Video & Transcript Research : 'group benefits program'
Page 143 of 500
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Finance Nov 20th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- How many of these new programs are new programming that we're starting? Mr. Chair, Mr.
- Vice Chair, members of the committee, new programming is in things that will be ongoing programs.
- Their interpretive program.
- We established a Pharmacy Benefit and Drug Compliance Bureau to help us regulate the pharmacy benefit
- Chair, Senator Munoz. but that is with benefits. But what's their total pay with benefits?
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JHA Info Briefing - Wed Jan 29, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- programs our possibility summer<00:18:39.600>
programs <00:18:40.120>rec <00:18:40.440> - <00:27:23.640>
that through social Equity programs that through social Equity programs that - :27:25.159>
who directly benefit those communities who directly benefit those communities who - > so<01:00:41.079>
the programs school lunch programs so the programs school lunch programs - lobbying group um the group actually lobbying group um the group actually started<01:16:03.679><
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
TCA-EDT, EDT, EDT-CPN Public Hearings 03-13-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We have like you know a programs.
- We don't have any sister city program.
- Brandon, if you can b financial benefit.
- uh programs infrastructure, and other uh programs that<00:32:51.760>
could <00:32:52.000>help - <00:48:03.839>
So working group on on this matter. So working group on on this matter.
Summary:
The joint committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Economic Development and Tourism heard three measures. HB 450, which would transfer the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, drew support from DBEDT, the State Foundation, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, DAGs, and individuals. Members asked about the bill’s purpose and the relationship between arts administration and international/cultural considerations. The committees voted to pass HB 450 with amendments, including a housekeeping change allowing specific legislative direction in narrow cases; the measure was adopted with unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
HB 437, relating to out-of-state offices, received testimony in support from DBEDT and representatives of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce and another individual. The discussion focused on whether an overseas office in the Philippines was the best use of funds, given existing offices and trade relationships in places like Beijing and Taiwan. Members questioned the return on investment, fiscal priorities, and whether DBEDT had a broader strategic plan for selecting markets. The committees ultimately passed HB 437 with a Senate Draft 1 and technical amendments, with some members voting with reservations.
HB 1391, relating to trade and creating a Hawaii-Ireland trade commission, also advanced after a lengthy discussion. DBEDT said it offered comments rather than a firm recommendation and explained that the bill appeared intended to build economic ties with Europe through Ireland, but members questioned why a commission was needed, how it would be structured, and whether similar efforts should focus on other countries. DBEDT said it would provide reports on sister-state relationships and office performance, and noted that trade initiatives would likely require private-sector participation. The committees passed HB 1391 with amendments and reservations from some members.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Housing Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Housing
Transcript Highlights:
- The RAFT homelessness prevention program, as well as legislation to improve the HomeBASE rehousing program
- The statewide program, and this bill is setting up a committee to study the structure of the program
- Last year, I was invited to the older adult bridge program. This program assisted me immensely.
- But programs like ours make it easier.
- And our program has its first member ready for home ownership, going through the BHA First Home Program
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of housing and homelessness bills. Chairs Rich Haggerty and Julian Cyr opened by noting the committee’s focus on EOHLC programs such as RAFT, MRVP, and HomeBASE, and several members and advocates emphasized the urgency of the state’s homelessness crisis, including rising family homelessness and the need for earlier intervention, more stable subsidies, and stronger long-term housing tools.
A major theme was homelessness prevention and rehousing. Multiple witnesses supported bills to codify and strengthen RAFT and HomeBASE, arguing that assistance should be available earlier in a crisis rather than only after a notice to quit or imminent loss of housing. Testimony from legal services, homelessness coalitions, social workers, municipal housing staff, and tenant advocates said the programs help families avoid eviction and shelter, but need more flexibility, higher benefit caps, and permanent statutory protection. Several speakers also urged support for codifying the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), describing it as a critical long-term subsidy for low-income households and older adults, and warning that codification would protect the program from future budget or policy changes.
The committee also heard testimony on housing stability for older adults, affordable homes for people with disabilities, supportive housing, housing cooperatives, home sharing, local preference, and reentry housing for returning citizens. Advocates for older adults described a Somerville bridge subsidy pilot that helped stabilize seniors while they waited for permanent housing, and urged statewide expansion. Supporters of supportive housing called for an interagency board to streamline funding and development, while cooperative housing proponents backed creation of a Massachusetts Center for Housing Cooperatives and a dedicated funding reserve. A bill to secure housing for returning citizens drew support from reentry providers and Senator Adam Gomez, who said stable housing is essential to successful reintegration. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses generally asked the committee to report the bills favorably, and some members asked follow-up questions on data and program details.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- With me here today is Corey Hall, our chief programs officer.
