Transcript Highlights:

• below shows the biannual changes in the recommended funding levels compared to the 2024-25 base by method
• priorities of the board, but also I think a key Decision point on this item has been the the appropriate method
• It's a decision for this legislature, this body. to decide what the appropriate method of financing an
• talk about number crunching and that kind of stuff Representative Collier They're looking at the methods
• From outside the agency gives them another method of getting information about what's going on in the

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We utilize the design-build method of construction for this project, and as such it wasn't possible to
• We utilize the design-build method of construction for this project, and as such it wasn't possible to
• We utilize the design-build method of construction for this project, and as such it wasn't possible to
• We utilize the design-build method of construction for this project, and as such it wasn't possible to
• We utilize the design-build method of construction for this project, and as such it wasn't possible to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What's your collection methods for those different levels? Director Jang: Mr.
• What's your collection methods for those different levels? Director Jang: Mr.
• 12:42.120> collection know what's what's your collection know what's what's your collection methods
• for<00:12:43.279> those<00:12:43.480> different<00:12:43.880> levels methods
• for those different levels methods for those different levels director<00:12:45.399> je<00:12

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Furthermore, air-to-water generators provide an innovative method for producing potable water from the
• Furthermore, air-to-water generators provide an innovative method for producing potable water from the
• Furthermore, air-to-water generators provide an innovative method for producing potable water from the
• You got to have written permission or some other method of controlling that, and then stiffer penalties
• You got to have written permission or some other method of controlling that, and then stiffer penalties

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing began on SP 547, which would create incentives for graywater recycling systems and atmospheric water generators through an income tax credit, a Department of Health rebate program, and building code standards. The Department of Health and Department of Taxation offered written comments; Taxation said it had seven proposed amendments to improve administration. Testimony was largely supportive, with advocates and local users describing water-supply benefits, emergency use during the Maui fires, and potential help for drought conditions and Red Hill concerns. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii suggested only the rebate program should move forward for clearer cost transparency, and the Department of Health said it needed more time to study the bill. Members questioned the fiscal impact and whether combining a tax credit and rebate was typical, but staff did not have cost estimates. Decision-making on SP 547 was deferred to February 12, 2025. The committee then took up SP 242 on foreign ownership of agricultural lands. The chair recommended passage with amendments, including deleting a reference to the Attorney General in one section and changing the effective date to July 1, 2050. Supporters argued the bill was a first step to limit foreign ownership of farmland, citing other states with similar restrictions, while several members said they supported the intent but had reservations about possible unintended harm to farmers and agriculture investment. After discussion, the measure passed with amendments on a 5-0 vote, with some members voting with reservations. The committee also discussed SP 1633, which would create a green building tax credit for structures using at least 30% Hawaii-grown hemp material. The chair said the bill was close but needed more work, and decision-making was deferred to February 12, 2025. Later, the committee heard several environmental measures: SB 683, which would ban intentionally added PFAS in certain products starting in 2028; SB 1109, which would replace the “finding of no significant impact” with a “finding of completion of environmental disclosure process”; SB 391, which would expand recycling requirements to certain lithium-ion batteries; and SB 12, which would classify neonic pesticides as restricted-use pesticides and limit certain seed treatments. Testimony on these bills included support from environmental and advocacy groups, comments from state agencies, and requests for amendments or further study, but no final votes were taken on those measures in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Um, so did you realize that hunting with ferrets is not a method of take that's in the RSAs for
• For different species, the dates and times they can be taken, the method they can be taken by, and the
• they can be taken by, and the method they can be taken by, and the predominant<03:23:09.040> uses
• that we use help us scientific methods that we use help us better<03:48:15.279> manage<03:48:
• methods in the testing. methods in the testing.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So as schools are looking to do a turnaround approach, the ACE program is a proven method that works.
• And so not only is it changing the funding method, I think it is really going to change conversations
• , you've already touched upon some of the key issues, which is how do we make this new allocation method
• to the new method.
• to the new method goes smoothly, not just in year one, but in year two and year three going forward.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• it's going to cost anything, but maybe the department can tell us and maybe they were using this method
• Dakota, I believe it was, use<00:53:24.120> the<00:53:24.360> PA1<00:53:25.160> method
• use the PA1 method. use the PA1 method.
• tell us and maybe they were<00:54:05.880> using<00:54:06.160> this<00:54:06.320> method
• <00:54:07.080> Thank were using this method anyway. Thank were using this method anyway.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> potentially<01:06:07.520> the<01:06:07.680> the<01:06:08.000> current method
• than potentially the the current method than potentially the the current liability<01:06:09.039>
• So I think when I was referring to, like, kind of deterministic method of payment, I wasn't referring
• <01:42:04.320> of<01:42:04.480> payment, kind of deterministic method of payment, kind
• of deterministic method of payment, I<01:42:05.199> wasn't<01:42:05.520> referring<01:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call and introductions of commission members and guests, followed by approval of the agenda and a motion to approve the February 10 minutes with a correction clarifying that one quoted statement was misattributed. The commission then moved into presentations. The main presentation came from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors on implementation of the federal GENIUS Act for stablecoins. The speaker reviewed the OCC’s recent 367-page proposed rule, noting it raises many open questions and design choices for states, and discussed expected upcoming rulemaking from the FDIC, Federal Reserve, and Treasury. The presentation focused on six areas: permissible issuer activities, reserve assets and redemption, risk management and supervision, treatment of state-qualified issuers, capital/operational backstops, and foreign issuers. It also flagged unresolved issues around Bank Secrecy Act/AML requirements and the meaning of “digital asset service provider” activities. A substantial portion of the discussion addressed yield restrictions, with the presenter explaining the OCC’s broad definition of yield and its rebuttable presumption against issuer-affiliated or related third-party yield arrangements. The speaker said this likely forecloses many existing white-label structures but leaves some room for third-party payments depending on distance from the issuer, and noted ongoing Senate debate over similar provisions. The presentation also covered reserve valuation, liquidity and diversification requirements, redemption timing, and supervisory expectations such as third-party oversight, IT security, exam cycles, and reporting. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the amended minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• somehow<00:29:21.840> switch<00:29:23.039> back<00:29:23.520> DNR um method
• and somehow switch back DNR um method and somehow switch back DNR and<00:29:24.399> OPSD's<00
• You know, technology, advanced technology, you have new methods, you have new technologies, you have
• <02:15:14.400> you<02:15:14.560> have<02:15:14.719> new have new methods you
• have new have new methods you have new technologies<02:15:15.679> you<02:15:15.840> have

Bills: HB1846, HB2205, HB1802, HB1571, HB2047, HB2434, HB2426, HB2361, HB2395, HB1712, HB2544, HB1619

Keywords: coastal erosion, shoreline properties, regional planning, mitigation districts, sediment management, environmental impact, public access, community financing, shoreline erosion, emergency permits, coastal management, erosion control, Hawaii Revised Statutes, HB1802, conservation banking, conservation bank, mitigation banking, compensatory mitigation, incidental take permit, incidental take license

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1846, relating to shoreline mitigation districts. DLNR and the Office of Planning opposed the bill, arguing it would improperly shift regulatory roles between the agencies and prioritize private land interests over public trust and natural and historic resources. Supporters, including the Shoreline Preservation Coalition, Kahana Bay residents, and Hawaii Realtors, said regional planning is needed to address severe erosion, especially in Kahana, and that better coordination between state and county agencies could help move stalled projects forward. Testifiers emphasized that shoreline conditions vary by area and that science-based, region-specific solutions are needed. Members asked questions about whether existing law already allows regional planning and emergency shoreline responses. DLNR said it already has authority to process regional projects and cited an existing draft EIS for Kahana Bay that would proceed through normal permitting and public hearing channels. Supporters responded that the bill would provide a clearer regional planning framework and help communities facing urgent erosion impacts. No vote was taken on HB 1846 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 2205, relating to emergency erosion mitigation. DLNR opposed the bill, saying it already has authority to issue emergency permits and had recently done so quickly for a collapsed sidewalk at Queen Surf Beach, and warning that the bill’s language could weaken Act 16 by changing a prohibition on shoreline hardening to a requirement to merely minimize it. Kahana Bay representatives and other supporters argued the bill would create a limited, regulated short-term pathway for emergency shoreline solutions while long-term plans are developed, and said current permits have expired or stalled, leaving dangerous sandbags and no practical relief. Additional testimony from a private homeowner stressed that erosion is threatening homes and that private owners are often bearing the cost of protecting public shoreline access. The discussion remained focused on balancing emergency protection, public access, and long-term shoreline management, and no final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to know what employer, the method of contact, when you contacted them, the position type that
• of contact, when you contacted method of contact, when you contacted them,<00:26:34.000> the<
• Um, and again, this method might not completely alleviate it, but you can say, look, you got all your
• Um, and again,<01:15:26.560> this<01:15:26.880> method<01:15:27.280> might again
• , this method might again, this method might >> not<01:15:28.880> completely<01:15:29.280

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is very unusual for us to do that method.
• That is very unusual for us to do that method.
• That is very unusual for us to do that method.
• That is very unusual for us to do that method.
• very unusual for us to do that method. very unusual for us to do that method.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee continued work on Senate Bill 297 and a new amendment dealing with pooled risk management programs and whether they should be regulated under the insurance department. Lisa Duket, executive director of SchoolCare, testified at length that the draft language could allow co-mingling of public entity risk funds, could trigger producer-licensing requirements for staff who are not actually brokers, and may not fit public entity risk pools because they are not insurance companies. She also raised concerns about the March 1 reporting deadline, the proposed uniform accounting language, aggregate excess insurance, examination costs being charged to the program, and confidentiality provisions that she argued may conflict with right-to-know principles for public entities. She urged the committee to slow down and consider a study committee or more time for review, saying the regulated entities were not adequately involved in drafting the proposal. Chairman Hunt and the department responded that the bill is intended to create a licensure-based regulatory model, similar to other licensed industries, and that the pooled risk management program would be exempt from producer licensing while anyone else selling or negotiating such coverage would need a producer license. The department said failure to comply would be handled through an administrative licensing process, with denial or nonrenewal of a license and appeal through the department process. On the reporting deadline, the department said March 1 is a standard filing date used for financial analysis and that the filing can be the most recent annual report, regardless of fiscal year end. They also explained that the confidentiality language was taken from existing RSA 5B, that aggregate excess insurance was included as a solvency measure, and that the draft was intended to preserve familiar language while adapting it for pooled risk programs. The discussion did not include a final vote or formal action on the bill in the portion provided. The committee appeared to be compiling follow-up questions for the insurance department and considering whether additional revisions or a slower process would be needed before moving the bill forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• She attempted an at-home abortion at 15 weeks using unregulated methods because surgical abortion was
• She attempted an at-home abortion at 15 weeks using unregulated methods because surgical abortion was
• Regardless of the method, the cost of HIPAA-compliant data collection and analysis must be considered
• <03:52:16.680> which uh that bill is proposing a method which uh that bill is proposing a
• method which may<03:52:17.040> have<03:52:17.199> fewer<03:52:17.640> technical<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened with procedural remarks, including notice of an overflow room and a brief apology from Representative Andress about returning to his seat after introducing HB 114. The committee then took up HB 476, a proposed 15-week abortion ban. Chairman Lynn explained that a request to withdraw the bill had been filed, but because the bill was already scheduled for hearing, the committee would proceed with testimony and the withdrawal would require later House action. The chair also reminded witnesses to keep remarks to three minutes and asked the audience to remain respectful. Most testimony focused on abortion access, maternal health, and the likely effects of a 15-week limit. Opponents, including Nancy Pariser, Dr. Cynthia Rasmussen, Dr. Young, Bonnie Bruno, and others, argued that abortion restrictions increase maternal mortality, worsen miscarriage care, create “OB deserts,” and can delay emergency treatment in cases such as sepsis or ectopic pregnancy. Several speakers cited experiences from Texas and Georgia and warned that HB 476 contained no exceptions for rape, incest, or maternal health. Supporters of the bill, including Paul Galasso and Lynn Hill, framed abortion as the loss of unborn life and argued that 15 weeks still allows most abortions while saving lives; they also said New Hampshire’s current law is already adequate and that the bill should be strengthened rather than abandoned. Other witnesses emphasized practical and economic concerns, saying unwanted pregnancies can worsen poverty, childcare burdens, housing insecurity, and women’s lifetime earnings. Some speakers urged lawmakers to focus instead on affordable housing, childcare, and family support. No committee vote or final action on HB 476 occurred during the hearing; the meeting consisted of opening remarks and public testimony only.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to do this old COVID teaching method here. So, again, thank you all for joining us.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can't use the normal property tax method to take the properties in and necessarily put them up

