Transcript Highlights:

• I have facilities in my district, and I'm close to the border in Louisiana and Texas, so I have many

Bills: HB2646, HB3941, HB5153, HB5155, HB5394, HB 1106, HB426, HB4529, HB3984, HB4273, HB 1097, HB3940, HB1941, HB4377, HB3153

Keywords: child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health

Transcript Highlights:

• FLORIDA FORESTRY SERVICES, DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE AND ADMINISTER SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE BORDER

Keywords: 999, senate, all

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• Item eight is 10, excuse me, 10 million for Operation Drawbridge to fund cameras along the border.

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• Members, Brownsville leads in innovation, space exploration, cross-border trade with an amazing focus

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• I'm like, there's something wrong with this wall, like it's cold over here, and went through the whole
• They did determine there was something wrong with that wall, so I was right.
• on three sides If you have a shared wall on three sides of<02:02:22.080> you<02:02:22.320>
• ,<03:36:10.720> but used to be on the committee's wall, but used to be on the committee's
• wall, but if<03:36:11.040> you<03:36:11.120> look<03:36:11.200> at<03:36:11.359>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

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• And as the strike all that removed, face eyes a wall. So can you clarify for me why?

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• Another organization called Wall Street 24/7 ranked OSsM the second best high school in America in 2024

Keywords: 914, all

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• In that hall, where you see statues all along the wall with people's names, some of whom I don't recognize

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• scattered across the ground but when we are together leaning against each other we form an unbreakable wall

Keywords: 998, house, all

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• in those last couple years, because of the grain bin rescue apparatuses and turtle tubes and great walls
• 49.119> great apparatuses and turtle tubes and great apparatuses and turtle tubes and great walls
• :51.520> um<00:52:51.920> five<00:52:52.240> other<00:52:52.480> lives walls
• and harnesses um five other lives walls and harnesses um five other lives were<00:52:53.040> were

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:18 KOAP Report 00:58 Approval of Minutes 53:58, 958, all

Summary: The Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee met on June 11 but did not have a quorum, so it could not approve the prior minutes. The committee then received a compliance and program update from Brandon Reed and Bill McClowski of the agricultural development board, who said the office is fully staffed, has digitized most records, and has added a Facebook page to share board actions, projects, and compliance work. They also reported that the board and finance corporation continue to operate with strong county-council participation and that the office had completed numerous site visits, program reviews, and project closeouts over the reporting period. The presenters reviewed monthly funding actions from December through May, including board approvals ranging from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars, with a December finance meeting delayed by a snowstorm. They highlighted that the Kentucky Agriculture Finance Corporation now has 57 loans generating more than $2 million per month in payments, and that the revolving loan program has grown to support more than $24 million annually in repayments available for relending. They also noted that 75% of the portfolio is in beginning farmer loans and that the office had recently surpassed 1,000 active loans. Several projects were discussed in detail. These included a grain facility in Callaway County supporting organic corn production for expanding egg-layer operations, a Union County cattle business expansion, a West Liberty Veterinary Clinic project to build a working cattle facility, a Grayson County farmers market project, a Casey County veterinary services project, and a packing warehouse for the Kanye family to support specialty crops. The presenters emphasized that county and state tobacco settlement funds are often combined, sometimes with participation loans, to leverage local investment. They also stressed the importance of supporting greenhouses, farmers markets, specialty crops, and large-animal veterinary services as key agricultural priorities. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the lack of quorum and the informational presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• you will next time you come visit me in my office for weekly meetings, you'll see this framed on my wall
• 57:21.240> my meetings, you'll see this framed on my meetings, you'll see this framed on my wall
• :22.480> just<00:57:22.760> I'm<00:57:22.880> so<00:57:23.080> excited wall
• It's just I'm just I'm so excited wall. It's just I'm just I'm so excited about<00:57:24.560> it.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Democrat trifecta in walls has won. They have beaten me.
• :51:45.280> Democrat<00:51:45.920> trifecta<00:51:46.680> in<00:51:46.920> walls
• The Democrat trifecta in walls has won. The Democrat trifecta in walls has won.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And not just giving them a picture on the wall for a year, but committing to preserving what it was that
• /c><01:18:12.040> picture<01:18:12.440> on<01:18:12.520> the<01:18:12.640> wall
• ><01:18:12.960> for<01:18:13.120> a<01:18:13.200> year, them a picture on the wall
• for a year, them a picture on the wall for a year, but<01:18:14.280> committing<01:18:14.920>

