Transcript Highlights:

• The defendant would receive the witness list through the criminal discovery code if a case goes towards
• And we do protect defendants' rights because they do receive the list through the criminal discovery code
• a result be obtained several hours later still be used to infer intoxication while Operating the vehicle
• Senate Bill 2069 provides state language that mirrors federal code prohibiting the use of bait to hunt
• And in fact, they do that one way by a zip code.

Bills: SCR17, SB2104, SB2155, SB1428, SB1250, SB1651, SB1794, SB444, SB1061, SB1327, SB1425, SB1455, SB1458, SB1460, SB1480, SB1530, SB1543, SB1555, SB1593, SB1209, SB1730, SB1733, SB1769, SB1805, SB2069, SB2095, SB1503

Keywords: trusts, Oklahoma Uniform Trust Code, trust administration, trustee, beneficiary, qualified beneficiary, nonjudicial settlement agreement, trust accounting, fiduciary duty, forfeiture clause, no-contest clause, in terrorem clause, certification of trust, trust property, district court jurisdiction, venue, surcharge trustee, trust protector, trust advisor, principal distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but that's never been vehicle.
• , electric vehicles, and commercial vehicles.
• Again, only 1% of vehicles on the road are electric vehicles.
• Are we going to talk about vehicle miles traveled? Are we going to talk about vehicles period?
• we going to talk about vehicles period? we going to talk about vehicles period?

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The working group approved the prior meeting minutes with one correction to reflect Laura Ziggler’s attendance. Staff then outlined the report due February 13, 2026, which must summarize the group’s activities and include findings and recommendations adopted by the group; the report will go to the governor and legislative transportation leaders. The chair emphasized that the group’s charge is broad and includes analyzing electricity used as vehicle fuel infrastructure opportunities and barriers, developing policy and funding recommendations for sustainable transportation funding, and reviewing other states’ laws and policies. Discussion focused heavily on how to replace declining gas tax revenue as more vehicles become electric. The chair framed the issue as a fairness and implementation challenge, noting that EVs are a growing share of the fleet and that the group should consider both policy and funding, not just one or the other. Members and guests raised several ideas already submitted, including a road user charge, changes to the EV charging tax, ending or modifying the EV surcharge, broadening the tax to publicly owned charging stations, reducing the charging level threshold to level 2, ending sales tax on electricity, addressing off-road use, and expanding the definition of auto parts to include charging equipment. Representative Elkins argued that charging based on electricity used at home is impractical for most vehicles, that public charging is already much more expensive than home charging, and that the current sales tax plus surcharge amounts to double taxation for public-charging users. He said a mileage-based user charge modeled on Utah’s approach is workable, could be phased in, and could preserve privacy by allowing a voluntary or alternative method for home charging estimates. Senator Howe responded that home electricity use can be estimated similarly to mileage deductions on taxes and said the state should tax all electricity used as fuel, regardless of charger level, if it can be identified. Other speakers echoed that all road users should pay a fair share and that the main challenge is implementation. Tony Kis of Quick Trip asked that a late letter be included in the record and urged clarification of the sales, use, excise tax, and collection rules to avoid double taxation and reduce administrative burden, noting the current monthly collection date and suggesting the group should streamline collection methods. No final policy decisions or votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• States Code Section 1357G, States Code Section 1357G, or<00:10:19.680> any<00:10:19.839> other
• to the residential landlord tenant code. to the residential landlord tenant code.
• residential landlord tenant code residential landlord tenant code maintained<02:10:35.119> by
• <02:24:06.399> section to title 8, United States code section to title 8, United States code
• United States code section 11101 A15U. United States code section 11101 A15U.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1768, which would prohibit state and county law enforcement agencies and officials from entering into federal immigration-enforcement agreements under 8 U.S.C. 1357(g) and from assisting in certain immigration enforcement actions except in limited circumstances. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and the ACLU of Hawaiʻi all testified in strong support, arguing the bill would protect due process, reduce fear in immigrant communities, preserve trust in local police, and keep local resources focused on public safety. Testifiers said cooperation with immigration enforcement can chill court attendance, crime reporting, and cooperation with police, and they emphasized that the bill would not stop federal enforcement or affect other deputization agreements for environmental or other criminal matters. Committee members asked whether any 287(g) agreements currently exist in Hawaiʻi; testifiers said they were unaware of any and believed the bill would maintain the status quo. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up House Bill 1548, which would reduce the maximum sentence for misdemeanors from one year to 364 days and allow people previously sentenced to one year to seek sentence modification. The Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the ACLU of Hawaiʻi, and the William S. Richardson School of Law immigration clinic all supported the measure, saying the one-day change could prevent severe immigration consequences such as detention, removal, and bars to relief that can be triggered by a sentence of 365 days or more. Testifiers stressed that the bill would not change criminal liability or public safety, but would align Hawaiʻi law with similar reforms adopted in other states. Members questioned whether the change would affect citizens or create an automatic immigration process; witnesses responded that the issue is the federal immigration consequence tied to the maximum sentence, not actual time served, and that citizens would not face that consequence. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HB 1548, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• open space to I imagine to get vehicles open space to I imagine to get vehicles in<00:32:55.440>
• We talked about hours as part of code.
• So, it's the matching funds for the transit vehicles and the FAA projects.
• So, it's the matching funds for the transit vehicles and the FAA projects.
• So, it's the matching funds for the transit vehicles and the FAA projects.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we three um vehicles in the state.
• This is a vehicle secondary vehicle bill. Uh, it's not intended for any other purpose. Okay.
• This is a vehicle general register.
• This is a vehicle secondary<01:42:21.679> vehicle<01:42:22.159> bill.
• Uh it's not uh secondary vehicle bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In many times, these code sections hadn't been touched in several decades.
• In many times, these code sections hadn't been touched in several decades.
• And so we are taking, I think it's 2.6 million lines of code, have to be refactored.
• <00:41:47.119> have<00:41:47.359> to<00:41:47.520> be million lines of code
• , the right um technically sound vehicles, the right um technically sound legislation<01:18:57.360>