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met to consider a series of bills, many of them with committee substitutes. The committee adopted substitutes and advanced Senate Bills 1177, 1579, 1920, 2068, 3034, and 844, generally reporting them to the full Senate with recommendations that the original bills not pass but the substitutes do pass and be printed. Several of these measures were also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The discussion included SB 1579 on appointment of a receiver and sale or acquisition of certain abandoned, unoccupied, and undeveloped parcels; SB 1920 on property tax exemptions for cemeteries when no application is filed; and SB 3034 relating to the Doug Pickock Aggie Expressway, with a substitute aligning the bill with current transportation statutes. The committee also advanced SB 434 and SB 1214 without controversy, both receiving unanimous committee approval. SB 1951, relating to penalties for filing red ditches, passed on a 4-1 vote, with Senator Cook voting no. SB 2183 and SB 2046 also passed on 4-1 votes. SB 2068, after adoption of a committee substitute, was reported unanimously. Members briefly discussed the practical issues behind the cemetery tax exemption bill and the need for a process when property owners are not identifiable. At the end of the meeting, the chair noted that the committee might vote on additional bills after session depending on attendance. With no further business, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• strikes changes to the time frame in which the contact must occur and authorizes the alternative method
• <01:44:51.960> of Methodist Church's established method of Methodist Church's established
• method of local<01:44:52.520> churches<01:44:53.040> holding<01:44:53.440> property<
• The bill also establishes a valuation method for gift cards for purposes of the theft statute.
• There's one committee amendment which alters the valuation method under the bill.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on March 10, 2026, established a quorum, and began with an invocation by Reverend Damien Flowers, which was journalized without objection. The chamber then recognized several guests and honorees, including Dr. Courtney Glickman for being named 2025 Play Therapist of the Year, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Dr. Sonja B. Santelises for her leadership of Baltimore City Public Schools, students shadowing legislators, Navy Alliance representatives, the Maryland Alliance for Advocacy for Sickle Cell, and Ms. Kimberly Body for her lupus advocacy. The Senate also journalized prior remarks about the 6888 regiment. The Finance Committee report then moved several bills forward. Senate Bill 348 would allow hospitals and freestanding birthing centers to contact, rather than only call, patients after high-risk pregnancies; its amendments were adopted and the bill was ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 390 on Wicomico County liquor licenses was laid over under the rule. Senate Bill 492, addressing massage therapy advertising and prohibiting misleading sexual-service advertising, was amended and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 562, concerning pharmacist-prescriber agreements for opioid use disorder treatment, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 773 would let pharmacists order certain vaccines, including intranasal flu vaccines, for self-administration and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 53, on Maryland Port Administration land acquisition notice in Anne Arundel County, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 428 would bar cost-sharing for collaborative care model services under Medicaid and private coverage and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 473 would require human trafficking awareness training for for-hire and transportation network drivers; its amendments were adopted and it was sent to third reading. Senate Bill 585 would shift administration of the human relevant research fund from Health to Agriculture and was advanced. Senate Bill 606, the Easy Pass Commuter Fairness and Transparency Act, would require an MDTA report on commuter plans and unused trips; its amendment was moved as the transcript ended. During debate on Senate Bill 917, which would expand the definition of audiology practice to include certain screenings and non-radiographic imaging, a senator questioned whether the bill would make Maryland the only state restricting a health occupation from performing Medicare-required screenings. The floor leader said the committee had heard that claim in testimony but had not verified it, and the senator moved to special order the bill for amendment, which was granted without objection. Most other bills were reported favorably, with committee amendments adopted without objection and several bills ordered printed for third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is all it does is it provides an electronic method for our department to communicate, and it allows
• Just gives them a tool, does not impose anything on people who want to stay with their old methods.
• Just gives them a tool, does not impose anything on people who want to stay with their old methods.
• Just gives them a tool, does not impose anything on people who want to stay with their old methods.
• Epinephrine, Delivery<03:01:54.080> Methods. Delivery Methods. Delivery Methods.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reasons because some political subdivisions may want to steer people towards this more energy-efficient method
• reasons because some political subdivisions may want to steer people towards this more energy-efficient method
• reasons because some political subdivisions may want to steer people towards this more energy-efficient method
• reasons because some political subdivisions may want to steer people towards this more energy-efficient method
• Because some political subdivisions may want to steer people towards this more energy-efficient method

