Transcript Highlights:

• discussion today, we’re discussing the dollars that are spent in the area of higher education, and so Section
• <00:01:34.560><c> education</c><00:01:35.479><c> and</c><00:01:35.600><c> so</c><00:01:35.880><c> section
• and so section two of this<00:01:36.799><c> bill</c><00:01:37.280><c> specifically</c><00:01:37.880>
• He said one was the definitions section, section 136A.101, subdivision 8, which provides a number of
• </c> and state Grant the way I read section and state Grant the way I read section one<00:31:02.919><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It says page two, line 17 before the insert notwithstanding section 16A.1283.
• It says page two, line 17 before the insert notwithstanding section 16A.1283.
• Of the words fees or whatever this notwithstanding section 16A is.
• In uh identification what notwithstanding section 16A.1283 is? >> Mr.
• Uh, in section comments on the contents.

Bills: HF3919 , HF1335 , HF3864 , HF3916 , HF3728

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: veterans benefits, Secret War, Laos veterans, eligibility process, burial fees, veteran designation, electronic license, driver's license, digital credential, transportation, data privacy, authentication, license plates, vehicle registration, validation stickers, Minnesota statutes, transportation policy, aeronautics, transponder, aircraft safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:10.320><c> 13</c> R60 revisor page uh in Senate section 13 R60 revisor page uh in Senate section
• statutory section that paragraph in that statutory section that pertains<00:17:54.559><c> to</c><00:
• The last section, section 51, R103, pertains to subjects that must be taught on a driver's examination
• > section</c> of sections.
• The last section, section of sections.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I move to amend Senate Bill Number 2065 on page one, line 12.5, by inserting a new section
• one to read as follows: by renumbering subsequent sections and amending the title to conform.
• Section one, a new section of law not to be codified in the Oklahoma statutes, reads as follows: this
• So, major surgery might also include like a C-section. Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. President.
• To those sections, and then we add the accept. So, Mr.

Bills: SB2065 , SB1641 , SB1642 , SB1589 , SB1597 , SB1216 , SB2173 , SB2028 , SB2117 , SB2127 , SB2134 , SB2014 , SB1805 , SB2044 , SB1836 , SB1380 , SB2179 , SB1436 , SB1558 , SB933 , SB1651 , SB1328 , SB1572 , SB1966 , SB175 , SB1475 , SB1950 , SB2049 , SB2052

Keywords: pollinator, state symbols, agriculture, insects, environment, business entities, limited liability company, LLC, foreign LLC, domestic LLC, limited partnership, foreign limited partnership, registered agent, Secretary of State, annual certificate, good standing, certificate of authority, designated office, email address, electronic mail

Transcript Highlights:

• by section, and placed before the Senate for final consideration.
• That’s an organization that has 70 persons and entities from a wide cross-section of Idaho, including
• The taxation, probate, and trust section of the Idaho Bar.
• And this legislation repeals that code section because the fund is no longer necessary.
• Section 1, Idaho Code... Mr. President. Senator Lakey. Mr.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And let me see, then I think we go into the next sections that have. 5, 10, 11, 76 on the very top of
• Chair, Representative [ID: member_13502], from my understanding, I think this section does not include
• The following section provides a visual of where those projects are located within District 6.
• And we'll be tying into Coolidge, which we also constructed in that widened section.
• Let's work on this by section and then create the maintenance. I like the fact, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• of education uh to amend the sections of education uh to amend the sections of the code uh to further
• is going to read page that section is going to read page that section is going to read page certain
• that you added on right so the section that you added on right so the section that you added on line
• line line 37 it says section 1528 what was the 37 it says section 1528 what was the 37 it says section
• section section 15-20 a-201 so you moved you removed from a-201 so you moved you removed from Shell

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you look on section one, subparagraph five, on page one, and then again on section five, subparagraph
• And you find that in section four, paragraph one, on page five.
• by section, could you conceivably end up with someone who comes in and I don't know how many sections
• by section, could you conceivably end up with someone who comes in and I don't know how many sections
• by section, could you conceivably end up with someone who comes in and I don't know how many sections

