Transcript Highlights:

• themselves continue to increase, as do the necessary things that come along with housing, like rising utility
• To qualify as corresponding employment, the work must be performed during the validity of the job order
• The Chair and the Insurance Commissioner touched on many points about why utilizing the skilled and trained

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced a series of bills, mostly on worker safety, wages, workforce training, and retirement savings. AB 2137 (Chen) would strengthen workplace safety in the artificial stone fabrication industry by creating a certification program, requiring supplier verification, and adding enforcement tools; it passed to Appropriations. AB 1534 (Irwin) would create a state process to approve short-term workforce training programs eligible for new federal Pell Grant funding; it also passed. AB 2499 (Gibson), “Adrienne’s Act,” would direct Cal/OSHA to develop heat illness protections for incarcerated workers and correctional-facility workers; it passed after emotional testimony from the family of a woman who died from heat exhaustion in prison. AB 2300 (Arambula) would streamline workforce funding disbursement and create a unified sub-grant structure; it was held on call amid concerns about reduced oversight. AB 2650 (Pellerin) would expand CalSavers with emergency savings accounts, benefits assistance, and domestic worker inclusion; it passed with no opposition. AB 2634 (Sabir) would tighten High Road Training Partnership funding to prioritize labor-management programs; it passed. AB 1888, a companion to the Safe Home Grant Program, would require skilled-and-trained workforce and prevailing wage standards for wildfire home-hardening work; it passed unanimously. The committee also approved AB 1904, AB 1980, AB 2550, AB 2078, and AB 2682 on consent, all to Appropriations. Several bills drew significant support and opposition. AB 2646 (Krell) would set a $19.75 minimum wage with COLA for agricultural employees; farmworker advocates described poverty-level wages and wage theft, while agricultural business groups warned of major cost increases and impacts on family farms. The bill passed to Appropriations. AB 2227 (Connolly) would increase farm labor contractor bond amounts, strengthen license renewal, and create default judgment procedures to speed wage recovery; supporters cited long delays and unpaid wages, while opponents argued the bill added burdens and that the real problem was the Labor Commissioner process. It also passed to Appropriations. AB 1869 (Haney) would create a reporting process for hotel workers to flag real estate investment trusts that allegedly overstep their passive-investor role; labor groups supported it, but hotel and property industry groups warned it would disrupt federal REIT conformity and investment stability. The committee approved it, and later add-on votes confirmed it passed out of committee. Throughout the hearing, members emphasized worker protections and the need for timely enforcement, while some expressed concern about administrative burdens or reduced oversight. Most measures were approved on party-line or near-unanimous votes and re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations, with the committee adjourning after completing the add-on roll calls and consent calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• themselves continue to increase, as do the necessary things that come along with housing, like rising utility
• To qualify as corresponding employment, the work must be performed during the validity of the job order
• The Chair and the Insurance Commissioner touched on many points about why utilizing a skilled and trained

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced a series of bills, mostly on worker safety, wages, workforce training, and retirement savings. AB 2137 (Chen) would strengthen safety rules and certification for artificial stone fabrication shops to reduce silica exposure; AB 2499 (Gibson) would require Cal/OSHA to develop heat-illness protections for incarcerated workers and staff in correctional facilities; AB 2300 (Arambula) would streamline the disbursement of state and federal workforce funds; AB 2646 (Krell) would establish a minimum wage floor for certain agricultural workers; AB 2227 (Connolly) would tighten licensing and bond requirements for farm labor contractors and add default-judgment procedures for wage claims; AB 1869 (Haney) would create a reporting process for alleged REIT interference in hotel operations; AB 2650 (Pellerin) would expand CalSavers with emergency savings accounts and other updates; AB 2634 (Zbur) would prioritize labor-management partnerships in High Road Training Partnership grants; and AB 1888 would require skilled-and-trained workforce and prevailing wage standards for work under the Safe Home Grant Program. AB 1534 (Irwin) would create California’s approval process for short-term Pell-eligible workforce programs. The committee also took up several consent items, including AB 1904, AB 1980, AB 2550, AB 2078, and AB 2682. Most bills were described as aligning state programs with federal law or improving worker protections and program quality, while opponents generally raised concerns about costs, administrative burden, regulatory uncertainty, or reduced oversight. Testimony was largely split along labor and industry lines. Supporters included labor unions, legal aid groups, workforce boards, and affected workers or family members, who emphasized heat illness, wage theft, silica exposure, poor prison conditions, and the need for higher-quality training and retirement access. Opponents on several bills, especially those affecting agriculture, REITs, and workforce administration, argued the measures would increase costs, create uncertainty, or duplicate existing law. On AB 2227, committee members engaged in extended discussion about Labor Commissioner delays and whether the bill’s default-judgment and bond provisions would meaningfully help workers. On AB 1869, members and witnesses debated whether the bill created new standards or simply improved enforcement of existing REIT rules. The committee voted to pass all of the measures heard, generally with motions to do pass and re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. Several bills were held open for absent members during the meeting, and later add-on roll calls recorded additional ayes, moving the bills out of committee. The meeting concluded after the consent calendar was approved and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• working on hopefully moving to impact a new ... ...system, helping some of our CPS workers be able to utilize
• And many local businesses utilize for their employees, including the Burnham State School.
• ...and validated by the TDI, and they can't do an adequate job because now you're seeing this multiplication

