Transcript Highlights:

• So, we're evaluating whether or not we either need to spend more money or charge more to manage other
• We're also looking at a field services manager.
• A field services manager might be able to take some of the work out of the hands of some of the field
• You have a revenue compliance director, field services manager, internal auditor. It seems like.
• Overall, this slide demonstrates disciplined fiscal management by absorbing new responsibilities where

Transcript Highlights:

• FINALLY, WE WILL HEAR AN UPDATE ON THE FLORIDA COUNTY AND THE LEDGER MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
• BUT THEY SERVE AS CONTRACT MANAGERS FOR THE VENDORS THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE HOMEOWNERS
• IN JULY 2021 DFS DEPLOYED THE IPS AND AND CASH MANAGEMENT, CASH MANAGEMENT AS ITS NAME IMPLIES IS SIMPLY
• THERE TO MANAGE THE STATE'S CASH MEANING HOW THE MONEY IS INVESTED WHEN IT'S NOT BEING USED SO STATE
• ALIVE BUT THE FUNCTIONALITY RIGHT NOW IS LIMITED TO CASH MANAGEMENT.

Transcript Highlights:

• I really think had OMB been involved—people who build buildings, people who manage budgets, and all of
• We have learned how to manage these difficult patients.
• We have learned how to manage these difficult patients.
• language just says that we would have managerial control over the project and the construction management
• The equity funding for facility management custodians, that mostly goes to custodians, $110,000, $114,000

Bills: SB2012

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Government Operations Division

Summary: The Government Operations division met to consider House Bill 1015, the OMB budget, with several amendments already in hand. A major portion of the discussion centered on Senator Mathern’s concerns about the proposed new state hospital in Jamestown. He argued the project is outdated, too expensive, and should be delayed or reduced in favor of local behavioral health services and deferred maintenance at the existing LaHogue facility. Other members questioned him about staffing, capacity, constitutional issues, and the relationship between the hospital proposal and broader mental health investments in other bills. The committee also reviewed budget mechanics, including the transfer of up to $240 million from the Social Services Fund to the Human Services Finance Fund, a $40 million deferred maintenance fund, a $3 million deficiency appropriation for the new and vacant FTE pool, and other OMB-related items. Members discussed whether OMB should have managerial control over the Jamestown project and generally agreed that OMB oversight could help manage costs, though concerns about the hospital remained. The committee then considered two funding items that drew the most debate: guardianship grants and a pro-life education campaign. After testimony from a representative supporting the campaign, members agreed to reduce that item by $500,000 and add $1 million for guardianship grants, while leaving the overall bill to be finalized in conference. The committee adopted Amendment Version 2006 with those changes and then passed HB 1015 as amended on a roll call vote, with all members voting aye except Senator Burckhard on the amendment vote; he later voted aye on the bill itself. The chair indicated the bill would move to conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, historically, what we've done there is brought that to management audit committee.
• So, if it's audits that we've done, then we generally bring those issues to management audit committee
• The purpose of today's public comment is to issue a formal complaint to the Wyoming Management Audit
• In these roles, I was heavily involved in contract development and management, invoice management and
• Audit Committee and all members of the Management Audit Committee.

Committee: Joint Management Audit Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And I don't know, pardon, Chavon, Waldron managing attorney for the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund.
• It funds a wide array of legal services statewide that help people manage critical life issues.
• All courts across California have case management systems.
• Their intended purpose is to manage caseloads. In L.A.
• County, our case management system's purpose is to manage the over 1.3 million filings we get every year

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you all have four vendors that are doing financial management, why were you not able to produce
• And so they were in need of specifically some data management personnel support, as just an example.
• Rather, that are supposed to be managing your finances. You also have Ms.
• invoices, the fact that you had four different vendors that were managing your finances and yet there
• We were responsible for day-to-day management, so yes, developing the minutes and presenting them to

Summary: The committee held a follow-up informational hearing on the State Library’s oversight of the statewide Imagination Library program, focusing on how state funds were used by the Strong Reader Partnership (SRP) and whether the program complied with statutory requirements. Chair and Senator Grove repeatedly questioned State Librarian Greg Lucas about delayed document production, the State Library’s decision to allow SRP to continue spending $4.8 million after the 2024 budget changes, and the lack of clear accounting for how many books were actually delivered to children. Lucas said the State Library had sent one demand letter, relied on counsel’s advice, and ultimately received bank statements, invoices, and narrative reports that he said were satisfactory, though he acknowledged the committee should have been given the documents sooner. A major issue was whether SRP and its vendors used state funds for lobbying or influence efforts related to AB 157/SB 157, despite contract language prohibiting lobbying. The committee highlighted invoices and emails involving ChangeCraft and SAGE Strategies that appeared to coincide with legislative activity, while SRP representatives said their work was communications, stakeholder outreach, and board-directed advocacy, not lobbying. Members of SRP also defended their vendor selections and invoicing practices, explaining that the organization was in startup and transition mode, had multiple financial vendors for checks and balances, and was working to build infrastructure, local partnerships, and multilingual outreach capacity rather than directly buying books. The hearing also scrutinized specific expenditures, including roughly $581,000 to Shipyard for marketing and web/digital work, $110,000 to Lotus Financial Solutions, and a $5,000 grant to United Way of the California Capital Region. Senators argued the invoices were vague and the deliverables were not evident, pointing to a simple website, limited social media presence, and no clear evidence that some advertised campaigns ever went live. SRP witnesses said the work was part of a phased plan to establish a statewide foundation and that some assets and documentation had not yet been provided to the committee. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with the chair emphasizing the need for tighter oversight, clearer documentation, and better accountability for taxpayer funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• . unintended results include excluding lots of different communities from ownership and management.
• We don't know what we're kind of like managing and measuring.
• We don't know what we're kind of like managing and measuring.
• Kesh Kumar with Lighthouse Public Affairs on behalf of BSC Management.
• Kesh Kumar with Lighthouse Public Affairs on behalf of BSC Management.

Summary: The Select Committee on Downtown Recovery held a hearing titled “Revitalizing California’s Downtowns Through the Nightlife Economy,” focused on how nightlife, arts, entertainment, and late-night transportation can support downtown recovery after the pandemic. Chair Matt Haney framed nightlife as a major economic and cultural sector and said the committee hopes to produce policy, budget, and legislative proposals, building on last year’s downtown recovery bills. The hearing included three panels: nightlife policy experts and a venue owner; representatives from entertainment, tourism, and rideshare; and remote witnesses from London, Philadelphia, and New York discussing how other cities manage 24-hour economies. Witnesses on the first panel emphasized that nightlife is an ecosystem that includes workers, venues, transportation, and public safety. Michael Fishman described the growth of night managers and argued that zoning, licensing, and land costs can either support or choke off creative venues; he also said extending hours can reduce congestion and unsafe spillover if done in a regulated way. Ben Van Houten highlighted San Francisco’s entertainment zones, hospitality zone liquor licenses, Type 90 music venue licenses, and other local reforms, while urging more state coordination and possible tax and licensing changes. Darcy Drolinger of Oasis said independent venues are operating on thin margins, have faced repeated near-closures, and need tools such as extended alcohol service hours to remain viable and preserve community and LGBTQ+ cultural spaces. The second panel focused on tourism, major events, and transportation. Another Planet Entertainment’s Mary Condi said festivals and venues like Outside Lands, the Castro Theatre, and the Fox and Greek theaters draw large numbers of visitors, support hotels and restaurants, and require close coordination with city agencies; she also raised concerns about unexpected possessory interest tax bills and the burden of secondary ticketing and cannabis taxes. Amelia Zamani of Cal Travel said travel and tourism remain a major economic engine and argued that nightlife is central to attracting international visitors, conventions, and major events, especially if California wants to compete with cities that allow later alcohol service. Lyft’s Nicholas Johnson said late-night rides serve workers as well as patrons, reduce DUI risk, and are essential for safe access to downtowns and event venues. In the final panel, officials from London and Philadelphia described their nighttime governance models. London witnesses said the city created a 24-hour city strategy, a night czar, and a nightlife commission, and found that nightlife supports economic activity, workforce retention, and safer, more diverse districts when paired with flexible licensing and better transit. Philadelphia’s Rahim Manning said his city treats the nighttime economy as a major industry, with a $26.2 billion annual impact, and stressed that it includes manufacturing, logistics, health care, transportation, food service, arts, and sports—not just bars and clubs. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with committee members asking questions about extended hours, transportation, family-friendly programming, cannabis activation, ticketing, and how California can better support a safe and competitive nighttime economy.

