Transcript Highlights:

• Business on the agenda: The chair intends to close witness registration at 5 p.m.
• So, we need to finish your registration before we take this. Yes, I appreciate it.

Bills: HB2766, HB2891, HB3334, HB3791, HB3911, HB4021, HB4041, HB4042, HB4384, HB4426

Keywords: inactive wells, oil and gas regulation, environmental protection, Railroad Commission of Texas, well plugging, Railroad Commission, penalties, violations, pipeline safety, civil penalties, criminal penalties, wildfire prevention, oil and gas, safety inspections, administrative penalties, excavation, notification, utilities, underground facilities, regulatory compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• testifying, please make sure you have filled out the electronic witness affirmation form on the registration
• And with that UPC not required as part of product registration requirements by TABC or TTB, why would

Transcript Highlights:

• With, um, real, um, your property tax, you can go online and charge, or your automotive registration,
• With, um, real, um, your property tax, you can go online and charge, or your automotive registration,

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills covering criminal justice, elections, and wildfire-related settlement funding. HB 103 would raise the age cutoff for life-without-parole eligibility from 18 to 21; supporters included the Public Defender and others, while prosecutors and some others opposed it. HB 11 would allow civil claims against people or businesses profiting from sexual exploitation or sex trafficking; it drew mostly support but was not ready for a vote and was deferred for further questions. HB 132 would expand a state-initiated expungement pilot to include possession of any Schedule V substance; the Public Defender, ACLU, and oversight groups supported it, with one opponent, and committee questions focused on what substances and how many cases would be affected. HB 145 would require the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center to transmit expungement orders to the Judiciary to implement Act 159; the Judiciary and Public Defender supported it, and members discussed technical issues involving multiple defendants and multiple charges. HB 369, a campaign finance housekeeping bill on excess cash contributions, and HB 408, which aligns voter registration-by-mail deadlines with current law, both received support and no opposition of note. The committee also heard HB 1175, which creates appropriations and a trust fund for Maui wildfire settlement claims; the Attorney General’s office, Maui County Council, and Tax Foundation supported it, while one senator said he would vote no because of concerns about House leadership. HB 386, which conforms drug possession thresholds for methamphetamine, heroin, morphine, and cocaine, was supported by law enforcement and prosecutors. HB 134 would require electronic filing of nomination papers; the Elections Office supported it but asked that any convenience fee be authorized in statute, while one witness opposed it over security and cost concerns. After testimony and questions, the committee took up decision-making and passed HB 103 with amendments, deferred HB 11, and passed HB 132, HB 145, HB 369, HB 408, HB 1175, HB 386, and HB 134, with HB 134 amended to clarify no additional charge for electronic filing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just need your permission to, uh, change your registration to not testify.
• And we have your permission to change your registration to not testify. Yes sir. OK, thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• And<00:57:55.520> and I believe you may be referring to an automatic cost adjustment for the Young
• cost adjustment for the Young automatic cost adjustment for the Young Brothers.<01:00:00.320> What's
• The Public Utilities Commission is very cautious about automatic cost reward to that utility because
• in the past we witnessed where even when they have had the opportunity for automatic cost adjustments
• We witnessed where even when they have had the opportunity for automatic cost adjustments, they still

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• concern that somebody could repeat offend and end up in the justice system again, and if there was an automatic
• concern that somebody could repeat offend and end up in the justice system again, and if there was an automatic
• He says any exemption would not automatically lead to a trial; it would go to the court, and the judge
• on<01:23:34.400> it program you're zooming in on it program you're zooming in on it automatically
• changes some of the pixels automatically changes some of the pixels um<01:23:38.719> which<01

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also a little bit that comes back automatically from one of these other accounts.
• There's also a little bit that comes back automatically from one of these other accounts.
• There's also a little bit that comes back automatically from one of these other accounts.
• There's also a little bit that comes back automatically from one of these other accounts.
• There's also a little bit that comes back automatically from one of these other accounts.

