Transcript Highlights:

• years and take hundreds of thousands of dollars when other people were double-checking the till and evaluating
• but I don't want to have you vote on anything or do anything without your ability to read it and evaluate
• <01:38:04.719> read<01:38:04.880> it<01:38:05.040> and<01:38:05.360> evaluate
• <01:38:05.840> it,<01:38:06.000> but ability to read it and evaluate it, but ability
• to read it and evaluate it, but just<01:38:07.360> hopeful<01:38:07.679> for<01:38:07.920

Bills: SF0087, SF0088, SF0092

Keywords: felony, law enforcement, police officer, criminal penalties, public safety, sex offender, child care facility, residency restrictions, criminal law, sex offenders, child care facilities, legislation, false claims, civil penalties, state accountability, whistleblower protection, fraud prevention, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A seven-digit, and it may be appropriate to evaluate, is that the right solution moving forward to look
• A seven-digit, and it may be appropriate to evaluate, is that the right solution moving forward to look
• at the And it may be appropriate to evaluate is that the right solution moving forward to look at the
• So Central West End, we actually had to close that office for some improprieties, and we're evaluating
• I understand your point, and it's become very obvious this year that this has to be evaluated in some

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• capital project like this, it might be worth the General Assembly to have in place some way of evaluating
• , to have in place some way of evaluating, to have in place some way of evaluating, you<00:35:51.760
• So each one is evaluated and we move forward as fast as we possibly can to move forward. Thank you.
• So each one<01:03:43.200> is<01:03:43.680> evaluated<01:03:44.480> and<01:03:44.799
• and we move fa forward one is evaluated and we move fa forward as<01:03:46.240> fast<01:03:46.400

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 Staff Report on Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System- 00:01:09 Kentucky State Police and Finance and Administration Cabinet Response to Staff Report- 00:48:37 Adjournment-01:34:512, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a staff report on Kentucky’s statewide emergency responder voice system (SERVS), a multi-phase project intended to improve interoperable radio communications for first responders. Staff said Kentucky State Police did not appear to have violated statutes or regulations, but the project lacked an overall master plan, clear milestones, and consistent documentation, which contributed to delays, spending issues, and deployment problems. The report recommended updating the Kentucky Field Operations Guide to reflect SERVS and noted that the project has been funded in phases since 2018, with appropriations totaling roughly $216 million across 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, while about $109 million had been spent by the end of fiscal year 2025. The report raised concerns about project sequencing and oversight. Staff said most spending was concentrated in special mobile equipment, with Motorola accounting for about two-thirds of all SERVS expenditures and the top four vendors making up 81 percent of spending. They also said a sample of Motorola payments suggested possible late payments, though they could not confirm whether interest was paid. Staff criticized the use of master agreements for a project of this size, the lack of a centralized ledger, and the absence of a documented timeline or risk mitigation plan. They recommended stronger procurement and planning requirements, including possible legislative changes requiring approved master plans for large capital projects and additional funding conditions tied to SERVS master agreements. Land acquisition and deployment progress were identified as major bottlenecks, especially in Eastern Kentucky. Staff said the project began in western Kentucky using existing tower sites, but the remaining work is concentrated in harder-to-acquire areas, with more than 95 percent of new towers still incomplete. They said the Division of Real Properties did not begin formal contract work on acquisition until October 2024, despite earlier coordination, and recommended earlier consultation on future projects. Staff also noted that the Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee had not been active in oversight, and survey results showed limited awareness and involvement among first responders. Committee members agreed that the lack of an initial implementation plan and the continuing need for funding reflected broader planning problems, and they discussed the need for a clearer end-to-end game plan rather than continuing to fund the project without a defined completion path.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also discovered that there are shortages of qualified evaluators, which delay access to emergency
• It reduces wait lists for the evaluation of criminal defendants' competency by 90%.
• evaluators which delay access<00:30:26.320> to<00:30:26.640> emergency<00:30:27.279>
• It reduces weight lists for the<00:31:35.600> evaluation<00:31:36.240> of<00:31:36.399>
• criminal<00:31:36.880> defendants the evaluation of criminal defendants the evaluation

