. The Public Defender’s Office said the position would provide statewide legal support and a centralized resource on constitutional, appellate, and immigration-related issues; several advocacy groups supported the measure, and committee questions focused on how the new position would complement existing training and keep staff updated on changing law.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, however, since it's been stated, I would like to point out that the judiciary has a responsibility
• So this amendment would allow for that to happen, that it would come to us and it would go to judiciary
• So this amendment would allow for that to happen, that it would come to us and it would go to judiciary
• </c><00:53:48.800><c> So</c><00:53:48.960><c> I</c> chambers and APR and judiciary.
• So I chambers and APR and judiciary.

Transcript Highlights:

• By Judiciary Committee, Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee...
• By Judiciary Committee, Education and Employment Committee, and Representative Kassel, and others.
• By Judiciary Committee, Government Operations Subcommittee, and Representative Casello, and others.
• By Judiciary Committee, Government Operations Subcommittee, and Representative Casello, and others.
• By Judiciary Committee, Government Operations Subcommittee, and Representative Casello, and others.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Chester Clem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum confirmation. Members then adopted the special order report and a rules report amending House Rule 15.3 to allow fundraising under certain circumstances during extended or special sessions. The chamber also heard several recognitions and a farewell speech from Representative Nixon, who reflected on constituent service and her legislative priorities. On the floor, HB 1405, relating to a statewide project for missing persons with special needs, passed unanimously. The House then took up CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, which drew questions about the handling of surplus conservation lands and agricultural uses; it passed 94-10. CS/CS/CS/HB 905, the “Fire Act” on foreign influence, was explained as a broad package restricting foreign-country influence in government, procurement, gifts, cultural agreements, and related areas. An amendment adding restrictions on surrogacy and adoption involving citizens or residents of foreign countries of concern was adopted after debate over possible impacts on families and adoption practices, and the bill then passed 80-20. The House also passed CS/CS/HB 1197, a bill to modernize state information technology procurement and contracting, unanimously after debate about improving oversight of large IT projects. HB 1103, allowing local governments to fast-track action on derelict vessels, also passed unanimously. The chamber then considered CS/CS/CS/HB 399 on land use development and development regulations, including limits on development fees, changes to local voting thresholds for comprehensive plan and boundary actions, manufactured homes in RV parks, and resort-related provisions. Several amendments were debated, including one on local control and rural boundaries that failed and another strike-all amendment ruled out of order; the bill ultimately passed 71-38. The final item reached before the transcript ended was a local bill for the Pace Fire Rescue District in Santa Rosa County, described as adjusting its assessment formula to provide tax relief.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are also a few amendments that need to be looked at in judiciary.
• There are also a few amendments that need to be looked at in judiciary.
• It will not be heading... referral is to send this to judiciary referral is to send this to judiciary
• . judiciary. judiciary.
• The clerk to the judiciary committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee on Judiciary, after consideration on the merits, recommends the following: Senate Bill 120
• Committee<00:29:47.279><c> on</c><00:29:47.440><c> Judiciary</c><00:29:48.000><c> after</c> Committee
• on Judiciary after Committee on Judiciary after consideration<00:29:48.640><c> on</c><00:29:48.799><
• The motion is the adoption of the Judiciary committee report.
• Uh, members, this was 70 consent out of Judiciary.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, if I can make a proper motion, I move that we adopt the Senate Judiciary Committee Substitute
• And for purposes of discussion, I move do pass for the Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for Senate
• A do pass for the Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for Senate Bill 221. All right.
• But for purposes of discussion, they do pass on the Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for Senate
• So that's going to be all of our business for this evening, and Senate Judiciary is in recess.

Bills: SB23 , SB221 , SB261 , SB264

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary