Transcript Highlights:

• of care.
• the health care system. the health care system.
• care.
• eye care.
• primary medical care. primary medical care.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > uplift<00:14:31.680> the We work collaboratively to uplift the We work collaboratively
• :32.399> involving is a collaborative group involving is a collaborative group involving various
• With that, we can serve, take care of transport, display, all of that.
• <01:14:27.360> Um responsibility to take care of this.
• Um responsibility to take care of this.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts held an informational briefing on May 22 with the Hawaii Arts Alliance, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), and the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission. Chair Capella said the purpose was to better understand the organizations’ work and strengthen relationships ahead of the interim and next session. The Hawaii Arts Alliance, led by Executive Director Gay Humphrey, described its mission to enrich Hawaii’s cultural fabric through arts education, advocacy, and community engagement, and highlighted its history tied to Alfred Price, including the creation of Hawaii’s 1% for art law and the alliance’s 45 years of service. The alliance outlined its current work, including administering SFCA-funded statewide programs such as Artist in the Schools and the new folk and traditional arts program, with 34 teaching partners serving more than 100 public and charter schools and Kumu Hawaii as the single grantee for traditional weaving instruction. It also discussed Arts First Partners, the incubation of Arts at Mark’s Garage, expanded advocacy efforts supported by Creative West grants, and new multi-year philanthropic support from the Hawaii Community Foundation and Atherton Family Foundation. The alliance said it is launching statewide listening sessions and an arts advocacy training program, and noted that most SFCA funds pass through the alliance to program partners, with the organization retaining 10 to 14 percent for administration. SFCA Executive Director Karen Ewald then described the agency’s role as the state arts agency, its strategic planning process, and its main programs, including Art in Public Places, the Capital Modern museum, Artist in the Schools, apprentice mentoring grants, community arts grants, the Hawaii State Poet Laureate program, a statewide cultural extension program, and the Hawaii Open Arts Program. She said SFCA has 21 staff with one vacancy, is awaiting a federal NEA partnership agreement, and is considering new revenue streams such as a cultural trust. She also noted that the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission was recently attached to SFCA, which has improved coordination and allows SFCA to provide funding for conservation and upkeep of the King Kamehameha statues statewide. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only, with questions deferred until after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• , health care, housing, education in a skilled workforce and our infrastructure.
• And the work that we do is home care, so caregiving in the city.
• The last thing I want to emphasize is this year, we're actually doing shelter care.
• But shelter care itself is. also very intermittent.
• The care that goes with it is super important.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're in support of this bill because we see it as a good collaboration between parents and their
• The many, many things that we have asked schools to take care of with very short staff and then being
• , why are the very people who care for our families treated the worst?
• take care of themselves.
• Take care of theirs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One, it created a property tax exemption for preschool and child care agencies, let's call them.
• We do know that child care is an ongoing problem.
• There just isn't enough of it, licensed child care and probably even unlicensed child care.
• > Care homebased Child Care homebased Child Care Centers<00:07:18.840> where<00:07:19.840
• and probably even unlicensed child care and probably even unlicensed child care<00:08:18.599> so<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of our work in these 12 counties, it is really important that we collaborate with our partners
• In Southern New Mexico, we're a collaborative team. When something goes wrong.
• Our work is deeply intertwined across counties, reflecting the strength of regional collaboration.
• We hope that you see what we can do if we all come together collaboratively.
• But if you guys have taken care of that, hallelujah, hallelujah. All right. Excellent.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:07:50.119> on and Human Services to collaborate on and Human Services to collaborate on
• <01:22:24.560> care taken care care taken care care of<01:22:26.600> that<01:22:26.719
• $157 million in uncomp compensated care $157 million in uncomp compensated care okay<04:03:46.120
• This will drive uncompensated care, which is germane to Medicaid.
• :26.520> care<05:18:27.200> which<05:18:27.360> hurts increased uncompensated care

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The plan calls for assessing regional assets as well as challenges related to regional collaboration.
• To do a study on how to enhance regional collaboration, how is this not duplicative of the role of your
• And I have been on some of these collaboratives over the years. and have seen, you know, whether it's
• We hosted workshops in collaboration with state agencies. agencies on workplace issues, including wage
• They take care of our children.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kylin requires 24-hour care. He gets his care right now on a CAC waiver.
• he gets his care right now on a CAC care he gets his care right now on a CAC waiver<01:18:05.719>
• reinstitutionalization care settings reinstitutionalization care settings than<01:23:48.880> in
• <01:43:45.440> they autism provider they don't care they autism provider they don't care they
• <01:46:45.040> of was getting that much to take care of was getting that much to take care

