Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the law and government affairs manager for Unite Public Workers.
• So I think we should spend the money on investigating. in the United States in the United States and<
• including not not upholding the United including not not upholding the United States<02:52:28.000
• Uh, before I became Pikachu, I was actually United States Air Force in the year 2000.
• Pikachu I was actually United States Air Pikachu I was actually United States Air Force<03:57:49.359>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:41:45.880> is funds so this entire accounting unit is funds so this entire accounting
• unit is federally<02:41:47.000> funded<02:41:47.800> so<02:41:48.000> this<02:41
• unit unit 5006<02:45:08.200> mechanical safety<02:45:15.080> yes Are you there?
• So that accounting unit has nine positions in there.
• This account is on page 366 of the big budget book and accounting unit 3077.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education. Department of Education testimony said the bill’s definition would conflict with the federal definition and be unusually restrictive, potentially affecting curriculum, educator training, and many existing state requirements. The department said it could force a broad overhaul of school programs and create a need for at least one new state position, with local districts likely facing significant unbudgeted costs. Members raised concerns about impacts on federal pass-through funding, curriculum materials, and whether the bill was workable at all. Several members said the proposal would be too costly and difficult to implement, especially during a tight budget cycle. Representative Papovich moved to retain HB 129, and the motion passed 7-0. Members who supported retention said they wanted to set the bill aside because of the scale of the concerns, while also stating they did not support the bill as written. The committee then opened HB 133, dealing with DMV follow-up on residency and licensing issues tied to voting and other interactions. Department of Safety/DMV officials said the bill would require a $40,000 technology update plus a full-time position to handle manual correspondence and review of possible matches, and that postage was not included in the fiscal note. They said the bill’s 60-day residency trigger is vague, that the DMV would be acting outside its normal role by investigating status after the fact, and that the measure could create privacy and operational problems. Members questioned whether the bill would effectively force people to buy a driver’s license to vote, whether non-driver and voter ID options would avoid that concern, and whether the Secretary of State rather than DMV would be the more appropriate agency to handle any follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• or what unit?
• or what unit?
• unit?
• during the bargaining process bar unit during the bargaining process bar unit 14<00:53:37.280>
• in regards to a bargaining unit in regards to a bargaining unit discussion<00:54:11.839> then

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs held an informational briefing on violent crime clearance rates and what resources law enforcement and prosecutors need to improve them. Chair and members noted there would be no public testimony. The briefing was led by Marshall Clement of the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center, with later participation expected from state and county law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. Clement argued that solving violent crime is a systemwide issue, not just a local police function, and said clearance rates have declined nationally over decades for homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. He said Hawaii’s reported data, limited to Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, shows overall violent crime rates are lower than the national average and have been relatively flat with a pandemic-era spike followed by declines in 2023 and 2024. He reported that Hawaii’s overall violent crime solve rate fell from about 52% in 2014 to about 40% in 2024, with 2024 rates of 50% for homicides, 48% for aggravated assaults, and 26% each for rapes and robberies. He also estimated unsolved cases over the past three years at about 17 homicides, 3,300 aggravated assaults, 1,200 rapes, and 1,700 robberies. Members asked about victim and witness support, staffing shortages, the Denver example, whether clearance rates include cases not prosecuted, and whether HPD’s size or structure might affect solve rates. Clement said support can include victim-witness programs and coordinators that help maintain cooperation and trust, especially where clearance rates are low. He said resources, training, technology, and detective caseloads matter, citing Boston, Denver, and Omaha as cities that improved solve rates through relatively low-cost operational changes; he highlighted Denver’s increase in non-fatal shooting clearance from 39% to 65% in seven months after dedicating more resources. He said he had no research showing that breaking up a large department would improve solve rates, and noted that clearance data can include exceptional clearances such as victim noncooperation, prosecutorial declination, or a suspect’s death. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when we look at one to four units.
• Um so, still develop residential units.
• assessment running one to four uh units assessment running one to four uh units on<01:03:08.800>
• a 24-unit apartment building. a 24-unit apartment building.
• Come on up, United Public Workers. We share the same concerns as HGEA.