Transcript Highlights:

• and this bill provides them a way to provide protections and ensure equitable public access and management
• With 58% of California forest lands owned and managed by the federal government, recent directives to
• Placer County Water Agency manages natural resources.
• AB 900 will better prepare us to protect and manage the state's incredible landscape for generations
• If AB 1139 is approved, it would provide another tool for public land managers like Sonoma County to

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of natural resources and related bills, with several measures taken up as the committee reached quorum and many others moving on consent or with due-pass recommendations. Early items included AB 80 on carpet recycling, AB 452 creating a local process for state surf reserves, and AB 823 restricting microplastics in personal care and cleaning products. AB 80 drew broad support from recycling, labor, and environmental groups and was described as a follow-up to earlier carpet recycling reforms. AB 452 was backed by surf, tourism, environmental, and local government interests as a voluntary, community-driven way to recognize and protect surf breaks. AB 823 generated the most extensive debate, with supporters citing public health and environmental harms from microplastics and opponents warning the bill’s language could sweep in products such as sunscreens, cosmetics, and fragrance-encapsulation materials; the committee discussed possible ambiguity and EU comparisons before voting the bill out on a due-pass-as-amended basis to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. The committee also advanced AB 1046, which would create a narrow exemption from SB 1383 organic-waste requirements for certain crop preparers and tree nut processors that do not send organic waste to landfills. Agricultural witnesses said the bill would clarify that their operations already reuse byproducts and should not face duplicative reporting, and the measure passed with support from agricultural and rural county representatives. AB 252, the “Stop Laying Off Firefighters Act,” proposed year-round Cal Fire staffing; the author and Cal Fire supporters argued that wildfire conditions are now year-round and that maintaining trained crews would improve response and prevention, and the bill was sent to Appropriations. AB 571, a targeted CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Anaheim, drew strong bipartisan and veterans’ support and also passed out. Later, the committee approved AB 1455, which would authorize emergency rulemaking and streamline future updates for ember-resistant building regulations after recent wildfire emergencies, and AB 687, which would let public agencies use forest-practice rules and timber-harvest plans for certain publicly funded fuel-reduction projects; AB 687 drew some opposition over scope and enforceability concerns but was still advanced. The committee also moved AB 652, allowing alternate members on the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District board to prevent quorum problems, and AB 317, a first-time homebuyer housing bill that would exempt certain small, lower-cost homes from CEQA and defer some property taxes; AB 317 prompted discussion about guardrails to avoid unintended use on larger subdivisions. Finally, AB 900, requiring the Natural Resources Agency to develop a stewardship plan for 30-by-30 lands, was heard with broad support from land trusts and conservation groups and advanced on a due-pass recommendation, and AB 738, a wildfire-rebuild bill easing solar requirements for certain disaster survivors, was introduced and discussed with questions about its narrow scope and the number of homes affected.

