Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:42.640><c> set</c><00:20:42.919><c> to</c><00:20:43.080><c> contain</c><00:20:43.400><c> a
• </c><00:20:43.520><c> message</c><00:20:43.840><c> from</c> 10:40 a.m. set to contain a message from
• 10:40 a.m. set to contain a message from the<00:20:44.159><c> president</c><00:20:44.720><c> regarding
• Because if you make your deposits in the Democratic Party, you expect your interest to come from the
• in the Democratic party you deposits in the Democratic party you expect<05:36:57.240><c> your</c><05

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 9, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The application pays, puts a deposit up front, the consultant is paid for out of that deposit, and we're
• up front the consultant is paid deposit up front the consultant is paid for<01:46:06.320><c> out</c>
• <01:46:06.560><c> of</c><01:46:06.639><c> that</c><01:46:06.880><c> deposit</c><01:46:07.360><c> and<
• /c><01:46:07.600><c> we're</c><01:46:07.760><c> just</c> for out of that deposit and we're just for out
• of that deposit and we're just at<01:46:08.239><c> the</c><01:46:08.320><c> mercy</c><01:46:08.560><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the June 10 minutes, and then handled a routine agenda of contracts and agreements. It deferred one Kentucky Educational Television contract to the August 2025 meeting because the vendor was not registered with the Secretary of State, and then approved the remaining routine items on the PSC green list and related contract lists without objection. The most detailed discussion involved two personal service contracts for the Kentucky Employees Health Plan. Officials from the Personnel Cabinet and Department of Employee Insurance explained that the contracts were designed to identify claims errors and overspending, with vendors paid a percentage of validated savings recovered for the plan. Senators asked how the savings were calculated and whether the contracts had changed plan processes; staff said the contracts had produced realized savings, some errors had been corrected going forward, and the vendors report quarterly. The committee approved those contracts. The committee then took up a retroactive Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority contract for a customized College Info Road Show bus. Members questioned why the contract was being presented months after execution, why it involved an out-of-state vendor, and whether the purchase was reasonable and timely. KHEAA staff said the delay stemmed from the need to finalize sustainability and safety details after the RFP, and acknowledged internal process and staffing issues. Several members criticized the retroactive approval process and said they could not validate the purchase from the information provided, but the committee ultimately approved the contract after debate. A final KHEAA discussion focused on the purpose and value of the mobile outreach bus. Staff said the bus supports college and financial aid outreach, especially in rural areas, and has been used for 26 years. Some members questioned the return on investment and whether the state should rely more on broadband and remote outreach, while others supported the program as a way to reach students and families. The committee approved the KHEAA contract, with Senator Douglas voting no and explaining concerns about whether such outreach programs are the proper role of government and whether they are the best use of public funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• spend all the money, where the money comes back to, until the next annual... ...half a million is deposited
• It's just clarifying what monies are being deposited into the fund, specifying that they are recurring
• Members, House Bill 763 provides for a public settlement agreement information database to contain certain

