Transcript Highlights:

• Booth operations involve an employee of the organization in some kind of enclosure separate from the
• Bar operations involve an employee of the bar or restaurant providing the sales and prize redemptions
• Booth operations involve an employee of the organization in some kind of enclosure separate from the
• Bar operations involve an employee of the bar or restaurant providing the sales and prize redemptions
• </c><00:35:55.200><c> of</c> Booth operations involve an employee of Booth operations involve an employee

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Scarsdale for legislation to amend the Sick Leave Bank for Matthew McRae, an employee of the Department
• Fairness and equity for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees.
• of the bill, an act providing for fairness and equity for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees
• Lanatra of Kingston, will the members, guests, and employees please stand in a moment of silent tribute
• Members and employees, please stand in a moment of silent tribute in memory of Roberta Bobby Phyllis

Summary: The House opened with routine procedural actions, including suspension of Joint Rule 12 for two petitions and suspension of Rule 7A to take up several bills immediately. Members advanced multiple Ways and Means bills to third reading, including measures on campaign finance reporting for statewide ballot questions, tax-free medical devices, fairness for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees, releasing land use restrictions in Revere, and authorizing a land taking in Norwood. Several engrossed local and special bills were then passed to be enacted, including measures affecting Boston police age waivers, the Hudson charter, Plymouth’s land acquisition account, Falmouth sewer-related costs, and Randolph’s charter. The House also considered Senate Bill 2916 on campaign finance reporting for ballot questions. Supporters said the bill would strengthen disclosure, close reporting loopholes, and improve transparency around ballot question committees and signature gathering, while also creating a commission to review the initiative petition process. Amendments were adopted, including changes to the commission’s membership and a separate amendment related to signature-gathering provisions. After debate, the bill passed to be engrossed by roll call vote 149-0. Members then took up the fiscal year 2027 budget conference report, House No. 5555, totaling about $63.4 billion. Supporters highlighted funding for Chapter 70 education aid, local aid, Fair Share investments in education and transportation, MBTA and regional transit support, housing and homelessness programs, food assistance, and immigration legal aid. The conference report was adopted by roll call 142-6, the emergency preamble was adopted, and the budget bill was passed to be enacted by the same vote. The House also declined concurrence on Senate Bill 3064, “to build resilience for Massachusetts communities,” and appointed a committee of conference, and later appointed a conference committee on House Bill 4646, enhancing child welfare protections. The session ended with a moment of silence for community figures and adjournment to the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• In New Jersey, that meant a savings of 25% for state employees and 18% for local employees.
• insurance provider integrated PBM services into our overall pharmacy and benefit contract for our employees
• In New Jersey, that meant a savings of 25% for state employees and 18% for lower for state employees,
• and 18% for local employees.
• insurance provider and integrated PBM services into our overall pharmacy and benefit contract for our employees

Committee: Senate Insurance

Summary: The Senate Insurance Committee met on May 13, 2026, adopted the May 6 minutes, and then took up several bills dealing with pharmacy benefit managers, prescription access, behavioral health coverage, and Citizens Property Insurance. HB 938, as amended, was the main PBM reform measure. After the committee adopted a large amendment set that narrowed the bill, members heard extensive testimony in support from Mark Bloom, Justin Joseph of Capital Rx, and Kathy Ue of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, all emphasizing transparency, pass-through pricing, reverse auctions, and patient access. Supporters described savings from reverse auctions and administrative models, while the cancer center testified that PBM-owned specialty pharmacy requirements can delay cancer medications and create financial hardship. The committee reported HB 938 favorably with amendments. The committee also heard HB 1154, which prohibits prior authorization for certain generic medications prescribed by qualified physicians, with a $250 cap discussed as a safeguard against higher-cost generics. The bill was supported by representatives from Ochsner Health and the Louisiana State Medical Society and was reported favorably. HB 909, which requires commercial coverage for behavioral health crisis services, was amended to clarify the insurers covered and then reported favorably with support from the Office of Behavioral Health and several outside groups. Testimony on HB 909 focused on reducing emergency room and law enforcement burdens and expanding crisis response capacity across the state. HB 1187, dealing with excess emergency assessment funds from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, was explained by the Insurance Commissioner as a way to transfer remaining Katrina-era assessment funds to the Fortified Roof Program. The committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, SB 511 and SB 512 were deferred and converted into a study resolution approach because there was not yet consensus on the underlying issue. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 2504, filed during the 2026 regular session, relating to collective bargaining and state employees
• Senate Bill 2504E by Senator Hooper, a bill to be entitled an act relating to state employees.
• Senate Bill 25... ...state employees. President's reference: appropriations.
• Senate Bill 2504E, a bill to be entitled, an act relating to state employees.
• The bill establishes contribution rates by employers for each class of employee who participates in the