Bills: SB2613, SB2543, SB2398, SB2046, SB2800, SB2818, SB2973, SB2367, SB2907, SB3067, SB3053, SB2944, SB2074, SB2596

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2613, SD1, HD1, relating to public school land transfer. The Attorney General’s office and the Department of Education supported the bill’s technical cleanup of Act 307, but strongly opposed a new provision that would convey school parcels containing public and school library facilities to the Hawaii State Public Library System. They argued the added transfer language conflicted with Act 307’s purpose of consolidating school land for more efficient school operations, and said existing law already allows co-located library use through rights of entry, licenses, or other agreements. The library system supported the bill and said it was trying to resolve longstanding operational conflicts on shared school-campus libraries, especially where public access, construction, and campus safety issues arise. Members questioned whether the Board of Education should simply mediate the dispute, whether the bill was the right solution, and whether a formal memorandum of agreement might be a better approach than a land transfer. The library system described years of difficulty coordinating with DOE on projects and said it needed a clearer process to complete work and spend CIP funds. Discussion also touched on a Kauai parcel in the bill, identified as a tennis court, and whether resurfacing could be completed before any transfer. The Attorney General indicated that if the goal is to preserve library uses while keeping title with the state, DLNR or another documented arrangement may be more appropriate than transferring fee title to the library system. The committee then heard SB 2543 SD2 HD1, relating to state construction projects. DAGS supported the measure, and the Hawaii Ironworkers Stabilization Fund and Hawaii Building Construction Trade Council strongly supported it, saying the bill would help spot-check high-cost projects and reduce waste from overruns and delays. One testifier opposed the bill, arguing the proposed construction manager role was too limited and that DAGS needed more training, decentralized authority, and better internal decision-making rather than a new layer of oversight. Supporters said the bill was intended as a pilot program to address repeated cost overruns and improve accountability on state construction projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• which<00:34:11.040> is United States United States which is United States United States which
• The ones that I've been near have been, you know, sometimes 100 units, but you could take 100 units and
• The ones that I've been near have been, you know, sometimes 100 units, but you could take 100 units and
• The ones that I've been near have been, you know, sometimes 100 units, but you could take 100 units and
• That means affordable forale units.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, and approved the journal. Members then took up Senate Joint Resolution 4, which designates September 20-26, 2026, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in Colorado. The resolution was read at length, with Representative Clifford speaking in support and describing FTD as a devastating, early-onset dementia that affects families during working and child-rearing years. The resolution passed on a 60-0 vote. The chamber also handled scheduling motions, including removing House Bill 1110 from special orders and placing several bills on special orders for March 4. The meeting then shifted into committee-style consideration of House Bill 1205, concerning changes to state law to reflect the federal expansion of good neighbor authority agreements. After a minor committee-report correction adding wildlife habitat language and removing the safety clause, the report was adopted and the bill passed. Sponsors said the measure aligns state law with federal statute and supports recreation projects and cross-ownership coordination in wildfire-prone landscapes. The bulk of the discussion focused on House Bill 1145, concerning water quality in mobile home parks. Sponsors Velasco and Phillips said the bill responds to longstanding water problems in mobile home communities, including discolored, foul-smelling water and contaminants such as arsenic and E. coli, and that it strengthens testing, complaint, and enforcement authority. Two amendments were offered by Representative Richardson and Representative DeGraaf to narrow or clarify the bill’s standards and hearing provisions; both were defeated. The committee report was then adopted and the bill advanced, with supporters emphasizing public health and financial burdens on residents and opponents warning about vague standards, penalties, and possible unintended effects on park owners.

Transcript Highlights:

• built in the United States since 2007. built in the United States since 2007.
• That means we are the State Guard of the United States.
• <01:43:24.560> Um, National Guard of the United States.
• Um, National Guard of the United States.
• we are the State Guard of the United we are the State Guard of the United States.<01:43:31.840><