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• about and I think do care about right now.
• about and I counties really should care about and I think<00:30:16.360> do<00:30:16.600> care
• about right now if they think do care about right now if they care<00:30:18.240> about<00:30:
• If there's nothing—I mean, don't we take care of the children right now anyways?
• nothing I mean don't don't we take care nothing I mean don't don't we take care of<00:38:08.520>

Bills: HF1662, HF1224, HF1836, HF1367, HF1168, HF1999, HF1792, HF102, HF2127, HF104

Keywords: veterans, veterans affairs, State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, MAXIS, human services data, data sharing, eligibility verification, informed consent, private data, benefits coordination, veteran housing, veteran assistance, Department of Human Services, Children Youth and Families, state benefits, federal benefits, privacy, public assistance, foreclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• So child care assistance provides subsidies to families and provides care and supervision of children
• , the universal child care?
• , the universal child care?
• , quality care.
• Chair. a state care. Mr.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was our way of collaborating with the education community.
• They're champions of teacher collaboration. They understand the PLC process.
• And we would love to continue to collaborate with this body in ensuring that sensitive materials and
• I need to be careful on this. Just from my own experience, I know. And I talked to the national...
• I need to be careful on this, just from my own experience.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I gave the examples, and I'm not seeing that this is taken care of in this bill.
• She works hard, she works with collaboration and with integrity.
• Collaboration,<01:36:58.320> yes.
• <01:36:58.800> Working<01:36:59.199> together, Collaboration, yes.
• Working together, Collaboration, yes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their leadership, experience, and willingness to work collaboratively have helped ensure that this bill
• We have one of the highest costs of living in the nation, driven by housing, child care, and health care
• These are wages that allow working families to afford child care and build long-term economic security
• was born prematurely at 34 weeks, and she spent her first 15 days of life in the neonatal intensive care
• From this experience, ...first 15 days of life in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House began with routine procedural business, including adoption of resolutions congratulating Yolanda Kruger on her 100th birthday and two orders extending the Public Health Committee’s reporting deadline on House documents 4984 and 4988. The chamber then moved through a series of local bills and calendar items, passing to engrossment measures including authorization for the town of Hudson to grant an additional wine and malt beverage license, authorization for Cohasset to grant five additional liquor licenses, and an amendment to the Plymouth town charter. It also advanced several other bills on second reading, including a land conveyance for Barnstable County and Bourne, a bill requiring automated external defibrillators at sporting events, and a bill preparing apprentices through training and hiring in Massachusetts. The House took up House 3417, designating June 16 as Domestic Workers’ Rights Day. Representative Sousa spoke in support, describing domestic workers as essential but often invisible workers and arguing that the designation would raise awareness of rights and protections under the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. The bill passed to engrossment by roll call, 156-0. The House also passed House 4992, authorizing Barnstable County and Bourne to convey certain parcels of land, and later passed House 4994, the Paths Act, which would require a phased-in apprentice-hours requirement on large public construction projects, condition bidding on participation in approved apprenticeship programs, and create a commission to study apprenticeship participation. The chamber then debated House 4993, the Preston Settles Every Minute Counts Act, requiring AEDs and trained personnel at sporting facilities and events. Representative Decker urged passage, citing the death of a young athlete and the need to close safety gaps outside schools. Representative Frost offered amendments to create a state fund to help communities pay for AEDs and to allow exemptions for remote fields without permanent power, arguing the bill could otherwise burden municipalities; both amendments were defeated on roll call. The bill itself then passed to engrossment by roll call, 154-1. The House also enacted a bill allowing Hingham to use municipal property for a center for active living, and the session ended with an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• A health care provider is a primary care provider, a nurse practitioner, whoever might be responsible
• Health care facilities or primary care providers know these decedents, and they are comfortable based
• So nursing home, hospice, health care hospital—there would be either their primary care provider or an
• <00:25:12.799> provider the name of the primary care provider the name of the primary care
• > that<00:25:34.919> Primary<00:25:35.240> Care or someone in that Primary Care

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• long-term care long-term care guardianship um<00:21:39.520> confir<00:21:40.000> did
• The change from health care to mental health care, because I don't have another amendment on that.
• care system.
• the cost of medical care.
• paliative care access to pallative care paliative care access to pallative care is<01:15:05.840>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There has been a lot of collaboration.
• There has been a lot of collaboration.
• There has been a lot of collaboration.
• to take care of a sin bloom or whatever. to take care of a sin bloom or whatever.
• <02:35:13.920> of indirect and that's that takes care of indirect and that's that takes care

