Transcript Highlights:

• So the amendment exempts from the act the following types of properties and behaviors: a residential
• structure on a single lot on which multiple structures are situated, a residential structure that is
• contiguous to one or more other residential structures.
• A residential structure that is contiguous to one or more other residential structures in a community
• This amendment changes the definition of single-family residential property to mean a freestanding residential

Summary: The Housing Committee met on February 24 and considered two bills for executive action: Senate Bill 5496, which limits homeownership by corporate entities, and Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6200, which addresses tenants’ ability to install portable cooling devices. Staff reviewed proposed amendments to both bills before the committee recessed for caucus and then returned to take action. For SB 6200, one amendment was withdrawn and another was adopted. The adopted amendment clarified that landlords may restrict or prohibit window-mounted portable cooling devices, removed insurance-notice requirements, and eliminated evaporative coolers from the bill’s definition of portable cooling devices. Members supporting the bill said it was a health and housing measure aimed at protecting tenants during increasingly frequent heat events, while some members noted concerns about lease burdens and implementation. The bill, as amended, passed out of committee on a 13-4 vote. For SB 5496, three amendments were offered and all were rejected. The amendments would have changed how investment entities are treated, adjusted the 100-property cap for existing owners, and narrowed the definition of single-family residential property to freestanding homes on their own parcels. Supporters of the bill argued it would help preserve housing opportunities for families and protect the homeownership market from large corporate purchases, while opponents said it would reduce rental supply, interfere with private transactions, and raise constitutional concerns. The bill passed out of committee on a 9-8 vote. The chair then announced the committee’s final scheduled meeting was canceled and adjourned the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• ocean Coalition in strong<00:28:04.279><c> support</c><00:28:05.240><c> cess</c><00:28:05.559><c> pools
• c><00:28:05.799><c> are</c><00:28:05.960><c> the</c><00:28:06.159><c> most</c> strong support cess pools
• are the most strong support cess pools are the most uh<00:28:07.960><c> s</c><00:28:08.399><c> largest
• cess pools is very expensive<00:28:14.640><c> so</c><00:28:14.880><c> this</c><00:28:15.000><c> year
• and this just isn't in coastal pools and this just isn't in coastal areas<01:14:42.639><c> I</c><01:

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard several measures focused on health, environment, and research. HB 970 would allow chiropractic students to participate in clinical practice under direct supervision; the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic offered comments and asked for a delayed implementation date until July 2027 to allow time to adopt rules, while the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association supported the bill. Members also discussed that there are currently no chiropractic schools in the state. The committee then heard HB 1185, which creates a plant-based building materials working group, and HB 1337, which establishes an endemic plant seed bank pilot program. Supporters of HB 1185 said the bill could help create green jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing materials such as bamboo, hempcrete, and bio-cements, with questions raised about in-state processing. For HB 1337, witnesses supported the goal of preserving endemic species but said a large-scale refrigerated storage and seed-production facility would be needed; one witness estimated startup costs of about $6 million for one island and noted existing seed banks are small-scale and not designed for reforestation. HB 1300 would fund a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center multi-ethnic cohort study on cancer disparities among Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and Asians, including environmental and social factors such as proximity to landfills. The Cancer Center, ACS CAN, and labor representatives supported the bill, emphasizing health disparities and concerns about landfill exposure; committee members asked about federal funding, and the Cancer Center said it would pursue NIH, private, and foundation support, with the state share described as $500,000 per year for two years. HB 736 would create a wastewater technology testing pilot program at the Water Resources Research Center; supporters said it could help certify cheaper alternatives to costly cesspool and septic upgrades, and the Department of Health supported the measure. The committee also heard HB 531, which authorizes special license plates for the Cancer Center; supporters said it would raise visibility and funds, and the Cancer Center estimated revenue would likely be under $100,000. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a municipal golf course that's zoned single-family residential.
• We have a municipal golf course that's zoned single-family residential.
• </c> changes uh still 75% of residentially changes uh still 75% of residentially zoned<00:41:35.200><
• </c><00:42:04.280><c> Zone</c> their districts uh residentially Zone their districts uh residentially
• </c> opening up zoning to allow residential opening up zoning to allow residential multif<01:04:41.000

