Transcript Highlights:

• That's my recommendation, is to defer HB 165 HD1. Questions or concerns, members? Thank you.
• So my recommendation is to defer House Bill 915, House Draft 1. Questions or concerns, members?
• HB 165 HD1 questions or concerns defer HB 165 HD1 questions or concerns members<01:45:34.159> thank
• <01:46:05.360> this I would uh recommend we defer this I would uh recommend we defer this
• is to defer House Bill 915<01:46:19.560> house<01:46:19.760> draft<01:46:20.080> one

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of transportation and public safety bills, beginning with HB 706, which would require skateboard users under age 16 to wear helmets. The Department of Transportation supported the measure, and the chair noted written support from AAA Hawaii, Kulani Medical Center for Women and Children, and several individuals. No opposition was mentioned, and the bill appeared to draw no questions. Members then heard HB 860, which would grant immunity to the state or county that repairs or maintains a street when ownership or jurisdiction is disputed. DOT and DLNR supported the bill, with county support from Maui and a Hawaii Island county representative, while the Hawaii Association for Justice opposed it. The committee also heard HB 1162, requiring applicants for a motorcycle instruction permit to complete an approved basic rider course, with DOT support and a recommended amendment to exempt motorcycles used for training; the Public Defender asked about the current process, and DOT explained the bill was intended to improve safety given motorcycle fatalities. HB 1259, allowing speed-limit reductions within 10 mph of the current limit without an engineering study, also drew DOT support and support from the AAHU Metropolitan Planning Organization and individuals. The committee next considered HB 1158, a governor’s package bill limiting civil liability for people who provide firefighting services with vessels at commercial harbors or roadsteads to gross negligence or wanton conduct. DOT Harbors said the bill was prompted by lessons from the Lahaina fires and was intended to encourage privately owned firefighting-equipped vessels to assist without hesitation; the Hawaii Harbor Users Group and an individual supported it. HB 54, which would make a third or subsequent excessive speeding offense a Class C felony and allow vehicle forfeiture, drew DOT support but strong opposition from the Public Defender, who argued the bill was overly harsh, would force jury trials, and could create sentencing problems; the Public Defender also said existing penalties were already significant. The committee then heard HB 1334, which would exempt donations of wild game meat, including axis deer, to charitable and nonprofit organizations from certain meat inspection and transportation laws; DLNR and multiple community and food-related groups supported it, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 698 on animal cruelty, which would increase criminal penalties for various offenses. The Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing the cases are rare, enforcement is limited, and the proposed penalties—up to Class A felony treatment in some cases—were too severe; animal welfare advocates strongly supported the measure, saying cruelty cases are widespread, underreported, and under-enforced, and that stronger penalties are needed as a deterrent. No votes or final actions were taken on any of the bills in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yuko Ado, Director of the Executive Office on Early Learning, testified in support of SB 426 and deferred
• The department defers to the University of Hawaii as to the bill's implementation.
• So we did deal with deferred maintenance. We did deal with modernization.
• So we did deal with deferred maintenance. We did deal with modernization.
• <01:27:24.760> maintenance so we did deal with deferred maintenance so we did deal with deferred

