Transcript Highlights:

• Vote is 10 to 8.
• Vote is 18 to zero. Motion passes. yes. Vote is 18 to zero. Motion passes.
• I changed my vote. So, yeah. Thank you, Miss Wargan. You changed my vote.
• The vote was 300 on the sign-ins online. Sorry, it's not a vote.
• Vote is 16 to 2.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ask you for a green vote. vote. vote.
• take a bad vote. take a bad vote.
• So, please vote yes. So, please vote yes.
• Vote no.
• bipartisan vote. bipartisan vote.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the public for a public vote.
• Let people vote on it.
• to go and support it with their vote. to go and support it with their vote.
• and [clears throat] vote no on the bill. and [clears throat] vote no on the bill.
• voters voted it down.

Bills: HB0147, HB0127

Keywords: property tax, homeowner exemption, Wyoming, voter initiative, tax legislation, HB0127, recreation mill levy, recreational facilities, public recreation, mill levy, local tax, county commissioners, school district levy, voter approval, ballot measure, general election, tax referendum, special purpose tax, Wyoming taxation, W.S. 18-9-201

Transcript Highlights:

• I bet you're going to urge us to vote aye. This is definitely an aye vote. All right. Thank you.
• And I'll bet you're going to tell us to vote no. I'm going to ask you to vote no, Mr.
• I bet you're going to tell us to vote no. I'm going to ask you to vote no, Mr.
• File item number five, SB 1090, Chair voting aye. Wahab. Okay. What is the vote again?
• File item number two, SB 1242, Chair voting aye. File item number two, SB 1242, Chair voting aye.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills, with testimony focused on end-of-life medical orders, CARE Court participation, HOA fee transparency, custody protections for sexual assault survivors, groundwater enforcement, pet policy disclosure in rentals, and restrictions on post-wildfire property solicitation. SB 1088 would modernize POLST and pre-hospital DNR rules by renaming POLST as Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, allowing electronic signatures, clarifying who may sign on a patient’s behalf, recognizing out-of-state forms, and reaffirming that completion is voluntary; it drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and no opposition. SB 1242 would let original family petitioners participate in CARE Court care coordination and information-sharing even without the respondent’s consent, while preserving judicial discretion to limit participation; supporters said it would improve care coordination, and Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and harmful to respondents who may not want family involvement. The committee discussed the balance between family support and privacy, and SB 1242 passed 7-0 on call. SB 1007 would require more HOA transparency, including clearer budget comparisons and evidence for violations, and would limit regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote, while leaving special and emergency assessments intact. Supporters argued homeowners need more information and protection from steep fee hikes; opponents said the cap could impair associations’ ability to cover rising insurance and maintenance costs. Members raised concerns about flexibility and planning, but the bill passed 6-1 on call. SB 1364, as amended, would lower the burden for survivors of sexual assault to block custody or visitation rights for a perpetrator when a child was conceived through the assault, using a clear-and-convincing standard and aligning the law with federal grant requirements; it passed 8-0 on call after opposition argued the bill could deny children a relationship with a parent. The committee also approved SB 997, which grants the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and sustainability rules, with supporters saying it would help avoid litigation and maintain local control; it passed 9-0 on call. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front on applications, websites, and ads, and allow application-fee refunds if disclosure was not provided before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted fees and pet relinquishment, while landlord groups said the ad and disclosure requirements could be impractical for small owners. That bill passed 8-0 on call. Finally, SB 1090 was presented to bar large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire disaster areas, aimed at preventing predatory post-disaster speculation; the author and a supporter described aggressive investor outreach to fire victims, especially in Altadena, as the committee moved on to that bill’s testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I will be voting no on this. Thank you. Voting on SCR 11.
• Voting on SCR 11. Thank you. Voting on SCR 11.
• Chair for the vote. Chair for the vote.
• I vote. No<00:52:46.680> vote. No vote. No vote.
• Okay, voting on Chair for the vote.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Hawaiian Affairs heard several Senate concurrent resolutions. SCR 11, urging Congress to amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, drew support from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and Pride at Work Hawaii, both of which backed the measure as a statement of equality and protection for LGBTQIA+ people. A member also reminded testifiers to keep signs and statements relevant to the measure. SCR 22, recognizing the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Ahu and Aliʻa, had no testimony. SCR 58, calling for a progressive enforcement framework for parking violations in DLNR boating and ocean recreation lots, drew strong support from multiple testifiers who argued that towing is overly punitive, costly, and unfair to beach and harbor users; they favored warnings or smaller citations instead of towing and raised concerns about signage, contract oversight, and the cost of proposed enforcement technology. One member asked about whether DLNR could use HPD or other officers for citations, and the discussion focused on staffing and enforcement authority. The committee then heard SCR 60 SD1, requesting an update on the “Breaking Cycles” study on alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models on Oahu. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was not present, but the Corrections Reform Working Group strongly supported the resolution, saying the study reflects extensive community outreach and should not be shelved. Testifiers urged the committee to use the report to examine alternatives to a new jail, including diversion, pre-trial reform, probation reform, and renovations to existing facilities, and one testifier suggested amendments to add experts in those areas and technical assistance from the Prison Policy Initiative. Another testifier described Maui’s use of wraparound reentry services, prosecutorial discretion, and programming as an example of reducing incarceration without expanding jail capacity. SCR 184, asking the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to examine anti-discrimination laws as applied to algorithmic and automated decision systems, had no in-person testimony, with the chair noting one support and one comment submitted. The final measure, SCR 89 SD1, which would create an advisory committee under the Hawaii correctional system oversight commission to develop recommendations on alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models on Oahu, also had no testimony from the department, but the Corrections Reform Working Group supported it as a way to ensure community input into jail planning. A later testifier echoed concerns about building a large new jail and urged the committee to consider alternatives to incarceration and to include people with expertise in diversion, pre-trial reform, and probation reform. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• a split vote of the body.
• So we'll first have a vote on the report, then we'll have a vote on that, and he wants to do that by
• vote of the body.
• is going to be, and what a yes vote would mean and what a no vote would mean?
• That motion was voted down. To issue a subpoena. That motion was voted down by the Senate.