Bills: HF3732

Keywords: workforce development, unemployment benefits, youth training, economic development, grants, job creation

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these tolling agencies benchmark their toll rates to an inflation rate so that they automatically
• The way I believe this bill is currently written, it doesn't automatically change, but as part of our
• <00:47:05.400> adjust<00:47:06.360> as<00:47:06.600> inflation automatically adjust
• as inflation automatically adjust as inflation changes. changes. changes.
• written, it doesn't automatically written, it doesn't automatically change,<00:47:15.520> but

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think what we have seen uh is no, it doesn't happen automatically.
• <00:45:05.440> And<00:45:05.599> I automatically going to continue.
• And I automatically going to continue.
• <00:45:10.400> You<00:45:10.640> have doesn't happen automatically.
• You have doesn't happen automatically.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on the rule of law with U.S. Representative Ed Case. Chair Carl Rhodes opened by explaining the purpose of the briefing, noting it was being livestreamed and that public testimony would not be taken in the usual way. He described the rule of law as central to democracy and introduced Case, who was invited to discuss the concept and its relevance to recent federal actions affecting Hawaii. Case framed the rule of law as a durable system grounded in the Constitution, federal laws, separation of powers, and checks and balances, with each branch of government and the public itself playing a role. He emphasized that Congress makes the laws, the president executes them, and the courts decide whether the Constitution and laws are being followed. He also stressed that elected officials swear to uphold this structure and that the rule of law is distinct from ordinary policy disagreements. Case then argued that the Trump administration has undermined the rule of law through actions such as dismantling or weakening agencies created and funded by law, withholding appropriated funds, removing inspectors general and other independent officials, ignoring or challenging court orders, weakening the independence of agencies like the Department of Justice and the Federal Reserve, and intimidating dissenting voices, the press, and other opponents. He said these actions have harmed Hawaii and reflect a coordinated effort to concentrate power in the executive branch. He noted that Congress has not been serving as an effective check, while federal courts have been the main remaining check through more than 46 lawsuits, and he identified voters as the ultimate check and balance, briefly correcting the timing of the next midterm election to 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• somebody pointed out, that renters no longer have to file the property tax refund, so they are automatically
• uh having it rolled in as automatically uh having it rolled in as part<00:47:47.280> of<00:47
• these things, and I wonder if at some point rather it or how we would do that, whether it just an automatic
• Do that, um, whether it is just an automatic year or year, or should we, like your constituent,
• would otherwise have received a benefit<00:51:51.960> so We're not going to see it being automatic

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On this issue, yes, I was not a big fan of that automatic set-aside, the 5 and 10%, because in some cases
• this is something that the chairs and the commissioners ought to be discussing, not just making it automatic
• On this issue, yes, I was not a big fan of that automatic set-aside, the 5 and 10%, because in some cases
• On this issue, yes, I was not a big fan of that automatic set-aside, the 5 and 10%, because in some cases
• On this issue, yes, I was not a big fan of that automatic set-aside, the 5 and 10%, because in some cases

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Finance Committee met for its first 2025 meeting, with co-chairs Senator Marty and Senator Pratt opening the session and members and staff introducing themselves. No bills were heard; the meeting was focused on orientation and on reviewing the committee’s budget rules for the new biennium. Committee members and staff from both caucuses, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), and legislative fiscal offices were introduced before the presentation began. MMB fiscal staff Brian D. and committee fiscal staff explained that budget rules are a nonbinding agreement between MMB and House and Senate fiscal staff that guides how fiscal proposals are tracked and understood. They reviewed the history of the rules, noting that the current document reflects the most substantial update since the rules were first adopted in the early 2000s, and that the 2025 version was reorganized into eight sections after extensive interim work by House, Senate, and MMB staff. The presenters emphasized that the rules are updated annually, are intended to promote consistent fiscal tracking and transparent communication, and are used as guidance for budget bills rather than as law. The presentation highlighted several substantive rule areas: general tracking rules and comparison points for budget documents; appropriation drafting guidance; treatment of transfers, revenues, and inflation; planning estimates and “budget tails”; and rules for extending, canceling, or reappropriating existing appropriations. Staff also described new or revised provisions, including guidance on understanding current-law changes, using Department of Revenue estimates for tax revenue, and treating inflation in the forecast as a general pressure estimate rather than appropriated dollars. The committee was asked to review the updated rules, but no vote or formal action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• for final review and their Once the deposit is approved, the system automatically routes the document
• to the State Treasurer's Office for final review and their The system automatically routes the document
• Twice daily, these approved documents are submitted automatically through SCEIS and will show up in a
• Each batch of checks in a spool... ...automatically through SCEIS and will show up in a spool.
• Our veterans can actually scan the QR code, and whenever they do, it'll automatically take them to the