Summary: The Senate convened in special session with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and observed moments of silence for Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Mateer and former Senator Bill Posey. The Secretary read the joint proclamation calling the special session, which was limited to budget, implementing, collective bargaining, retirement, education, health, taxation, corrections, fuel tax, and related conference-report legislation. Chair Hooper then outlined the process for taking up Senate conforming bills first, followed by House bills once received, in preparation for budget conference. The chamber passed several Senate bills and House companion bills, generally by 32-0 votes, after delete-all amendments were adopted to place the measures in proper posture for conference. Measures taken up included fuel taxes (SB 2506E), the state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge (SB 2508E), judges (SB 2512E), pre-K-12 education (SB 2514E), retirement (SB 2E/HB 5205E), higher education (SB 2516E/HB 5601E), health care (SB 2518E/HB 5301E), collective bargaining/state employees (SB 2504E/HB 5201E), government administration (HB 5203E), correctional facilities financing and capital improvements (HB 5403E), documentary stamp tax distributions (HB 5501E), petroleum cleanup programs (HB 5701E), and the general appropriations and implementing bills (SB 2500E/HB 5001E and SB 2502E/HB 5003E). In each case, the Senate either passed the bill as amended or, after failing to pass the House version as received, requested conference with the House. During debate on the tax package, Leader Berman urged lawmakers to consider suspending the motor fuel tax for the summer, citing high gas prices and the need for immediate relief at the pump. The Senate ultimately passed HB 7031E as a blank vehicle for conference and then requested conference with the House after failing to pass it as received. No substantive amendments were adopted beyond the conference-posture delete-all amendments, and no recorded opposition votes were cast on the measures considered. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair announced the Special Order Calendar Group would not meet that day or the next, and the Senate adopted a motion to establish the Special Order Calendar for the remainder of the special session by website publication and secretary announcement. The Senate then adjourned upon the call of the President for committee meetings and other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• state agency, a municipality, county, or a political subdivision of the state, its contractors or employees
• members, Senate Bill 1665 requires each state agency to adopt a standardized hiring process for all employees
• members, Senate Bill 1665 requires each state agency to adopt a standardized hiring process for all employees
• ' employee positions and allows a candidate to appeal a hiring decision to the state personnel board.
• Nguyen amendment dated March 6 at 3:30 p.m. adds an employee of a utility as defined in Section 40-491