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 552, which would remove the “full-time student” requirement for children ages 19 to 25 covered under the state retiree health insurance plan. The prime sponsor said the change would align retiree coverage with state employee and ACA plans, would not cost taxpayers because retirees pay the premiums, and could even reduce administrative burden and possibly state costs. The chair noted the bill simply removes the words “if full-time student” from statute and said the proposal affects very few retirees and has no cost to the state. No opposition was presented, and the chair closed the hearing on HB 552 after no further testimony. The committee then opened a public hearing on House Bill 648, which would require commercial insurance coverage for glucose monitoring devices and supplies for people with diabetes. The prime sponsor, a retired dietitian and diabetes educator, gave extensive testimony describing diabetes as common, costly, and serious, and argued that continuous glucose monitoring is important for managing type 2 and gestational diabetes, preventing hypoglycemia, and improving safety and decision-making. She said CGMs can alert users to dangerous blood sugar changes, help people understand how food, activity, and medication affect glucose, and save lives while offering a strong return on investment. During questions, a committee member asked whether the bill should specify that the monitoring be tied to prescribed treatment, and the sponsor agreed that adding “prescribed” would be appropriate. The member also asked about the proper threshold for coverage and whether the bill should be tied to fasting-test diagnosis; the sponsor responded that A1C is only one measure of control and does not show daily fluctuations, and said she was not prepared to recommend a specific threshold but could provide clinical guidelines later. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the sponsor indicated support for the bill’s general approach to broader CGM access.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's just what we're trying to do again, trying to have a different type of construction method
• , and that's just what we're trying to do, again, trying to have a different type of construction methods
• addressing broader marketplace concerns and increasing competition for ticket sales is the most effective method

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• where we have this weird situation where snow hauling and snow removal are procured by two different methods
• When snow removal is procured by two different methods, we are completely failing.
• change in this bill, and I hope that you all will agree with me that it makes sense to have the same method