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:48:55.319> of procedural methods we can take care of procedural methods we can take care
• or do not need mental health care; they could be handled in a lower level of care in the community,
• patients are getting better quality Care patients are getting better quality Care in<01:05:34.839
• Hawaii Primary Care Association. Eric Obby. Hi, Eric Obby for the Hawaii Primary Care Association.
• National Labor Alliance of healthc care National Labor Alliance of healthc care coalitions<01:44

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1494 on hearing aids. Testimony was generally supportive of expanding hearing-aid coverage, with the Insurance Division raising concern about possible federal defrayment issues, SHPDA supporting the goal of hearing augmentation, DCAB strongly supporting the bill as an important access issue, and health plans and insurers asking for amendments. Kaiser Permanente and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans requested changes to add a medical-necessity standard and clarify annual notice language, while HMSA suggested the proposal should be studied by the auditor. The chair noted concerns about federal preemption and the lack of an audit, and deferred the bill in favor of a related resolution calling for a study. The committee then heard SB 1448, an emergency appropriation for the Hawaii State Hospital. DAGS and the Department of Health supported the measure, with the hospital administrator saying the funding would improve the environment of care, support cleaning, and allow a third-party review of the building. Committee members questioned the size of the request and the status of litigation against the design-builder. Administration witnesses said they were pursuing a comprehensive study involving destructive testing, had made a demand on the design-builder to fund the study, and were using different processes than before. They also said the roof work would be handled through a separate CIP request. No final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee next heard SB 1432, relating to the future responsibilities of the Department of Health and land issues at Kalaupapa after the last patient dies. DOH supported the bill in part but said its long-term role would be limited mainly to environmental cleanup, with operations expected to continue under the National Park Service and land-use decisions left to DHHL and beneficiary consultation. DHHL asked that the measure reflect that any land-use or zoning changes on homeland lands require commission approval and beneficiary consultation. Testifiers from Kalaupapa and Maui County, including Degra Vanderbilt-Papa and Council Member Keani Rollins-Fernandez, supported deferring the bill, saying there had been no meaningful community discussion about provisions affecting Kalaupapa’s future management and possible transfer of responsibilities to Maui County. The committee also read into the record written testimony from Gloria Marks emphasizing that Kalaupapa stakeholders must be included in future discussions. Finally, the committee heard SB 955 on fitness-to-proceed examinations. The Judiciary and the Public Defender’s Office both supported raising pay and standardizing expectations for private examiners, but opposed reducing felony fitness evaluations from three examiners to one and opposed expanding use of expedited reports. They argued that a single examiner would reduce reliability, create a more adversarial process, and likely increase costs and contested hearings, while expedited reports do not contain enough information for a proper fitness determination. The Department of Health also supported the bill’s intent but asked to preserve a three-examiner framework and said the goal was to reduce the number of people sent to the State Hospital, where admissions have reportedly risen about 20% year over year since Act 26. The bill remained under discussion in the excerpt, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're working with them with a member's office So we thank the member for collaborating with us And
• same thing which was no funding for individual assistance and that that was being had to be taken care
• But to give you an idea of what we've tried to do to make sure that this is as collaborative as possible
• , as we've tried to do to make sure that we're as collaborative of an approach as possible.
• And I think this is probably of all the bills that I've worked the most collaborative I've endeavored

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hosted by Iowa State University, the Iowa SBDC collaborates with various partners to provide tailored
• A prime example in Iowa is Senator Ernst Entrepreneur Expo, an annual collaboration between the senator
• Most of our technical staff have security clearances and care.
• of collaboration should definitely be looked at being implemented everywhere across the nation, especially
• Triton does not seem to care who they are selling taxpayer-funded research to.

Keywords: SBIR, STTR, Innovate Act, small business, innovation, legislative reforms, economic growth, funding, technology transfer

Summary: The meeting focused on the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR-STTR), emphasizing the critical reforms necessary to enhance their effectiveness. Chair Ernst introduced the Innovate Act to streamline processes, ensuring funding is awarded based on merit and addressing existing abuses within the system. The discussion was robust, with numerous members expressing concerns about phase transitions and the need for targeted funding to support impactful technological innovations. The conversation also highlighted the program's importance in fostering economic growth, particularly for small businesses in rural areas, and the urgency for legislative changes as the program's authorization approaches expiration.