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:09 State of the Judiciary: 00:02:33 The Corrections - KCTCS Reentry Program: 00:49:44 Update on 2022 RS SB 90: 01:27:49, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on the Judiciary met on November 6, 2025, approved the minutes, and welcomed guests including Kentucky Specialty Courts manager Elizabeth Nichols and Boyle/Mercer Family Court Judge Bruce Petri. The committee then heard the Chief Justice of Kentucky, Deborah Lambert, deliver her state of the judiciary address, focused largely on judicial branch funding, facilities, technology, and specialty court programs. Chief Justice Lambert said the branch is facing a projected $14.3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and asked lawmakers for supplemental support, access to reserve funds, and higher base appropriations to cover inflation and nondiscretionary costs. She also requested a 15% across-the-board pay increase for judicial branch employees, citing salary gaps with other state workers and declining judicial compensation relative to national averages. She emphasized that the branch has received a clean FY 2025 audit and said the requests were intended to sustain current operations rather than expand them. A major portion of her remarks covered court technology and facilities. She described the move to Chamberlain during Capitol renovations, the purchase of that building as a cost-saving measure, and the need to fund courtroom audio/video systems and a new statewide case management system. She also discussed courthouse maintenance, flood damage, mold issues, security system upgrades, and the $47 million asset preservation fund created last session, while asking for additional local facilities funding and one-time disaster-related support. Lambert highlighted specialty court and statewide program results, including foster care review boards, family recovery courts, court designated worker programs, drug and mental health courts, and the Judicial Commission on Mental Health. She thanked legislators for prior bills and support, including House Bill 1, Senate Bill 26, and the CES law, and said 2026 recommendations will focus on civil commitment reforms under KRS 202C. During questions, Senator Wheeler asked whether some courthouses are being overbuilt; Lambert said most facilities are inadequate, though some may be larger than needed, and that future needs and population changes must be considered. She also noted that virtual hearings and technology have improved efficiency. No votes or formal committee actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• How are you evaluating a student K through 2?
• > a<01:39:55.520> certified<01:39:55.920> staff<01:39:56.239> member evaluated
• by a certified staff member evaluated by a certified staff member teacher.<01:39:58.960> All<
• How are you evaluating a doing it?
• How are you evaluating a student<01:40:06.080> K<01:40:06.400> through<01:40:06.719>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session on a bill concerning school meal access and reimbursement. The bill would address local school districts’ responsibility to provide meals during school hours, reimburse schools for meals served at no cost, and make an appropriation. The committee first moved to retain the bill, with supporters saying it was complex, had uncertain fiscal impacts, and should be considered alongside other related meals bills. Opponents argued the committee already had enough information, that the bill served a small number of students at relatively low cost, and that delaying action would harm children who need food to learn. The committee also heard from Tim Roar, a Keene school business administrator and co-designer of the bill, who explained that the proposal was intended to be an opt-in program for districts, with rulemaking to set participation requirements. He said the bill was meant to target aid to students between 175% and 200% of poverty, reduce bad meal debt, and avoid spending taxpayer money on families who could afford to pay. He estimated the state cost at about $250,000 in year one, with local taxpayer costs around $8,500 for Keene, and said some districts already have systems for online applications while others do not. Committee members questioned him about meal debt, online application software costs, and how districts handle students who reach debt limits. Roar said districts still feed students who are hungry, but use other resources and family outreach when meal debt is capped, and he argued that parents should be responsible for providing lunch when they can afford it. Other members pushed back, saying they had seen students go hungry and that teachers sometimes pay for lunches themselves. One member noted the bill would increase eligibility, make it easier to apply, strengthen personal responsibility, and was not a mandate. The discussion ended without a recorded final vote in the excerpt, though the retain motion remained the central action under debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• They send a solution. associate from Pasadena ISD to Willis ISD. to evaluate your campus, but they provide
• It also becomes a better tool to actually evaluate growth because you have examples of writing over time
• Can we evaluate where a third grader is in their reading skills?
• And obviously evaluate the student, right, because they're teaching their kids are not the function of
• While Texas's accountability system is plainly aware that a one-size-fits-all approach to evaluating