Bills: SB2603, SB3007, SB3019, SB3022, SB2795, SB2256, SB3250, SB2147

Keywords: Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, state funding, public performances, educational programs, cultural arts funding, culture and arts, arts policy, cultural preservation, community development, economic revitalization, place-based planning, public spaces, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, business improvement district, Honolulu Chinatown, DBEDT, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, state foundation on culture and the arts

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2603 SD1, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra, require annual reports to the legislature, and appropriate funds. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from the orchestra, the Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, business and arts groups, and many individuals. Supporters emphasized the orchestra’s cultural value, its role in inspiring youth and supporting arts education, and its broader community impact. No opposition or questions were raised, and the chair offered praise for the level of public engagement around the measure. The committee then took up SB 3007 SD2, relating to culture and the arts, which would create an Office of Community Culture and Innovation within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, require annual reporting, appropriate funds, and establish a Community and Cultural Partnerships Program. The Attorney General’s office warned that section four, which separately funds preservation and relocation of artwork from Aloha Stadium, may be non-germane and should be moved to a separate bill; it also suggested the office would be more properly placed under DAGS rather than SFCA. SFCA Director Karen Ewald testified with concerns about added costs, staffing burdens, and the need for earlier communication, while also saying the agency could support the work if properly coordinated. Opposition testimony argued the bill was duplicative or unnecessary, while supporters, including Governor Abercrombie and Dean Sakamoto, said it would help communities, especially Chinatown, and could support planning and cultural revitalization. The chair noted roughly eight opposition testimonies and five in support, and questioned witnesses about coordination and the cost of relocating the Aloha Stadium artwork, which Ewald estimated could cost at least $1.2 million. The AG’s office said removing section four would substantially reduce legal risk. Finally, the committee heard SB 3019 SD2, a consumer protection measure that would cap ticket resale prices at no more than $3 above the original price for events in Hawaii and authorize DCCA to adopt enforcement rules and fines. The Office of Consumer Protection opposed the bill, arguing it would strain limited enforcement resources, push sales to less regulated channels, and likely eliminate the protections offered by established secondary platforms. Chamber of Progress also opposed the bill, saying price caps would encourage black-market sales, scams, and fraud, and that resale markets serve legitimate consumer needs. In support, the National Independent Venue Association backed the measure, though the remainder of its testimony was not fully captured in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, Senator Nelson, I don't think they're going to build a wall around the city.
• going<00:09:29.960> to<00:09:30.040> build<00:09:30.280> a<00:09:30.320> wall
• think they're going to build a wall think they're going to build a wall around<00:09:30.960>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• confirmations and a few controversial bills that uh we'll take up the least controversial bill on our wall
• Thank you. the least controversial bill on our wall the least controversial bill on our wall and<00:28
• They formed a human wall around the children so that they could be shielded from as much of the trauma

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And since that time, and there is a big gap, um, I've worked on Wall Street and off the capital markets
• and there is a big gap, um I've worked and there is a big gap, um I've worked on<01:02:36.440> Wall
• 37.280> and<01:02:37.520> off<01:02:37.800> the<01:02:37.880> capital on Wall
• Street and off the capital on Wall Street and off the capital markets<01:02:38.760> for<01:02