Transcript Highlights:

• I could check with our Automotive Management Division to see if they have that kind of information.
• And then we have County of Hawaii Department of Environmental Management in support.
• </c><00:23:49.200><c> would</c><00:23:49.640><c> ultimately</c> endof Life management would ultimately
• an EV battery Soup To Nuts to manage an EV battery fully<00:24:28.360><c> recycle</c><00:24:28.799><
• management management plan<00:34:25.800><c> so</c><00:34:26.240><c> they</c><00:34:26.399><c> they</

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Summary: The Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard testimony on a series of energy, transportation, climate, and waste bills. HB 977 would provide additional funding to the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority for low-interest financing of rooftop solar and storage for underserved ratepayers; HB 1295 would require state and county agencies to use federal energy tax credits; HB 1051 concerns energy efficiency portfolio standards; HB 1019 addresses long-duration clean energy storage; HB 344 concerns EV charging infrastructure at state facilities; HB 733 would change EV parking requirements; HB 242 creates a working group on EV battery reuse and recycling; HB 1022 expands access to energy industry information reporting; HB 1017 repeals the greenhouse gas sequestration task force; HB 787 asks for a feasibility study on a Buy Clean program; and HB 751 sets composting goals. Testimony was largely supportive across the bills, with some agencies standing on written testimony or offering comments, and a few measures drawing opposition or concerns, including HB 751 from county agencies and HB 242 from Redwood Materials requesting inclusion of a specialized battery recycler on the working group. Members asked several questions, including about EV charging siting, whether bike parking and showers should be considered in EV facility planning, how often EV charging stalls are relocated to other sites, and whether Hawaiʻi has in-state capacity to prepare EV batteries for shipping and recycling. On HB 751, the committee discussed county diversion rates and Maui’s composting capacity, with the Department of Health noting Maui’s diversion decline was tied to closure of the EKO co-composting facility at Central Maui landfill and that reestablishment was planned. On HB 242, Redwood Materials explained it handles lithium-ion batteries, including work related to the Maui wildfire response, and said a full in-state recycling chain is unlikely, though local facilities can safely prepare batteries for shipment. In decision-making, the committee voted to pass all of the measures with amendments. For HB 977, the committee noted a recommended appropriation of $50 million and made technical amendments. HB 1295, HB 1051, HB 1019, HB 344, HB 733, HB 242, HB 1022, HB 1017, and HB 787 were all advanced with technical or substantive amendments, including changes to dates, appropriations, and working group membership. For HB 344, the committee accepted DAGS’s suggestion to make HSEO the expending entity and adjusted the appropriation to one year. For HB 242, the committee added a battery storage industry member, included stationary storage as a consideration, and extended the reporting date to 2027. HB 787 was advanced with a request that the Climate Commission and State Procurement Office work together on more specific amendments if the bill continues moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I don't think that, again, it's not a case management service.
• Transitional Planning Program Manager for the Department of Corrections.
• Who would be responsible for managing the system?
• The Office of Management,...
• The Office of Management, No one was trained or designated to take it over.

Committees: Joint Judiciary , Joint Judiciary Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• When Americans have the confidence and knowledge to manage their money well, they are better positioned
• When Americans have the confidence and knowledge to manage their money well, they are better positioned
• policy, create a pain management protocol for assessing and managing acute pain for birthing patients
• policy, create a pain management protocol for assessing and managing acute pain for birthing patients
• policy, create a pain management protocol for assessing and managing acute pain for birthing patients

Transcript Highlights:

• I've done cultural resource management work for over 20 years. I own my own company.
• Jason has been on the Game Management Commission one term already.
• And so, yeah, he's been a good strength for us working on game management program.
• </c> including on our game management including on our game management advisory<00:57:23.720><c> commission
• </c><01:01:55.559><c> activ</c> are doing a lot of fire management activ are doing a lot of fire management