- Respite programs have been around for over 3 decades and The adoption of these programs is spreading
- across the U.S., with over 150 active programs.
- For our state, respite programs rely on...
- of like our SSI, SSDI, that medically fragile program waiver programs are available, the application
Summary:
The meeting focused on hospital “avoidable days” and the difficulty of discharging medically stable patients who still need post-acute placement or social services. Presenters from Saint Anthony Hospital Midtown, the Oklahoma Hospital Association, City Care, and OU Health described common barriers including lack of skilled nursing, rehab, long-term care, behavioral health, and hospice placements; insurance prior authorization delays; Medicaid and Social Security eligibility delays; guardianship and Adult Protective Services bottlenecks; limited home health and private duty nursing; and the challenge of placing unhoused, uninsured, or medically complex patients. Several speakers emphasized that these delays reduce bed availability, increase emergency department boarding, contribute to staff burnout, and expose patients to hospital-acquired conditions and other harms.
The testimony included multiple examples of patients remaining in acute care for days, weeks, or even months after being medically ready for discharge, including patients awaiting guardianship, disability determinations, or placement in facilities willing to accept them. Speakers also highlighted special populations such as patients with behavioral health or substance use disorders, medically fragile children, patients with criminal histories, and unhoused individuals who need respite or hospice care. City Care described its planned 40-bed medical respite facility, set to open in 2027, as a way to provide clinical support and housing navigation for patients too sick to recover on the street or in shelters.
Witnesses recommended policy and system changes such as standardizing preauthorization protocols, expanding rural swing-bed and home-based services, increasing public guardianship resources, improving data collection on homelessness, expanding private duty nursing hours, and creating more placement options for complex patients. They also suggested better coordination between hospitals, DHS, APS, the Health Department, and post-acute facilities, including a database of facility services to improve discharge planning and keep patients closer to home. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the transcript, but the chair indicated the issue would require collaboration across multiple agencies and partners.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It remains an issue for some groups.
- One group just contacted us late last night, and another group that I've had multiple conversations with
- As I have seen the benefits of a community...
- Determining which young people could benefit from local drug court programs, ultimately the local prosecutor
- House Bill 1831 simply allows local control and expands who might benefit from these great programs.
Keywords:
housing, affordable housing, state regulations, zoning, local government authority, drug court, juvenile justice, diversion programs, rehabilitation, criminal justice reform, remote proceedings, depositions, virtual hearings, court technology, criminal responsibility, age of maturity, expungement, mental health services, juvenile record sealing, 1184
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2024, she transitioned to the Honor Health Family Medicine Residency Program. residency program.
- They're legally entitled to those benefits, yet this bill would deny them their rightful benefits.
- This actually has our state groups and those local groups work on conservation programs within the means
- We have a state program.
- the Rural Action Group.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration, June 25, 2026 - AM
Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration
Transcript Highlights:
- There are groups you probably have some groups here in Wyoming as well that have been pushing school
- The group is of five.
- of digital curriculum programs.
- Chairman, there is one more with this group and then you have one more online not with this group.
- Is it providing a benefit for our students?
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board (9-24-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- administer the Medicaid program. administer the Medicaid program.
- large groups uh tend to be self-insured. large groups uh tend to be self-insured.
- Uh the smaller uh group, self-insured. Uh the smaller uh group, they<01:10:29.960>
do. - And then limited benefit plans. These are prepaid benefit plans.
- in the Medicaid program. in the Medicaid program.
Summary:
The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on September 24, 2025, approved the minutes from the September 9 meeting, and then continued its discussion of Medicaid waivers with Leslie Hoffman and Carmen Hancock from the Department for Medicaid Services. Members asked for updates on the 2024 waiver waitlist management assessment recommendations, including aligning waiver policies, standardizing applications and waitlist placement, and modernizing data systems. DMS said that work is being done jointly with Aging and Independent Living and Behavioral Health/Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities through task forces, that ARPA spending delayed action, and that implementation timelines extend through March 2027.