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 27 and first took up House Bill 175 and its companion House Bill 165, both dealing with lottery proceeds for veterans. HB 175 was amended to create a Veterans Service Grant Board within the Department of Veterans Affairs and direct $500,000 annually from Louisiana Lottery net proceeds into a Veterans Service Grant Fund, with unused money returned to the lottery proceeds fund that supports the MFP. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, The Boot Louisiana, LDVA Secretary Charlton McGinley, and Bastion Veterans Organization, argued the grants would help veteran services, workforce placement, mental health, housing, entrepreneurship, and retention of veterans in Louisiana. Members raised concerns about drawing from lottery proceeds that traditionally support education, but the committee adopted amendments and reported HB 175 favorably as amended. HB 165, the constitutional amendment companion, was also amended for technical and ballot-language changes and then reported favorably as amended for voter consideration. The committee then considered House Bill 457, which would authorize the Louisiana Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal to set minimum housing standards for homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes. The sponsor said the bill responded to a state auditor recommendation and to unsafe conditions in some facilities; he also explained an amendment changing the Fire Marshal’s duties from mandatory to permissive to reduce fiscal impact and allow agencies flexibility. Some members questioned whether local standards already existed and how enforcement and funding would work, while others supported the need for statewide minimum standards for human housing. The committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 457 favorably as amended. House Bill 488, by Representative Brough, sought to create a Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund using recurring severance tax revenues from Plaquemines Parish to help buy out the Belle Chasse toll bridge and end what the sponsor described as excessive tolls and fees. He and several local witnesses, including business owners, a YMCA representative, and a parish council member, testified that the tolling arrangement had harmed access, businesses, and quality of life. The committee adopted a technical amendment clarifying the revenue source and then reported HB 488 favorably as amended. House Bill 566, which would prohibit state funds from supporting net-zero greenhouse gas initiatives tied to the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan, drew significant debate over whether it would interfere with agency funding and economic development efforts; the sponsor argued the plan lacked legislative approval and should be repudiated, while members urged caution and suggested hearing from affected agencies. The sponsor agreed to consider deferring the bill, and the committee did not advance it at that time. House Bill 603, a constitutional amendment authorizing investment of state funds in digital assets and precious metals, was discussed as a way to hedge inflation and preserve value; members asked about limits and safeguards, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then began hearing House Bill 763, a transparency measure creating a public database for settlement agreements involving state agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• spend all the money, where the money comes back to, until the next annual... ...half a million is deposited
• It's just clarifying what monies are being deposited into the fund, specifying that they are recurring
• Members, House Bill 763 provides for a public settlement agreement information database to contain certain

Bills: HB165 , HB175 , HB198 , HB272 , HB457 , HB488 , HB566 , HB603 , HB763 , HB902 , HB909 , HB971 , HB981 , HB1066 , HB1125 , HB1154 , HB1231

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: HB165, lottery proceeds, Lottery Proceeds Fund, Veterans Service Grant Fund, constitutional amendment, veterans, military veterans, veterans' benefits, veterans services, family support, state lottery, education funding, Minimum Foundation Program, problem gambling, compulsive gaming, state treasurer, ballot proposition, constitutional referendum, lottery revenue, Louisiana resident veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• And then many, but they are all employer-led, so our steering committees and our lead containers ers
• Micro bets, in-game wagers, push notifications, instant deposits, all deliberately engineered to keep
• ,</c> instant deposits, instant deposits, all<01:43:01.520><c> deliberately</c><01:43:02.239><c> engineered
• So deposit<02:08:23.920><c> limits,</c><02:08:24.320><c> time</c><02:08:24.639><c> limits,</c><02:08:
• 25.040><c> wager</c> deposit limits, time limits, wager deposit limits, time limits, wager limits,<02