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing covered Senate Bill 426, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the City and County of Honolulu, the Department of Human Services, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education, the Attorney General’s office, the Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, the University of Hawaiʻi’s early childhood educator project, and a Zoom testifier who described the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood education. Committee discussion focused on the program’s estimated cost, with figures of about $14.5 million in 2025-26 and $15 million in 2026-27, and on whether the program would require ongoing base-budget funding. The committee recommended technical, non-substantive amendments, including a statewide-concern amendment and a deferred effective date, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The committees then heard Senate Bill 1622, which would appropriate funds to establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaiʻi to support statewide artificial intelligence initiatives. University representatives described the proposal as the product of campus-wide input and outlined five pillars: governance and policy, outreach and engagement, research and development, workforce development, and AI tools for key sectors such as health care, creative industries, manufacturing, data science, astronomy, and climate change. Members questioned staffing distribution, tuition, enrollment timing, housing, campus placement, and whether positions would be permanent or temporary; the university said it planned about 10 positions across campuses, would start with internal resources, and would house the effort under the Vice President for Research and Innovation initially. The committees recommended an SD1 with the appropriation amounts blanked out, a July 31, 2050 effective date, and committee-report language on housing and West Oʻahu, and the higher education and labor/technology committees adopted the amended recommendation. Finally, the Higher Education Committee took up Senate Bill 1488, a housekeeping measure to consolidate existing University of Hawaiʻi conference center statutes into a single revolving fund structure, and Senate Bill 636, which would fund retention and internship coordinator positions and broader enrollment management efforts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. SB 1488 drew university support and no opposition. SB 636 prompted substantial questioning about Hilo’s declining enrollment, current retention rate of 72.8 percent, and the scope of the request, which includes not only two named positions but also about $432,000 for enrollment management initiatives such as data analysis, IT support, and other student services. Hilo said it is targeting 3 to 5 percent annual enrollment growth and that the positions would support recruitment, retention, internships, and data-driven enrollment strategy. The committee pressed for a clearer broader plan, but the discussion in the transcript ended before a final vote on SB 636 was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• . $175 million for public higher education deferred maintenance, including $10 million for lab resources
• Many of my colleagues have already said a great deal, but I want to highlight, for example, the deferred
• The Senate President and the Chair of Ways and Means see that deferred maintenance, and we just don't
• But what we need to know, Madam President, as we continue to hear about deferred maintenance and capital
• But what we need to know, Madam President, as we continue to hear about deferred maintenance and capital

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:

• Let's defer the effective date to July 1, 3000.
• I'd like to defer the effective date to July 1, 3000.
• We're going to defer decision-making on this one until Tuesday, March 25th at 10:00 a.m.
• We are going to defer this one, just citing the concerns of the Department of Transportation.
• Um just citing the to defer this one.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on March 20, 2025, first on two bills and then on a series of resolutions. On SB 597, relating to administrative driver’s license revocation, the Department of the Attorney General and other agencies supported extending the deadlines for written review decisions because chemical testing results, especially from neighbor islands, can take longer to return. One individual testified in opposition. The committee amended the bill to set the review-decision deadlines at 14 and 28 days, deferred the effective date to July 1, 3000, and recommended passage with amendments by vote. The committee then heard SB 1285 SD2, a highway safety measure that would create an impaired-driving offense, establish automatic license suspension procedures, and amend related administrative processes. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about the new infraction structure and recommended deleting that section, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it could create due process problems and unnecessary burdens on the courts. DOT and several advocacy groups supported the measure, and one individual testified in support of lowering the BAC limit to 0.05. The committee adopted extensive amendments, including deleting several sections, revising revocation language for refusals to test, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 3000, then passed the bill with amendments. In the later resolution hearing, the committee heard measures on Maui road projects, the Kulani Hako Bridge replacement, enforcement against improperly registered out-of-state vehicles, a proposed extension of the Skyline rail to West Oahu, a proposal to transfer airport regulatory authority to DOT, a golf-ball safety resolution, and a restricted parking pilot program in West Oahu neighborhoods. Testimony was generally supportive on the Maui road, bridge, vehicle-registration, and golf-ball measures, while DOT opposed the airport-corporation task force resolution and several groups offered mixed views, including calls for public-sector union representation if a task force were created. The committee also heard support and concern on the Skyline extension resolution, with members noting the need for transit options that better serve West Oahu. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted the resolutions it took up in decision-making, including the Maui road measures, the bridge resolution, the vehicle-registration resolution, and the Skyline-related resolution, with the airport-corporation and parking-zone measures also heard before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• like we said, is a 50-year-old zoo campus, and we do have $3.8 million requests for a lot of the deferred
• a<00:19:45.799> lot<00:19:45.960> of<00:19:46.039> the<00:19:46.159> Deferred
• requests for um a lot of the Deferred requests for um a lot of the Deferred maintenance<00:19:46.880
• :42.919> list<00:31:43.360> as<00:31:43.600> 3.8 ...you have $67 million in deferred
• driving tenants to the zoo and having reasons for people to come to the zoo with, you know, the deferred