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It also introduces licensing requirements for adult residential care providers.
• All right, up next on the agenda is docket number 16.03.22-2501, residential assisted living facility
• All right, up next on the agenda is docket number 160322-2501, residential assisted living facility.
• Residential Assisted Living Facility again. Jared Larson, Mr. Larson, the podium is yours.
• Up next is Docket 1604-17-2501, Residential Habilitation Agencies ZBR chapter rewrite. Mr.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You only have 11 residential insurers actually taking part in the program.
• And the first question I have is: if there's only 11 residential insurers taking...
• I'm obviously worried about the admitted residential insurers.
• Residential insurers. I mean, certainly we can go back and ask them.
• It's often commercial and residential side by side. We need access.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held its first outcomes review oversight hearing on the residential fair plan clearinghouse program created by AB 3012. Chair and members focused on whether the program is actually helping depopulate the California Fair Plan and move policyholders back to the voluntary market. The Fair Plan and Department of Insurance testified that the program exists as a platform for admitted and, in some cases, non-admitted insurers to review Fair Plan policies and make offers through the broker of record, but they acknowledged limited participation and limited results. CDI said it has received no formal complaints specific to the clearinghouse, but identified obstacles including only 11 participating residential insurers, the broker-of-record requirement, compensation and appointment issues, and the lack of direct consumer contact. CDI said about 730 residential risks have moved to voluntary market coverage through the program from June 2021 through April 30, 2025, and opt-outs are under 1%. Committee members pressed witnesses on the program’s opacity, the lack of data on offers made versus policies actually moved, and whether the clearinghouse is functioning as intended. CDI and the Fair Plan said they do not have data on how many offers have been made, only on cancellations that are self-reported and marked as clearinghouse-related. Members also raised regional growth in Fair Plan enrollment, especially on the Central Coast, and concerns about underinsurance when policyholders move back to the regular market. CDI recommended more mandatory reporting, broader broker education, possible direct offers to policyholders after a period of time, and changes to commission and appointment rules to reduce barriers to insurer participation. The second panel of industry witnesses generally agreed the clearinghouse is not a stand-alone solution and said its effectiveness depends on a healthier admitted market and actuarially sound Fair Plan rates. Independent agents and brokers, admitted-market insurers, and surplus lines representatives said the current system is constrained by low rate adequacy, limited insurer appetite for high-risk properties, operational friction, and misaligned incentives. Several witnesses suggested improvements such as better data sharing, clearer depopulation procedures, stronger broker education, and more flexible appointment or compensation rules. Some supported giving the program more time under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, while others said the Legislature should consider whether to strengthen, modify, or potentially sunset the program if it continues to produce limited results. A public witness later reported that a new carrier had recently joined the clearinghouse and was working with brokers to bring in additional capacity.

Transcript Highlights:

• Beyond that, we need to be looking at restricting uses to residential, agricultural, and forestry.
• Beyond that, we need to be looking at restricting uses to residential, agricultural, and forestry uses
• We have residential contractors as a vacancy, and our eastern cities position is vacant at the moment
• Our standing committees are composed of the building, fire, residential, and wildland urban interface
• The multiplex housing specifically says that we have to make changes to the International Residential