Summary: The committee first reviewed a list of bills already marked ready for due pass, including several House bills (HB 1010, 1018, 1020, 1023, 1041, 1055, 1077) and Senate bills (SB 4, 16, 24, 55, 59), along with a few items in the budget packet. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee report was then taken up, and Senator Rice offered a substitute motion to separate out the governor’s staff-related item for a separate vote and a roll-call division. After discussion about the request and the underlying personnel issue, the substitute motion failed on a roll-call division, and the committee then adopted the personnel subcommittee report as a whole. The committee next heard questions for Treasurer John Thurston on House Bill 1034 and the Treasurer’s office budget request. Members raised concerns about salary increases for executive staff, the size of raises under the approved pay plan, office hours, and whether the office was prioritizing raises appropriately. Thurston said the salaries were within the previously approved pay plan, that the request was for full funding of that plan with a negotiated 10% amount, and that office hours remained the same though vault tours had been adjusted for scheduling. Several members expressed dissatisfaction with the increases, while others noted the compromise reached with committee leadership. The committee then adopted the letter for HB 1034. The committee also considered special language items, including a proposal tied to extension office improvements through a DFA-administered program for the Division of Agriculture, which was described as unfunded. That item was adopted. The committee then moved through the remaining ready items, giving do-pass or adopt motions to SB 29, SB 51, HB 1034, HB 1010, HB 1018, HB 1020, HB 1023, HB 1041, HB 1055, HB 1077, SB 16, SB 23, SB 24, SB 55, and SB 59. SB 4 was set aside as not ready. The meeting adjourned with notice that the committee would reconvene in 15 minutes in another room to handle special language.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lydia Edwards votes no. Senator Payano. Pavel M. Payano votes no. Senator Moore. Michael O.
• Moore votes no. Anybody else in the chamber seeking to be recognized? Thank you. Votes no.
• Barrett votes no. Senator Edwards. Lydia Edwards votes no. Lydia Edwards votes no.
• Senator DiDomenico votes no. Sal DiDomenico votes no.
• Moore votes no. Senator Miranda. Mr. President, I can be a question. Liz Miranda votes no.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up a higher education capital bond bill, House 4769, and considered a long series of amendments focused largely on campus facilities, housing, and related policy issues. Many amendments were adopted, including funding or project language for MassBay Community College HVAC and window replacement, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Springfield Technical Community College, Cape Cod Community College nursing/allied health expansion and housing-related land use, Worcester State University and Quinsigamond Community College, Middlesex Community College, Salem State’s Sullivan Building, Roxbury Community College’s Center for Economic and Social Justice, UMass Boston’s Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and several Massachusetts State College Building Authority updates. Some amendments were rejected, including proposals on a sustainable hand hygiene incentive program, unlocking housing on surplus land, a Senator Bill Owen Center designation, Urban College of Boston, and a board membership change. A number of amendments were held or withdrawn during the process. A major debate centered on an amendment by Senator Tarr to dedicate $300 million of surtax revenue to K-12 education, framed as a response to Chapter 70 funding concerns and the need to modernize school aid. Supporters argued that local districts face rising costs and that the state should set aside fair share revenue for school funding and future school building investments. Opponents said the bill was the wrong vehicle and noted the Commonwealth already dedicates substantial surtax revenue to K-12 programs. The amendment was defeated by roll call. Tarr also offered amendments on a safety valve for surtax revenue declines, equity analysis of surtax allocations, bond covenant requirements, and Chapter 62F taxpayer protections; those were not adopted. The Senate also adopted a separate amendment on AP credit policies at public higher education institutions, though the transcript reflects some procedural confusion around that vote. After completing amendments, the Senate ordered the bill to a third reading and then passed it to be engrossed by a recorded vote of 38-0. Senators then adopted several extension orders giving committees additional time to report on pending bills, including Environment and Natural Resources and Municipalities and Regional Government. The chamber also adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 11 a.m. The session concluded with a unanimous memorial adjournment in honor of Bolton Police Chief Luke Hamburger, followed by a brief statement recognizing Rare Disease Day and the challenges faced by patients seeking diagnosis and treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. >> Chair Gomez, I will do that right here publicly, that I will vote for a vote against any
• Otherwise, we'll go to a vote.
• >> The affirmative vote of a majority of all appointed committee members excluding non-voting members
• The vote does not prevail. >> Having voted on the prevailing side, I will move that House File 3127 be
• The vote does not prevail.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I vote no.
• So I vote aye.
• With that, I vote aye.
• I am voting present with reservation for my vote on the floor. Thank you.
• vote?