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land heard confirmation nominations for several DLNR-related boards and commissions, including GM 530 for Karen Ono to the Board of Land and Natural Resources, GM 582 for Jay Kenan to the Natural Area Reserves System Commission, and GM 584 for Adrien Trulock to the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board. The chair repeatedly noted the volunteer nature of these positions and said the committee would take up decision-making after hearing all nominees. Testimony and comments for each nominee were generally supportive, with agency representatives praising their preparation, experience, and willingness to serve. For Karen Ono, DLNR and several supporters from Kauai testified in favor, describing her as highly prepared and effective on the board. Senators questioned her about DLNR land use, especially state lands near rail stations and whether they should be used for affordable housing rather than commercial development. Ono said she had not taken a board position on those specific proposals because they had not yet come before the board, but she acknowledged the importance of housing and infrastructure. She also responded to questions about DLNR’s management of transferred agricultural lands, saying concerns about the department’s ability to manage such lands had been raised before and remain relevant. One senator expressed strong reservations about the nomination based on the land-use answers. For Jay Kenan, the NARS Commission testimony focused on the commission’s role in advising on land management and conservation policy. Kenan said he hoped to continue helping evaluate properties and policies, and he identified funding and staffing as the main challenge. DLNR staff explained that the position supporting NARS had been abolished and that the department had limited capacity to restore it because other priorities, such as fire-related positions, were taking precedence. The committee also discussed a separate bill affecting Legacy Lands funding through conveyance tax revenues, with members and agency staff expressing concern that the measure could reduce support for land संरक्षण efforts. For Adrien Trulock, SHPD and DLNR staff strongly supported the nomination, citing her preservation background and experience with historic properties. Members discussed the importance of her expertise for reviewing nominations and appeals and for helping with preservation planning. The committee also raised broader concerns about delays in historic-place designations and the difference between state and federal review processes; SHPD explained that board approval places a property on the state register, while federal National Register review can still require revisions and cause delays. No final votes or confirmations were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The letters submitted, I know some have, attest to the fact that managing our business is costly, not
• </c><00:04:34.320><c> our</c> attest to the fact that managing our attest to the fact that managing our
• DHS actually failed to, my terminology, failed to hire a manager for eight months, so there's a manager
• there's a manager that's being months so there's a manager that's being paid<00:14:24.959><c> for</c
• </c> temporarily removing toys to manage temporarily removing toys to manage Behavior<00:46:23.839><c

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> already by uh wershed management already by uh wershed management organizations<00:06:04.639><c>
• and watershed management.
• So any funding that is management.
• </c> Natural Area uh for us to manage Natural Area uh for us to manage globally<00:40:12.560><c> rare
• </c> print, but I I know we can manage that. print, but I I know we can manage that.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• No, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is under the U.S.
• This is warming the oceans way more than some cooling of wind turbines could ever manage.
• Right now, there are no leases at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
• </c> at the Bureau of ocean Energy Management at the Bureau of ocean Energy Management has<01:38:25.679
• Like I said, this is all stemming from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, no one has been more of a critic of the managed care organizations than myself.
• As noted, no one's been a more harsh critic of the managed care organization model than myself.
• critic of the managed care organizations than<00:04:08.319><c> myself.
• </c><00:06:55.600><c> So</c><00:06:56.160><c> why</c> the managed care organizations.
• So why the managed care organizations.

Committee: House Health Services

Transcript Highlights:

• We're revolving to the state risk management revolving fund.
• </c> risk management revolving fund. risk management revolving fund.
• So, our responsibility ends at DAG's managed parking facilities.
• And at DAG's managed parking facilities.
• I want to be DAGs managed facilities.