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mike Wall. Aloha. Good afternoon, chairs, vice chairs, and members of the committees.
• <00:53:22.960> Mike<00:53:23.520> Wall.
• Mike Wall. Aloha Energy Justice Network. Mike Wall. Aloha Mike. Mike. Mike.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Transportation heard several bills, beginning with SB 2010, which would authorize impoundment of motor vehicles for certain alleged or committed traffic violations. The Department of Transportation supported the bill, while the Department of the Attorney General asked for clarification in section 4 on who could seek remedies and what remedies would be available. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, citing unclear officer-initiated impound criteria, potential strain on judicial or administrative resources, and concerns about hardship for families and indigent owners; the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the bill with amendments, saying it should be limited to traffic offenses and could serve as an alternative to fines or imprisonment. The chair then recessed before moving to the next items. The committee next heard SB 2527 on commercial driver licensing, which would require state and county firefighters exempt from CDL requirements to be subject to an alcohol and substance abuse policy equivalent to or stronger than federal DOT standards. DOT, the Department of Human Resources Development, county officials, and the Hawaiʻi Firefighters Association all indicated support. SB 2697, which would prohibit driving on roadway shoulders except in limited circumstances, also drew DOT support, with the Attorney General, judiciary, and others submitting comments. SB 2812, requiring driver license applicants to be tested on the dangers larger vehicles pose to pedestrians and bicyclists, was supported by DOT but opposed by the Public Defender, who argued the excessive-speeding portion was too broad for first offenses and that the DUI-related language was unnecessary because DUI relicensing already requires re-examination. SB 291, clarifying that drivers whose licenses were revoked for certain alcohol-related offenses must undergo re-examination before relicensing, received DOT support. The committee then took up SB 3044, which would remove references to pedestrian countdown timers and the requirement that pedestrians begin crossing before the timer starts. DOT opposed the bill, but Hawaiʻi Appleseed supported it, arguing the current rule is confusing and can lead to citations even when pedestrians can safely cross. The Department of Health submitted late comments emphasizing the importance of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and physical activity, and the chair noted the split in testimony. Finally, SB 2995 proposed a zero-emissions rideshare rebate program funded by a rideshare fee and administered by DOT. Earthjustice strongly supported the bill, describing it as a fee-and-rebate structure to help rideshare drivers transition to zero-emissions vehicles. A witness for Tom Yamachika suggested that if the state wants to tax ridesharing, it should amend existing tax law instead of creating a new chapter, but the bill’s supporters said DOT was better suited to administer the rebate program and that similar models exist in California and Washington. The committee also heard SB 3153, which would authorize DOT to designate airport special district zones at airports statewide to improve security and enforcement; DOT’s airports deputy director supported the measure, saying it would clarify jurisdiction and help address trespassing and hazards, and senators asked about boundaries, mapping, and coordination with the Attorney General. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll also add in a new subsection E, limiting counties' ability to restrict solid fences or walls inside
• counties ability to restrict solid<00:53:35.040> fences<00:53:35.359> or<00:53:35.599> walls
• <00:53:35.839> inside<00:53:36.240> or solid fences or walls inside or solid fences
• or walls inside or backyards<00:53:36.800> to<00:53:36.960> less<00:53:37.200> than

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered several housing-related measures. On SB 2068, which would create an affordable housing land inventory task force within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to study how to maximize housing on transit-oriented development and other state and county lands, testimony was mostly supportive from agencies and housing groups, with one opposition witness. In response to questions, OPSD said it was already working on a list of potential parcels but could not yet identify unit counts or a timeline, and estimated about $250,000 would be needed for staffing and contractual support. The committees also heard SB 2227 on rental assistance, which would require HPHA to make monthly rent supplement payments, prioritize certain tenants including kupuna, allow agreements with counties and nonprofits, and create a special fund supported by a transaction fee on recordings. HPHA supported the bill, and the Department of the Attorney General said it recommended amending the measure to describe the fee as a tax. Additional testimony included support from elder and community organizations and one opposition witness. For SB 2061, relating to residential condominiums and the 99-year leasehold program, HCDA and the project developer testified in support of amendments intended to preserve owner-occupant requirements while making the project more marketable and financially feasible. Members focused heavily on parking, affordability, and financing. HCDA and the developer said the parking stalls would be unbundled from the units, that the project would be a 99-year leasehold with 60% of units reserved for buyers at or below 140% AMI and 40% market-rate, and that the state’s $15 million equity contribution would cover only part of the parking garage and commercial component. The hearing then moved on to SB 3327, relating to HCDA and complete communities, but the transcript cuts off before that measure was fully discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you begging the US Department of Energy to give you money because Wall Street is not going to give
• <00:59:17.920> you<00:59:18.079> money<00:59:18.319> because<00:59:18.480> Wall
• Energy to give you money because Wall Energy to give you money because Wall Street<00:59:18.880>