Summary: The committee heard a long series of Senate bills, mostly on third-read consent, covering education, public safety, health, courts, labor, and water. Several bills were briefly explained and then pulled from consent for further discussion, including measures on public records review standards (SB 1078), sexually explicit materials in schools/libraries (SB 1435 and SB 1567), burial costs in death cases (SB 1135), military flags in HOAs/COAs (SB 1184), court-ordered treatment guardianship (SB 1243), standardized state hiring (SB 1665), released-time religious instruction (SB 1741), firearm safety instruction in schools (SB 1424), student participation in extracurriculars after certain convictions (SB 1475), Celebrate Freedom Week (SB 1572), federal scholarship-granting organizations/vouchers (SB 1142), immigration-related arrest notifications (SB 1055), defamation standards (SB 1099), peace officer certification for military police veterans (SB 1107), mandatory reporting of child abuse/neglect directly to DCS (SB 1127), attorney licensing and discipline issues (SB 1148 and SB 1039), concealed weapons on college campuses (SB 1068), and firearm muffling devices/silencers (SB 1069). Members also raised constitutional, policy, and school-safety concerns on several of these bills, while supporters emphasized alternative pathways for students, veterans, and workers, and tighter reporting or licensing rules. Other bills were described without extended debate, including claims against the state for unpaid contracted services (SB 1097), workers’ compensation death benefits for surviving spouses who remarry (SB 1136), burial expense increases (SB 1135), state agency web pages for internal guidance (SB 1586), court-ordered treatment procedures and service of process in mental health cases (SB 1113), medical examiner authorization (SB 1123), tribal MOUs with DCS (SB 1125), controlled-substance scheduling conformity with federal classifications (SB 1188), EMT personal information protections (SB 1193), mammography notice updates (SB 1318), assisted-living referral disclosures (SB 1477), accommodation school GED instruction for 11th graders and students over 16 (SB 1166), credit enhancement board continuation (SB 1422), school district and charter school obligations related to religious release time (SB 1741), school firearm safety instruction (SB 1424), and school civics/freedom-week instruction (SB 1572). The committee also heard bills on CPA certification pathways (SB 1181), insurance adjuster licensing (SB 1415), county voter-registration rules online (SB 1040), campaign address privacy (SB 1259), federal land acquisition notification (SB 1281), water supply/demand assessments (SB 1202), environmental compatibility for power plants and small modular reactors (SB 1418), and groundwater recovery rules (SB 1785). The meeting ended with announcements and a brief recognition of Rep. Stephanie Hamilton with an “Affordability Award.” No final votes are shown in the transcript excerpt; instead, many bills were either left on consent, pulled for later discussion, or flagged for closed caucus. The chair then asked guests to leave so members could hold a closed caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• I sincerely appreciate these individuals and all the employees at DOPL who work hard every day not only
• I also want to express my appreciation to the DOPL employees and the members of our boards and commissions
• These are the costs needed to compensate the division's employees and any operating costs that aren't
• We also have a new employee who's out on a field trip, Tristan Thompson, who was recently hired as a
• Just to give you an update as to where we are right now, we have cut down our employee count.

Summary: The committee first heard a report from the Joint Millennium Fund co-chairs on recommended uses of Millennium Fund dollars. The recommendations included one-time funding for juvenile safety assessment centers and child advocacy centers, ongoing funding for the Upper River Youth Leadership Council Recovery Center, $5 million for a statewide drug awareness media campaign, and $25 million one-time for Medicaid claim payments to reduce the general fund impact in fiscal year 2027. Members asked about the Medicaid recommendation because the fund had previously been directed away from Medicaid; the co-chairs said the request was made in light of a revenue downturn and was intended as one-time funding, with any unused balance returned. The report was accepted by unanimous consent. The committee then reviewed the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Legislative staff summarized the division’s consolidation of licensing boards, staffing, fee-balance management requirements, and the governor’s and committee’s budget recommendations, including vehicle replacement and IT hardware requests. Administrator Russ Barron said the division has reduced overall expenditures since consolidation, improved licensing and inspection timeliness, and used fee changes, fee holidays, and board mergers to keep board balances within the target range. Members questioned rising personnel costs, the use of opioid settlement funds for prescriber DEA fees, the continued need for a 10% transfer exemption, vehicle replacement timing, and how complaints and discipline are handled; Barron said complaints drive investigations, boards set fees subject to legislative approval, and a universal discipline bill could improve consistency. Finally, the committee heard the state lottery budget. Staff described lottery revenues, prize payouts, dividend distributions to schools and state buildings, and a small one-time request for replacement computers. Director Andrew Arulenandum said the lottery has reduced management layers, renegotiated major contracts for significant future savings, and is trying to improve performance without relying heavily on paid advertising. Members asked about the role of lottery detectives, the return on advertising spending, and the need for MacBooks and iMacs; he said detectives investigate theft and other lottery-related crimes, advertising results are hard to isolate from jackpot size, and the Apple equipment is needed for in-house design work. The committee concluded its business and adjourned, with a reminder about upcoming budget-setting work sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• your attention to this page in the very first line on the uses column, the personal services and employee
• First of all, you may remember last year you all passed legislation that increases the share of employee
• A big reason for that is if you'll notice on the personal Services and employee benefits line in the
• Our two biggest price tags and the biggest growth of government is 80% of state employees' health care
• because our employees cannot afford health care because we need to reform our medical malpractice.