Bills: HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24, HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, citizenship, U.S. citizen, non-citizen, public office, advisory board, task force, state government, local government, political subdivision, commission board, appointment eligibility, officeholder qualifications, public service, naturalization, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires math core to use evidence-based instructional support to evaluate and accelerate student
• It requires math core to use evidence-based instructional support to evaluate and accelerate student
• It requires math core to use evidence-based instructional support to evaluate and accelerate student
• It requires the department to post on its website the rubric used to evaluate curriculum.
• It requires the department to post on its website the rubric used to evaluate curriculum.

Bills: HF1388

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• We're streamlining the 62J mandate evaluation process to allow freshman legislators to introduce mandates
• 00:36:18.640> the<00:36:18.960> 62J<00:36:19.680> mandate<00:36:20.160> evaluation
• streamlining the 62J mandate evaluation streamlining the 62J mandate evaluation process<00:36:21.200
• mandates the health committee as these mandates are<00:49:29.200> being<00:49:29.359> evaluated
• to make sure that we are being evaluated to make sure that we are<00:49:31.599> striking<00:49

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Memory screens are quick, simple tests that evaluate memory and other thinking skills to detect memory
• Memory screens are quick, simple tests that evaluate memory and other thinking skills to detect memory
• Memory screens are quick, simple tests that evaluate memory and other thinking skills to detect memory
• Memory screens are quick, simple tests that evaluate memory and other thinking skills to detect memory
• Additionally, the Improv Group conducted an evaluation between 2021 and 2023 that found approximately

Bills: HF2115, HF2276, HF1644, HF99, HF2068, HF2707, HF2704, HF2406, HF1674, HF1579

Keywords: human services, aging services, disability services, behavioral health, long-term care, nursing home, nursing facility, assisted living, waiver services, medical assistance, Medicaid, case mix reimbursement, PDPM, RUG, direct care and treatment, developmental disabilities, day services, positive support, guardian, conservator

Transcript Highlights:

• The state should know and evaluate not only the percentage of students absent, but also not enrolled.
• Our student schools and community deserve better than re-evaluating the previous school year's information
• The state should know and evaluate not only the percentage of students absent, but also not enrolled.
• Our student schools and community deserve better than re-evaluating the previous school year's information
• of interventions that are at evaluation of interventions that are at play<00:57:34.839> and<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and they all have needs, and so they submit their proposals through a process, and then those are evaluated
• ><00:42:13.680> then<00:42:13.839> those<00:42:14.000> are<00:42:14.720> evaluated
• <00:42:15.720> by process and then those are evaluated by process and then those are evaluated
• continue through session, just looking at what is the return on investment metric that you're using to evaluate
• continue through session, just looking at what is the return on investment metric that you're using to evaluate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are also looking at fundraising and opportunities in the NIL space right now that they are evaluating
• <00:37:09.000> that<00:37:09.240> right<00:37:09.359> now actually evaluating
• that right now actually evaluating that right now because<00:37:09.839> right<00:37:09.960>
• And it's all evaluated. We do continuous improvement, and it goes to every county, every island.
• That's what it's paying for, and it's all evaluated.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Bachman Hall and heard testimony on several UH-related bills. HB 542 would expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide unmet-need scholarships at four-year UH campuses. UH system officials, the UH Student Caucus, and a Honolulu Community College student testified in support, emphasizing college affordability, student retention, and workforce needs. Committee members asked about current program data, eligibility, transfer patterns, and cost; UH said it had data available, noted about 10% of current Hawaiʻi Promise students transfer to four-year campuses, and estimated the full expansion would cost about $12 million. UH also suggested a possible alternative of focusing on transfer opportunities from two-year to four-year campuses. The committee then heard HB 840, which concerns athletics appropriations for UH. UH Mānoa and UH Hilo supported the bill. UH officials said the funding would help cover recurring athletics operating costs, women’s sports travel and recruiting, Austin Awards, and a new nutrition fueling station, while Hilo said the money would help with travel, per diem, and conference-related costs. Members asked about the history of the athletics funding, the difference between Austin Awards and special talent waivers, NIL planning, and whether the appropriation should be restored to the base budget. UH explained that a $4 million athletics appropriation was originally made in 2018 or 2019, later removed from the base, and has been reappropriated annually since then. Finally, the committee heard HB 842, which would fund three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions at UH Mānoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. UH supported the bill, and Academic Labor United and a high school student testified in favor, citing student stress, overwork, and the need for more counseling access. In questions, members discussed the current counselor-to-student ratio, recruitment challenges in a tight labor market, and strategies for hiring, including looking at candidates on soft-money grants who may be seeking stable employment. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, probate requires evaluation. How do you implement this?
• <00:32:27.080> how<00:32:27.279> do<00:32:27.440> you evaluation how do you evaluation
• This would happen, as mentioned earlier, as a sort of annual evaluation of somebody's estate, even though
• This would happen, as mentioned earlier, as a sort of annual evaluation of somebody's estate, even though
• This would happen, as mentioned earlier, as a sort of annual evaluation of somebody's estate, even though