Bills: HB2118 , HB2473

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Keywords: business development, arts, cultural affairs, Hawaii, commissions, administrative transfer, funding appropriation, Hawaiian culture, sense of place, land management, environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to permitting and economic development. On HB 2603, relating to permits, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development said it supported the measure with comments. Committee discussion focused on the fact that the state’s facilitated permit process appears to have been rarely or never used, the need to identify specific projects that would use it, and whether DBEDT would need dedicated staffing to administer it. DBEDT said it had found no projects under the current process, had no capacity to run the program as structured, and estimated it would need about 7 to 9 FTEs, including permitting, coordination, data, systems, and possibly legal support. The chair suggested exploring a staff assignment and comparing the concept to federal FAST-41-style expedited permitting. On HB 2140, relating to essential permitting positions, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development again supported the bill with comments. Testimony and questioning centered on a pilot program to help counties pay competitively for permitting staff. A DBEDT representative said the issue of competitive pay affected both county and state permitting offices and that the bill was intended as a temporary pilot, though a more permanent solution would be preferable. When asked how counties would fund the salary support, the witness said that was not yet discussed with the counties and agreed to follow up. The committee also noted the bill applies to participating counties. On HB 2598, relating to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the State Procurement Office and HTDC offered comments, and the Department of the Attorney General raised constitutional concerns. The AG said the bill’s residency-based certification requirements, when tied to procurement, could implicate the dormant Commerce Clause, and that the required 1% contribution tied to state contracts raised unconstitutional-conditions concerns. In questioning, the AG characterized these as legal risks rather than automatic lawsuits. The committee did not take a vote. The committee then heard HB 2141, relating to state enterprise zones. Taxation, DBEDT, HCDA, the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, and HTDC testified in support, while the Tax Foundation noted the program was intended to help economically depressed areas create jobs. HTDC said the bill would help preserve the Maui Research and Technology Center’s enterprise-zone status after rezoning. Committee discussion focused on whether the enterprise zone program is being used effectively, how the bill might attract businesses to areas where the state is investing, and whether the program’s labor requirements are too burdensome for new businesses. DBEDT explained that the program requires a 10% workforce increase in the first year, which must be sustained, and said it promotes the program through county coordinators and in-person outreach. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• this second section, it's enabling legislation that allows the voters to make the decision that's contained
• this second section, it's enabling legislation that allows the voters to make the decision that's contained
• this second section, it's enabling legislation that allows the voters to make the decision that's contained
• Section, it's enabling legislation that allows the voters to make the decision that's contained within
• them versus who's paying depositing them versus who's paying them. them. them.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:33:00.279><c> or</c><00:33:00.480><c> some</c> either a co-pay or a deposit or some either a
• co-pay or a deposit or some sort<00:33:00.919><c> of</c><00:33:01.120><c> thing</c><00:33:01.399><c>
• This bill contains two parts.
• She explained that the bill contains two parts: section one updates existing statutory language on the
• They're part of House Bill 494, section one, that contains our changes.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division 2 work session first took up HB 506, a bill dealing with the return of seized firearms. Members discussed how the measure would shift background-check processing for firearm returns through the Department of Safety, while the physical firearms would still remain with local police unless State Police had taken custody. The department said the bill would change which cases come to it, and members clarified that the bill concerns the background-check decision rather than possession of the firearms. The committee then voted OTP on HB 506 FN by a 7-0 roll call. The committee next discussed HB 671, establishing a kindergarten literacy readiness program. Department of Education staff explained that the bill grew out of a COVID-era Waterford contract that provided home-based early literacy support for families using federal relief funds, at a cost of about $600,000 per year, but that the program ended when those funds expired. Members raised concerns that the bill’s $1 appropriation was not realistic, that the prior program lacked sufficient outcome data, and that the references to ESSA tier-one benchmarks were unclear. The department said it was conducting a broader literacy needs assessment and updating the state literacy plan, including data from the zero-to-five range, K-5, and dyslexia-related work. Waterford representatives described the program as an early-literacy, pre-K readiness service for children ages zero to five, originally designed to work in homes with computers and internet provided where needed, and later expanded in some settings such as daycares and pre-K classrooms. They said the program used assessments at the beginning and end, had served hundreds of children, and was intended to support family engagement and kindergarten readiness. Despite that testimony, members remained concerned about funding and the lack of clear results, and one member moved to retain the bill for more information. The discussion ended with the bill retained rather than advanced.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two, monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed in the discretion of the Department of Public
• Two, monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed in the discretion of the Department of Public
• :03.040><c> has</c><00:42:03.200><c> federally</c><00:42:03.520><c> insured</c><00:42:03.760><c> deposits
• </c> company has federally insured deposits. company has federally insured deposits.
• </c> how much you can deposit into a bank. how much you can deposit into a bank.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 February, 2026; 9:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the salaries, and then we pull down a federal match of around 32%, and that federal match is deposited
• for the salaries, and then we pull down a federal match of around 32%, and that federal match is deposited
• for the salaries, and then we pull down a federal match of around 32%, and that federal match is deposited
• Does this bill contain the resources needed to improve the state agencies, you know, the computer systems
• Does this bill contain the resources needed to improve the state agencies' computer systems?