Summary: The committee heard first from Ferndale city officials and a representative of FutureWise on annexation planning. Ferndale described its “annexation blueprint” or phased annexation plan as a way to tie urban growth area planning, capital facilities, and eventual annexation together earlier in the process. Speakers argued that counties often allow incremental development in urban growth areas without city-level standards, impact fees, or coordinated infrastructure planning, which can leave cities and taxpayers with higher future costs and make annexation less likely. Members raised questions about fire districts, county revenue loss, and whether annexation incentives or interlocal revenue-sharing agreements could help. FutureWise supported requiring annexation phasing in countywide planning policies, using pre-annexation agreements, and applying city standards in urban growth areas to make annexation more predictable and less contentious. The committee then received a primer and update from the State Building Code Council (SBCC). Staff explained the council’s composition, standing committees, technical advisory groups, and rulemaking process, including normal, expedited, and emergency rulemaking. They described the ongoing 2024 code cycle and the separate work underway on Senate Bill 5491 and related legislation concerning single-stair residential buildings and multiplex housing. Members discussed how the legislature can better direct the SBCC, the difference between prescriptive and performance-based code approaches, and the importance of involving technical experts early. The SBCC also addressed concerns about the wildfire urban interface code, noting that problems arose when code language and maps were developed on different timelines and applied to urban areas in ways that were not anticipated. Several members asked about regional differences, especially energy code impacts in eastern Washington and the role of natural gas. SBCC representatives said the council can use climate zones and appendices for some regional variation, but statewide statutory targets still constrain the energy code. They emphasized that the council is largely reactive to legislative direction and public proposals, and that clearer legislative intent would help avoid ambiguity in future code development. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just as a quick reminder, OSsM educates through three modes: number one, our residential school; number
• The residential school is a nationally ranked two-year boarding school in Oklahoma City with the most
• So, if we filled every bed, we would have a total of 288 students on our residential campus.
• Yes, sir, for our residential school, that is part of being in the program.
• What have you discussed with high school students regarding the residential side?

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> language, ordinary residential signage. language, ordinary residential signage.
• It's our residential areas. Again, you're not saying no to those residential areas.
• It's our residential areas. Again, you're not saying no to those residential areas.
• It's our residential areas. Again, you're not saying no to those residential areas.
• residential use is permitted

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My facility operates as a supervised, supportive, and protective residential environment designed to
• Operational impact, workforce impact, financial impact, residential impact, displacement, job loss, and
• Massachusetts' MAP system was created for individuals living in community residential programs and is
• In California, they call them residential care facilities, and the staff of the facility were allowed
• In California, they call them residential care facilities, and the staff of the facility were allowed

Bills: H5243 , H5376 , S3056 , S3057

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Aging and Independence

Keywords: rest home, rest homes, medication administration, medication management, assisted living, long-term care, elder care, older adults, senior care, nursing home, resident care, self-administration, licensed facility, Chapter 111, section 71, Responsible Person, caregiver, direct care staff, care facilities, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• But within residential zones, they are not. So this simply harmonizes it in residential zones.
• Locating child care in residential zones makes sense for many reasons, as the Senator stated, including
• zones. locating child care and residents. is included for child care facilities and residential zones
• Locating child care in residential zones makes sense for many reasons, as the Senator stated, including
• As the author said, many daycares are near... ...that are in exclusively residential areas.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Environmental Quality heard four bills focused on environmental regulation and public health. SB 299 by Senator Cabaldon would extend a CEQA exemption to child care facilities in residential zones, with committee amendments adding guardrails to exclude sites on natural/protected lands and within 3,200 feet of oil wells or refineries. Support came from child care, planning, local government, and county groups, while one wildlife/plant organization opposed. Members emphasized the need for more child care access and noted the bill was a narrow fix to last year’s CEQA legislation. The committee later voted the bill out on a 7-0 vote. SB 58 by Senator Padilla would update California’s hydrogen sulfide standards and response framework, citing outdated rules and monitoring gaps in the Tijuana River Valley and Salton Sea areas. Testimony from UCLA and community advocates described health impacts and undercounted exceedances, while air district representatives and business interests raised concerns about the scope and timing of the proposal. The committee accepted amendments and advanced the bill on a 7-0 vote. SB 811 by Senator Caballero would establish a regulatory framework for metal shredding facilities, clarifying DTSC enforcement authority and incorporating prior negotiated environmental justice and fire-safety amendments. Supporters included the recycling industry and labor groups; opponents from community, environmental, and local government organizations argued the bill was too deregulatory and did not adequately protect nearby communities. The bill passed 5-0. SB 501 by Senator Allen would expand the state’s battery extended producer responsibility program to include medium-format batteries such as those used in e-bikes and portable power systems. Supporters said the change would improve collection, reduce fire risks, and shift disposal costs from local governments to producers; one battery recycler expressed interest in working on implementation details. The bill was amended and advanced on a 5-2 vote. After quorum was established and votes were taken on call, all four bills were reported out of committee and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The White Hall campus is a Joint Commission-accredited psychiatric residential treatment facility that
• It doesn't appear to be very residential in nature.
• Remember, this is a residential treatment facility, so we would have to have rooms for the youth.
• So the Whitehall campus is a psychiatric residential treatment facility, a PRTF.
• Riepe, it’s not every building that is conducive to our residential program, especially long-term residential