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 24 February, 2026; 1:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: Legislative leaders opened the hearing by focusing on statewide technology issues affecting agencies, including rising IT costs, cloud migration, cybersecurity risks, procurement delays, and the need for better coordination across government systems. They said the meeting was intended to hear from agency directors about current challenges and possible legislative solutions. The ITS director described the state’s IT structure as decentralized but increasingly moving toward shared services. He highlighted recent legislative and executive actions on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, procurement modernization, and data sharing, including House Bill 1491, Senate Bill 2426, Senate Bill 2267, House Bill 958, and an executive order on AI. He said ITS has worked with large agencies on a cloud center of excellence, a procurement modernization advisory council, and a state data exchange, and noted plans for a master contract, potentially with OpenAI, that could be available to all public entities. He also emphasized cybersecurity, saying the state is seeking a secure operations center and a broader “cyber maturity” approach after recent incidents. On procurement, he said the goal is to speed up purchasing while keeping it safe, and on optimization he pointed to potential savings from consolidating duplicate agreements, such as multiple Microsoft enterprise contracts. In response to questions, he said exceptions to centralization would be based on business and technical architecture and regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, CISA, or FERPA, rather than ad hoc decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's take up tab for Senate Bill 684 on electronic signatures associated with total loss vehicles and
• It will allow electronic signatures to be used on total loss vehicles and vessels, requires insurance
• expressly authorizes personal representatives to initiate enforcement proceedings under the probate code
• They expect convenience and speed, and motor vehicle sales finance companies have responded by offering
• not an insurance company, but creating vehicles by which they can compete with traditional insurance

