Transcript Highlights:

• wait time for patients, that's something that's been but up to us over and over and I know you'll contract
• So we recently procured and execute a contract for a vendor and external vendor to do no secret shopping
• So we have recently contracting with a vendor to do very robust large-scale secret shopper activities
• But do you know there's going to be any additional impacts to may be the case workers or any additional
• So they don't have the ability really to analyze, say we go look at 200 contracts and see where, you

Transcript Highlights:

• Towns lose the savings that contracts.
• <00:56:17.760> out<00:56:17.920> of projects, capital, and workers out of projects,
• capital, and workers out of New<00:56:18.319> Hampshire.
• Fewer projects lead to fewer in-state firms, fewer skilled workers, and fewer competitive bids, which
• concern I would have is maybe if we do this open-ended, it sort of puts this in place that every contract

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, we're going to introduce our first panel, household impacts, and cost pressures on workers
• and worker experiences, particularly thinking about policy change in the agenda.
• This was our Workers and Learners Project.
• So what we found is clear: there's an ongoing strain on student workers.
• We also recommend empowering workers and learners through workers' rights training and resources.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in Paramount as part of its “Pocketbook Tour,” focused on affordability, cost pressures, and household impacts in Los Angeles County. The first panel centered on workers and learners, with testimony from the UCLA Labor Center and the Southeast Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board. Speakers described how rising living costs, tuition, and low wages force many students to work long hours, often in unrelated, low-wage jobs, while struggling with food, rent, bills, anxiety, and limited financial aid. Recommendations included expanding state-funded work study, creating a statewide internship tax credit for small businesses, improving financial aid formulas to reflect regional cost of living, increasing flexibility for students, and strengthening worker-rights education and career pathways. The second panel focused on microbusinesses and small business affordability. Testimony from microenterprise advocates, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network, and local business owners described rising commercial rents, labor costs, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, insurance, utilities, and disaster-related pressures as major threats to small businesses. Witnesses emphasized that small businesses are central to local economies and asked the state to expand technical assistance, low-interest financing, disaster support, supply-chain development, and community-based outreach. They also urged more intentional support for microbusinesses and home-based entrepreneurs, including networks that connect them to resources and help them build collective buying power. Committee members asked about possible state actions, including tax credits for hiring local workers or interns, support for trades and apprenticeships, and ways to partner more closely with SBDCs and chambers of commerce. Public comment echoed the hearing themes, with speakers highlighting student hardship, nonprofit mental health funding, renewable energy jobs and internships, and the need for state support for clean-energy incentives. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks and adjournment at 11:05 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• incurred costs prior to contracted incurred costs prior to contracted commitments. commitments.
• <00:59:33.680> in trying to retain and recruit workers in trying to retain and recruit workers
• They have a huge workers are amazing.
• 10,000 workers in PCA choice and CFSS. 10,000 workers in PCA choice and CFSS.
• I had a worker that wasn't supposed to do the sidewalk.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are jobs that provide opportunities for those who are underemployed or student workers who need
• And we had to wait for the city to pass a resolution approving the loan and the contract.
• The federal reservoirs have operating contracts with the local parties.
• Do you know if those contracts go to perpetuity?
• It works for that company to use workers who are not from the U.S.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, this is relating to workers' compensation medical benefits.
• Our suggested amendments clarify the two different contracts under this internship program.
• Our suggested amendments clarify the two different contracts under this internship program.
• . contract. contract.
• This is relating to workers' compensation medical benefits.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. HB 2271 HD2, making emergency appropriations for public employment cost items, drew support from state agencies and other entities, including HPHA, the University of Hawaiʻi, DLNR, OYS, DAGS, DOH, DOA/Biosecurity, and the Behavioral Health Administration; no opposition was noted. HB 2324 HD2, relating to the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Law, was supported by DLIR, which said the bill removes a duplicative Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board requirement and aligns whistleblower investigation timelines with federal standards. HB 2387 HD1, relating to workers’ compensation medical benefits, also received support from DLIR and the State Fire Council, with the chair noting 40 supporters and no opposition or comments. HB 2116 HD2, relating to grants, was