Bills: HF1 , HF98

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Fake hands, make a deposit, give yourself a due diligence period.
• If you need an extension, the deposit goes hard. It’s applicable but not refundable.
• So just let these guys do what small businesses have to do, which is assume the risk of making a deposit

Bills: S0092 , S0110 , S0192 , S0212 , S0260 , S0350 , S0394 , S0422 , S0434 , S0442 , S0484 , S0546 , S0556 , S0684 , S0696 , S0706 , S0748 , S0786 , S0820 , S0824 , S0838 , S0840 , S0848 , S0856 , S0962 , S1000 , S1014 , S1036 , S1050 , S1054 , S1080 , S1118 , S1134 , S1338 , S1480 , S1500 , S1506 , S1622 , S1724

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: employee protections, whistleblower, retaliation, public trust, ethics complaint, Commission on Ethics, Public Employees Relations Commission, public employee, local government attorney, public officer, adverse personnel action, protected disclosure, whistleblower retaliation, state agency, independent contractor, public employment, civil service, reinstatement, back pay, front pay

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and considered a long agenda of bills, many of them retained from the prior week. The most debated measure was CS for SB 706, which would preempt naming of major commercial service airports to the state and designate Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport, subject to FAA approval and a trademark agreement. Amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to prevent private financial benefit from the naming. Several senators spoke in opposition, citing concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and the trademark/licensing arrangement; supporters argued there was no cost to the airport and that the bill simply set a state naming policy. The committee reported the bill favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also reported favorably CS for SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements, CS for CS for SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, CS for SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, SB 962 on excluding farms from certain zoning definitions, and CS for SB 820 on problem-solving court reporting requirements. The committee then approved several bills from Senator DiCeglie and Senator Arrington. SB 840, addressing land-use regulations for local governments affected by natural disasters, was supported by local-government and environmental advocates who said it would restore local control after SB 180’s hurricane-related restrictions; the sponsor said it was intended to correct unintended consequences of last year’s law. CS for SB 856, requiring online listing platforms to show estimated ad valorem taxes on residential listings, was amended to exclude social media platforms and broaden liability protections; the sponsor and a county property appraiser described it as a consumer-transparency measure. CS for SB 110, clarifying homestead exemption treatment for long-term leases that end at death, was also reported favorably. The committee took up a controversial strike-all amendment to SB 212, which focused on public swimming pools and added residency and related restrictions for certain sex offenders and offenders on community control or probation. The amendment drew strong opposition from advocates and affected families, who argued it would worsen homelessness, impose broad geographic restrictions, and lack evidence of improving child safety; supporters said it was a targeted public-safety measure. Despite the objections, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved SB 684 on electronic signatures for total-loss vehicle and vessel titles, SB 394 on reinsurance intermediary managers, SB 434 on property tax assessment treatment for wind-hardening improvements, CS for CS for SBs 658 and 608 on water-safety requirements for rental properties with pools or nearby water, SB 748 on adding voting-rights restoration information to sentencing score sheets, and CS for SB 824 requiring school districts to inventory unimproved real property. The meeting ended while the committee was beginning SB 848 on stormwater treatment, with an amendment being introduced as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• nothing gives me more privilege to stand on and announce that Senator Miller is going to buy food and beverage
• 42.800><c> and</c> Senator Miller is going to buy food and Senator Miller is going to buy food and beverage
• 43.920><c> retirement</c><02:58:44.399><c> party</c><02:58:45.359><c> on</c><02:58:46.000><c> May</c> beverage
• at his retirement party on May beverage at his retirement party on May 12th<02:58:46.960><c> from</c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had speakers, Kernza food products from local bakeries, and beverage products.
• food products from local bakeries Kernza food products from local bakeries and<01:08:56.359><c> beverage
• :57.279><c> It</c><01:08:57.359><c> was</c><01:08:57.440><c> just</c><01:08:57.600><c> a</c> and beverage
• It was just a and beverage products.