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill provides automatic restoration of voting rights for those citizens who have served time.
• The legislation would expand democracy by restoring voting rights automatically to eligible returning
• I want to highlight that this bill restores fairness by automatically restoring voting rights to eligible
• restores fairness by automatically restores fairness by automatically restoring<01:04:47.960>
• a few things, just as a couple of my colleagues have already mentioned, making sure that we have automatic

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker and gentlelady, that's one of the things about it: it's automatically calculated, and it will
• say is that regarding the salaries of justices, judges, and magistrates, they do not receive an automatic
• They do not receive an automatic salary increase, and nor do district attorneys.
• receive, judges, magistrates, elective state officers, and district attorneys would not receive an automatic
• Madam Speaker and gentlemen, after that job, did you automatically start lobbying?

Bills: HB145, HB164, HJR6, HR1, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB166, HB295, HB306, SB29, SB37, HB99, HB206, HB213, HB270, HJR5, SB104, SB193, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, lobbying, transparency, public records, government oversight, accountability, constitutional amendment, legislative sessions, veto override, New Mexico legislature, session length, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill involves automatic, automated license plate readers.
• Do I automatically get... What do I do? Do I automatically get a slot somewhere at a daycare, Mr.
• We can't automatically say that because we don't know that's factual.
• President, if this law was enacted, it would automatically create weightless and slow the number of slots
• It automatically adds a co-pay in. It caps the number. It doesn't allow for an expansion.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill repeals the authority for municipalities to impose and collect motor vehicle registration permit
• She said that, as far as she could tell, if the bill was related to eliminating motor vehicle registration
• :59.840> for<03:21:00.080> the<03:21:00.319> town,<03:21:00.960> I registration
• permit fees for the town, I registration permit fees for the town, I would<03:21:01.279> just
• repealing the motor vehicle registration repealing the motor vehicle registration permit<06:05:33.840

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of it was in a minor tax and motor vehicle license tax, and that was in the truck proportional registration
• uh in the uh truck<00:47:25.760> proportional<00:47:26.800> uh<00:47:27.040> registration
• <00:47:27.920> which truck proportional uh registration which truck proportional uh registration
• We have the truck proportion registration.
• registration plan, where they<03:25:02.800> file<03:25:03.120> a<03:25:03.359> single

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• something, if after two to three years of having just a few voters at that precinct that it's automatically
• something, if after two to three years of having just a few voters at that precinct that it's automatically
• something, if after two to three years of having just a few voters at that precinct that it's automatically
• So they pay for the first one, and then it automatically is baked into the budget, and then we end up
• Then it automatically is baked into the budget, and then we end up paying for it because we don't go

Bills: HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB416, HB482, HB610, HB749, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB979, HB992, HB1193

Keywords: survivor benefits, law enforcement, reserve officer, auxiliary officer, public safety, phased retirement, Teachers Retirement System, faculty retention, administrative fees, public postsecondary education, Medicaid, dental coverage, healthcare access, medical necessity, Louisiana Department of Health, judicial salaries, judges, judiciary compensation, cost of living adjustment, COLA