presented as a response to federal SNAP-related eligibility changes. Supporters included the Office of Community Services, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and several other organizations. Testimony said the bill would help nonprofits provide volunteer opportunities that could count toward an 80-hour monthly work requirement and help vulnerable residents avoid losing benefits; witnesses cited potential impacts on older adults and households with dependent children. HB 1682 HD1, relating to the disclosure of intimate images, drew strong support from advocates, the Uniform Law Commission, the Commission to Promote Uniform Laws, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, and others. Testifiers emphasized the harms of non-consensual image sharing, the need for civil remedies, confidentiality protections, and the bill’s alignment with a uniform act already enacted in other states. HB 2468 HD1, relating to internship programs, received support from the University of Hawaiʻi, DLIR, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others. Testimony focused on the Hālau Mua internship program, workforce development, and the need to clarify sponsor contracts, background checks, and onboarding; committee members asked about a former intern now working in an 89-day hire position and how to streamline hiring into civil service roles. HB 2091 HD2, relating to petitions to restrain and enjoin harassment of DOE employees, was supported by DOE, the Attorney General’s office, UPW, and others; the AG’s office requested a data-driven appropriation amount, and members discussed a $300,000 figure for the full two-year pilot. The chair also asked for confirmation of prior cost figures for HB 2116 before moving toward decision-making.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Tijuana River Valley, so that workers are appropriately protected.
• While innovation has created opportunity, it has also left many workers and communities behind, often
• Yet workers are often the last to know when their jobs are being replaced.
• , those workers must receive written notice at least 60 days before the layoff occurs.
• Public health programs, and thousands of frontline workers.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to each building-level administrator whose contract has been renewed.
• Eligible for a contract as a teacher in that district.
• And so the contract year starts July 1, right?
• contract they’ve been offered, correct?
• They extend the contracts without their permission.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first took up House Concurrent Resolution 31, which recognizes seniors through a civics and patriotism work group. The sponsor explained a substitute that clarified the work group’s role in setting qualifications and awarding gold, silver, and bronze certificates, with DESE producing the seals and schools submitting qualifying students. The substitute also retained recognition for veterans and students entering the armed services. Members, including the ranking member, supported the revised structure, and the committee adopted the substitute and voted the resolution do pass on a 16-0 vote after correcting an earlier clerical count. The committee then considered House Bill 21, House Bill 26, and House Bill 2197 together in a committee substitute focused on building-level administrator evaluations and nonrenewal procedures. The substitute required administrators to be evaluated at least once per contract year, required written notice of renewal or nonrenewal by March 1, and gave nonrenewed administrators the right to request written reasons and a closed-door hearing before the school board. Members discussed the bill’s removal of earlier tenure-related language and whether the hearing right gave administrators more protection than other employees, but sponsors said the intent was to ensure annual evaluations and a fair explanation for nonrenewal without creating tenure. The committee adopted an amendment, rolled it into a new substitute, and voted the bill do pass 17-0. After moving back into open session, the committee heard House Bill 3489, which would expand access to workforce readiness assessments such as WorkKeys and allow students to earn up to nine hours of college credit for demonstrated workplace skills as recommended by the American Council on Education. The sponsor said the bill was intended to support career pathways, not replace college-bound options, and to gather feedback for future work. Testimony in support came from ACT, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and DESE, all emphasizing workforce development, employer demand, and existing state use of WorkKeys; DESE noted current funding and implementation issues tied to sports wagering revenue and said a related study on WorkKeys’ validity and industry recognition is ongoing. Committee members asked about how the bill would affect school testing requirements and college credit transfer, and the sponsor clarified that the measure was meant to broaden options rather than mandate a single path. No vote was taken on HB 3489 before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• people that we rely on to put together events like this, to keep our community safe—public sector workers
• the ride a senior relies on to get to a doctor's appointment, and the daily commute of countless workers
• My colleagues, when we invest in regional transportation, we invest in every community, every worker,
• My colleagues, when we invest in regional transportation, we invest in every community, every worker,
• Furthermore, it is essential that equipment purchases do not come along with long-term service contracts