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on Governor Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll’s Municipal Empowerment Act, with administration officials and municipal leaders broadly supporting the bill as a package of tools to help cities and towns manage rising costs, staffing shortages, and service demands. The administration highlighted procurement reforms, including raising Chapter 30B advertising thresholds, clarifying cooperative purchasing, and removing the Commbuys notice requirement; permanent authority to amortize emergency-related deficits over three years; expanded authority and enforcement for removing double poles; continued flexibility for hybrid and remote public meetings; regionalization options such as regional boards of assessors and intermunicipal agreements; cybersecurity reporting to EOTSS; and several local revenue options and other municipal finance changes. They said the bill was shaped by listening sessions with municipal officials and was intended to increase flexibility, efficiency, and stability without imposing broad mandates. Committee members asked about regionalization, cybersecurity costs, Commbuys, hybrid meetings, and double poles. Administration witnesses said cybersecurity reporting would help the state target resources and that existing Community Compact and capital grant programs, including IT and municipal fiber funding, could support local needs; they said EOTSS would absorb reporting within existing resources. On procurement, they said the Commbuys notice change would be optional and that other public notice methods would remain available. On hybrid meetings, they emphasized flexibility for different types of boards and the burdens a one-size-fits-all mandate could create for small towns and volunteer boards. On double poles, they said the bill’s main change from last session was to give utilities more time and improve the removal process while keeping enforcement mechanisms aimed at speeding removal rather than raising revenue. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and multiple mayors and town managers testified in support. They described the bill as a practical modernization measure that would help local governments operate more efficiently and respond to fiscal pressure. Witnesses from Northampton, Lynn, Gardner, Cambridge, Franklin, North Andover, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ashland praised the hybrid meeting provisions, procurement changes, regional service-sharing, and emergency deficit amortization. Several also urged adoption of local revenue tools, including meals and lodging tax options and other local fees, as ways to preserve services and staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please see the handout that I provided for additional methods of legislative oversight that are employed
• The most common method I have found of legislatures being audited is by contracting with an outside independent
• This method is relied upon to maintain separation of powers and avoid conflict of interest.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee hearing focused on whether the Office of the State Auditor may constitutionally audit the Massachusetts Legislature under Chapter 250 of the Acts of 2024 and what such an audit could include under generally accepted government auditing standards. Chair Cindy Friedman opened by explaining the background: voters approved Ballot Question 1 in November 2024, the law took effect in January 2025, and the Auditor then initiated audits of both chambers. The chair said the subcommittee was seeking expert testimony because the proposed audit scope, constitutionality, and possible bias concerns remained unresolved. Public testimony was invited, but no members of the public pre-registered; written testimony remained open for a short period after the hearing. The hearing then proceeded with invited experts on constitutional law/state government and auditing-related issues. Professor Lawrence Friedman testified that the ballot initiative’s approval by the Attorney General and by voters did not resolve constitutional questions, and he argued Chapter 250 violates the Massachusetts Constitution. He said the Legislature has constitutional authority to set its own rules and manage its proceedings, and that an executive-branch audit would intrude on legislative deliberation, speech and debate protections, and separation of powers. He also warned that even audits of supposedly administrative matters could become a vehicle for repeated document demands and litigation that would indirectly burden legislative functioning. In questioning, senators pressed him on the line between administrative and deliberative functions, the role of the Attorney General versus the courts, the possibility of retroactive audit scope, and whether prior legislative consent to audits mattered; he said prior consent would not bind future legislatures and that constitutionality is ultimately for the courts. Professor Ray La Raja also opposed the audit, framing it as a threat to institutional independence and representative democracy. He argued that allowing an executive-branch official to audit the Legislature without consent would upset separation of powers, chill internal debate, and create a precedent for broader executive intrusion. He said voters often support “transparency” reforms without fully appreciating institutional consequences, and that legislatures should defend their autonomy, especially amid what he described as broader executive overreach nationally. Senators asked about chilling effects, the practical distinction between administrative and core legislative functions, and whether the courts or the Legislature should resolve the issue; he said the courts would ultimately adjudicate disputes, but the Legislature should not waive its constitutional authority lightly. Jean Kempthorne took the opposite view, arguing the audit is permissible and should proceed. She said the state auditor is a constitutional officer accountable directly to the people, that the audit power can be expanded by statute, and that separation of powers does not require watertight compartments. She contended the audit would not displace core legislative powers because the auditor can only evaluate operations, report findings, and make recommendations. She also argued the Legislature itself already conducts audits of other branches, so it is inconsistent to claim an audit of the Legislature is unconstitutional. In response to senators’ questions, she said there are guardrails against truly intrusive requests, but that the administrative-versus-legislative distinction is not a workable bright line; she suggested disputes should be handled case by case, with objections, negotiation, or litigation if specific requests go too far. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.