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and heard a full agenda of bills, most of which were reported favorably. Early in the meeting, SB 1000 on trust fund interest for attorney trust accounts was explained as setting a floor and ceiling tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate and passed without objection after supportive testimony from banking and credit union groups. The committee then took up CS/SB 1082 on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program; the sponsor described it as a way to move emergency out-of-network payment disputes away from costly litigation and into an independent dispute resolution process modeled on the federal No Surprises Act. A proposed amendment drew significant questions from senators and concerns from the Florida Insurance Council about confusion over state versus federal eligibility and possible effects on contracted rates, and the sponsor ultimately withdrew the amendment. The underlying bill was then supported by health care and insurance stakeholders and reported favorably. SB 684 on electronic signatures for total loss vehicles and vessels also passed, with Progressive Insurance waiving in support. The committee next approved CS/SB 158 on pet insurance, which requires continuing education for agents, clearer consumer disclosures, and annual reporting to OIR; the amendment was technical and adopted. SB 1494 on breast cancer screening coverage was presented as expanding required coverage for mammograms and supplemental screenings for certain insurance products, and it passed with support from cancer and radiology groups. CS/SB 314 on digital asset issuers was amended to create a Florida framework for payment stablecoin issuers consistent with the federal GENIUS Act, allowing state-level regulation as an alternative to federal supervision, and was reported favorably. SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, including higher small-estate thresholds and clearer authority for personal representatives, also passed after a banking-related amendment requiring letters of administration for safe deposit box access was adopted. Later, the committee approved CS/SB 618 on workers’ compensation insurance, which raises the consent-to-rate cap for workers’ comp policies from 10% to 20% and adjusts the Florida Workers’ Compensation Guarantee Association board membership; a carrier representative testified that the change would help keep more high-risk accounts in the voluntary market. CS/SB 1568 on a Florida Stable Coin Pilot Program was amended to remove authority for DFS to create a Florida coin, limit the pilot to existing stablecoins with at least $1 billion market capitalization, and require qualified public deposit handling; it then passed. CS/SB 838 on electronic payments for retail installment contracts clarified that convenience fees for electronic payments are permissible while preserving a fee-free option, and it was reported favorably after questions about consumer access to free payment methods. SB 1452, the Department of Financial Services agency bill, made a wide range of administrative changes affecting My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, licensing, bail bonds, and other DFS functions; a late-filed amendment on title insurer appointments was adopted, and the bill passed. The committee also approved SB 1706 on the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, targeting condo hardening assistance to owner-occupied units meeting income and occupancy criteria, and SB 990 on protected cell captive insurance companies, which the sponsor and industry witnesses said would modernize Florida law and promote insurance competition and economic activity. The meeting ended with all bills on the agenda reported favorably and the committee adjourning without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• and Families licenses, Representative Casello: childcare facilities, Palm Beach County's law hard codes
• This bill relates to non-ad valorem special assessments for recreational vehicle parks.
• A police vehicle in 2022-23 was around $42,200.
• That same vehicle in 2025-26 is $47,300, a 12% increase.
• The vehicle equipment within that a police cruiser is going up 20% in that same two-year period.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 659 simply amends the Texas Penal Code to expand certain provisions in the definition of
• Corrupt officials exploit government vehicles, access secure databases, and leak operational intelligence
• years, nonprofits motivated by faith to provide humanitarian aid have faced investigations under this code
• Section 20.05A3 of the Penal Code makes it a crime to knowingly assist, guide, or direct two or more

Transcript Highlights:

• Our 56,000 bridges, twice the number of any other state, carry approximately 616 million vehicles daily
• are the, um, Some of the improvements that we can make is policies, uh, with regards to resilience code
• that if you want to get more details of each topic, that is more there and I believe it's on the QR code
• QR code here as well. 1. So next question. So, Last call. OK.

Transcript Highlights:

• diesel vehicles.
• diesel vehicles.
• diesel vehicles.
• diesel vehicles.
• diesel vehicles.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, are they only on the front of the vehicle? Not the backs of the vehicles.
• So, are they only on the front of the vehicle? Not the backs of the vehicles.
• have just one side of the vehicle have just one side of the vehicle illuminated.
• Safety, Division Motor Vehicles on this? Safety, Division Motor Vehicles on this?
• with DMV, Department of Motor Vehicles? with DMV, Department of Motor Vehicles?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a Century Code that's on the screen. It must be printable.
• North Dakota Century Code 40-24-16 outlines that.
• and broke it down into a tax statement, highlighted the areas that we just went through in Century Code
• We read the statute or the century code change, and we had to incorporate it into our system through
• You buy a car, they can tell me some of these bells and whistles, but what's the price of the vehicle