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I would defer to city administrator Tuma to answer that question. >> Welcome to the committee, uh, Mr
• I would defer to Senator.
• >> Um, Senator Wesslund. >> I'm going to defer to—I actually don't know the answer to that question,
• to I actually don't >> I I'm going to defer to I actually don't know<00:16:00.720> the<
• if it pleases the chair, I would defer if it pleases the chair, I would defer to<00:35:59.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair's recommendation will be to pass with an amendment to defer the date to July 1st, 2050, and
• Grant<01:06:43.440> specialist Chair's recommendation will be to pass with amendment to defer
• The Chair's recommendation will be to pass with amendment to defer the date to July 1st, 2050, and also
• Chair's recommendation will be to pass with amendment to defer the date to July 1st, 2050, and also note
• The Chair's recommendation will be to pass with amendment to defer the date to July 1st, 2050, and also

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1294 HD2, which would create a workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture to address agricultural workforce housing shortages. The Department of Agriculture supported the bill’s intent but emphasized that the first step should be a study to determine actual housing demand, noting many farmers have very low incomes and may not be able to support housing costs. A DHHL representative said the department supports the measure as a first step but does not currently plan to expand housing on its agricultural lands; members also discussed the distinction between agricultural and pastoral leases and asked for follow-up information on lease numbers and ranchers growing feed. Testimony on HB 1294 was overwhelmingly supportive, with farm and farmers’ organizations saying housing is critical to sustaining agriculture and should be located near farm operations when possible. Members questioned how housing eligibility would be enforced and whether federal housing funds could be used. The committee reported 38 testimonies in support, none opposed, and two comments, then voted to pass HB 1294 HD2 with amendments, including a date defect to July 1, 2050; the motion carried with five in favor and the recommendations were adopted. The committee then took up HB 428 HD1, establishing the Hawaii Farm to Families Program to address food shortages and requiring reports before the 2026 regular session. The Department of Agriculture urged the bill’s continuation and appropriations, citing rescinded federal grant programs and a planned $1.1 million application to support food banks and kalo production. Food banks, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Farmers Union, and other groups strongly supported the measure, describing rising demand for charitable food assistance, especially for fresh produce and protein, and noting that many families are struggling despite working multiple jobs. Witnesses also described school pantry and backpack programs, food rescue partnerships with retailers, and the need for more stable state support; one witness asked for at least $5 million in funding for farm families. Committee members asked about food insecurity levels, food safety, abuse of food assistance, and how the program would connect farmers with schools and food banks. Food bank representatives said they already work with DOE school pantry programs and inspect all donated food for safety, and they suggested a grant or escrow-style payment model could help farmers by reducing reimbursement delays. The transcript does not show a final vote on HB 428 before the excerpt ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, for the consumer who's seeking to make judgments about the community in which they live, and health
• It eliminates barriers that override clinical judgment.
• So there was a very policy judgment. In a whole year.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• say uh<00:32:12.400> not<00:32:12.680> to<00:32:12.760> make<00:32:12.920> judgments
• but<00:32:13.520> I<00:32:13.720> I<00:32:13.840> would uh not to make judgments
• , but I I would uh not to make judgments, but I I would say,<00:32:14.320> you<00:32:14.400>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's quite frankly, I don't want to be judgmental, but it does seem to be the priority in this case
• So it's quite frankly, I don't want to be judgmental, but it does seem to be the priority in this case
• So it's quite frankly, I don't want to be judgmental, but it does seem to be the priority in this case