Bills: HB107, HB742, HB1639, HB1700, HB2071, HB2187, HB2402, HB2516, HB3211, HB4529, HB5342, HB694, HB923, HB4655, HB107

Keywords: sickle cell disease, registry, health data, confidentiality, healthcare access, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, cancer, female firefighters, health study, state health services, fire protection, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health records

Transcript Highlights:

• of their partner and if their partners related to them or friend other family member and could be utilized
• It should specifically list the biofeedback devices that are used to utilize too in too, improve the
• Randy Lewis followed by Nicole Soza. >> I I'm Breanna Lewis, valid Masters degree in public Health.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the, the, um, uh, so I think your point is, is very valid. The way that a district feels.
• So some costs are, are, are, but even utilities, you know, districts go through efficiency efforts and
• they can drop, you know, utilities prices have 10% debt service for a lot of times, but, uh, so HB 1

Transcript Highlights:

• schools and districts, streamlining data collection by removing reports that are duplicative or not utilized
• This is talking about the reporting language for the data validation system.
• something I dislike the most is just the overburden of the reporting, and especially if we're not utilizing
• the methodology for calculating pre-K funding by requiring the adjusted base per pupil amount be utilized
• The proposed amendment would eliminate Section 13.5, subsection 3, which required the department to utilize

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In recent years the Supreme Court struck down a proposed conam from this Sometimes there are valid reasons
• out of their salaries to decrease the cost of electricity for our rent payers, or I should say our utility
• <01:04:04.160> our our rent payers or I should say our our rent payers or I should say our utility
• 04:05.839> is<01:04:06.000> going<01:04:06.079> to<01:04:06.319> this utility
• users, this is going to this utility users, this is going to this bill<01:04:06.799> is<01:04

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 46 members present and five excused, deferred reading of the journal, and noted there were no messages from the governor or Senate communications. Members then offered several introductions recognizing guests in the gallery, including LifeSmarts awardees, DCCA and LifeSmarts program officials, former Representative Pono Chong and his children, an intern from District 39, a landback advocate, and staff from the Education Committee office. The chamber also marked the close of Education Week 2025 with applause and recognition of the visiting students and supporters. The main floor presentation was House Resolution 211, which congratulated the first- and second-place teams at the 2025 Havi LifeSmarts State Competition and the 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program delegate. Representative Tam presented the resolution, praising the Eolani Raiders for winning first place and wishing them well at the upcoming Chicago competition. Representative Hashimoto recognized Kalanianaole High School’s second-place team, and Representative Woodson honored Wilson Chow of Maui High School for his leadership and service. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and the House recessed briefly to allow members to congratulate the honorees. After recess, the House took up a large block of standing committee reports, moving reports 1406 through 1504 with a series of member notations including no votes, reservations, and a few brief explanations. Several members raised concerns about specific measures involving emergency readiness centers, immigration-related legal access, blank votes on ballot questions, electricity costs and Hawaiian Electric, and gambling. Some members spoke in support of measures while noting reservations about cost, process, or policy effects. The full package of reports was ultimately adopted by voice vote. During announcements, Representative Garcia read a statement from Representative Jean Ward announcing her resignation effective at the end of the month due to ongoing health issues, including anemia, sciatica, and pneumonia, after nearly 27 years of service. The House then adjourned by voice vote until 12:00 noon on Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's a valid one.
• kinds of products<01:32:39.440> experimentation<01:32:40.280> to<01:32:40.560> validate
• <01:32:41.040> it products experimentation to validate it products experimentation to validate
• The work it does, we work with Agriculture Utilization Research Institute that many are familiar with
• The work it does, we work with Agriculture Utilization Research Institute that many are familiar with