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:35 SB 22 Discussion 00:01:20 SB 22 Vote 00:11:45 SB 100 Discussion 00:15:07 SB 100 Vote 00:38:53 SB 88 Discussion Only 00:42:11 Adjournment 01:03:52, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on February 18, 2025, and first took up Senate Bill 22 by Senator Reginald Thomas, which was presented as a cleanup measure following prior cosmetology reforms and a Legislative Oversight and Investigations report. The bill would allow cosmetologists to retake exams multiple times with a one-month wait, authorize the Board of Cosmetology to immediately close facilities that intentionally use unlicensed workers while preserving due process, give the board flexibility to hire an executive director based on qualifications rather than licensure, and recognize certain out-of-state or territorial cosmetology licenses. Board officials said the changes were intended to improve fairness, equality, and administrative due process. Senators asked about retesting fees and whether partial retests could dilute standards; Thomas clarified that the exam is cumulative and must be retaken in full. The committee approved SB 22 with all favorable votes, and Senator Meredith explained his support as a workforce and fairness issue. The committee then heard Senate Bill 100 by Senator Jimmy Higdon, as substituted, concerning tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product retail licensing and enforcement. Youth advocates from the University of Kentucky testified in support, describing youth nicotine use as a public health crisis and urging stronger enforcement, annual compliance checks, retailer licensing, and tougher penalties for illegal sales to minors. Higdon said the bill would create a Division of Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vapor Products Licensing within ABC, require licenses for retailers, authorize inspections and confiscation of contraband, impose escalating criminal and civil penalties for unlicensed sales and sales to minors, publish a list of licensed retailers, and dedicate fine revenue to enforcement and youth education. He said the measure targeted bad actors rather than responsible retailers. A retailer witness also supported licensing but raised concerns about contradictory product definitions that could sweep in hemp and medical marijuana vapor products, and asked that the bill be delayed until after an expected Supreme Court decision affecting federal vapor-product rules. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 100, before any committee vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It then points you to another section of the statute saying, okay, let's define serious impairment.
• very clearly again there's even section very clearly again there's even a<00:33:12.200><c> change</c
• We did actually take out a section during that fall working on institutional child abuse because the
• during that fall take out a section during that fall working<00:41:03.000><c> Section</c><00:41:03.480
• I want to make sure we have that section under wraps too.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on House Bill 553, which concerns the definitions of child abuse and neglect in RSA 169-C, including psychological maltreatment and the rebuttable presumption of harm. The chair and members emphasized that the bill is intended to clarify definitions rather than create punishments, and they discussed concerns that had arisen after the bill’s earlier drafting. Representative Eimon stated his view that the bill is constitutional, citing case law, and members noted that amendment 114 would restore language refined by the prior study committee and address trauma-informed wording, especially around substance use disorder and newborns. A major portion of the discussion focused on whether the bill could be read to treat ordinary parental discipline or disagreements with a child—such as grounding, taking away car keys or a phone, or refusing gender-affirming care—as abuse or neglect. DCF Deputy Director Jen Ross explained that screeners look at the nature of the allegation and whether the parent’s conduct is likely to cause serious psychological or emotional harm; she said routine discipline or prudent parenting would not be screened in, while persistent ridiculing, terrorizing, bullying, isolating, threats, or similar conduct could qualify. She also said that denial of gender-affirming care, by itself, would not be treated as neglect, but the agency would consider the full context and any resulting harm or need for mental health care. DCF General Counsel Susan Larby added that the legislature’s earlier definition of psychological maltreatment and related policy already focus on pervasive emotionally abusive behavior, and that the bill is meant to make the statute more understandable and transparent, not to change the core neglect standard. She and other speakers said the goal is to identify serious harm and provide services, not to remove children for ordinary parental decisions. Lisa Massio of the Office of the Child Advocate said the bill and related placement language are intended to preserve family unity and fill gaps where courts have interpreted neglect too narrowly or inconsistently. Members also discussed a proposed concise analysis from Representative Maral and asked about CPSW qualifications and training; DCF said staff generally have backgrounds in human services, social work, psychology, or education and receive a 12-week Core Academy on policy, law, investigations, and family engagement. No vote was taken in the portion provided, and members indicated they wanted to continue refining the amendment before sending anything to the Office of Legislative Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill makes a targeted but important update to Section 3 of Chapter 32B, ensuring that insurance
• House 2888 would amend Section 32B, which governs municipal insurance advisory committees.
• So, in addition, we're offering testimony on Section 83 of House 56, which would establish a special
• For these reasons, we believe Section 83 has real potential, provided that the commission serves as a
• A few sections of that were dispensed to this committee.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement, municipal workforce, and public employee labor bills. Early testimony focused on H. 2749, a Plymouth home rule petition to classify Plymouth harbormaster employees as Group 4 for retirement purposes. Supporters, including local officials and retirement board representatives, argued the employees perform law-enforcement and rescue duties comparable to police and fire personnel, that the change would be fair, and that it would have little or no fiscal impact on the town. A separate harbormaster-related bill, H. 2743, was also introduced later in the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on provisions of the Municipal Empowerment Act (H. 56), including a temporary critical-shortage exemption allowing retired state or municipal employees to return to work in hard-to-fill positions, and a renewed OPEB commission to study retiree health care costs. Administration and municipal officials said the measures were needed to address staffing shortages and rising benefit liabilities, while emphasizing the shortage exemption would be time-limited and require proof of recruitment efforts. Related retirement bills drew support and caution: advocates for higher COLA bases and enhanced COLA benefits urged relief for retirees, but some asked the committee to wait for recommendations from the special COLA commission before acting. A major portion of the hearing concerned labor rights at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Union representatives and employees backed bills to extend just-cause protections, promotional rights, and collective bargaining rights to MWRA and CPCS workers, arguing they currently lack protections available to most other public employees. Testimony described unfair discipline, delayed promotions, and high turnover, and committee members indicated prior favorable action on similar MWRA bills and expressed support for addressing CPCS labor rights. The committee also heard from representatives of the Massachusetts Municipal Association and public higher education employees in support of H. 2820, which would require timely funding of ratified state employee contracts, with witnesses describing long delays in receiving negotiated raises and back pay. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair repeatedly invited written testimony and closed each panel after questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this just changes the language on page 3 and Section 137.1077 in line 47.
• And Section 137.1077 in line 47, which in the bill said the veterans shall have $5,000.
• And first, I'll start with: so your original bill filed was the Veterans Benefit Assistance section,
• However, Section 42.028 raises serious concerns and should be removed and replaced.
• In support of certain sections of 974. We strongly oppose 42.028. Okay, so you oppose portions.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 558.16, the first sentence says the court may sentence a person who has been found guilty of
• On page 8, under the juvenile section, on line 15, the reference to age is 17.
• Those compliance sections can't be met. So it's probably something that can be cleaned up.
• Let's start with page 8 under Section 211. The bill defines a juvenile detention facility.
• It says Bill 888, page 84, section 568.045, line 39.