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When I was in high school, I had the chance to be alongside trans students, and I had no judgment of
• When I was in high school, I had the chance to be alongside trans students, and I had no judgment of
• 48.079> one<00:59:48.280> Physician's ...decision besides one physician's arbitrary judgment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I might defer to the drafter of this bill to find out if they had intended it to point to any specific
• I'll defer to him. >> Looks like he's available.
• >> You know, I’ll defer to either the Business... I’ll defer to either the Business Council or Mr.
• I'll have to defer to the Business Council and their very large document on whether there are any specific
• Chairman, but as CEO Darrell is right there, I will also defer to him if he has any specifics.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could deny the application outright, or we can defer it.
• We defer it so you can keep your place in line, knowing that we don't have the water available today.
• We could deny the application outright or we can defer it.
• And by deferring it, we mean, we could deny the application outright, or we can defer it.
• We defer it so you can keep your place in line, knowing that we don't have the water available today.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While one option would be deferring funding decisions to next year, we do believe that resources are
• I have two other proposals, the Veteran Homes Deferred.
• Just commenting on the Veterans Homes Deferred Maintenance proposal.
• I defer to our colleagues at Department of Finance. I can comment on that piece.
• I can speak to the housing dollars, the multifamily development housing dollars, and then I can defer

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:11.679> The<00:32:11.919> deferred incarcerated individuals.
• The deferred incarcerated individuals.
• The deferred maintenance<00:32:13.360> that<00:32:13.679> needs<00:32:13.919> to
• And that facility is very old, and the upgrades and the deferred maintenance would be too much.
• The deferred maintenance every year is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a motion to defer, yeah, to defer the... Well, it's already been voted on.
• Take that vote with understanding that there will be a follow-up motion to defer for those who wish to
• defer.

Summary: The Louisiana Public Defender Oversight Board met on June 18, 2026, established a quorum, and adopted the agenda. Public comment took up most of the meeting, with numerous district defenders and chief defenders speaking in support of State Public Defender Remy Starns. Speakers from several districts said the system is more unified, communication with the state office has improved, and local offices feel better supported than in the past. Several also credited Starns with visiting districts, helping with local issues, and improving coordination on capital and non-capital work. One speaker, Richard Thompson, emphasized Starns’ background and training under Sam Dalton, and another noted that a recent staffing decision in St. John the Baptist Parish ultimately proved beneficial for mentorship and resource sharing. Starns then gave his state public defender report. He said the system has improved over the last seven years and argued that public defense still needs a stable, renewable funding source comparable to other parts of the criminal justice system. He discussed legislative changes affecting public defense, including a cleanup bill, a law eliminating filing fees for writs and appeals, and a new procedure related to expert-fee claims after a recent Louisiana Supreme Court decision. He also described ongoing efforts to integrate capital and post-conviction work into district offices, expand the laws/writs program, and use local and state resources more efficiently. He thanked the board, the Public Defenders Association, and the late Mike Ginnart, whom he praised for his leadership and service. The board then considered and adopted proposed bylaws. Members discussed the need for a vice chair and a secretary, the role of special committees, and whether committee meetings should be public and limited to less than a quorum. The bylaws were adopted with the understanding that a committee would review and refine them later; volunteers were named for that committee. The board then elected a vice chair and designated the Office of the Public Defender, with staff assistance, as secretary for recordkeeping. Finally, the board heard a presentation on the strategic plan, which was described as largely unchanged from FY25 except for updates to reflect current law, accessibility requirements, training, compliance, and communication goals. The strategic plan was adopted by resolution, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I defer to Hannah for H.R.R. Choyle.
• I defer to Hannah for H.R.R.
• I defer to have for virtual. Oh, I'm sorry. Absolutely, you have a seat right there.
• I defer to Hannah for virtual.