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 2076, which would create a reimbursement program for school safety training and equipment, maintain an approved list of training programs meeting AZPOST standards, and allow eligible schools to adopt policies permitting certain employees to carry concealed firearms on campus if they complete approved training and meet notification/confidentiality requirements. The sponsor, Rep. Bliss, framed the bill as an optional, fiscally responsible medical-response measure meant to help school employees stop bleeding and save lives in emergencies, emphasizing that no school would be required to participate and that no new state appropriation was needed. Opponents, including Giffords, Arizona for Gun Safety, and the Arizona Education Association, argued the bill would normalize armed staff in classrooms, create confidentiality problems for parents and law enforcement, and expose students and staff to additional risk. They also said teachers are not trained as trauma responders and that the bill’s immunity and secrecy provisions could reduce accountability. Supporters, including Arizona Citizens Defense League and other proponents, said the bill adds guardrails to existing law, focuses mostly on first aid and de-escalation training, and gives schools an option to prepare staff for emergencies. After debate, the committee voted 6-5-1 to give HB 2076 a do pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 2830, which directs the State Board of Education to adopt science standards requiring instruction on fetal and prenatal development and specifies that the instruction is not sex education. Opponents, including the Arizona Education Association and Reproductive Freedom for All, said the bill politicizes science, creates fragmented instruction, and could lead to questions that inevitably touch on sex education while failing to address broader student health needs. Supporters, including Arizona Right to Life, a school board president, and a biology teacher, argued the bill is simply about age-appropriate, medically accurate science and parental transparency. The committee approved HB 2830 on an 8-4 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
• Hoover voting no and Ms. Krell not voting. Thank you.
• The motion is do pass, and that is out with Republicans not voting, with Mr. Tangipa voting no.
• And so with that, I ask for your aye vote. Great.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Very good. An aye vote. I like that.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee heard a regular order agenda with 101 bills and first took up AB 2215, which would extend the time for the Department of Water Resources to fully develop its State Water Project water rights. The author and supporters argued it would improve water reliability and affordability for millions of Californians and could save ratepayers money, while opponents said it would bypass the Water Board’s administrative process, set a precedent for other water rights holders, and potentially facilitate costly projects like the Delta Conveyance Project. The bill was moved on a do pass vote, with Mr. Hoover voting no and Ms. Krell not voting. The committee then approved two consent calendars and heard several bills with little or no opposition. These included AB 2038 on extending insurance nonrenewal/cancellation protections for wildfire victims; AB 2322 on clarifying which commercial, industrial, or institutional sites are subject to municipal stormwater permits; AB 1794 on direct home shipment of enteral nutrition; AB 1696 on clarifying that nurse midwives do not need physician supervision within their scope of practice; AB 1860 on allowing county offices of education to use design-build methods; AB 1876 on codifying nondiscrimination protections in health care; AB 2281 on election cybersecurity resources; AB 2448 on protecting sensitive medical records and reproductive health data; AB 1994 on providing victims with information about federal immigration relief options; and AB 1829 on expanding how CalWORKs community college funds may be used to support student parents. Most were supported by sponsoring organizations and related stakeholders, with limited opposition noted on AB 1696 and AB 2281. The committee also placed a large suspense calendar on approval, listing dozens of additional bills, and then opened public comment on bills not heard that day. No members of the public came forward, and the hearing was adjourned. Several bills were reported out on roll call votes, with some members not voting or voting no on particular measures, but the transcript does not provide full vote tallies for each bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The vote on the bill will be the vote on the emergency.