Transcript Highlights:

• including the Commission on Human Relations, the Division of Administrative Hearings, the Public Employees
• The final recommendation is $257,000 for targeted retention incentives for employees in the higher-cost
• This funding will go towards adjusting employee pay in some of the high-cost areas to retain our frontline
• McCaffrey, next we have the highlights of the Public Employees Relations Commission, and here with us
• For those of you not familiar with PERC, it handles career service appeals for state employees throughout

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum, welcomed new member Senator Ralph Massullo, and first took up confirmation of five appointees to water management district and basin board positions. Senator McLean moved favorable confirmation of Ted Everett, Jerome Pate, Michael Romano, Paul Bissfam, John Hall, and Virginia Johns, and the motion passed by roll call. The main agenda item was the Governor’s Florida First budget presentation for the environmental agencies. Kim Kramer and DEP Secretary Alexis Lambert outlined proposed environmental funding of about $5.8 billion, including more than $1.4 billion for water resources, $810 million for Everglades restoration, $408 million for water quality, $202 million for Resilient Florida, $75 million for beach renourishment, $150 million for Florida Forever, $70 million for state park infrastructure, and $221 million for hazardous waste cleanup. They also highlighted proposed funding for FWC operations, manatee care, python removal, oyster reef restoration, forestry and wildfire equipment, and citrus research and disease response. Members asked about Florida Forever funding, state park wastewater and septic needs, a cut to the Florida Wildlife Research Institute, and how beach renourishment is handled after storms. The committee then heard the general government budget presentation. Agencies highlighted included DBPR, Gaming Control, the Lottery, DMS, PERC, DFS, OIR, and Revenue. DBPR discussed funding for license processing, an animal abuse hotline, vehicle replacement, and IT recruitment; Gaming Control requested new law enforcement squads and a licensing/enforcement IT system; the Lottery emphasized marketing, retail engagement, IT, and retention funding; DMS proposed building, fleet, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and local government grant investments; PERC described workload growth after SB 256 and requested staffing, operations, and pay increases; OIR sought more staff for consumer protection and market oversight plus building renovations; DFS highlighted My Safe Florida Home funding, fire marshal and first responder support, financial investigations, and gold and silver legal tender implementation; and Revenue requested operational, IT, and fiscally constrained county funding. Members questioned DBPR about unfunded HOA fraud and condo transparency items, DMS about cybersecurity grants, and DFS about My Safe Florida Home funding levels, abandoned grants, and reduced program uptake. No further action was taken, and the committee adjourned without additional votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE BULK OF THIS IS DONE BY ONE SUPERVISOR AND THREE EMPLOYEES.
• >> IF AGENCIES HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT IS ALL THAT THEY DO POTENTIALLY YES.
• I SUSPECT YOU WILL FIND MOST AGENCIES ARE PRETTY LENIENT AND THOSE EMPLOYEES A DO A VARIETY OF OTHER
• ASSUME FOR A MOMENT THAT AN EMPLOYEE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS THE CAR AND THE AUTHORIZE TO USE FOR THAT CAR
• IS ONLY HERE IN TALLAHASSEE, NOW, THAT EMPLOYEE DECIDES TO TAKE HIS FAMILY TO DISNEY WORLD WITH THE