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so because in here it says you can use either E-Verify and/or you could go and use a valid Social
• Security card, valid immigration or non-immigration visa, photo identification, valid…” “Valid immigration
• or nonimmigration visa, photo identification, valid birth certificate, valid passport, valid photo identification
• card issued by a government agency, valid work permit, or supervision permit authorized by the Division
• of Labor, or valid permit issued by the Department of Justice, or other valid document providing evidence

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:59:24.640> supportive<00:59:25.200> Education<00:59:25.680> Service utilize
• supportive Education Service utilize supportive Education Service such<00:59:27.359> as<00:59:
• It puts a target on children with disabilities, and it also puts a target on children who utilize our
• If people are concerned about PARIS, then let's say something about how we're utilizing PARIS.
• reason to deny the absent a valid reason to deny the request<04:29:45.159> and<04:29:45.239><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Education Policy and Administration Committee heard testimony on HB 222, which would repeal the requirement that a chartered public school and the resident school district sign a memorandum of understanding on how students with disabilities will receive special education services. The prime sponsor, Rep. Peggy Balboni, said the bill was requested by the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators and the New Hampshire Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She argued that federal and state law already require districts to provide FAPE and that the MOU requirement has created extra work, legal costs, and delays without improving services. She said many MOUs remain unsigned, but students are still receiving services and complaint numbers have not changed. Rep. Mooney also supported repeal, calling the MOU duplicative and impractical because IEPs and 504 plans already govern services. Testimony from Jane B. Brulu of the special education administrators’ association and Beth McLure of the charter schools alliance echoed that view, saying the MOU has not helped students, has added hours of work and legal fees, and has mostly been a source of disputes over funding and service costs. McLure said her school has worked with more than 15 districts and has always been able to reach agreements, though the first year of the requirement took substantial time and money. Committee members asked about the original purpose of the law, unsigned MOUs, and whether disputes could be resolved without the requirement. A representative from the Department of Education said the MOU was originally proposed to address reports that some students were not getting services on time and to provide some oversight, but the department has no authority to order charter schools or districts to agree and no appeal process if they cannot. The department also said it does not currently audit charter school special education services because it lacks authority to monitor charter schools directly, and it urged the committee to consider some alternative oversight if the MOU requirement is repealed. The hearing on HB 222 was then closed, and the committee announced it would begin the hearing on HB 699 after a short break.

Transcript Highlights:

• EXEMPTION TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO PRESCRIBE A FORM FOR THE NOTICE OF TRANSACTION THAT AN ISSUER UTILIZING
• They expressed concerns about how the 9-1-1 system could be utilized to modify how many instances...
• TEMPORARY LICENSE PLATES, MOBILE HOME STICKERS, OR VALIDATION STICKERS, OR TO OBSCURE LICENSE PLATES
• They did not utilize the money allocated for this study, so women for the last three years missed the
• IT IS MEANT TO ELECT THE COMMISSIONER DURING A SPECIFIED ELECTION YEAR TO ASK THE VOTERS A VALID QUESTION

Bills: SB 2, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117, SB 503, SB 2, HB 120, HB 20, HB 150, HB 6, HB 100, HB 210, HB 215, HB 1393, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB 142, HB 451, HB 124, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, child grooming, sex offender registration, criminal justice, reportable conviction, law enforcement, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• If you validate the tragedy there, that that's an ongoing thing.
• And for 2026, we are looking at how we can best utilize. utilize him and his gifts, talents, and abilities
• That's part volunteers and how you utilize them.
• So that's their call. call, but I think you make a valid point.
• There are many military events that have utilized this technology.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One, the counties have been doing a tremendous amount of work utilizing their behavioral health bridge
• So we've only been able to have some really, in terms of validated data, not—I think it's roughly around
• people like my mom, who know years ahead of time the suffering that's coming and may want to consider utilizing
• and safety of aid-in-dying laws, and since the law went into effect, over 4,000 individuals have utilized
• That doesn't even take into account my staff, my utilities, or even my loans.