• Members wishing to vote or change their vote, the chair is preparing to close.
• Members wishing to vote or change their vote, the chair is preparing to close.
• Members wishing to vote or change your vote, the chair is preparing to close.
• Members wishing to vote or change their vote, the chair is preparing to close.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• able to vote.
• The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote.
• This is a 15-minute vote. business is the vote on ordering the business is the vote on ordering the previous
• vote against it.
• vote against it.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fattman votes yes. Senator Durant. Peter J. Durant votes yes. Senator Brady. Thank you, Mr.
• Lewis votes yes.
• Fernandes votes yes. He said yes. Dylan A. Fernandes votes yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Cronin votes yes. The senator from Middlesex and Suffolk, Senator DiDomenico votes yes.
• Dooner votes yes.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several bills and procedural matters. It adopted an emergency preamble and passed to be enacted a sick leave bank for Anisee Contreras of the Trial Court, and it also passed a bill reauthorizing the town of Swansea to issue additional on-premises liquor licenses. The chamber ordered several other bills to third reading, including a Wellesley bill on police and fire residency limits and a House bill on Commonwealth bond terms, along with multiple calendar items that were advanced without debate. The Senate then considered and passed the bill increasing access to disposable menstrual products in prisons, homeless shelters, and public schools. Senators Comerford and O'Connor spoke in strong support, describing the measure as a continuation of prior Senate action and a response to period poverty, with O'Connor highlighting community efforts by Free Period and related funding support. The bill was amended, ordered to a third reading, and passed to be engrossed by a unanimous roll call. The Senate also passed a bill on menstrual product ingredient disclosure after adopting a Ways and Means amendment; Comerford said the measure would require manufacturers to disclose ingredients and chemicals, citing concerns about PFAS and other harmful substances. That bill also passed to be engrossed by roll call. The chamber next took up a major public safety bill strengthening the move-over law. Senator Tarr described the bill as expanding protections to utility workers and disabled vehicles and adding escalating penalties, while Senator Feeney emphasized the dangers faced by workers on roadways and the need to protect them. Several proposed amendments were considered: one on municipally owned utility vehicles was adopted, while amendments on interior lights during stops, higher penalties, non-surchargeability, green lights for municipal emergency management vehicles, and public access to driving records were rejected or withdrawn. The amended bill was then ordered to a third reading and passed to be engrossed by a 39-0 roll call. The Senate also paused to honor the late Senator Edward J. Kennedy of Lowell, adopting a motion to adjourn in his memory after a tribute to his public service and community advocacy. Earlier, the chamber recognized a guest, Rocco LaGrasso, during Italian-American Heritage Month. The session ended with the Senate adjourning to meet again the following Monday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• with a 3/5 vote?
• vote to approve that spending. vote to approve that spending.
• vote.
• , vote down reconsider the vote on three, vote down number<00:16:31.120> three,<00:16:31.400><
• doesn't need a ballot vote. doesn't need a ballot vote.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to a majority vote.
• Chair voting aye. Absent members, Alanis. Is do pass to appropriations. Chair voting aye.
• Chair voting aye. Absent members, Alanis. Is do pass to appropriations. Chair voting aye.
• Absent members: Alanis — not voting. Alanis, not voting. Haney? Aye. Haney, aye. Schultz?
• Chair voting aye. Absent members: Alanis — aye. Haney? Haney. Voting aye.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the reason that, at least from my perspective, I'll talk for my own vote, the reason that a voting
• Right now, I have multiple options to vote, right?
• an emergency vote center to vote the weekend before an election in person, or I could take it myself
• Then we just ask that that vote by the close of the polls on election day, right?
• to an emergency vote center to vote the weekend before an election in person, or I could take it myself