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation that we've been working on for probably a year and a half, and we've heard from both employees
• 11:04.760><c> both</c> half and uh so we've heard from both half and uh so we've heard from both employees
• and employers over the last employees and employers over the last couple<00:11:07.800><c> years</c><
• </c> Uh, to address these concerns, employees and employer groups have worked together with me for more
• So, being currently retired and having employees that this is going to affect and help them with their

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Local Government met with a quorum present and began with roll call and a brief introduction of a page, William Huffman, a fifth grader from Lexington. The chair announced that House Bill 7 and House Bill 490 would not be considered that day, with HB 7 described by its sponsor as a housing-related proof-of-concept measure that needed more interim study before returning next session. The committee then heard House Bill 744, sponsored by Representative Richard White, with testimony from Brown County officials. The bill would allow counties to pay routine vendors electronically under a standing order, while still requiring appropriate signatures, to address delayed mail delivery, lost checks, and check-washing concerns. The committee substitute and title amendment were both adopted, and the bill received favorable expression to pass the House floor by roll call vote. Senate Bill 10 was presented by Senator Robbie Mills with support from representatives of the sheriff, firefighters, police chiefs, and cities organizations. The bill would enhance retiree health benefits for CERS career retirees by better aligning the subsidy with under-65 health costs. Members voiced support, including one member explaining a yes vote based on the bill’s benefit to retirees, and the committee voted favorably with a title amendment adopted. Senate Bill 25 was then heard from Senator Mills as part of broader housing legislation; it would expand the use of industrial revenue bonds for large multifamily housing projects of at least 48 units to help address Kentucky’s housing shortage. The committee approved the bill with favorable expression, and at the end members who had arrived late recorded attendance and votes before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> workers, 14.9% of custodial employees, workers, 14.9% of custodial employees, and<01:39:31.400>
• So, it is um as I noted in my employees.
• Many of employees. Well, Mr. president.
• Of course, these seasonal workers are valued employees.
• And I hourly employees in our schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> certain employees and contract workers. certain employees and contract workers.
• </c> endangers DOE employees and students. endangers DOE employees and students.
• But I have had problems DOE employees.
• A health care facility and its employees or agents; and 4.
• A health care facility and its employees or agents; and 4.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on HB 1875, which would expand Hawaii’s existing protections to include gender-affirming health care, clarify permitted disclosures of protected health information, and bar certain adverse actions by malpractice insurers and health carriers against providers of lawful reproductive or gender-affirming care. The Insurance Division of DCCA supported the bill with a technical amendment, suggesting language tied to actuarial analysis rather than the phrase “actuarially sound.” The Office of Information Practices also provided comments. Most testimony was strongly in support. State agencies and advocacy groups, including the Hawaii State Youth Commission, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Stonewall Caucus, ACLU of Hawaii, PFLAG Oahu, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the bill would protect patient privacy, reduce chilling effects from out-of-state litigation, and help retain providers in a state already facing shortages. Several testifiers said gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and life-saving, and emphasized that Hawaii should protect its own health care decisions from outside political pressure. A few individuals testified in opposition, arguing the bill was unnecessary or that it protected providers more than opponents of the bill, but these views were not echoed by most of the testimony. The chair repeatedly reminded testifiers to keep comments brief and maintain decorum. The transcript provided does not include a final committee vote or disposition on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:36.639><c> National</c><00:31:37.080><c> Guard</c> teachers state employees National Guard
• teachers state employees National Guard members<00:31:38.559><c> our</c><00:31:38.840><c> citizen</c
• that they have a fair Safety employees that they have a fair and<00:32:11.120><c> competitive</c><00
• Were promised to our public safety employees. It's the right thing to do.
• Business owner and their employees. Let's not start now. Coer is another building trade.

Transcript Highlights:

• Registration of Naturopathy, House No. 2402; and the House bill relative to the fifth member of the public employee
• The House bill relative to the fifth member of the public employee retirement systems, House No. 2813
• Relative to the fifth member of the public employee retirement systems, House No. 2813.
• An act relative to the fifth member of the public employee retirement systems, House No. 2813.