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met to begin its study of the feasibility and desirability of revising the content of the real estate tax statement to improve property tax transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive under House Bill 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, and the Legacy Fund portion of that credit. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual tax cycle, from county budgeting and valuation notices to budget hearing notices, levy certification, cap calculations, and final tax statement mailing. They emphasized that counties and auditors do extensive coordination with taxing districts and neighboring counties, and that the process is labor-intensive and often manual. Members discussed the limited public response to budget notices and tax statements, the difficulty of explaining the legislative tax relief line, the 3% cap and valuation issues, and whether more frequent assessments or different timing would improve understanding. Several members and witnesses noted that many taxpayers only engage when they receive their final bill, and that clarity may be more important than adding more detail. NDACO also presented a rough cost survey from eight counties, estimating an average tax statement cost of about 74 cents and a statewide total near $600,000 for printing and mailing tax statements alone, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing. Witnesses noted that House Bill 1176 added other mailings and notices, increasing county workload and cost beyond the statement itself. The committee then heard from software vendors, who explained how their systems handle tax billing, budget notices, valuation notices, primary residence credit processing, and tax levy calculations, and they identified the 1600/1685 primary residence credit and discount interaction as a current programming challenge. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here today to express my strong support for House Bill 1347, strengthening the Texas Penal Code by
• The commissioner has subpoena authority under chapter 701 of the insurance code. Is that a yes?
• This is already law right now, of the education code.
• Didn't mean it was a perfect vehicle.
• There was every legislator we spoke to at the time that recognized it was not a perfect vehicle, and

Bills: HB867, HB1347, HB1801, HB1820, HB2197, HB2617, HB3110, HB3166, HB3330, HB4237, HB4342, HB4629, HB4933, HJR148

Keywords: criminal case dismissal, attorney discretion, law enforcement misconduct, judicial approval, evidence, judicial consent, transparency, healthcare, Medicare, insurance, elderly, retired, benefits, access, cost, criminal justice, case dismissal, prosecutorial discretion, law enforcement oversight, criminal procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognizing that there are two primary business models for handling defective vehicles, SB 26 enables
• Assembly Bill 306 imposes a six-year moratorium on new updates to the state building code that would
• Now, California's building codes are some of the most energy and fishing thousands of Angelinos.
• A pause, though, for five years on any new state building codes...
• A pause, though, for five years on any new state building codes recognizes that we have a patient in

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then took up a series of procedural motions and a large third-reading file focused heavily on housing, wildfire recovery, insurance, and related regulatory changes. Early actions included a successful motion to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 on the third-reading file, followed by a unanimous vote on SB 26, a cleanup measure related to lemon-law civil discovery procedures and automaker opt-outs from the AB 1755 framework. The chamber then moved through a package of urgency bills tied to the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires and broader housing affordability concerns. Measures approved included AB 311 allowing displaced tenants to temporarily house wildfire victims and pets, AB 299 extending hotel/motel/short-term rental stays beyond 30 days for disaster-displaced families, AB 226 giving the California Fair Plan access to bond financing in catastrophic-loss scenarios, AB 253 allowing third-party plan checks when local review exceeds 30 days, AB 301 aligning state permitting timelines with local deadlines, AB 306 imposing a six-year pause on new residential building-code updates, AB 462 exempting certain ADUs in Los Angeles County coastal zones from coastal development permits, AB 493 requiring interest to be paid to homeowners on insurance proceeds held by lenders, and AB 597 tightening rules on public adjuster solicitation, fees, and contract transparency. Each of these urgency bills passed, generally with strong bipartisan support and mostly unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The Assembly also approved several non-urgency measures, including AB 293 on groundwater transparency and board disclosure, AB 251 on elder abuse litigation standards when evidence is intentionally destroyed, AB 59 removing a sunset on Reclamation District 108’s hydropower authority, AB 417 streamlining EIFD and CRIA financing tools, and AB 312 updating procedures for agricultural theft proceeds. In addition, ACR 6 was adopted by voice vote, recognizing Black April Memorial Month and the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, with extensive remarks from Assembly Member Ta and support from other members. The consent calendar was adopted, and the body later heard adjournment-in-memory tributes for David Myers and Olivia Guerrero before adjourning to April 3, 2025. Several vote changes were announced after adjournment, including changes on AB 251 and AB 417.