Bills: SF0045, SF0058, SF0067

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Joe Michael Love, United States Navy, 17 years, 3 months, 23 days. Thomas Hayes Ryan, U.S.
• These investments into those training facilities go way beyond just this unit here.
• <00:29:26.720> It beyond just this this uh unit here.
• It beyond just this this uh unit here.
• seekers in this region of the United seekers in this region of the United States.<00:37:55.280><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and heard a brief announcement from Senator Richardson about the Missing in America Project interring unclaimed veterans’ remains at the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Hopkinsville. He read the names of several veterans being laid to rest with military honors, and the chair thanked the volunteers involved in the effort. The main presentation was an update on Kentucky’s urban search and rescue program from the Department of Military Affairs and Kentucky Emergency Management. Officials said the program is being built around two regional task force hubs, a helicopter aquatic rescue team, an incident support team, and a rescue aid fund for local search and rescue units. They reported that the $8.3 million appropriated for the program in the 2025 budget was fully executed, that $482,670 of the rescue aid fund went to 29 local teams, and that $493,592 has already been allocated in the current year to 36 teams. They also described warehouse and equipment purchases, staffing with full-time and part-time personnel, and a new training site on state property for collapsed-structure and multi-agency exercises. Officials said the program has already been used in recent disasters, including flood response and urban search and rescue operations in several parts of the state, and claimed the effort has impacted more than 1,500 citizens through rescues, evacuations, and related assistance. They said the helicopter aquatic rescue team is fully operational, the task force roster should be finalized by January, incident support should be online by April, and the full program should be deployable by June 30 or July 1, 2026. Members asked about statewide response times, K-9 search capabilities, and the long-term cost of the program, including concerns about reliance on federal matching funds. The presenters said K-9 assets will be part of the task force, that pre-positioning during forecasted storms can reduce response times significantly, and that they would provide more detailed budget information later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Merrimack, Representative Janine N., who will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United
• the right to work in the United States. the right to work in the United States.
• <03:48:18.000> I units contain two or more bedrooms.
• I units contain two or more bedrooms.
• <04:24:47.279> States investigations by the United States investigations by the United States

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd also like to see the department report in a consistent unit of measurement, more locally.
• We'd also like to see the department report in a consistent unit of measurement, more locally.
• <02:01:43.719> because thousands of affordable units because thousands of affordable units
• They are doing that work to ensure that there's consistency in the unit of measurement.
• <02:19:06.800> of there's consistency in the unit of there's consistency in the unit of measurement

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and once the final housing unit is done, the 240 will be brought back.
• , and once the final housing unit is done, the 240 will be brought back.
• , and once the final housing unit is done, the 240 will be brought back.
• , and once the final housing unit is done, the 240 will be brought back.
• <00:18:29.679> and areas do the other housing units and areas do the other housing units and

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• each week, but in their IEP it only says they receive two speech units, so we correlate that and say
• , well, then we're only going to pay you for the two speech units because that's what's in their IEP.
• <00:45:41.720> because you for the two speech units because you for the two speech units because
• If they've built it in, it would say that the unit cost is $150 for the unit.
• well when I have an i AP meeting units well when I have an i AP meeting and<00:56:47.880> I'm

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• When this bill was passed, about 27% of new units in our major metros were condos.
• So even though we were building the same amount of units, the number of condos went down 80%.
• That damage affected a number of units and caused life and safety issues.
• That damage a number of units and caused life and safety issues.
• It is co-sponsored by Child Care Providers United, SEIU California, United Domestic Workers, and AFSCME

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with extensive testimony on AB 1557, AB 1770, AB 2075, AB 1864, and AB 1709. AB 1557 would clarify e-bike power limits and set lower speed restrictions for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes; the author and police chiefs framed it as a youth safety measure in response to severe injuries and deaths, while bicycle industry representatives warned it could conflict with federal standards and disrupt California businesses. AB 1770 would place large health care service plans’ binding arbitration under Attorney General oversight and require compliance with the California Arbitration Act; supporters described patient harm and biased arbitration, while Kaiser Permanente and the Civil Justice Association said they were still reviewing amendments and had concerns. AB 2075 would require fire suppression equipment to be kept on or near tractors and other work sites to prevent wildfire spread, and AB 1864 would require screening of gene synthesis orders to prevent misuse for bioterrorism; both were presented as common-sense safety measures, with AB 1864 drawing support from biosecurity experts and some industry groups raising amendment concerns. The most extensive discussion was on AB 1709, which would prohibit social media accounts for users under 16 on platforms with harmful addictive features and create an e-safety commission. The author and supporters argued that social media companies intentionally design addictive products that harm children’s mental health, citing internal company documents, research, and recent court rulings; teen, medical, and advocacy witnesses described cyberbullying, addiction, and other harms. Opponents, including EFF and other civil liberties and industry groups, argued the bill is overbroad, violates the First Amendment, increases data collection, and could cut off access to community and information for youth, especially LGBTQ+ youth and other vulnerable groups. Committee members raised questions about out-of-state users, parental use, dark web harms, and how to preserve community resources for teens; the author said the bill targets platform design rather than speech and emphasized continued work with stakeholders. No final votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided. The chair repeatedly noted that motions would be taken later when quorum and agenda timing allowed, and several authors asked for aye votes or said they would continue working with opponents on amendments and clarifications.