Summary: The House convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and first concurred in a Senate petition from Michael O’More seeking legislation to prohibit denials of certain health care payments, which was referred under suspension of Joint Rule 12 to the Committee on Financial Services. The Committee on Steering Policy and Scheduling then recommended several bills for House consideration, including measures on privileged communication between labor organizations and individuals, the Board of Registration of Naturopathy, the fifth member of the public employee retirement systems, charter school procurement, and uniform fiduciary access to digital assets. The House suspended Rule 7A, ordered these bills to a third reading, and later took up engrossed bills on affordable car rentals (Senate 2616) and expanding Marblehead’s Board of Health (House 3912), passing both to be enacted. The House also considered House 4401, relating to certain special revolving funds in the town of Athol, after it was released by the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. That bill was passed to be engrossed. No debate or recorded opposition was noted on the measures considered; actions were taken by voice vote with the ayes prevailing throughout. At the close of business, the House adopted an order to adjourn until 11 a.m. the next day, and then adjourned accordingly. A Democratic caucus was announced for 11 a.m. in rooms A.1 and A.2.

Transcript Highlights:

• To hold state employees at work under the guise of official responsibilities for the purpose of campaign
• Using the entire Senate, its employees, and support resources to support Senator Alvarado's campaign
• And it forces employees to assist and participate in her campaign.
• Every other Senate member and each employee is a prop to support Senator Alvarado.

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB4 , HB1 , HB3 , HB20 , HB22 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB4 , SB2 , SB5

Transcript Highlights:

• So manpower employees cost, correct? I mean, that's my question.
• Does having manpower employees cost?
• Does having manpower employees cost?
• leave for private sector and local government employees.
• It mirrors the FMLA law that ties to the 50-employee threshold for private and local government employees

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, and several recognitions, including a moment of silence for service members killed in the Middle East conflict. The chamber adopted the special order report and then took up several bills on the special order calendar. Early action included passage of CS/CS/HB 981 on tributaries of the St. Johns River and Ocklawaha River restoration after debate over environmental benefits versus concerns about impacts to Rodman Reservoir, rural communities, property values, and long-term uncertainty. The bill passed 107-3. Members then considered CS/HB 1389 on affordable housing and the Live Local Act. The bill would expand multifamily and mixed-use allowances, limit local setback/stepback restrictions, remove local opt-out authority, address accessory dwelling units, and waive sovereign immunity for certain land-use discrimination claims. Supporters argued it would increase housing supply amid a statewide shortage; opponents objected to further state preemption of local control and the ADU provisions. The bill passed 78-29. The House also passed CS/CS/HB 1085, codifying the local government cybersecurity grant program and prioritizing fiscally constrained counties, by a unanimous 109-0 vote. The chamber next debated CS/HB 273 on special districts, which would allow certain agreements in rural areas of opportunity and impose new transparency and budget rules on larger downtown development districts. Questions focused on the meaning of “directly benefit,” the 10% administrative cap, budget approval authority, and the bill’s effect on downtown development authorities. An amendment to remove the downtown district provisions failed, and the bill passed 88-0. The House later returned to the temporarily postponed CS/HB 989 on motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, which limits allocation of new vehicle lines to any one dealer group; it passed 109-1. Finally, the House took up CS/HB 1329 on local government spending transparency. The bill requires tentative budgets to be posted 14 days before hearings, final budgets to remain online for five years, and budget data to be searchable and downloadable, with waivers for smaller governments. Members debated whether the bill would impose costs despite the sponsor’s claim of zero fiscal impact. An amendment by Representative Cheney would have added hardship assistance for small governments and CFO support, but the transcript ends during debate on that amendment before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our second exception item on page 12 is a request for $6.8 million and 50 new employees. to improve DMV
• The new employees will address work load volumes and continue improvements to data security and fraud
• Are you asking total number of employees versus what we're asking for? Yeah.
• Civil Rights Division has around 50 employees in it. 1-5 or 5-0? 5-0. 5-0. FTEs. What's the budget?
• I mean we have to protect employees obviously. I mean we that's you know the utmost important.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:35.480><c> additional</c> of the program employees additional of the program employees additional
• Four or five of the employees are in clerk positions that have been announced.
• Four or five of the employees are in clerk positions that have been announced.
• Four or five of the employees are in clerk positions that have been announced.
• Four or five of the employees are in clerk positions that have been announced.