The board also reviewed per-member waiver cost averages for fiscal years 2023 through 2025 for ABI, ABI long-term care, HCBS, Model II, Michelle P, and SCL. DMS emphasized these figures were benefit-only averages based on paid claims, not full waiver costs, and explained that true budget neutrality is calculated on an aggregate basis against institutional care comparisons approved by CMS. DMS said all six waivers remain in compliance with budget neutrality and that the most recent 18-month lag review for FY 2022 and FY 2023 found costs at or below institutional care. Members also asked about unused waiver slots; DMS said slots generally cannot be reallocated mid-year if they have been used, except in cases such as death or reserved capacity, because CMS treats participants as unduplicated for the waiver year.
A major portion of the meeting focused on the new child waiver created under House Bill 6. Legislators questioned whether the waiver’s design, including the exclusion of participant-directed services and the emphasis on high-acuity children with behavioral health, DCBS, or juvenile justice involvement, matched the bill’s intent to keep children at home. DMS said it used the $14.7 million appropriated for FY 2026 to develop the program, that there is no priority list, and that the waiver is intended to serve the highest-acuity children while also addressing residential needs for those sleeping in offices or placed out of state. Members also raised concerns about the rapid growth of the HCBS waiting list and asked for more detail on age and timing patterns, which DMS said it would provide later. Finally, DMS gave average processing times from application to eligibility determination and from approval to service start, and said the overall average from application to services beginning was about 80 days, while members requested follow-up information on the Carewise assessment contract and related costs.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Economic and Rural Development Dec 8th, 2025 at 09:32 am
Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Restoring Our Communities is a program that's directed at infill, and so that program purchases homes
- We also provide and the Linkages Program, which is a state-funded voucher program for people with serious
- We had meetings with the realtors Groups.
- And the reason being is Groups.
- Right, this group was a little bit strong-sided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- choose one designated person per benefit choose one designated person per benefit year<00:49:33.640
- regarding first payment for benefits regarding first payment for benefits within<00:50:13.319>
and Medical Leave insurance benefits and Medical Leave insurance benefits nothing<00:53:58.839><- /c> administration of the program we will administration of the program we will amend<00:51:05.440>
Medical Leave insurance benefits Medical Leave insurance benefits provided<00:53:49.960>that - /c> administration of the program we will administration of the program we will amend<00:51:05.440>
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Higher Education Committee Jul 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I am grateful that my degree program is an approved LPI, but UCLA has over 15 programs that unfortunately
- benefits, public health benefits, and workforce benefits.
- But we actually have this program that's implemented.
- It requires them to go through a credentialing program or a graduate school program, 600 hours of clinical
- It's a four-year evening program.
Summary:
The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several Senate measures focused on student access, workforce needs, and institutional stability. Senator Laird presented SJR 4, which urges the federal government to restore NIH funding cuts and protect California’s research universities; UC testified in support and there was no opposition. Senator Ashby presented SB 761, the CalFresh for Students Act, to connect Cal Grant applicants with potential CalFresh eligibility and expand qualifying programs; the bill drew broad support from higher education, student, anti-hunger, and county groups, with members sharing personal experiences with food insecurity and no opposition.
Senator Cabaldon presented SB 520 to create a California Nurse Midwifery Education Fund for a new master’s-level nurse midwifery program, citing maternal health disparities and provider shortages, especially in rural and Central Valley communities. Supporters from the California Nurse Midwives Association and the Black Wellness and Prosperity Center emphasized workforce shortages and maternal mortality; one member raised concerns about the bill’s use of inclusive language, but the bill was otherwise well received. Cabaldon also presented SB 640, which would create a statewide direct admissions process to CSU for eligible high school seniors using existing data systems; supporters said it would reduce barriers, improve equity, and help declining-enrollment campuses, while members raised questions about special education students, rural access, dual enrollment, and measuring effectiveness. The committee voted SB 640 out on a 6-0 roll call.
Cabaldon’s SB 744 would preserve California students’ access to enrollment and financial aid if a federally recognized accrediting agency loses approval, by treating affected institutions as accredited for state purposes; the bill drew no public testimony and advanced on a 4-2 roll call. Senator Cortese’s SB 494 would require classified school employees’ disciplinary appeals to be heard by an administrative law judge, matching protections already available to teachers and community college faculty; labor groups supported the bill, while school districts and administrators opposed it over cost, local control, and implementation concerns. The committee also heard SB 550, a revised pilot to allow San Jose State and a nonprofit, state-accredited law school to jointly develop a public law school pathway; supporters argued it would expand affordable legal education and public-interest careers, while UC and independent colleges opposed it as inconsistent with the Master Plan. Members debated access, jurisdiction, funding, and bar pass rates, and the bill advanced on a 4-2 roll call to the Judiciary Committee.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:07:37.080>
that in delivering quality programming that in delivering quality programming - newly produced Legacy funded programming newly produced Legacy funded programming reaching<00:10
- He added that one of the benefits is that the programming is statewide, with work happening in all these
- > to program to program uh<00:31:58.720>
it's <00:31:58.840>a <00:31:59.039>program< - <01:09:02.600>
that <01:09:02.719>is program that is op programming that is program
Keywords:
public television, funding, grants, arts and culture, Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio, arts education, cultural heritage, community engagement, public radio, community radio, educational grants, community cable, public access, programming funding, civic engagement, ethnic media, public access television, Minnesota Humanities Center, funding appropriation
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation Feb 19th, 2025
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Education Committee Apr 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Very important program.