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so inside state code, we have a section for what we call direct primary care, where providers can
• this section even exists at all is because, again, when providers start to work into agreements with
• Looking at the section mentioned, she read: “Foster child safety.
• I'm concerned when I read section one; nowhere above it does it say this is a new section.
• It just says section one, and this is intent.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 754, which would add physical therapists to Idaho’s direct primary care statute so they can enter direct payment agreements with patients without those arrangements being treated as insurance contracts. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would improve access, especially for patients who need frequent therapy or live in underserved areas, and emphasized that it would not expand physical therapists’ scope of practice. One member objected that the bill’s wording could blur the definition of primary care and create scope confusion. After testimony from a physical therapy association representative and a small business health care provider, the committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation, with several members recording no votes. The committee then took up House Bill 724, which would add and clarify safety-related rights for children in foster care, including safe placement, access to medical and forensic exams after abuse disclosures, basic necessities, and consideration of safety in visitation and placement decisions. The sponsor said the bill is a narrow child-safety measure that does not alter parental rights or removal standards, while foster parents, a psychologist, former foster youth, and others testified in support with accounts of abuse, unsafe placements, and inadequate oversight. Some members raised concerns about enumerating rights in statute and about broad language that could have unintended future consequences; a substitute motion to send the bill to amending order failed on a roll call vote, and the original motion to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 759, a budget-related measure to reduce Medicaid residential habilitation funding and require a new audit/rate study of home and community-based services. The sponsor said the reduction reflects a governor’s budget recommendation and that the audit would help determine appropriate rates and spending. Providers and family members of people with disabilities testified that the bill was too vague, that prior rate studies were not fully followed, and that any reductions could harm staffing and services; they asked for clearer standards, collaboration, and assurance that rate-study results would actually be used. A motion to hold the bill until a later date was offered, but the sponsor opposed delaying the budget item and the committee continued discussion toward a floor recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill as currently drafted has a performance metric section, but it does say that it would be jointly
• The bill as currently drafted has a performance metric section, but it does say that it would be jointly
• The bill as currently drafted has a performance metric section, but it does say that it would be jointly
• The bill as currently drafted has a performance metric section, but it does say that it would be jointly
• The bill as currently drafted has a performance metric section, but it does say that it would be jointly