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard several bills on January 30. SB 286 and SB 287 both concerned supplemental funding for the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney: SB 286 for the career criminal prosecution unit and SB 287 for the victim witness assistance program. Testimony from the department explained that these bills are filed each year because the Attorney General’s core budget allocation may not be sufficient, though the department said the core had recently been increased and the supplemental request might no longer be necessary. For SB 287, the department also warned of a possible federal Victims of Crime Act funding freeze that could cut about $1.88 million and severely harm victim services. Both bills drew support from county and community witnesses, and members asked about prior-year funding and why the requests were limited to fiscal 2025-26; no votes were taken in the excerpt. SB 289, from the State Ethics Commission, would create a more uniform administrative fine process under the ethics code and lobbyist law. The commission said the measure would not change substantive enforcement but would let it issue a notice and order of fine first, with the respondent able to request a hearing within 20 days, which would speed up cases that are not factually disputed. Members questioned whether the bill would deny due process or function like an automatic parking ticket, and the commission responded that respondents could still challenge the fine and that the process would apply to violations with fines under $1,000. The committee also heard SB 304, which would add 11 positions for the First Circuit Adult Client Services Branch; Judiciary testimony said probation caseloads are high, with an average of 116 cases per officer, and the added staff would help meet national supervision standards and better serve higher-risk clients. Members asked whether the positions were already in the budget and about current staffing ratios; the witness said the positions were not already funded and that the Judiciary supported the bill with amendments. The committee then heard SB 311, a proposed constitutional amendment to exclude spending money to influence elections from protected free speech. Testimony was strongly divided: supporters argued that Citizens United has distorted elections and empowered special interests, while opponents warned the language was too broad and could affect nonprofit advocacy and grassroots groups. Finally, SB 313 would impose a 1% wealth asset tax on individuals with $20 million or more in assets. The Department of Taxation said it had concerns about the bill’s ambiguity and administration and noted it would require annual valuation and likely additional resources; opponents, including family business representatives and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, argued the tax would be difficult and costly to administer, would require sensitive business disclosures, and could force family businesses to pay from company cash. Supporters said wealthy residents should pay a fair share. The committee heard testimony and questions on these bills, but the excerpt does not show final committee votes or actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each pilot has gone through an extensive selection, training, and evaluation process in accordance with
• The duly qualified pilots created under SB 641 would not have the training, mentoring, or the evaluation
• The candidates will go through simulator evaluation, then they are evaluated by the pilot association