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up Senate House No. 4010, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill funded largely by surplus Fair Share revenues. The Ways and Means chair described the bill as a $1.28 billion package, with major investments in education and transportation, including special education circuit breaker aid, higher education deferred maintenance, career technical education capital grants, school construction relief, high-dosage tutoring, English language learning grants, MBTA reserve replenishment and safety training, commuter rail maintenance, Chapter 90 local road aid, regional transit authority support, ferry and micro-transit funding, and a small World Cup transportation appropriation. Members from both parties generally praised the bill’s one-time, regionally balanced approach while emphasizing fiscal discipline and the limited, surplus-based funding source. The minority leader and others questioned the fund balances and the use of the education and transportation innovation and capital fund, the Student Opportunity Act trust fund, and the transitional escrow account; the chair said the bill would zero out the innovation and capital fund, leave about $430 million in the SOA trust, and about $200 million in the escrow account. Several members highlighted specific priorities. Senator Cronin and Senator Feeney strongly supported the $100 million career technical education investment, arguing it would expand vocational opportunities in comprehensive high schools and help meet workforce needs. Senator Feeney also emphasized MBTA funding, special education, local road repairs, English language learning tied to workforce needs, and World Cup preparations in Foxborough. Senator Comerford praised the bill’s regional equity, higher education maintenance funding, special education support, and transportation investments, while also noting the need for broader future work on Chapter 70 and school finance. Senator Tarr supported the bill but repeatedly stressed that the spending was a unique one-time opportunity and that the Commonwealth should preserve fiscal reserves and continue to address school funding inequities and MBTA finances more broadly. The chamber then considered numerous amendments. Amendment 1 on tariff pricing transparency was withdrawn after brief remarks, and Amendment 14, proposing a DESE study on educational outcomes for young men and boys, was rejected. Amendment 182, funding Worcester Regional Transit Authority capital expenses, was adopted. Amendment 228, adding $500,000 for Free Period to expand access to menstrual products in schools, was adopted. Amendment 257, funding Springfield Public Schools communication and safety systems, was also adopted. Other amendments, including Tarr amendments on supplemental district aid, MBTA reporting, and the Foundation Budget Review Commission, were rejected. Amendment 308 concerning MBTA Communities and Milton was withdrawn, after which Senator Driscoll began a presentation arguing Milton was being misclassified under the MBTA Communities Act and should be treated fairly under the law.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<02:43:53.120> cut<02:43:53.439> workers overtime pay for workers, cut workers overtime
• They want workers to get less workers.
• their workers less because that worker their workers less because that worker happened<05:27:50.638
• help tip workers. help tip workers.
• basis whether a worker counts as a tipped worker.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is, they contract with all these departments and, you know, we contract with these vendors and
• Contracts. This would be for construction and building the rail.
• And have you guys discovered any issues, you know, with contracts, payments to date?
• It was an amendment to an existing contract that we found violated state law.
• It added services to that amendment that were not in the original contract.