- dual credit program.
- dual credit program.
- You can run a program.
- or our state programs.
Summary:
The committee met to hear presentations on dual credit programs from North Dakota higher education leaders, a school superintendent, and teachers. Valley City State University described its dual credit model, emphasizing quality control through annual teacher training, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty qualification review, school visits, and pathways aimed at the College Studies Certificate. Members asked about teacher employment, course scheduling, revenue, scholarships, and whether a centralized model might improve efficiency; VCSU said most instructors are K-12 employees, online offerings are still small, and centralization could weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College similarly stressed access and partnerships, noting about half of its headcount is still in high school, with both online and face-to-face dual credit options, district reimbursement arrangements, and support for rural schools. Lake Region also said dual credit helps students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound, but reduced tuition can still be a barrier for some families.
Fargo Public Schools reported continued growth in dual credit, with 50 courses offered in partnership with several NDUS institutions and a 12.61% increase in participation. The superintendent highlighted a growing education pathway, including students completing Introduction to Education and field experience, and said the district is exploring a grow-your-own teacher pipeline. He also raised concerns about inconsistent institutional processes, teacher credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity, arguing for more aligned statewide systems. In response to questions, he said AP and dual credit can coexist, with AP often better for highly selective out-of-state colleges and dual credit better for students targeting North Dakota institutions, and he described some use of Arizona State online courses in earlier rural partnerships but said Fargo is focused on local institutions.
Two teachers then testified on the classroom perspective. A West Fargo anatomy and physiology teacher said dual credit has expanded access, lowered costs, and prepared students well, but agreed that foundational science courses may be more effective when taken later in high school to reduce knowledge loss before college. A Drake-Anamoose English teacher, who has taught dual credit for more than 20 years, said the program has supported many students who went on to a wide range of careers and emphasized that small rural schools rely on dual credit to provide opportunities they otherwise could not offer. No formal votes or actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Transportation Committee Nov 20th, 2025
Joint Transportation Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm with Jacobs Engineering Group.
- And they've allocated an immense amount of time and met with both their group and our group to provide
- And they've allocated immense amount of time and met with both their group and our group to provide that
- Since 2010, roads benefiting from the RAP program have seen a 56% reduction in collisions and a 32% reduction
- of that program.
Summary:
The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken.
The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June.
Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee Jun 9th, 2026
Elections and Constitutional Amendments
Transcript Highlights:
- This measure may not directly benefit the charter schools.
- , nonprofit organizations, and also groups of people who are making that entity?
- For example, then each ethnic group, some particular ethnic groups such as Chinese people, when they
- Last time I checked, I'm not a Black male, but I benefited, and so many other people benefited from having
- The entire school benefited, and our entire scores went up. Brown v.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/14/2026 - Senate Finance and House Ways & Means Joint Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Social Security benefits in Arizona are tax-free.
- Senator Mesnard mentioned, increasing the folks that can qualify for the benefit, the tax benefit for
- now, based on what you read and your own experiences and those in your age group, would you benefit
- Your group is Opportunity Arizona.
- Your group is Opportunity Arizona.
Summary:
The joint House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees met to hear identical conformity bills, HB 2153 and SB 1106, which would align Arizona tax law with the federal Internal Revenue Code as of Jan. 1, 2026, including some retroactive provisions for tax year 2025. Staff explained that the bills would exclude three federal provisions: the higher federal SALT deduction, the new senior deduction as written in H.R. 1, and the deduction for interest on new car loans. They would instead include a $6,000 retirement-income deduction for taxpayers age 60 and older, a $6,000 Roth IRA contribution deduction, a higher dependent tax credit, and a deduction for child and dependent care expenses above the federal credit. JLBC estimated the package would reduce general fund income tax revenue by about $441.3 million in FY 2026. Members also discussed that the Department of Revenue’s forms had been issued assuming full conformity, and staff and supporters argued the bills were needed quickly to avoid confusion and amended returns during filing season.