Bills: HF4698 , HF4608

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: higher education, identity verification, enrollment fraud, funding, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, postsecondary education, community college, university, developmental education, remedial education, remediation, corequisite, co-requisite, English composition, college readiness, adult basic education, ABE, student placement, credit-bearing courses, noncredit courses

Transcript Highlights:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and supports our entire food system: local food and beverage
• That's local food<03:05:52.560><c> and</c><03:05:52.720><c> beverage</c><03:05:53.040><c> retailers,<
• /c><03:05:53.520><c> suppliers,</c> food and beverage retailers, suppliers, food and beverage retailers

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• offered an amendment based on consultation with others to document the annual costs, the annual deposits
• </c> the annual costs, the annual deposits the annual costs, the annual deposits and<00:54:06.640><c>
• I just want to make sure I thought you were talking about annually depositing the assessments, but I
• Representative uh Roman 3 assessments collected by the association, including funds deposited under,
• Um, the second section, 13 through 20, we do deposit it annually today.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 155, which drew a lengthy debate over an amendment to delay implementation until tax year 2027. Supporters said the delay would give lawmakers time to see whether projected revenues materialize and to reconsider the policy if needed; opponents argued it would reduce money available to services and local governments at a time of tightening revenues. Members also discussed broader revenue trends, including tobacco, rooms-and-meals, real estate transfer, and lottery revenues, and disagreed over whether tax cuts tend to increase revenue. The committee adopted amendment 2025-2983H on an 11-9 vote, then voted 11-9 to report HB 155 ought to pass as amended. The bill was sent to the consent calendar, with a majority and minority report to be filed. The committee then considered HB 224, with members expressing concern that the bill would redirect money collected for one purpose to another and should receive more study. A motion for interim study was made and seconded, and the committee approved interim study unanimously, 20-0, sending HB 224 to the consent calendar. Next, the committee took up SB 83, which the Lottery described as a vehicle for technical corrections to gaming law. The Lottery requested changes to remove a bond cap, reconcile inconsistent free-play/promotional-play language, redirect problem-gambling funds to the Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention, and revise background-check language after the FBI declined to conduct checks under the existing wording. The committee adopted amendment 2025-2984 unanimously, 20-0, then voted 20-0 to report SB 83 ought to pass as amended and placed it on the consent calendar. Finally, the committee began work on HB 524, a bill to repeal the New Hampshire Vaccine Association. Representative Yuli said members had received many emails and calls both supporting and opposing the program and that he had questions about transparency and the dollars involved. The transcript cuts off before any vote or further action on HB 524.

Transcript Highlights:

• proudly talking about the grandparents, what the ancestors have been done long time ago that they have deposited
• proudly talking about the grandparents, what the ancestors have been done long time ago that they have deposited
• proudly talking about the grandparents, what the ancestors have been done long time ago that they have deposited
• proudly talking about the grandparents, what the ancestors have been done long time ago that they have deposited
• our family wherever— Grandparents, what the ancestors have been done long time ago that they have deposited

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered three judicial confirmations for the First Circuit family court. The first nominee, Maria F. Penn, was introduced for confirmation to a six-year term as a district family court judge. Testimony from family law attorneys and the Hawaii State Bar Association was strongly supportive, emphasizing her courtroom demeanor, preparation, knowledge of family law, respect for litigants and counsel, and ability to manage emotionally difficult family court matters. Judge Penn also spoke about her background, including her legal career, prior service as a PDM family court judge, and her view that family court requires both legal judgment and empathy. The chair noted that the committee would not vote that day and would take up votes the next morning. The second nomination was Wilson Aunga for a district family court judgeship. Supporters described his character, community involvement, and suitability for family court, including testimony from the Honolulu prosecutor, longtime friends, classmates, community members, and others. Speakers highlighted his work with youth, his leadership in the prosecutor’s office, his calm and impartial temperament, and his commitment to education and public service. The chair reported 105 supporters, no opposition, and one comment from the Hawaii State Bar Association. Additional testimony continued from members of the public, including a speaker discussing mental health and personal support for Aunga. Throughout the hearing, the chair enforced a two-minute limit on oral testimony and explained that the committee was short on time and would recess as needed. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair announced that voting would occur the following day in the same room.