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on February 18, 2026, and heard four bills. HB 2519 would shift University of Hawaii funding toward block appropriations, a stabilization fund, limited procurement and fiscal exemptions, performance-based metrics, and annual reporting. UH supported the bill, saying line-item budgeting hampers systemwide efficiency across its 10 campuses; the State Procurement Office commented on the procurement exemption. The chair proposed amendments to address concerns from Budget and Finance and procurement, including capping UH’s retained funds at 10%, requiring lapse after three fiscal years, removing CIP-to-operating transfers, narrowing procurement exemptions while keeping Chapter 103B principles, shifting performance metric-setting to the Board of Regents, and requiring annual reporting. The committee then voted to pass HB 2519 with amendments. HB 2409 would establish the Hawaii Geological Survey in Hilo and designate its director as the state geologist. UH Hilo supported the concept but said it would need sufficient general-fund support, estimating roughly $200,000 to start. DLNR and the Attorney General offered comments, with the AG calling it a matter of statewide concern. The chair said the DNR testimony raised public safety concerns and that UH Hilo had not identified a firm funding amount, so the committee voted to defer the bill. HB 2141 HD1 concerned state enterprise zones and would expand eligible business activities and allow DBED to designate up to two areas as enterprise zones with gubernatorial approval. DBED, the Tax Foundation, and other organizations submitted support or comments. After discussion, the chair said the current version no longer fit the higher education committee’s focus and recommended reverting to the original bill, which would limit the zone to Kakaʻako Makai for a biomedical health innovation hub near JABSOM and the Queen’s Cancer Center, with a defective date. The committee voted to pass HB 2141 HD1 with amendments. HB 2233 HD1 would appropriate funds to continue the SNAP-Ed program through UH and the Department of Health. DOH supported the bill and said it had been working on nutrition education and environmental changes; it estimated about $600,000 each for DOH and SEAR, or $1.2 million total. Testimony in support also came from several organizations and individuals, including a senior advocate who described the program’s practical benefits. The chair said the committee would reflect the $600,000-per-entity estimate in its report, and the committee voted to pass HB 2233 HD1 as is before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment simply strikes Section 3 of House Bill 322, and that's the section that deals with taking
• 13-4D-3, Section A.
• Section 13-4D-3, Section A, NMSA 1978, which defines the approved training programs as applying to, quote
• And so this bill right now doesn't address that section. It's the previous section.
• I want to call your attention to page 3 under the Special Section 9 appropriations, and...