Summary: The committee first heard a DMV budget presentation on the state-to-state verification system required for Real ID compliance and the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) modernization project. DMV officials said the state-to-state system is a pointer-based exchange used when a person applies for a license in another state, with only limited identifying data shared initially and the full driver history sent only after a qualified request. Members raised concerns about privacy, possible misuse by other states or federal actors, notification to Californians, hacking, and whether California could detect or stop abusive access. DMV said it can monitor requests, see patterns of access, work with AAMVA and legal counsel, and seek to block or challenge misuse; LAO said California is in a difficult position and should consider guardrails rather than opt out. On DXP, DMV said the project is on its revised schedule and budget, occupational licensing is complete, vehicle registration is expected by the end of calendar year 2026, and the full system should be finished by fiscal year 2028-29, with phased rollout and reappropriated funding to keep costs controlled. The committee then heard from the California High-Speed Rail Office of Inspector General on a trailer bill and AB 1608. The Inspector General said current law does not clearly authorize public reports or establish a framework for retaining and disclosing work papers, and the proposed trailer bill would create that framework while also adding authority to hire needed classifications and purchase goods and services. He also said the office needs a clearer statutory definition of “proposed agreements” and notice when the High-Speed Rail Authority is reviewing them, so the office can review contracts and related agreements effectively. LAO raised no concerns with the trailer bill language, and Finance said any amendments would come in the May revision. Members debated the scope of confidentiality in the Inspector General proposal, especially whether reports could be held confidential when they identify weaknesses in fraud controls, security, or other vulnerabilities. The Inspector General said confidentiality would be temporary, tied to articulating the risk, reassessing it every 120 days, and releasing the report once the risk is no longer substantial; he also said the office had already published reports at its discretion and had found at least one procurement violation involving an amendment that added services not in the original contract. Several members pressed for stronger transparency and suggested time limits or broader disclosure, while others argued the bill would improve oversight and make the Inspector General’s authority clearer. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the item was left for further work on the trailer bill and AB 1608 language.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is, they contract with all these departments and, you know, we contract with these vendors and
• My office interprets the term proposed agreements very broadly to include draft contracts.
• And have you guys discovered any issues, you know, with contracts, payments to date?
• It was an amendment to an existing contract that we found violated state law.
• It added services to that amendment that were not in the original contract.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For one quarter of data, there was a contraction.
• We expected it to contract by 7.8%.
• It was expected that PIT would contract by more than 7%, but it only contracted by about, what was it
• So it is essentially based on the contract that the insurer has with the practitioner.
• The insurance contract says it's 20%, 20% only. You can't add the 7% GRT on top of that.

Transcript Highlights:

• And is it my understanding that this proclamation only pertains to immigration rights for migrant workers
• I would have to get back to you on the exact checks and balances that are required through these contracts
• them are focused in Central California and other areas where there is a high concentration of farm workers
• do this, it's at the despair of our constituents because all of our constituents have undocumented workers
• It's not just about the farm workers; it's not just about grocery workers or, you know, other workers

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pollish, line 1.19 of the bill is inserting new language allowing you to contract with non-governmental
• . contracting. contracting.
• with no money being exchanged contracts with no money being exchanged or<00:10:24.360> that's
• and making sure that we have contracts and making sure that we have contracts in<00:10:42.040>
• Thankfully, the skills these workers Thankfully, the skills these workers employ<00:35:24.080>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Seasonal workers are temp workers, whether it's signature verification for the the millions of petitions
• Temp workers are seasonal employees to review that our full time.
• People addresses of our poll workers and what not.
• I'm an election worker also.
• No one wants for workers to be harassed.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that includes counselors, cafeteria workers, nurses.
• And I have to say that the poll workers there, I just respect.
• I've worked in our elections as a poll worker and I have seen...
• Teachers and workers in... ...just so strong with this.
• This bill does not hurt the workers. We should protect our workers.