Committee members and sponsors largely framed the bills as tax relief and a way to provide certainty for taxpayers and preparers. Supporters said the package would help families, seniors, and workers, and noted that the Arizona version was negotiated to keep the overall tax relief roughly comparable to full conformity while shifting benefits away from the SALT deduction and toward child credits, retirement income, and child care. The sponsors also criticized the governor’s executive action and urged prompt passage so taxpayers would know how to file. Opponents argued the bills would reduce state revenue, worsen the budget outlook, and disproportionately benefit higher-income taxpayers and corporations. Several witnesses and members also raised concerns about the child care deduction, the retirement-income deduction, and the business expensing provisions, while supporters responded that the bill was designed to help working families and encourage saving and investment.
Public testimony was mixed. The Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club supported the bills, emphasizing early conformity, filing certainty, and reduced confusion for taxpayers and software providers. Opponents included Save Our Schools Arizona, the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, Opportunity Arizona, and several individuals, who argued the package would deepen budget problems and favor the wealthy. One witness objected to a federal school-choice-related provision she said was being tied to the bill, though committee members said the measure before them was a tax conformity bill and not a school finance bill. The hearing included extended debate over the fiscal impact, the governor’s prior requests for some of the same tax changes, and whether taxpayers would need to file amended returns if the legislature later changed course. The transcript ends during testimony from NFIB, with no final committee vote or action shown in the excerpt.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HSH Public Hearing - Thu Feb 6, 2025 @ 10:00 AM HST
Human Services & Homelessness
Transcript Highlights:
- the Medicare Medicaid Savings Program the Medicare Medicaid Savings Program the<01:03:41.880>
- <01:28:40.800>
SOA <01:28:41.280>program homeless and soota program SOA program homeless - our program the return to home program our program the return to home program that<01:29:16.119>
- This program has been a hit. It's a pilot program. It is focused on women.
- So many good programs, and so expensive. So many good programs, and so expensive.
Summary:
The House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness met on February 6, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures. HB 44, which would appropriate funds to the Department of Human Services to work with community-based organizations on social services needs, drew broad support from nonprofit providers and coalitions that said contracts and reimbursement rates have not kept pace with the actual cost of services, leaving agencies unable to retain staff or meet demand. DHS said it supported the bill’s intent but asked for clarification because the language was broad and did not specify which organizations or how funds should be allocated. Committee members and the bill’s introducer discussed how to make the measure more specific and equitable, including whether to set a percentage increase, use a baseline date, and direct DHS to distribute funds among different program areas; the True Cost Coalition and DHS agreed to follow up in writing with proposed language and a funding number.
The committee then heard HB 1349, which would authorize Medicaid/CHIP coverage for income-qualified pregnant persons and children regardless of immigration status. Supporters, including the Legal Clinic, Aloha Care, and the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said the bill would improve prenatal and child health, reduce the chilling effect of immigration enforcement on care-seeking, and help prevent premature or underweight births by ensuring earlier access to providers. DHS provided comments and the committee asked where the measure would fit in the budget; the department identified the relevant budget code. Written testimony in support came from multiple advocacy and health organizations and dozens of individuals.
Finally, the committee heard HB 613, which would appropriate funds to DHS for emergency shelter and services for unaccompanied homeless youth. The Office of the Public Defender, the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions, the Office of Youth Services, Rise, the Hawaiʻi State LGBTQ+ Commission, and others supported the bill, emphasizing youth homelessness, the need for coordinated shelter and outreach, and the high share of LGBTQ+ youth among homeless minors. OYS asked that the committee consider funding its existing Safe Spaces pilot rather than creating a new program, while DHS said it supported the intent but wanted clarification because multiple department programs could be implicated. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair instead requested follow-up language and funding information for HB 44 and continued the measures for further consideration.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- These programs are not just inappropriate.
- or the collegiate programs or the. dual credit programs look like what the race is of the campus with
- I would like to share with you the experiences I've had with DEI programs, with programs like Girls Empowerment
- If it's a DEI program for the school? What is a DEI program?
- Let's talk about some potential benefits of using porn.
Keywords:
parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, school district, grievance procedure, public education, diversity and inclusion, funding penalties, school libraries, library advisory councils, library materials, educational content, challenging materials, constitutional amendment, school choice