Bills: SB293, SB279

Keywords: SB 293, youth camp, child care licensing, Office of Child Care Licensing, OCCL, American Camp Association, ACA accreditation, Purchase of Care, POC reimbursement, summer camp, school-age child care, child care exemption, Division of Public Health permit, Title 14, Delaware Department of Education, health and safety standards, child care provider reimbursement, summer child care, camp licensing, license exemption

Summary: The Senate Education Committee approved the June 10 minutes and then heard House Bill 447, which would create a framework for voluntary child care cost-sharing partnerships among the state, employers, community sponsors, and families. Supporters said the bill is meant to help make child care more affordable and support workforce participation by using the existing Interagency Resource Management Committee to coordinate planning and funding. Committee discussion focused on how the tri-share model would work, who would participate, and whether it would reach lower-income families; no public comment was offered on the bill. The committee then took up House Bill 300, as amended, which would establish a statewide Title IX coordinator within the Department of Education to provide training, technical assistance, data collection, and oversight for interscholastic athletics in grades 6 through 12. The bill’s sponsor and supporters said the position would help schools comply with Title IX, improve consistency, and make athletic participation and spending data more transparent; opponents or skeptics questioned whether a new DOE position was needed and whether districts were already meeting their obligations. The sponsor and witnesses responded that existing federal data are delayed and incomplete, that some Delaware schools have participation gaps, and that a state-level coordinator would provide needed support and accountability. Public comment on HB 300 included testimony from the Delaware State Education Association, the Delaware Association of School Administrators, the Delaware School Sports Network, and the Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy, all generally supporting the bill or its goals. DASA noted it remained neutral but appreciated changes made in House Amendment 1 to reduce reporting burden. After public comment, the chair asked members to sign the bill release forms for the two bills heard, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will defer to our resident Garrard County Commissioner Shell, and I'm we might get that on tape for
• I<00:10:12.040> I<00:10:12.240> I<00:10:12.360> will<00:10:12.520> defer
• I I I will defer to our bay for us?
• I I I will defer to our resident<00:10:14.120> Garrard<00:10:14.400> County<00:10:14.720

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:10 SB 37 Discussion 6:56 SB 37 Roll Call Vote 12:31 SB 214 Discussion 14:27 SB 214 Roll Call 15:35, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Speaker, may this matter be deferred. So ordered.
• be >> Madam Speaker, may this matter be >> Madam Speaker, may this matter be deferred
• . deferred. deferred.

Bills: HB1974, HB1853, HB1973, HB1574, HB2619, HB1966, HB1643, HB1671, HB2558, HB1854, HB2173, HB1575, HB2229, HB1535, HB1978, HB2508, HB1549, HB2187, HB1550, HB1977, HB2314, HB1871, HB2319, HB1591, HB1858, HB1898, HB2372, HB1765, HB2012, HB1706, HB1962, HB1963, HB1975, HB2009, HB2083, HB2224, HB1877, HB1959, HB1626, HB1665, HB2488, HB2456, HB2548, HB2207, HB1832, HB2079, HB1985, HB1618, HB2486, HB2242, HB2045, HB1703, HB2236, HB2480, HB1976, HB2287, HB2288, HB1777, HB276, HB1660, HB1676, HB1605, HB1751, HB1967, HB2383, HB2340, HB1946, HB2268, HB1950, HB2156, HB2118, HB1859, HB1863, HB1996, HB2114, HB2423, HB2429, HB2475, HB2534, HB2545, HB1813, HB1941, HB2474, HB2583, HB1576, HB1886, HB1939, HB2540, HB2590, HB2000, HB2163, HB2386, HB1691, HB1680, HB2516, HB1993, HB2442, HB1510, HB1958, HB1692

Keywords: HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Morikawa moved that the reading of the journal be deferred. So ordered.
• morawa Madam speaker may this<00:13:49.240> matter<00:13:49.560> be<00:13:49.720> deferred
• c><00:13:50.320> so<00:13:50.800> ordered<00:13:51.800> item this matter be deferred
• so ordered item this matter be deferred so ordered item number<00:13:52.320> three<00:13:52.600

Keywords: 910, house, all