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um I would encourage a yes vote. Um I would encourage a yes vote.
• I encourage a yes vote. safe at home. I encourage a yes vote.
• Green votes aye. McDonald votes aye. Momany-Hiltsley votes aye. Paris Vega votes aye.
• Green votes I. Green votes I. McDonald. Green votes I. Green votes I. McDonald.
• Paris Vega votes I. Paris Vega I. Paris Vega votes I.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate File 4171, a housing bill addressing sub-metered utility services and final billing for vacant tenants. Representative Igo explained that the bill allows shared-metered residential buildings to bill the last billing period before a tenant vacates based on estimates, requires landlords to offer digital rent payment with alternative payment methods for tenants who cannot use or afford digital options, and bars extra fees beyond administrative and late fees. Members described the measure as a cleanup bill developed with multiple landlord-tenant stakeholders. Two amendments were adopted. Amendment A2 expanded expedited eviction language to cover threats or harm directed not only at other residents but also at landlords, employees, contractors, and others present at the property, while keeping safeguards such as sworn affidavits, judicial review, service timelines, and penalties for misuse. Amendment A1 protected minor children from appearing in eviction cases and from having eviction records attached to them later, with penalties for noncompliance. Supporters said both amendments were friendly, part of the broader agreement on the landlord-tenant package, and intended to improve safety and protect children. After third reading and brief closing remarks from Representatives Howard and Igo, who thanked committee members, advocates, and stakeholders for bipartisan work, the House took a roll call vote. The bill passed as amended by a vote of 134 yeas and 0 nays, and its title was agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the vote voting on HB 1220 for the vote voting on HB 1220 recommendation<01:47:49.800> of
• vote we're voting on none by chair the vote we're voting on HB<01:48:37.000> 506<01:48:37.760
• no any members um any members voting no any members voting voting voting W<01:48:50.400> um<01
• c><01:51:20.079> voting<01:51:20.440> with voting no any vote anyone voting with voting
• voting no anyone voting with voting no anyone voting with reservations<01:56:10.480> all