Transcript Highlights:

• and permitting units at additional facilities.
• <00:03:59.000> Uh program at that mental health unit.
• Uh program at that mental health unit.
• <00:15:26.040> of I've seen, it prohibits local units of I've seen, it prohibits local units
• would blow into their units would blow into their units uh<00:24:01.720> from<00:24:02.520

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Farm Workers Union, while in the United Farm Workers Union, while the<00:42:41.000> women<00:
• <00:43:34.480> Farm of a Dolores Huerta Day or a United Farm of a Dolores Huerta Day or a
• United Farm Workers<00:43:35.120> Day<00:43:35.840> with<00:43:36.000> extensive
• the shortage of 100,000 affordable units the shortage of 100,000 affordable units that<00:48:32.960
• In many places, there are simply no available units and very few resources to stabilize people.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• States,<00:21:47.520> what's Outside of the United States, what's Outside of the United States
• <01:39:59.840> Um, United States and around the world.
• Um, United States and around the world.
• <01:51:25.119> Uh community across the United States.
• Uh community across the United States.

Bills: HB1952, HB1951, HB1929, HB2497, HB2208, HB2572, HB1953, HB2551, HB2549, HB1737, HB1628, HB1769, HB2493, HB2264, HB1997, HB2168, HB2427, HB1805, HB2180, HB2184, HB2219, HB2469, HB2233, HB2519, HB2141, HB1904, HB2201, HB2410, HB2007, HB2385, HB2444, HB2349, HB2235, HB1872, HB2416, HB2291, HB2292, HB2263, HB2359, HB2455, HB1509, HB1514, HB1515, HB1648, HB2164, HB2323, HB1825, HB2172, HB1888, HB2005, HB2387, HB2358, HB2119, HB2276, HB2472, HB1714, HB2325, HB1541, HB1960, HB2140, HB2315, HB2367, HB2388, HB1696, HB2333, HB2138, HB2332, HB2283, HB2059, HB2057, HB2589, HB2417, HB2337, HB1588, HB2217, HB2020, HB1915, HB1742, HB2026, HB1965, HB1546, HB2360, HB1563, HB1749, HB2614, HB1511, HB1753, HB1849, HB1641, HB2161, HB2194, HB1721, HB2284, HB2188, HB1897, HB1880, HB1573, HB1876, HB20, HB2137

Keywords: HB1952, Hawaii agriculture, University of Hawaii, CTAHR, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, Kauai, agricultural research station, extension station, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, appropriation, ADA compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, certified kitchen, greenhouse, laboratory, field research, cesspool decommissioning, invasive species

Transcript Highlights:

• And even after the United States Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States stepped in to make
• anarchicus brief on behalf of the United anarchicus brief on behalf of the United States<00:12:38.240
• , and the birthing unit.
• > the<00:17:11.600> birthing<00:17:12.000> unit.
• By late stays, and the birthing unit.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit.
• issues, those are things that we can connect families to resources and help them become a stronger unit
• The United States Supreme Court has held certain categories of unprotected speech, which...
• The United States Supreme Court has held certain categories of unprotected speech, which... Point.
• Public health units may be, family resource centers, national organizations, mental health...

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates efficiencies across both agencies and allows us to have a singular focus unit that does not
• So we have the unit looking for ways to make sure that we look across the spectrum so that we identify
• that uh does have a singular Focus unit that uh does not<00:07:53.639> have<00:07:53.800>
• looking for ways to make sure the unit looking for ways to make sure that<00:08:35.399> we<00
• <00:09:10.240> the forensic accountant to that unit the forensic accountant to that unit the

Bills: HF1470, HF1310, HF1837

Keywords: opioids, substance use, addiction recovery, mental health, state cabinet, HF1310, Office of Cannabis Management, cannabis, marijuana, tribal consultation, government-to-government relationship, Minnesota tribes, Tribal governments, state government, consultation, rulemaking, Indian affairs, cannabis regulation, tribal sovereignty, state-tribal relations

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 183 of these schools across the United States.
• We have 183 of these schools across the United States.
• We have 183 of these schools across the United States.
• We have 183 of these schools across the United States.
• <01:00:24.000> States<01:00:24.400> Deport the United States Deport the United States

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And of those 56 signatures, only three became presidents of the United States, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson
• the 50th anniversary, there were two of the three people alive that had become presidents of the United
• the 50th anniversary, there were two of the three people alive that had become presidents of the United
• of the United States, John Adams,<00:01:57.480> Thomas<00:01:57.840> Jefferson.
• become presidents of the United States. become presidents of the United States.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all