Bills: SB3326, SB2911

Keywords: renewable energy, energy storage, cost reduction, public utilities commission, Hawaii energy policies, intoxicating liquor, direct shipment, breweries, distilleries, Hawaii, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard SB 3001 on artificial intelligence in a joint Commerce and Consumer Protection/Labor and Technology hearing. Testimony included support from the Department of Education and Google, comments from the Office of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General’s office, and late opposition from Agentic LLC. The Attorney General raised constitutional and vagueness concerns and suggested clarifying amendments, while Google said the bill’s risk-based approach and proposed amendments could help establish industry-wide safety standards for minors. The committees recessed and then voted to pass SB 3001 with amendments, adopting DCCA/OCP recommendations on data minimization for minors and UDAP clarity, the Attorney General’s proposed clarifications and deletions, and Google’s nonconflicting amendments; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. The vote passed unanimously among members present, with some members excused. The Commerce and Consumer Protection committee then took up several previously heard measures in decision-making. SB 2045 on combat sports passed with amendments reflecting DCCA and boxing commission recommendations, including clarifying the on-site medical professional requirement, reporting duties, promoter payment, removal of the combat sports registry and ambulance requirement, and other technical changes; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. SP 2347 on the residential landlord-tenant code passed with amendments striking landlord requirements so OCP could work on a multilingual tenant-rights notice, and SP 2495 on consumer protection passed with amendments requiring OCP to publish an annual report on potential code violations. SB 2777 on insurance was deferred to February 17, 2026 for further decision-making. At a later CPN decision-making agenda, SB 2471 and SB 2829, both relating to the powers of artificial persons, passed with amendments clarifying the preamble, removing language about foreign artificial persons, and making other consistency and non-substantive changes; both effective dates were moved to January 1, 2027. SP 2033 on renewable energy also passed with amendments clarifying the definition of grid-ready homes, cost-sharing provisions, applicability to interconnecting customers, and safety/certification compliance, with the effective date deferred to July 1, 2050. In each case, the committee voted to adopt the recommendations without objections from members present. The committees also heard SB 3000 on insurance, which would authorize the Attorney General to bring civil actions to recover costs and losses tied to climate-attributable harm and future climate risk, including costs incurred by state insurance-related entities. The Insurance Division and Attorney General’s office offered comments seeking clarification and warning about redundancy, implementation issues, possible representation of private insurers, and concurrent litigation concerns. Supporters, including the Center for Climate Integrity, a resident testifier, Sierra Club, and Green America, argued the bill would help shift insurance costs to fossil fuel companies responsible for climate harms and address rising premiums and nonrenewals in Hawaii. Opponents, including the American Petroleum Institute, argued the bill singled out one industry, raised constitutional concerns, and should be deferred because related climate litigation is already pending. The transcript ends with the committee continuing testimony and discussion on SB 3000 and then moving into SB 3326 on energy, where the consumer advocate and Hawaiian Electric opposed the bill’s proposed separation of generation from transmission and distribution, while the PUC stood on written testimony, Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported it, and Life of the Land raised concerns about assumptions and the need for more substance.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's all based on the leadership within those school walls, what our teachers are doing, our principals
• It's all based on the leadership within those school walls, what our teachers are doing, our principals
• It's all based on the leadership within those school walls, what our teachers are doing, our principals
• It's all based on the leadership within those school walls, what our teachers are doing, our principals

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Senator Julie Rocky Adams, which would prohibit school administrators from receiving a percentage pay increase greater than the average percentage increase given to classroom teachers in the same district. Supporters said the bill is intended to keep teacher pay from falling behind, promote fairness and transparency, and preserve local control through existing waiver options. Senators Thomas, Higdon, Givens, Neal, Williams, and others generally supported the bill, while Senator Meredith raised concerns about unintended consequences for rural districts and the ability to retain principals and other talent quickly enough through the waiver process. The sponsor and others responded that the waiver process is standardized and expedited, and that normal raises would not be affected. SB 2 was adopted unanimously with favorable expression. The committee then took up Senate Bill 4 on school leadership, with a committee substitute changing a reference from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to the Kentucky Chamber Foundation. Senator West explained that the bill is designed to create a coordinated five-year principal leadership pipeline, based on research suggesting that school leadership is a major factor in teacher retention and school success. The first two years would be KDE-run foundational training and mentorship, followed by a gap year, then a public-private partnership year with the Chamber/Truist program, and finally a fifth year of advanced training through approved providers such as Western Kentucky University or KASA. West said the goal is to extend principals’ tenure and improve leadership quality statewide. Ashley Watts of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce testified that the Chamber Foundation has run the Leadership Institute for School Principals since 2011, sending 641 principals from 112 counties through the program at a business-funded cost of more than $4.4 million. She said the program has reached about 3 million students and produces measurable school improvement. Henderson County Superintendent Bob Lawson said the program has been valuable in his district and emphasized the heavy workload and leadership demands placed on principals. The discussion continued with testimony about the importance of principal leadership and the need to invest in it, but no final vote on SB 4 was reached in the portion provided.