Summary: The committee first took up HB 322, as amended, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund. The sponsor explained that the amendment removed a proposed 1% gross receipts tax on electricity sales, while leaving the broader financing structure in place, including a $400 million seed appropriation and future transfers from motor vehicle excise tax revenues into the new funds and related road accounts. Associated Contractors of New Mexico and the Asphalt Pavement Association testified in support, and there was no opposition. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill on a do-pass vote. The committee then heard HB 270, a public works/apprenticeship bill that would require contributions to approved apprenticeship and training programs or the Public Works Apprentice and Training Fund for certain public works projects, while preserving a zero contribution rate where no approved program exists for a classification. Supporters, including union carpenters, electrical workers, and building trades representatives, argued the bill would close loopholes, expand training opportunities, and strengthen the workforce. Opponents, including utility contractors, highway contractors, and Associated Contractors of New Mexico, argued it would raise project costs, duplicate existing federally approved training programs such as TTCP, and unfairly require payments from contractors who already train workers in-house or cannot access approved programs. Members debated whether the bill would affect existing in-house programs, rural access to training, and whether the language conflicted with existing law. An amendment to limit the bill to projects of $50 million or less was tabled, and the committee then passed HB 270 on a 6-5 do-pass vote. After the bill vote, the committee received a District 3 New Mexico Department of Transportation presentation covering project status, funding, and equipment needs in Bernalillo, Valencia, and parts of Sandoval and Socorro counties. DOT staff reviewed completed and upcoming maintenance and STIP projects, local government and school district cooperative projects, and equipment requests. Members asked about delays on the Rio Bravo Bridge project, which DOT said were caused by utility coordination issues, and about the I-25/Gibson interchange, which remains in design and development with later-year funding anticipated. The presentation also addressed specific local projects such as Paseo del Norte and Paseo del Volcán.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7, Article 4 reserves the state's right to withhold the sex of a person from courts and other
• Sections three and four have a very big concern for me.
• This is just sections three and four have a very big concern of me.
• Sections three and four. And also, we'd like the tribal liaison in statute.
• Article 1, Section 1, political power.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on six bills. SB 6081 would protect sex designation information and related records from public disclosure, limit sharing of such information by the Department of Licensing and Department of Health, and allow denial of records requests when disclosure could cause harm or disenfranchisement. The sponsor and many supporters, including transgender Washingtonians, privacy advocates, and allied organizations, said the bill would close a privacy gap and reduce doxing, harassment, and targeting; one witness opposed it on grounds of record accuracy, law enforcement, and concerns about sports and public safety. No vote was taken. SB 5902 would update voter notification and address-change procedures by allowing more flexible forms of voter registration updates, reducing mailed notices in some automatic registration situations, and expanding electronic communication options. The sponsor and county auditors said it would improve efficiency, reduce confusion, and save counties money; testimony was generally supportive. The hearing then moved to SB 6034, which would codify the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs as a cabinet-level agency and require ongoing training and reporting on government-to-government relations with tribes. The sponsor and tribal representatives supported the bill as a technical fix and a commitment to tribal sovereignty, and no action was taken. SB 6035 would require regular county and state meetings with tribes on election access and authorize an electronic ballot return portal for certain voters, including military, overseas, disabled, and some tribal voters. Supporters said it would improve access and collaboration, while the Secretary of State, Verified Voting, and others raised cybersecurity and secret-ballot concerns about the electronic portal; several witnesses also opposed that portion while supporting tribal outreach and drop boxes. SB 5892 would centralize requests for voter registration database records through the Secretary of State and make unauthorized disclosure of protected voter data a felony; supporters framed it as protecting voter privacy and resisting federal overreach, while opponents argued it would hinder voter-roll maintenance and transparency. Finally, SB 5973 would ban pay-per-signature compensation for initiative and referendum signature gathering and require 1,000 supporting signatures before a ballot title is issued; supporters said it would reduce fraud, misleading tactics, and ballot-title shopping, while opponents called it an added barrier to direct democracy. The committee heard extensive testimony on all bills, but the transcript does not show any votes or executive action taken during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll also dig into those transfers so we can see what exactly is going on in that section of the
• This is not a slide in your packet, but I did want to pull up on the screen the sections of language
• So it's Section 4 and Section 8 of Senate Bill 1108 from last year's session.
• Section 4 and Section 8 of Senate Bill 1108 from last year's session.
• Section 4 and Section 8 of Senate Bill 1108 from last year's session.

Summary: The committee first received a presentation on the state general fund and the JFAC “green sheet” from Legislative Services analyst Christopher LaHosette. He explained the general fund’s main revenue sources, how appropriations and transfers are tracked, how the green sheet is used to reconcile projected revenues against expenditures, and how structural balance is measured. Members asked about continuously appropriated funds, federal dollars, sales tax exemptions, and cash reconciliation issues tied to the state’s Luma system and interest allocations. The presentation emphasized that the green sheet is a cash reconciliation tool and that the committee would use it throughout session to track budget actions and policy bill impacts. The committee then began its Department of Health and Welfare budget hearings with an overall agency presentation from analyst Alex Williamson. She reviewed the department’s size, structure, vacancy rate, five-year spending trends, and the role of continuously appropriated funds such as the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund and Rural Physician Fund. Members asked about personnel vacancies, unspent personnel dollars, and the department’s large trustee and benefit payments. Department officials later explained that vacancies reflected a department-wide review, hiring freeze, and reallocation of FTP to better match funding, with some positions being reverted and others moved to areas such as State Hospital South and Medicaid-related work. The committee then heard the first division-level budget presentation for Indirect Support Services. Williamson outlined the division’s administrative functions, its FTP and vacancy picture, historical spending, and budget changes tied to reorganizations, the ombudsman office, and IT consolidation. The division’s 2027 requests included a dedicated-fund irrigation project at State Hospital West, a background-check unit fund adjustment, removal of special transfer restrictions, and the transfer of 58 FTP to the Office of Information Technology as part of modernization. Members also discussed the new Rural Health Transformation Program, including Idaho’s $925 million federal award, the governor’s proposed 12 limited-service FTP and related spending, and whether the department could use AI or other efficiencies. Additional questions covered the definition of rural, the mechanics of the IT transfer, and a constituent question about bathroom upgrades, which the department said was handled by the Department of Administration rather than Health and Welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service through their Section 106 consultation process.
• Forest Service again through their Section 106 consultation process.
• There's two sections of Forest Service land, one section of state.
• Land office managed land, and one section of private land.
• Chair, I was learning about this Section 106 tribal consultation.