Summary: The Committee on Finance held informational briefings first with the Department of Defense on its FY 2026 budget request, then with the Hawaii School Facilities Authority. Major General Steve Logan outlined the Department of Defense request for $40.5 million in state funds, which he said would leverage about $74 million in federal matching funds and support 411 open projects that could attract up to $2.3 billion in additional federal grant money. He said the budget focuses on sustainment, safety, and reorganization in light of lessons from the Maui wildfires. Key requests included $1.3 million to sustain IT systems, $2.7 million for 32 HEMA emergency management positions, three new Hawaii Army National Guard positions plus four upgrades, and $1.9 million for the Youth Challenge Program to cover state-mandated fringe costs and staffing needs. He also reviewed capital improvement projects, including Youth Challenge facility upgrades, siren modernization, ADA improvements, building retrofits for disaster resilience, Army facility upgrades, a third state veterans home on Maui, HEMA EOC improvements, and a maintenance/fuel building at Diamond Head. Members asked about the siren modernization timeline, and HEMA said roughly 26 to 31 sirens would be modernized this year, with 15 on Maui, eight on Oahu, and eight on the Big Island. Questions also focused on Youth Challenge and Job Challenge enrollment and vacancies, with the department saying the Hilo Job Challenge Academy is growing and that combining Youth Challenge recruiting statewide into one Kilauea program has helped enrollment. Logan also answered questions about the New Year’s Eve medical transport mission, explaining the Hawaii Air National Guard’s relationship with active-duty Air Force assets and saying the flight cost is about $20,000 per flight hour, though the final bill had not yet been determined. On the Maui veterans home, staff said the University of Hawaii site was no longer viable after faculty senate opposition, so the department is now focused on a 10-acre Puna District site; the project remains tied to a certified $35 million state match and August 2025 and August 2026 federal suspense dates. Logan said the veterans home remains one of the department’s highest priorities, but it could not be moved higher in the submitted CIP ranking. The department also discussed a Governor’s add-on for a fire marshal/Office of Recovery and Resiliency proposal. Logan said the fire marshal position was reestablished last session but has not yet been filled, and that if the function is transferred to the Department of Defense, the department wants funding ready to move quickly. Staff later said the request would include about $1.1 million for seven positions and about $2.2 million for operating costs, though details were still preliminary. The committee then reconvened for the School Facilities Authority briefing, where Executive Director Ricky Fujitani described the agency as a startup created in 2020 to improve school and workforce housing development through standardized designs, prefabrication, best-value procurement, and public-private partnerships. He said Hawaii’s single school district still functions like 15 different districts because of its 264 schools across 15 complex areas, and that the authority’s goal is to create more efficient, maintainable, and cost-effective facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1247 Garcia, Classified Contracted Employees Holding Committee.
• AB 1233, Hoover, Classified Employee Database, hold in committee.
• AB 1383 McKenna, public employee retirement benefits, two year bill.
• AB 378 Valencia, Classified School Employee Summer Assistance, do pass out on a B roll call. out with
• AB 465 Zubur, local employee MOUs, holding committee.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Our employee breakdown: we have support staff of 39 positions.
• order to properly maintain our roads, we also need to provide good places of employment for our employees
• We held a Christmas luncheon with significant participation from our employees.
• This luncheon was organized by three of our employees, and each District 6 employee received a ham.
• It was a special event for our employees.