Summary: The committee heard several health-related measures. SB 27 by Senator Umberg would revise and expand California’s CARE Court by limiting the expansion to people with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, clarifying the definition of “clinically stabilized,” and narrowing the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Supporters, including behavioral health officials and family members, said the bill would reduce dismissals and better serve people with severe illness; opponents warned the expansion would strain county staffing and housing resources and could undermine voluntary engagement. The bill passed on a do pass motion to the Committee on Public Safety. SB 503 by Senator Weber Pierson would require AI tools used in health care facilities to be identified, monitored, and mitigated for bias when used in clinical decision-making or resource allocation. The author and supporters from Kaiser Permanente and the California Medical Association said the bill would help prevent discriminatory outcomes and improve trust and safety. The committee discussed the need to clarify developer and deployer responsibilities, and the bill passed as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection. SB 68 by Senator Menjivar would require restaurants to provide written allergen information for the top nine food allergens, with tiered flexibility for smaller establishments. The bill was supported by patients, families, nurses, and allergy organizations, who described severe reactions and the difficulty of relying on verbal disclosures alone. The California Restaurant Association opposed unless amended, seeking broader use of the national model food code and additional liability language. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 403 by Senator Blakespear, which would remove the sunset from the End of Life Option Act; supporters described the law as a compassionate, well-functioning option for terminally ill patients, while faith-based groups opposed it. The bill passed to Judiciary. Later, SB 41 by Senator Wiener was introduced to rein in pharmacy benefit manager practices that steer patients to mail-order pharmacies and reimburse community pharmacies below cost; community pharmacists and several health organizations testified in support, describing pharmacy closures and patient access problems.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now that we've just had the fire, there's a lot of material that can be utilized to create energy.
• Transplanted to other rural communities and tribal communities that can utilize it as a way to generate
• FEMA estimated utilizing $29 million.
• You can see the HB1 funds can be utilized once FEMA approved. That's the key.
• And very valid questions. I just want to commend you and all the work you're doing.

Transcript Highlights:

• If there are products in the market that are utilizing either an approved form or an unapproved form,
• think there's a billion dollars still sitting over at the State Board administration that was not utilized
• It was a reinsurance program that was a backstop, so if it was necessary, it would be utilized.
• There are still sitting over at the State Board administration that was not utilized because it was so
• And so that has been expressly authorized by the Florida Legislature as a valid rating factor.