Transcript Highlights:

• Beginning in January 2026, the state treasurer remitted a quarterly deposit of $157,000 to the joint
• The amount was notable because these quarterly deposits had typically hovered in the $240,000 to $320,000
• The amount was notable because these quarterly deposits had typically hovered in the $240,000 to $320,000
• the inquiry to the Office of State Tax, who suggested the joint powers entity wait until the next deposit
• Then in April of 2026, the quarterly deposit dropped to $104,000.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The commission collects a license fee, uh, and those fees are deposited into a restricted fund and they're
• The commission collects a license fee, uh, and those fees are deposited into a restricted fund and they're
• ><00:14:42.160><c> are</c> license fee, uh and those fees are license fee, uh and those fees are deposited
• 43.279><c> a</c><00:14:43.600><c> restricted</c><00:14:44.160><c> fund</c><00:14:44.800><c> and</c> deposited
• into a restricted fund and deposited into a restricted fund and they're<00:14:45.279><c> used</c><00

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 01:09 Roll Call 02:11 SB 7 12:42 SB 7 Vote 13:48 SB 30 17:26 SB 30 Vote 19:56 SB 28 46:35 SB 28 vote, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The systems that contain it contain this leachate, which is placed with a lot of different types like
• Landfills contain contaminants. We don't know what's put into the landfill.
• Landfills contain contaminants. We don't know what's put into the landfill.
• But I imagine it still contains quite a lot of toxins.
• But I imagine it still contains quite a lot of toxins.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the compensation and the terms of it, we can negotiate a certain deposit into that account that we're
• occur, and it allows the contracting agent, the contractor looking for the service, to be able to deposit
• Um, in the, the compensation and the terms of it, we can negotiate a certain deposit into that account
• to occur and it allows the contracting agent, the contractor looking for the service to be able to deposit

Summary: The committee first handled House Bill 232 by Rep. Carlson, which would shift the process for minors’ employment certificates away from schools and school boards and instead have Louisiana Works create and collect the forms directly from employers. An amendment set was adopted to update the title, revise a section heading, add a collection procedure, and make the bill effective upon the governor’s signature. Carlson and supporters, including members of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, said the change would reduce burdens on schools, make it easier for 16- and 17-year-olds to enter the workforce, and better fit summer hiring. The secretary said the department could move quickly to notify schools and employers. The bill was reported with amendments. The committee then took up House Bill 951 by Rep. Bamberg, which creates an Office of the Talent Accelerator within Louisiana Works and a business workforce committee to coordinate employer-facing workforce services. After adopting a large amendment set, Bamberg and Secretary Schowan said the office would help Louisiana respond more quickly to business needs, especially as major economic development projects create demand for skilled labor. Supporters from Leaders for a Better Louisiana and Bollinger Shipyards described similar results in Mississippi’s centralized workforce model and said employers need a one-stop, regional approach to training and recruitment. Members discussed needs in welding, electrical, HVAC, data centers, and other sectors. The bill was reported with amendments. House Bill 923 by Rep. Barrault, a technical cleanup bill related to the reorganization of Louisiana Works and related workforce and social service statutes, was then amended and reported with amendments. Finally, House Bill 301 by Rep. Weibel, which would create a voluntary portable benefits framework for independent contractors and gig workers, drew the most debate. Supporters said it would let contractors and hiring entities voluntarily contribute to portable benefit accounts for health, retirement, and similar needs, with examples from other states and the gig economy. Opponents from labor and injured workers argued it could encourage misclassification, weaken workers’ compensation protections, and shift costs to workers and the state. The discussion continued with questions about who would benefit and how the bill would interact with existing contractor law and protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunity presented itself, we have taken the savings that we have incurred from that discipline and deposited
• incurred from that that we have incurred from that discipline<00:48:52.120><c> and</c><00:48:52.240><c> deposited
• </c><00:48:53.320><c> in</c><00:48:53.440><c> the</c> discipline and deposited in the discipline and
• deposited in the Commonwealth's<00:48:54.240><c> budget</c><00:48:54.640><c> reserve</c><00:48:55.240

Keywords: 958, all