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several agriculture, water, invasive species, and land-use bills. HB 299 and HB 1220, both relating to invasive species, drew broad support from the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, DLNR, the Department of Agriculture, C-GAPS, Sierra Club, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, and others. Testifiers said HISC funding fills gaps between agency mandates, supports research and technology, and helps respond to both terrestrial and marine invasive threats. On HB 1220, C-GAPS described a marine anemone infestation in Kāneʻohe linked to aquarium release and said control and restoration would be difficult without the bill’s funding. A committee member asked for tracking information on the species, and the Division of Aquatic Resources said it maintains monitoring data and annual reports. No opposition was noted on either measure. HB 506, relating to conservation enforcement, also received support from DLNR and Malama Pu‘u Ma. Committee discussion focused on the bill’s scope and how the funding would be used. Members asked about a prior boat purchase mentioned in opposition testimony and about whether mainland vendors were being used; the department said it did not buy that boat and that procurement follows the normal state process, with total bid price including delivery, taxes, and other fees. The department explained that the bill’s funding is primarily for marine enforcement work in nearshore fisheries, including herbivore protection around O‘ahu. HB 915, relating to water use, had mixed testimony. DLNR supported alternative water sources and amendments to the water code, while the Department of Agriculture opposed the bill as drafted, saying its irrigation program is designed for non-potable agricultural use and is not structured for residential or mixed-use development. The Department of Health said it needed more information on its reuse guidelines and noted concern about removing the recycled water manager requirement, which it said helps ensure safe operation and maintenance of reuse systems. Members questioned the bill’s preemption language and whether county or state rules would be displaced, and Agriculture suggested county water agencies might be better suited for some of the proposed uses. HB 502, concerning land use, drew support from the Attorney General’s office, the Land Use Commission, Hawaii Realtors, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union, with the Department of Agriculture standing on its written testimony. The Attorney General warned that allowing important agricultural lands to be redistricted through a declaratory ruling process could conflict with the state constitution and recommended excluding IAL from the bill. The Land Use Commission said it has an inventory of IAL lands and did not believe the bill would affect them, and it agreed to the suggested protection. Supporters said the bill could help move lands with limited agricultural value into the rural district, reduce pressure on productive farmland, and better align land use with actual farming potential. HB 929, relating to the agricultural land conveyance tax, received comments from the Department of Taxation and opposition from Hawaii Farm Bureau and Hawaii Realtors; Farm Bureau said it supports preserving agricultural land but was concerned about unintended consequences and questioned whether speculative flipping of ag land is a current problem.