Summary: The House convened, completed roll call, approved the journal, and took up several Senate bills and one Senate concurrent resolution through motions to reconsider, return bills for reconsideration, and refer measures to additional Committee of the Whole sessions for further amendment. Early actions included returning SB 1175 and SB 1198 to the Senate for reconsideration, rescinding passage of SB 1336 so it could be reconsidered, and referring SB 1111 and SB 152 to an additional COW. The House also recognized Representative Travers for a personal privilege statement honoring National Women Veterans Recognition Day and recorded attendance. In Committee of the Whole, members adopted floor amendments and recommended passage for SB 1511, SB 1552, SB 1198, SB 1110, SB 1618, SB 1431, and SCR 1004, with some debate on SB 1110’s home-confinement/reentry program, SB 1618’s Military Affairs Commission changes, and SB 1431’s city and town authority over residential project standards and streetscapes. The House later adopted the COW reports and moved the measures to engrossing or third reading as appropriate. SB 1336 and SB 1519 were also advanced from committee, while SB 1004 was reconsidered and ultimately failed on reconsideration. On third or final reading, the House passed SB 1127, SB 1180, SB 1428, SB 1198, SB 1336, SB 1511, SCR 1004, SB 1552, HB 2104, HB 2105, HB 2114, HB 2311, HB 2729, and HB 4117. SB 1687, SB 1004, SB 1519, and SB 1502 failed. Members explained votes on several measures, including support for tax administration clarity in SB 1180, objections and support for the May primary proposal in SB 1687, concerns about sex offender monitoring in SB 1004, support for the Arizona Beef Council in SB 1198, and debate over the photo enforcement referral in SCR 1004. The session also included recesses for caucuses, lunch, and dinner, plus a brief technical outage of the live stream.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that includes counselors, cafeteria workers, nurses.
• And that includes counselors, cafeteria workers, nurses.
• I've worked in our elections as a poll worker, and I have seen the secure... ...as a poll worker, and
• Yes, of course we should protect our workers. Of course we should.
• This bill does not hurt the workers. We should protect our workers.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the other thing is for seasonal workers. We have farmers, seasonal workers.
• So in have farmers, seasonal workers.
• They were the they were gig workers.
• >> outside of the contract. >> outside of the contract.
• <01:35:40.000> or lot of times are these gig workers or lot of times are these gig workers

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint informational briefing by the Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection committees focused on projected impacts to Hawaii consumers from federal changes affecting Med-QUEST and the ACA marketplace, including the loss of ACA premium tax credits, OBVA/HR1-related Medicaid changes, immigrant eligibility restrictions, and new Medicaid work/community engagement requirements. Committee members noted the meeting was being streamed live and emphasized the need to explain potential coverage losses affecting a significant share of the state population. Med-QUEST administrators reported current enrollment at 390,766, about 27% of Hawaii’s population, and broke that down into major groups including roughly 128,000 ACA expansion adults and about 52,000 parent/caretaker relatives. They said the expansion adult population would be most affected by the new federal requirements, which will shorten renewal periods from 12 months to 6 months and impose community engagement rules beginning in late 2026 and 2027. They described the work requirement as 80 hours per month of work, community service, work program participation, or half-time education, with an income-based pathway tied to $580 per month at the federal minimum wage; they also noted a long list of exemptions, but said many details are still awaiting federal guidance and rulemaking. The administrators said federal changes to immigrant eligibility would eliminate Medicaid coverage for certain noncitizen categories, with an estimated 1,200 to 2,400 people affected, though about 200 may remain covered through a state-funded program for otherwise eligible individuals. They also said marketplace subsidies would no longer be available for some immigrants under 100% of the federal poverty level starting January 1, 2026, with further restrictions expected in 2027. For Hawaii overall, they estimated the new Medicaid work and renewal rules could push an additional 19,000 to 38,000 people into uninsured status, with another estimated 6,000 at risk from the six-month renewal process alone. Members asked about how exemptions would be determined, especially for medically frail and seriously mentally ill individuals, and administrators said they were still awaiting detailed federal rules and were working on data-matching and verification processes to reduce coverage losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• care workers and our entire communities. care workers and our entire communities.
• <00:25:00.080> with 356 that allows us to um contract with 356 that allows us to um contract
• Um, was there times that the entity that you hire to see what workers are owed?
• Uh there was a private workers are owed.
• Uh, so as you recall, there was this disagreement with a provider contract.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all