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee held an invited-testimony hearing on LR 425, which examines the Whitehall campus in Lincoln and possible long-term options for youth currently served there. Chair Brian Hardin explained that Whitehall houses two separate programs for adolescent males: a substance use program and a youth-who-sexually-harm program. Testimony from DHHS officials described Whitehall as a Joint Commission-accredited psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) that provides about 40 hours of weekly programming, family involvement, school services, and community reintegration activities. Officials said the department is evaluating whether the programs should remain at Whitehall or move to another state-owned facility, with Hastings described as the department’s preferred alternative because it is more residential in design than a youth rehabilitation treatment center (YRTC).

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:53.039><c> programs</c> are going to be in residential programs are going to be in residential
• </c> reliance on children's residential reliance on children's residential services<00:23:20.559><c>
• </c> funds that are used for residential funds that are used for residential providers<01:15:30.000><
• </c> individuals living in uh residential individuals living in uh residential homes<01:15:34.480><c>
• </c> might otherwise be in residential might otherwise be in residential treatment.<01:42:58.080><c>

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Residential services continue to be a large cost driver in the waiver program, so residential services
• </c> relates specifically to Residential relates specifically to Residential Services<00:31:52.919><c
• </c><00:33:12.200><c> service</c> to uh different residential service to uh different residential service
• </c><00:55:24.400><c> Treatment</c> reported lack of Residential Treatment reported lack of Residential
• He said a lot of the vision behind the residential share is why it is unlicensed residential and why

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• While building new housing is crucial, we have a vast untapped resource: over 60,000 residential units
• H. 3040, S. 1969, an act relating to improvements to residential properties.
• I'm here in support of Representative Cahill and Senator Edwards' residential improvement bills.
• So I'm here today supporting Home Run Financing, which really focuses on this residential betterment
• A small property should refer to a residential property located within the Commonwealth consisting of

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hearing on several housing-related bills, with chairs Adrienne Madaro and James Eldridge framing the discussion as part of the Legislature’s broader response to the state’s housing crisis and noting that many of the bills build on the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. The chairs reviewed hearing procedures, including the three-minute oral testimony limit, the option to submit written testimony, and the hybrid format. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony began with support for H. 3278, a bill to create a graduated deed excise tax for affordable housing. Representative Worel argued that higher-end real estate transactions should contribute more to fund affordable housing production, saying the measure would not burden working families and would help address racial inequities in homeownership and displacement. Representative Soder then supported H. 3247, which would promote redevelopment of abandoned buildings through expanded tax incentives for renovating vacant properties for sale or rent, arguing that it would bring blighted units back into use and generate future tax revenue. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3040/S. 1969, residential improvement or R-PACE legislation. Robert Giles of Home Run Financing and Nicole Steele of Amalgamated Bank described the program as a voluntary, assessment-based financing tool that could help homeowners pay for energy efficiency, resilience, and other major repairs without upfront costs, and said it could complement existing Mass Save programs while expanding access to more homeowners. In contrast, Judith Lieben of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute opposed H. 3039/S. 1946, the Housing Development Incentive Program bill, arguing it would expand subsidies for market-rate and luxury housing in Gateway Cities instead of directing resources to low-income renters. Representative Hawkins also testified in support of H. 3121, which would end large investor control of homes in Massachusetts by imposing an excise tax on large owners of small residential properties and using the revenue for first-time homebuyer down payment assistance. After testimony and a few member questions, the chairs asked whether anyone else wished to testify and then adjourned the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They modified the definition of residential program in the Patients Bill of Rights in chapter 144 to
• It exempts intensive residential treatment services, or IRTS, and residential crisis stabilization residents
• substance use disorder treatment, nonresidential treatment, and residential crisis stabilization and
• Section 13 from the DHS policy bill specifies that community residential setting services are provided
• </c> standards and Community residential standards and Community residential setting<00:21:17.039><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• option of requesting poll workers for an upcoming county election to be pulled from the jury duty pool
• It's completely under their control to opt for this option of pulling jurors off the jury duty pool and