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 21, 2026, and advanced a series of bills, many with amendments to address fiscal concerns. Early actions included HB 350, which would extend the French immersion school Ecole Pointe-au-Chien from fourth through eighth grade; members emphasized the importance of preserving French language and culture in Terrebonne Parish, adopted an amendment making the bill subject to appropriation, and reported it favorably as amended. HB 749, dealing with the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority’s administration of ABLE, START, and START K-12 savings programs after the LOSFA cyber incident, was amended to make provisions effective upon contract execution and then reported favorably. HB 979, which raises the survivor benefit for law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty from $250,000 to $350,000, drew support from the governor’s office and law enforcement groups; members discussed fiscal impacts and inflation, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also advanced HB 42 creating a phased retirement option for public postsecondary employees in the Teachers’ Retirement System, and HB 12 extending survivor benefits to reserve officers killed in the line of duty, both reported favorably after supportive testimony from law enforcement representatives. The committee then took up HB 324 on judicial salaries. Chairwoman Villio proposed making the 2024 and 2025 supplement stipend permanent and adding COLAs, but Vice Chairman Zeringue offered an amendment to remove future COLAs after members clarified which year’s increase was already funded in the judiciary budget. After discussion about long-term state obligations and judicial compensation levels, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. HB 205, which revises compensation for election commissioners, generated extensive testimony from clerks of court and the Secretary of State about staffing shortages, 19 years without a raise, and the need to recruit and retain poll workers; the bill was amended to allow local governing authorities to supplement pay by up to $100 per election and was reported favorably. Members also approved HB 325, which revises TOPS Tech eligibility and, through amendment, allows part-time students to qualify beginning in 2026-2027 using excess TOPS funds; HB 807, creating a Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program to help recruit technical instructors; and HB 222, requiring Medicaid coverage for dental procedures needed before certain medical treatments, with supporters arguing it could prevent more expensive emergency care. Later, the committee reported favorably HB 992, requiring student identification numbers for children in certain early childhood programs, after the Department of Education said it could implement the change without additional staff or cost. HB 821, moving the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Administration, was amended with technical changes and reported favorably as amended. Finally, HB 797, creating the Bayou Gold Program to certify certain gold storage and custody standards, was amended to move the program into Title 51 and to tie standards to recognized industry benchmarks such as COMEX and the London Bullion Market Association; the bill drew at least one opponent after an initial supportive presentation and was still under consideration when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what they use AI for is to automatically sort out claims that they would have approved before.
• Or this health diagnosis doesn't match what this blood test could be used for and now it's automatically
• for<00:06:55.560> and<00:06:55.680> now<00:06:55.840> it's<00:06:55.960> automatically
• for and now it's automatically denied. for and now it's automatically denied.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These days, speaking truth automatically comes with being attacked.
• These days that's automatic. That brings us to lesson one: Be quick to listen and slow to speak.
• These days that's<00:38:37.839> automatic. that's automatic. that's automatic.

Bills: HCR1, HCR2, SB2001, SB2002, SB2003, SB2004, SB2005, SB2006, SB2007, SB2008, SB2009, SB2010, SB2011, SB2012, SB2013, SB2014, SB2015, SB2016, SB2017, SB2018, SB2019, SB2020, SB2021, SB2022, SB2023, SB2024, SB2025, SB2026, SB2027, SB2028, SB2029, SB2030, SB2031, SB2032, SB2033, SB2034, SB2035, SB2036, SB2037, SB2038, SB2039, SB2040, SB2041, SB2042, SB2043, SB2044, SB2045, SB2046, SB2047, SB2048, SB2049, SB2050, SB2051, SB2052, SB2053, SB2054, SB2055, SB2056, SB2057, SB2058, SB2059, SB2060, SB2061, SB2062, SB2063, SB2064, SB2065, SB2066, SB2067, SB2068, SB2069, SB2070, SB2071, SB2072, SB2073, SB2074, SB2075, SB2076, SB2077, SB2078, SB2079, SB2080, SB2081, SB2082, SB2083, SB2084, SB2085, SB2086, SB2087, SB2088, SB2089, SB2090, SB2091, SB2092, SB2093, SB2094, SB2095, SB2096, SB2097, SB2098, SB2099, SB2100

Keywords: recess, legislative session, Hawaii State Legislature, 2026, Governor address, joint session, legislature, Hawaii, state of the state, Banyan Drive, Waiakea peninsula, Makaokū, Hilo, Hawaii Island, HCDA, Hawaii Community Development Authority, community development district, redevelopment, urban renewal, blight