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 92F Section 92F Section 133<00:08:40.240><c> uh</c><00:08:40.360><c> so</c><00:08:40.560><c> again
• So we'd be offering amendments to change what's articulated in Section 16 as a new section.
• Under Section 7, change the affected date to July 1, 2077.
• Under Section 7, change the affected date to July 1, 2077.
• Under Section 7, change the affected date to July 1, 2077.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs met on its 3:15 p.m. reconsideration and hearing agenda. The committee first reconsidered SB 1379 on emergency preparedness and voted to pass it with amendments. The amendments would require HEMA to submit a report to the Legislature on a community readiness centers plan, including public and private sites, funding sources, partnerships, stakeholder coordination, and projected annual funding, due 20 days before the 2026 Legislature convenes. The committee also made technical and fiscal-related changes, including blanking out certain amounts in the bill and committee report while retaining recommended amounts there, and changing the effective date language. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt the amended recommendation. The committee heard SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs. The Department of Budget and Finance supported the bill but said the figures in oral testimony would be slightly higher than those in written testimony and that updated numbers would be emailed later in the week. Because the exact figures were not yet available, the chair deferred decision-making to February 7, 2025. The committee also heard SB 1451 on critical infrastructure, SB 1452 on the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, SB 1149 on hate crimes reporting, SB 1321 on the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, and SB 1341 on energy industry information reporting. For SB 1451, testimony was split, with support from state law enforcement and opposition from the Public First Law Center, which argued the information was already protected under existing law; the committee later adopted a motion to pass the bill with amendments, including a narrower definition of critical infrastructure information and a revised effective date. SB 1452 received support from law enforcement and prosecutors, with a requested cleanup amendment to correct a federal drug-name spelling issue; decision-making was postponed to allow the department to provide language. SB 1149 drew substantial testimony both for and against; supporters emphasized better hate-crime data collection and transparency, while opponents raised concerns about definitions and free speech. The committee adopted amendments and passed the bill, with the chair summarizing the move from the older UCR system to NIBRS and noting a public dashboard expected by September 30, 2025. SB 1321 was passed with amendments shortening the oversight coordinator term from four years to three years, though one senator voted with reservations in favor of a longer term. SB 1341 was passed as is after brief support testimony, and the committee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 799 repeals three outdated sections of Idaho Code in the alcohol statutes.
• I'll go through the three sections.
• The next section is 23-215, price list furnished by sellers.
• The next section is 23-215, price list furnished by sellers.
• And so that, they have not used this section of code for over two decades.

Committee: House State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from Friday, March 6, by voice vote. It then introduced RS 33658, a measure revised to specify four chemicals the Idaho State Police lab can test in connection with Schedule 1 substances; the motion passed, with Representative Scott recorded as voting no. House Bill 831 was then heard and advanced. The bill, sponsored by Representative Raybould, addresses conflicts between school safety policies and the use of school buildings as polling places, and would take effect in 2028 to allow time for coordination. Ada County Clerk Trent Tripple testified in strong support on behalf of all county clerks, saying the bill would provide more predictable, secure, and accessible polling locations while reducing conflicts with school operations. The committee sent the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee also advanced House Bill 798, which repeals outdated code related to the State Treasurer’s former securities lending authority, and House Bill 799, which repeals several obsolete alcohol-related code sections. Representative Scott described both as code cleanup measures. Finally, the committee introduced RS 33645, which would set rules for ex parte communications with the Public Utilities Commission and limit gifts from lobbyists, similar to existing rules for judges. All of these motions passed by voice vote, and the committee adjourned.