Transcript Highlights:

• , as opposed to the current commercial code building.
• That experience ...and code enforcement experience in Los Angeles County.
• , or CRC, rather than the more onerous California Building Code.
• and into the residential code.
• code.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development heard a long agenda focused mainly on housing production, higher education facilities, homelessness, and permitting reform. Early items included AB 6, which would direct HCD to convene a working group on allowing three- to ten-unit “missing middle” housing to be built under the Residential Code rather than the Building Code; AB 48, a higher education bond proposal that would fund campus repairs, modernization, disaster recovery, and student/employee housing; and AB 76, which would clarify a Chula Vista university innovation district exemption so the project can include academic buildings and housing without conflicting with surplus land rules. Supporters emphasized affordability, cost savings, student housing needs, and access to education, while members raised questions about implementation, affordability requirements, and project scope. The committee later took votes on these items, with AB 6, AB 48, and AB 76 all moving forward on unanimous or near-unanimous votes to Appropriations. Members also heard AB 595, which would create a state homeownership tax credit pilot to support affordable for-sale housing. The author and supporters argued that California’s homeownership rate is at historic lows and that the bill would help close racial wealth gaps by financing homes working families can buy. The committee approved AB 595 and sent it to Appropriations. The consent calendar, including several other housing-related bills, was also approved unanimously. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to AB 1165, the California Housing Justice Act of 2025, which would require ongoing state investment and a financing plan to address homelessness and housing affordability. The author and witnesses described the scale of homelessness, the limits of one-time funding, and the need for sustained, accountable funding streams. After testimony from housing advocates and people with lived experience, the committee passed AB 1165 on a 10-0 vote to Appropriations. Finally, the committee heard AB 609, a CEQA reform bill that would create a simplified exemption for qualifying infill housing projects in already developed areas. Supporters framed it as a targeted way to reduce delays and costs for housing near jobs and transit, while opponents from environmental justice, labor, and tribal groups warned it could reduce public participation, weaken protections for disadvantaged communities, and create consultation concerns for tribal cultural resources. The author said the bill would not change zoning or affordability tools and would continue to work with opponents on amendments. The bill was moved forward after extensive discussion, with members noting ongoing negotiations on tribal consultation and labor concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Amendment to Substitute Amendment, bar code 5-6-3088 by Senator Smith.
• Amendment to Substitute Amendment, bar code 16178, by Senator Polsky.
• Do I want to see us find a vehicle through which we can repeal 768.218.8.000. a vehicle through which
• from the Florida Building Code.
• Reckless operation of a vehicle and related offenses.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness, and a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Senators also paid tribute to former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron with a moment of silence. The chamber then moved to special-order bills after routine announcements that no committee reports, governor’s messages, or House messages were on the desk. The first major bill, SB 138/HB 687 on transportation offenses involving death, increased penalties for repeat DUI/BUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide offenses and added warnings and misdemeanor penalties for refusing lawful breath or urine tests. After a brief amendment and questions about attorney rights and prior impairing-substance language, the bill passed 37-0. SB 306 on Medicaid providers followed, requiring broader provider access, including after-hours availability and more primary care access for Medicaid enrollees; it also passed 37-0. The chamber then took up the major condominium reform bill, SB 1742/HB 913, addressing post-Surfside safety, reserve funding, milestone inspections, budgeting, reserve flexibility, manager regulation, conflicts of interest, and condo sale rescission periods. Senators from both parties praised the sponsors for extensive stakeholder work and the bill passed 37-0 after multiple amendments. The final major item was SB 7016/HB 1205 on constitutional amendments and petition-gathering rules, with sponsors arguing the bill was needed to combat fraud in the 2024 petition process and opponents warning it would burden citizen initiatives. The Senate adopted the House bill and then considered numerous amendments on petition circulator rules, submission deadlines, invalid-signature thresholds, voter notification, and related enforcement provisions; several amendments were adopted, and the substitute was later withdrawn, leaving the chamber to continue on the underlying bill and remaining amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, HB 479, leaving the scene of a crash involving only damage to vehicle or property by Representative
• Officer Rayner approached Wallace in his vehicle. It was a close match to the BOLO.
• Wallace started to get out of the vehicle. He instructed Wallace to stay in the vehicle.
• He instructed Wallace to stay in the vehicle. This happened again.
• Then a sort of a struggle ensued, and within 30 seconds of Officer Rayner approaching that vehicle, Wallace