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to environmental, natural resources, and maritime issues. Representative Markey testified in support of H. 1000, which would create a commission to study financing wastewater infrastructure, especially in southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore, citing combined sewer overflows and impacts on aquaculture. Members agreed the core challenge is finding long-term financing for wastewater solutions. The committee also heard testimony on H. 902 to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, with supporters describing its role in expanding access, supporting underrepresented communities, and helping grow the outdoor economy. Related testimony also supported H. 986, which would codify the Division of Ecological Restoration and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access within the Department of Fish and Game, with witnesses emphasizing habitat restoration, flood reduction, public access, and boating/fishing opportunities. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 901/S. 597, “An Act Providing Nature for All,” which would dedicate existing sporting goods sales tax revenue to a new conservation fund. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Trust for Public Land, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and conservation groups argued the bill would provide a sustainable revenue stream for land conservation, parks, trails, wetlands, water protection, and climate resilience, while also advancing environmental justice and outdoor recreation. They said the state needs roughly $300 million more per year to meet land conservation goals and that the bill could generate about $100 million annually without raising taxes. Committee members asked about balancing conservation with housing and development, and witnesses said the goals are compatible and that the bill includes safeguards. Witnesses also noted similar funding models in other states. The hearing also included H. 1053, a bill to create a Merrimack River Collaborative. Regional planning and watershed advocates said the river faces bacterial contamination, heavy metals, combined sewer overflows, and other pollution, and that a formal collaborative would help coordinate municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofits across the watershed and possibly across state lines. Another bill, H. 4109, would relocate harbor lines in New Bedford Harbor to allow reconstruction of deteriorating bulkheads at a waterfront industrial site; the New Bedford Port Authority, engineers, and the property owner said the change is needed for permitting and would support port modernization and jobs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on S. 641 regarding marine pilotage in New Bedford. Supporters argued the bill would remove a District 3 pilotage restriction and improve port flexibility and offshore wind operations, while opponents warned it would undermine the state’s compulsory pilotage system, weaken safety, and allow ship owners to shop for pilots. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Agency of Human Services will evaluate the information provided, the financial impacts of the elimination
• The Agency of Human Services will<00:39:52.480> evaluate<00:39:52.960> the<00:39:53.359
• > information<00:39:53.920> provided, will evaluate the information provided, will evaluate

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House began with devotional remarks and then handled several procedural referrals. Senate bills 198 and 323 were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means under House Rule 35A because they affect state revenue, and Senate Bill 326 was also referred to Ways and Means after the Transportation Committee reported it favorably with amendment. House Resolution 18, supporting preservation of the Julian Scott birthplace in Johnson, was read by title and referred to the Committee on Corrections and Institutions under House Rule 52. The chamber then read a series of adopted House concurrent resolutions honoring Vermont schools and individuals, including the Fair Haven Union High School Slater bowling team, the Hartford High School Hurricanes girls ice hockey team, the Hartford girls basketball team, Theres Black as Vermont Mother of the Year, and the Mount Mansfield Union High School girls tennis team. Members made brief announcements welcoming some of the honorees and guests to the chamber, including the Mount Mansfield tennis team, Theres Black, the Fair Haven bowling team, and others. The main floor action was on House Resolution 17, affirming that all Vermonters are presumed competent to communicate and must be provided communication resources of their choice. The Human Services Committee chair explained the resolution grew out of testimony on alternative communication methods, including facilitated communication and rapid prompting method, and said the committee heard from people with lived experience, professionals, and written testimony from medical and speech-language organizations. The committee reported the resolution out 9-0-2, and the House adopted it. The House then took up Senate Bill 209, relating to prohibiting civil arrest in sensitive locations, and proceeded to its third reading and concurrence-with-amendment question.

Transcript Highlights:

• you know, professional where I will still engage in that because I really believe in a 360-degree evaluation
• I evaluate myself. Like I said, I'm an open book. I evaluate myself, and I see things.
• You know, I, you know, evaluate myself, you know, and I see things.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first established quorum and then approved several routine items, including one governor’s appointment not required to appear, references of bills to committees, and floor acknowledgments. The committee then heard from two CDCR appointees required to appear, Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, both nominated to associate director positions in the Division of Adult Institutions. They described their long careers in corrections and emphasized the California model, explaining that it is intended to improve staff safety, rehabilitation, trauma-informed practices, and reentry outcomes. Members raised concerns about a widely reported use-of-force incident at Central California Women’s Facility, sexual abuse and retaliation concerns in women’s prisons, visitation restrictions, and the need for consistent policies and stronger communication. The nominees said the department investigated the incident, disciplined staff, provided medical and mental health support, conducted training, and is working to improve reporting, PREA compliance, and family visitation. The committee voted 4-0 to send both nominations to the Senate floor, with public testimony largely in support from former incarcerated people, nonprofit reentry advocates, and community stakeholders. The committee then heard from Jason Johnson, nominated as Undersecretary of Operations at CDCR. Johnson framed his work as centered on rehabilitation, public safety, and culture change, and he described his background in probation, parole, and CDCR leadership. Members questioned him about opposition letters and complaints alleging retaliation, hostile work environment, discrimination, and public safety concerns tied to his leadership of adult parole operations. Johnson said many complaints were tied to efforts to change a previously toxic culture, denied retaliatory intent, and pointed to his record of creating or strengthening reentry and compliance programs, including community reentry units, community compliance units, behavioral health reintegration efforts, and transitional community reentry programs. He also addressed parole supervision tools for high-risk sex offenders, contraband interdiction, and PREA-related training and reporting systems. The discussion repeatedly returned to the need to balance institutional security with rehabilitation and to ensure that staff and incarcerated people can report misconduct safely. The committee did not take a final vote on Johnson in the portion provided, but members indicated they were weighing the late-breaking opposition materials and his responses carefully.

Transcript Highlights:

• know, professional where I will still engage in that because I really believe in a 360, you know, evaluation
• You know, I evaluate myself... Like I said, I'm an open book.
• You know, I evaluate myself, you know, and I see things.
• You know, I, you know, evaluate myself, you know, and I see things.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first handled several routine items, including governor’s appointments not required to appear, references to bills, and floor acknowledgments. The committee approved the appointments of Heather Lynn Gonzalez and Allison Salton-Sall to the Court Reporters Board, and then moved on to appointments required to appear from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, both proposed associate directors in CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions, testified about their backgrounds and emphasized staff safety, rehabilitation, trauma-informed practices, and the California model. Senators focused heavily on the rollout of the California model, the August 2024 use-of-force incident at Central California Women’s Facility, sexual abuse prevention, retaliation concerns, and prison visitation. Both nominees said the department had improved communication and training, had disciplined or removed staff in response to misconduct, and was working to strengthen PREA reporting, investigations, and family visiting consistency. Public testimony was strongly supportive, and the committee voted 4-0 to send both nominations to the Senate floor. The committee then heard from Jason Johnson, nominated as CDCR Undersecretary of Operations. Johnson framed his work around rehabilitation, public safety, and culture change, and addressed concerns raised in late opposition letters and a lawsuit alleging retaliation, hostile work environment, discrimination, and whistleblower issues. He said he could not discuss pending litigation in detail, but described his leadership as focused on accountability, professional standards, and improving relationships with staff and community partners. Senators questioned him about parole supervision, risk assessment, contraband interdiction, and the Prison Rape Elimination Act response; Johnson said adult parole uses risk-based supervision and GPS for registered sex offenders, operations is working with correctional safety and law enforcement on contraband and drone interdiction, and CDCR continues to expand reporting channels and training. The committee also discussed the importance of rehabilitation and reentry programs, with Johnson saying most people return to the community and that CDCR must prepare them for successful reintegration.

Transcript Highlights:

• , is it specified in that part of the amendment, um, that the committee, um, the transportation evaluation
• transportation the committee, um, the transportation the committee, um, the transportation evaluation
• :30:00.800> for<00:30:00.960> lack<00:30:01.200> of<00:30:01.240> a evaluation
• committee, for lack of a evaluation committee, for lack of a better<00:30:01.520> term,<00:30