Bills: SB2543 , SB2435 , SB2352

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Summary: The Committee on Government Operations reconvened on February 10, 2026, to take up measures previously heard on February 5. It advanced SB 2983 on criminal destruction of trees with technical, non-substantive amendments and a committee report note asking Judiciary to clarify that removal of invasive species remains allowed; the measure passed with one no vote. SB 2930 on the state risk management revolving fund also passed with amendments, including blanking out the amount, setting a defective date, and directing Ways and Means to review a spreadsheet before further action. The committee likewise passed SB 2928 on making the small business procurement program permanent and SB 2970 on standards of conduct for state agency contracts, adopting the Ethics Commission’s recommended language assigning compliance responsibility to department directors and deputy directors. SB 2927 and SB 3068 on procurement were deferred to a time certain on February 12, and SB 3015 on personal information, SB 2929 on public notice, and SB 2938 on search and rescue were also deferred for further discussion or to avoid re-referral issues. SB 2662 on external consultants was amended to remove a cap and preemptive approval language, narrow the expertise standard, and note possible auditor staffing or appropriation needs; it then passed with amendments. The joint GVO-EIG hearing then took up SB 2543 on state construction projects and an Office of the State Construction Manager within DAGS. Testimony from the Hawaii Iron Workers Stabilization Fund strongly supported the bill, saying it could reduce wasteful spending on large design-build projects and free money for tax credits and other public needs. DAGS, the University of Hawaii, and DLNR offered written comments, while one witness from KIC opposed the measure and asked for an exemption for member-owned electric cooperatives. A Hawaii Solar Energy Association witness also supported the bill but asked that landscape architects be excluded from the bill’s definition of design professionals, and Rocky Mold said Kauai permitting was efficient enough that he had no objection to carving it out. The committee adopted amendments from DNR, DAGS, and UH and passed SB 2543. The hearing also considered SB 2435 on EV charging infrastructure at state facilities. DAGS and the Hawaii State Energy Office supported the concept and explained that the goal was to retrofit managed parking facilities with infrastructure that can meet current and future EV needs, while acknowledging that some stalls can sit unused and that the state must balance space and enforcement. Members raised concerns about whether dedicating 25% of stalls to EV charging would reduce usable parking, and about rural and Big Island conditions where EV range and battery capacity remain limiting. The discussion noted that DOT, DNR, DOE, and DOH may have their own parking facilities outside DAGS control. The committee then indicated it would broaden the bill to apply to all state agencies and lower the threshold in response to member concerns, with final action not fully shown in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• My HR manager is in regular contact with them about this very thing.
• The AI-powered data system includes document management and workflow automation.
• We have extended the monitoring and vulnerability management as a system to them.
• We do the vulnerability management as a service on a regular cadence.
• So, more oversight, more program management, more project management, and more milestones and quarterly

Transcript Highlights:

• > the project manager to the project manager to oversee<02:10:16.079><c> because</c><02:10:16.400><c>
• </c> you should have the project manager you should have the project manager selected<02:11:10.960><c
• And I was owner's project manager?
• /c><02:30:23.600><c> they're</c> the owner's project managers, they're the owner's project managers,
• ,</c><02:36:40.399><c> we</c> The idea of the project manager, we The idea of the project manager, we

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 292, which would authorize a governor’s warrant to cover special education aid shortfalls from the education trust fund, and from the general fund if needed, so local school districts would not have to absorb prorated costs or raise local property taxes. Senator Lang said the bill was prompted by a prior $15 million special education funding shortfall caused by higher-than-expected catastrophic aid claims, including more qualifying students and the recent increase in the special education age limit to 22. He emphasized that the bill is intended to ensure the state meets its funding commitment and avoid shifting costs to towns. Members asked about how the bill interacts with House Bill 742 and House Bill 773, including whether the language should be merged or whether the state should fund 100% versus an 80% floor. Lang said he was open to improving the bill and to adding a study committee or performance audit on special education costs, but maintained that the state should not push costs to local taxpayers when it has available funds. The hearing on SB 292 was then closed, with no vote taken. The committee then opened Senate Bill 98, which would extend for five more years a tax credit program for donations to regional career and technical education centers. Senator Waters said the program has been successful in building partnerships between CTE centers and employers, especially through equipment donations that support training and apprenticeships. He cited examples including automotive, marine trades, and advanced manufacturing programs, and said the five-year extension would let lawmakers continue to review whether the incentive is working as intended. Several members questioned whether the credit is effectively a 100% subsidy and how the cap works. Waters and another member explained that the underlying program has an aggregate cap of $500,000 and that credits are prorated if requests exceed that amount; they also said the donations are primarily equipment, not cash. Some members raised concerns about whether businesses could also claim other tax deductions or credits, but the sponsor said the existing structure has been in place for years and has been revisited periodically. No vote was taken during the hearing excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> manage cost. manage cost.
• So it's really a question for how they manage their service.
• </c><00:23:58.000><c> cost-effective</c> providers uh to manage cost-effective providers uh to manage
• </c><00:24:42.799><c> their</c> question for how they manage their question for how they manage their
• </c> should consider uh and then we manage should consider uh and then we manage our<00:31:39.679><c>