Transcript Highlights:

• to vote no.
• The commissioners took a vote, and we unanimously voted in opposition to this.
• I want to explain my vote.
• With that, I vote aye.
• So, again, I vote aye for that. Thank you. And I vote aye.

Bills: HB2023, HB2100, HB2147, HB2158, HB2159, HB2162, HB2197, HB2497, HB2787, HCM2006

Keywords: land division, property disclosure, real estate, affidavit, Arizona Revised Statutes, small land subdivision, land use, real estate regulation, county ordinance, water supply requirements, property access, civil penalties, wildlife management, deer permits, private land, landowner rights, human-wildlife conflict, predatory animals, hunting regulations, game and fish

Summary: The House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee heard a series of wildlife- and agriculture-related bills, with most of the discussion focused on conflicts between ranching, public hunting, and wildlife management. HB 2197 would revise the unlawful camping statute near watering sites; after a Griffin amendment and verbal amendment, the committee heard support from the sponsor, Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and a rancher, while one member raised concerns about expanded criminal penalties. The bill received a do pass recommendation on a 6-1 vote. HB 2497, which would recognize a statutory right to lawfully hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife and limit unreasonable restrictions, drew strong support from hunting groups and opposition from animal welfare and conservation advocates who argued it would undermine Game and Fish authority and repeat a measure voters rejected in 2010. After debate over whether hunting is a right or a privilege, the committee recommended the bill do pass by a 5-3 vote. HB 2147 would require landowner deer permits on private lands under certain conditions, with a cap tied to lottery-issued deer tags. The sponsor said it was meant to address deer damage to crops in St. David and planned an amendment to make the permit nontransferable; Game and Fish said population management hunts were already addressing the problem, while opponents warned against privatizing wildlife. The committee approved the bill 5-3. HB 2158 would expand the definition of predatory animals to include bears, cougars, mountain lions, and wolves; Game and Fish testified that big game status preserves data collection and science-based management, while supporters said ranchers need more flexibility to protect livestock and property. Opponents argued the bill would weaken protections and conflict with endangered species rules. It passed 5-3. HB 2159 would allow landowner permits for taking Mexican gray wolves on private and leased grazing lands and create a voluntary compensated trapping program. Opponents said it would violate the Endangered Species Act and privatize wildlife, while the sponsor and supporters argued it was needed to protect ranchers and challenge federal control; Game and Fish said the bill would be unlawful until the wolf is delisted, though they acknowledged ongoing recovery and stakeholder meetings. The committee still recommended it do pass by a 5-3 vote. HB 2162, which would require at least one Game and Fish Commission member to be a cattleman or rancher, was introduced as a way to ensure agricultural experience on the commission; Game and Fish opposed it, saying the current appointment process already includes ranching input and the commission is meant to represent all Arizonans. The discussion ended with the commission explaining its current membership and appointment structure, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote on HB 2162 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:57.839> to<00:10:58.839> uh we voted to reconsider now we vote to uh we voted
• So voting yes means that you want to vote ITL should be no. Okay?
• vote would vote would vote no<00:37:12.040> no<00:37:12.280> that<00:37:12.400>
• No one voted no. Everybody was yes. Gibbs, did you vote no? No, I voted yes.
• Yeah, they voted—you voted. You voted yes. You’re going deaf, man. Okay, vote count’s 16.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure expanding the state’s restrictions to include ski wax and related fluorocarbons. The sponsor said the bill was a follow-up to last year’s PFAS law and largely targeted products already off the market, describing it as a reaffirmation of the state’s intent to keep PFAS out of water. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the bill ought to pass and then placed it on the consent calendar. Next, the committee considered House Bill 275 on health career credentialing requirements. The discussion centered on a proposal that would have required insurance companies to pay for training mandated by federal requirements. Members concluded that approach was not appropriate and voted unanimously to make the bill inexpedient to legislate, then placed it on the consent calendar. House Bill 276, dealing with on-premise beverage license requirements, was then reconsidered after an initial ITL vote. The committee adopted an amendment creating a tavern license for establishments limited to patrons over 21, with a higher fee and no food requirement, and then voted 15-0 to recommend the bill ought to pass as amended; it was also placed on the consent calendar. The committee then took up House Bill 310, which would establish a commission to study a regulatory framework for stable tokens and tokenization of real-world assets. The sponsor said the amendment added blockchain-based trusts and discussion of privacy and environmental concerns. The committee approved the amendment 16-0 and then voted 16-0 to recommend the bill ought to pass as amended, placing it on the consent calendar. House Bill 312, concerning intercollegiate student athletes’ right to earn compensation from name, image, and likeness, was retained because members said the issue was not ready and the NCAA had not resolved how to handle it. Finally, the committee began discussion of House Bill 316 on ground ambulance reimbursement, with an amendment that would replace the bill’s reimbursement provisions with a study commission; members debated how it related to another bill, HB 725, and whether the amendment would delay immediate relief for ambulance providers.