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard and advanced a series of bills on inmate medical billing, court-order transmission, animal abandonment during disasters, first responder peer support, firearm purchase waiting periods, capital felony aggravators, domestic violence protections, boating safety, restitution for leaving the scene of a crash, xylazine trafficking, and offenses against law enforcement officers. Testimony was generally supportive across the agenda, with some opposition or caution raised on the xylazine bill, the boating safety bill, and parts of the law-enforcement-officer bill. Several measures were presented as responses to specific tragedies, including the Martin County jail medical billing bill, the Baker Act transmission bill, Trooper’s Law for restrained dogs, the Jason Rayner Act, and Lucy’s Law. HB 407 would cap certain emergency medical charges for Martin County jail inmates at 110% of Medicare rates, mirroring Department of Corrections practice; it passed 15-0. HB 513 would require faster electronic transmission of certain court orders, including Baker Act orders, to law enforcement within six hours; it passed 15-0. HB 205, Trooper’s Law, creates a third-degree felony for abandoning a restrained dog during a natural disaster; it passed 15-0. HB 421, as amended, expands peer support for first responders to certain support personnel involved in crime scene work or evidence handling; it passed 16-0. PCS for HB 383 would let law enforcement, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and active military service members bypass the three-day handgun waiting period without a concealed carry permit; it passed 18-0. HB 693 adds an aggravating factor in capital cases when the victim was gathered with others for a school, religious, or public government meeting; it passed 17-1 after opposition testimony from Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. PCS for HB 19 and HB 41, the Haven Act, would expand domestic and dating violence protections, including a feasibility study for a web-based 911 alert system and confidentiality/public-records protections for victims; both passed 18-0. PCS for HB 289, Lucy’s Law, would align boating penalties with driving offenses and expand boating safety card requirements; it passed 18-0 despite concerns from one witness that the bill should go further. HB 479 would allow courts to order restitution in leaving-the-scene property-damage cases; an amendment changing mandatory to discretionary restitution was adopted, and the bill passed 18-0. PCS for HB 57 would regulate xylazine, add trafficking penalties, and include veterinary-use exceptions; it passed 17-0 after one witness opposed mandatory minimums. HB 175, the Jason Rayner Act, clarifies that officers are protected when acting within the scope of their duties and adds manslaughter of a law enforcement officer to offenses requiring life imprisonment; it passed 17-0 after debate over self-defense and unlawful police conduct.

Transcript Highlights:

• By speaking in plain English, uh, not legalese, uh, or in code, uh, that would be great.
• Senate vehicle to come over.
• Senate vehicle to come over so that's Senate vehicle to come over so that's why<00:58:38.520> we
• <00:58:47.760> to chose to wait for the Senate vehicle to chose to wait for the Senate vehicle
• <02:42:58.520> boy imprisonment in the penal code boy imprisonment in the penal code boy revised

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to have safer vehicles on our roads, we need safer speeds, and we need safer roads.
• Again, calling your attention to additional resources that we've had for electric vehicle charging.
• What we're essentially seeing is that as vehicles become more economical, as the miles per gallon that
• Because I might only have 5,000 vehicles going through.
• Now, what we look at is total crashes per population and total crashes per vehicle miles traveled for