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Vehicle inspections, including licensed operators, and includes salvage pools as authorized entities
• Does this bill also address the savage pool issue that The previous bills address that.

Bills: HB2993 , HB3850 , HB3595 , HB3763 , HB3760

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: rural law enforcement, grant fund, public safety, financial assistance, coordination districts, grant funding, law enforcement coordinators, municipal assistance, education, inmates, literacy, high school equivalency, Department of Corrections, parole, rehabilitation, HB3595, Safer Counties Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, county grants, traffic barrier equipment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:41.240><c> Treatment</c> process as Residential Treatment process as Residential Treatment
• Aligning residential billing rates, so essentially within the rate framework for residential services
• Aligning residential billing rates, so essentially within the rate framework for residential services
• Aligning residential billing rates, so essentially within the rate framework for residential services
• Aligning residential billing rates, so essentially within the rate framework for residential services

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so that's for residential use.
• Have a zoned ag property, but you're using it as a residential use.
• But is it from residential to commercial, residential to industrial, or...?
• It typically does stay within the residential area, but it's more dense.
• That's typical zoning for residential. Thank you, Senator O'Malley.

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The residential code now addresses lithium-ion batteries used in energy storage systems such as Tesla
• My involvement in this was primarily with the residential energy piece of it.
• Case study there, and so that was kind of my role in it, was to help with the residential amendments,
• I just look at it just from the residential side, and I think there's a couple things I want to point
• Okay, and I guess the same kind of question with the EV charging stations and residential garages.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 29, 2026 minutes without objection. It then considered three RS drafts: RS 33116 on land use planning and short-term rentals, which Senator Harris said was intended to balance local control, property rights, and regulation of short-term rentals, including limits on business licensing requirements for smaller operators; RS 33133 on insurer investments, which Senator Guthrie said would give insurance companies more flexibility in making investments; and RS 33190 on PERSI reemployment rules, which Senator Lakey said would treat certain appointed officials filling vacancies the same as elected officials for retirement benefit purposes. All three RSs were moved to print and the motions carried. The committee also heard several gubernatorial reappointments. Kevin Settles was reappointed to the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board and described his long service and focus on efficient administration. Todd Lakey was reappointed to the State Insurance Fund Board and spoke about the board’s customer-service improvements and ongoing changes. Representative John Weber was reappointed to the State Insurance Fund Board, and Robert Cuio was reappointed to the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board; both were moved to the Senate floor with recommendations for confirmation, and those motions carried. The remainder of the meeting focused on three rule dockets from DOPL and the Idaho Building Code Board. Two dockets made temporary fee reductions permanent for factory-built structures and building permits, with no public comments and no impact on the general fund. The final docket adopted Idaho-specific updates based on the 2024 building, residential, and energy codes, including provisions on taller wood-frame buildings, mass timber, lithium-ion battery safety in garages, and an alternative prescriptive path to replace blower-door testing. Testimony from building officials and home builders strongly supported the changes as more flexible, affordable, and practical, and the committee approved all three dockets before adjournment.