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The caucus of the whole received an update from Representative Kornheiser on House Bill 955, focusing on the Ways and Means amendment and how it aligns with Act 73 and the House Education Committee’s broader education transformation work. She said the amendment was assembled from separate pieces developed earlier in the session and covers three main areas: planned property tax updates, steps needed for the future education finance system and foundation formula, and policy changes to support collaborative education service agencies and district mergers. She emphasized that the bill is aimed at the future state of the system, with many provisions tied to later effective dates and pending reports. Kornheiser described the property tax provisions as further defining the new non-homestead/second-home classification so the Tax Department can continue form development and data collection before rates are set, and she said the bill also advances regional assessment districts and a more regular reappraisal cycle. On education finance, she said the amendment adds school construction and school debt provisions, reserve guidance, pre-K funding study language, special education funding protections, and transportation-related follow-up work so those pieces can fit the foundation formula. She also framed the bill as reducing cost drivers in the system, citing health care savings, reference-based pricing, mental health coordination, special education scale, deferred maintenance, and larger-scale school organization. During questions, members asked about merger support funding, transportation timelines, private equity ownership of school transportation, tuition restrictions for approved independent and public schools, and the timing and finality of the second-home tax definitions. Staff explained that merger support would be reimbursed through AOE for committee expenses and would not count against excess spending thresholds, that transportation and other grant categories will be addressed in future reports and decisions, and that the transportation study does not explicitly name private equity but could encompass staffing and cost issues. They also confirmed that the tuition-related provisions apply to approved independent, in-state public, and out-of-state public schools receiving tuition, but only when the foundation formula takes effect. No votes were taken during the caucus; the update was informational, with the bill noted as having been referred to Appropriations and expected to come up for action later in the week.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when they do site assessments and site investigations, they evaluate the nature and extent of the
• harder for... assessment and site investigations, they assessment and site investigations, they evaluate
• :34.559> and<00:21:34.799> extent<00:21:35.120> of<00:21:35.280> the evaluate
• the nature and extent of the evaluate the nature and extent of the contamination<00:21:36.480> and

Bills: SB2093, SB2095, SB2046, SB2096, SB2127, SB2155, SB2243

Keywords: fuel tank, environmental impact, groundwater, health and safety, military facilities, local communication, advisory committee, Hawaii legislation, PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, forever chemicals, toxic chemicals, environmental contamination, water pollution, drinking water, surface water, soil contamination, fish consumption, food safety, public health

Summary: The joint Senate Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services hearing opened with SB 2093, which would require the fuel tank advisory committee to meet at least quarterly and provide funding. The Department of Health offered written testimony, and multiple supporters, including the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Sierra Club, and a public member of the advisory committee, said more frequent meetings were needed to keep Red Hill cleanup, water testing, and public engagement front and center. Senators asked about public participation and whether the bill should also require meetings outside business hours; testifiers urged at least one evening or weekend meeting to improve access. No vote was taken during the discussion shown. The committee then heard SB 2095, creating a PFAS working group within the Department of Health to study PFAS and related chemicals and report to the Legislature. DOH supported the concept but requested amendments and funding, while the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity deferred to DOH. The Board of Water Supply supported the measure and asked to be included in the working group. Members asked about the bill’s reference to “other residuals,” and DOH explained it could refer to remaining PFAS components in soil, water, or other media. The discussion emphasized the widespread and long-lasting nature of PFAS contamination. Next, the committee considered SB 2046 on underground storage tanks and Red Hill-related cleanup. DOH and the Board of Water Supply testified, and a long list of community and environmental groups supported the bill. Testifiers argued the Navy caused the problem and should be held accountable for cleanup, while one witness said the bill was necessary because the Navy had delayed meaningful remediation. Senators asked whether the bill’s “large landowner” language could include the state or counties under existing statutes; DOH said it would check and later explained that cleanup responsibility generally falls first on the responsible party, then on large landowners if no responsible party exists, with the Navy currently understood to own Red Hill. The hearing then moved to SB 2096 on wastewater management, which the Department of Land and Natural Resources supported, noting PFAS can harm marine resources, and DOH’s wastewater branch offered comments. SB 2127 on water pollution drew support from Agra Business Development Corporation and opposition from the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and others. The main debate centered on runoff, NPDES permitting, and whether the bill could unfairly affect agricultural and public entities; senators and witnesses discussed how heavy rainfall, cesspools, and mixed land uses complicate responsibility and compliance. The transcript ends with the committee still in discussion on SB 2127, with no final votes or actions shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

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Keywords: 1189, house, all