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting on homeowners property insurance, with members from both parties introducing themselves and repeatedly noting that insurance affordability, roof condition, claims handling, and storm recovery are top concerns for their districts. Chair Yeager said the meeting was intended as an educational discussion rather than a legislative debate, and introduced a panel that included Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworski, consumer Chad Carr, agent Mary Catherine Lawler, insurer executive Melissa Burt DeVries, and policyholder attorney Chip Merlin. The panel and members discussed major cost drivers in Florida homeowners insurance, including inflation, home age, roof age, mitigation features, claims history, litigation costs, reinsurance, and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Commissioner Yaworski said underwriting has become more sophisticated and that litigation costs, reinsurance, and replacement-cost inflation all affect premiums; he also said litigation is down about 30% and average requested rate increases have fallen from about 22.1% in 2022 to 0.8% today. DeVries said age of home, replacement cost, roof age, and coverage choices can materially change premiums, and explained that reinsurance is a major expense passed through to consumers. Merlin emphasized transparency concerns, argued that insurers are increasingly individualizing risk, and said consumers often struggle with coverage limits, deductibles, and claim denials. Members asked about flood coverage, hurricane deductibles, managed repair programs, mitigation credits, new insurer capitalization, and whether savings from reforms are reaching consumers. Yaworski explained that flood is generally excluded from homeowners policies and covered separately, that hurricane deductibles are mandatory in Florida and usually around 5%, and that the office tracks savings from reforms through rate filings and insurer discussions. He said the state is updating mitigation discounts and monitoring new entrants closely for solvency and market conduct. Several members and panelists said recent reforms have helped reduce some abuses and litigation, but many consumers are still seeing higher premiums because replacement costs and reinsurance remain elevated. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:38.319> ID<00:07:39.080> to conjunction with any valid ID to conjunction with
• any valid ID to register<00:07:39.720> to<00:07:39.919> vote<00:07:40.240> on<00
• :07:54.840> are allowable forms of ID to any that are allowable forms of ID to any that are valid
• election<00:07:55.759> day<00:07:56.000> registration<00:07:56.520> like valid
• for election day registration like valid for election day registration like a<00:07:56.759> driver's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:15:51.880> tax<01:15:52.159> increment that may utilize tax increment that may
• utilize tax increment financing<01:15:54.239> uh<01:15:54.360> first<01:15:54.600> up
• But I think the Attorney General's recommendation is valid, and that's what I would recommend.
• But I think the Attorney General's recommendation is valid, and that's what I would recommend.
• But I think the Attorney General's recommendation is valid, and that's what I would recommend.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 410, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium operating budget. OHA asked for a modest increase over its base budget, including $1.2 million to fund 13 new full-time positions for a strategy and implementation team tied to its long-term plan, with emphasis on housing, education, health, and economic resilience. OHA also described a broader effort to work directly with executive branch departments to improve outcomes for Native Hawaiians. Testimony was largely supportive, with several individuals speaking in favor and one testifier expressing strong frustration about Native Hawaiian rights and access to resources. The chair noted there were 38 additional written/supporting testimonies and three in opposition. Members asked about OHA’s funding sources and public land trust revenues; OHA said it is not receiving the full 20 percent share, described a public land trust working group and system issues, and said a related bill would seek funding to begin an inventory. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then considered House Bill 304, which would make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and later translated into English. The Judiciary supported the bill, saying it reinforces Hawaiian as an official language and looks to the original language for legislative intent. The Attorney General supported the intent but recommended narrowing the bill with a proviso to avoid ambiguities, limiting it to laws originally drafted in Hawaiian that were not later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Public testimony was generally supportive, though one speaker raised broader sovereignty concerns. Members questioned how many laws would be affected and whether the proposed amendment would undercut the bill; the Attorney General said the amendment was meant to address uncertainty in interpretation. No final action was reported. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 603, which would direct OHA to administer a Native Hawaiian business marketing program to promote Native Hawaiian-owned businesses through marketing and technical assistance. OHA supported the concept, saying a label or branding program could help consumers identify and support Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, but requested that funding be redirected to a working group to study program design, implementation, enforcement, and long-term viability. The chair noted four supportive testimonies had been received, and a member asked OHA to confirm that its programs serve all Hawaiians, not only those eligible for homelands; OHA said it serves all Hawaiians in the state. The transcript ends before any vote or further action on HB 603.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, different campuses would utilize different programs within the same district.
• I get the sense that they are now kind of getting underway; people are utilizing them.
• So that's a very valid point.
• We're simply utilizing it in a manner we feel like to maybe increase our productivity.
• Everything costs more: salaries, transportation, utilities, insurance, special education supplies.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm very excited to belong to Alert Core, and I'm looking forward to, if it's confirmed, to utilize my
• You need people to validate your idea. You need people to help develop a first prototype or a demo.
• 00:24:50.720> to need a team right you need people to need a team right you need people to validate
• :52.080> need<00:24:52.279> people<00:24:52.559> to<00:24:53.320> um validate
• your idea you need people to um validate your idea you need people to um uh<00:24:54.279> uh<

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:

• Um, but I'll yield back my time, but I do think that's a valid point, Representative Davis, that we do
• Um, but I'll yield back my time, but I do think that's a valid point, Representative Davis, that we do
• back my time, but I I do think<00:09:04.040> that's<00:09:04.280> a<00:09:04.720> valid
• <00:09:05.240> point, think that's a valid point, think that's a valid point, Representative
• demonstrate what is possible utilizing the<02:46:55.560> good<02:46:55.760> neighbor<02

Keywords: 916, all