Video & Transcript Research : 'builders'
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NH
Transcript Highlights:
- Members of the committee, Pericle Kudis, representing the New Hampshire Home Builders Association.
- Members of the committee, Pericle Kudis, representing the New Hampshire Home Builders Association.
- We at the Home Builders are happy to work with the department and other stakeholders to find a solution
- We at the Home Builders are happy to work with the department and other stakeholders to find a solution
- and we try to key home builders and we try to incorporate<00:29:09.279>
some <00:29:09.399>
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Executive Departments and Administration (04/15/2026)
Executive Departments and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:37:16.480>
If <01:37:16.719>there's <01:37:16.960>a <01:37:17.119>builder - If there's a builder in the follow up.
- building inspector and a builder building inspector and a builder disagreeing<01:38:44.719>
on - I have contacted the fire marshal's office because I have had builders in town say the fire department
- It really is just bridging that miscommunication gap between builders and inspectors in the field.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Limiting zoning authority of local governments over housing types 3/3/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- When smaller lots are allowed, our research shows that builders produce more homes at 15 to 20% lower
- And on deck, Wanda Schroeder, executive director for Central Minnesota Builders.
- Next we have Wanda Schroeder, executive director for Central Minnesota Builders Association.
- I'm the executive director of the Central Minnesota Builders Association, where we represent nearly 300
- builders, developers, contractors, and affiliates in greater St.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/25
Housing Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- And with your builder member, do you see any split-level homes being built nowadays, with the basement
- Is that a result of builders not building them that way, or is that a result of homeowners wanting to
- However, could the homeowners still choose, if they had a builder they were working with, to have those
- We're currently one of the only affordable home builders in the city of Winona and most rural communities
- Vogle that builders were not installing appropriate infrastructure into some of these new neighborhoods
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Human Services and Agriculture Committee Mar 26th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We have systems builder block grants and some planning grants.
- We have systems builder block grants and some planning grants.
- Arizona, Nevada, and Utah have launched their Business Builder Competitive Awards, and here in California
- Arizona, Nevada, and Utah have launched their Business Builder Competitive Awards.
- And here in California, this winter, we've launched our non-competitive Business Builder award program
Summary:
The joint oversight hearing focused on food insecurity in California and how state and federal nutrition programs, agricultural production, and food distribution systems intersect. Assemblymembers emphasized that many Californians, including farmworkers, seniors, children, and communities of color, remain food insecure despite California’s agricultural abundance. Panelists and members discussed CalFresh, WIC, school meals, Sun Bucks, food banks, and the impact of federal policy changes, including possible nutrition cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement, on access to food and the agricultural workforce.
Secretary Karen Ross described CDFA programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local agriculture, including the senior farmers’ market program, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, Community Food Hubs, Farm to School, urban agriculture, and a proposed tribal food sovereignty program. She said these efforts help connect local producers to consumers, expand healthy food access, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. Department of Social Services Deputy Director Alexis Fernandez Garcia outlined CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, emergency food programs, and tribal nutrition assistance, noting that CalFresh and related programs significantly reduce poverty and food insecurity, but participation gaps remain for non-English speakers, some Asian American communities, and undocumented households.
PPIC researcher Tess Thorman presented data showing that 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households. She said nutrition programs reduce poverty and food hardship, but federal rules, income thresholds, immigration restrictions, and high living costs limit their reach. Members asked about simplifying applications, improving call center access, increasing outreach in multiple languages, and adjusting benefits for inflation. Officials said the state has used available federal options to streamline enrollment, improve customer service, and target outreach, but many core rules and benefit levels are set federally.
The second panel shifted to food production and market access. A farmer, a UC food systems leader, and a produce distributor described efforts to connect small and medium farms with food banks, schools, universities, and Medi-Cal food-as-medicine programs. They highlighted programs such as Farms Together, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Farm to School, food hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure grants as ways to create stable markets for local growers while improving food access. Speakers also raised concerns about land tenure, consolidation, regulatory burdens, labor constraints, and the loss of federal funding, and members discussed whether state investments and Prop. 4 funds could help sustain and expand these efforts.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- end of the spreadsheet are other items that do not have a fiscal effect and are contained in the Builders
- end of the spreadsheet are other items that do not have a fiscal effect and are contained in the Builders
- fiscal effect uh that are contained<00:31:53.960>
in <00:31:54.080>the <00:31:54.159>builders - <00:31:55.120>
Public <00:31:55.399>Safety contained in the builders Public Safety - contained in the builders Public Safety aiding<00:31:56.279>
Aid <00:31:56.480>reporting
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Local Government (7-29-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- And that requires clearing red tape out of the way so that builders can meet that demand.
- <00:30:37.840>
can <00:30:38.000>meet <00:30:38.240>that way so that builders - can meet that way so that builders can meet that demand.<00:30:39.360>
Um, <00:30:39.919>that - And what I have found is builders don't want to build those because they make more money on apartments
- <00:57:11.599>
don't And what I have found is builders don't And what I have found is builders
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00:05
Roll Call 00:00:12
Discussion of Legislative Measures 00:03:12
Discussion of Housing and Land Use 00:21:58
Discussion of Short Term Rental Policies 01:03:17
Adjournment 01:15:38, 958, all
Summary:
The committee approved the minutes from its June 4, 2025 meeting and then heard a series of presentations focused largely on housing and land-use policy. Senator Robbie Mills and Representative Josh Bray discussed two 2025 housing measures: Senate Bill 50, which would create residential infrastructure development districts to help local governments finance infrastructure for new housing developments through special assessments and local debt, and House Bill 7, which would let local governments identify development areas and rebate new property tax revenue to developers as an incentive for housing growth. They said Kentucky faces a statewide housing shortage of roughly 210,000 units, projected to grow if building patterns do not change, and argued that regulatory relief and financing tools are needed to increase supply.
Representative Rebecca Rymer presented House Bill 371, which would require local permitting when an industry’s residual waste landfill is located in a different county from the industry itself. She said current law lets such landfills bypass local review, leaving host counties with no say despite road impacts and other local burdens. She said the bill would preserve the existing exemption when the landfill and industry are co-located, and noted support from KLC and KO. Representative Steve Doan also described House Bill 806, a statewide backyard chicken bill that would allow domesticated hens, prohibit roosters, set a minimum of six hens that local governments could not go below, and preserve local authority over setbacks, sanitation, maintenance standards, and egg sales. He said it would override outright local bans but not HOA restrictions, and cited a current Northern Kentucky dispute and ADA litigation as reasons for the proposal.
The committee then heard a broader discussion on housing and land use from Charlie Gardner of the Mercatus Center and Nolan Gray of California YIMBY and the Bluegrass Institute. They outlined categories of land-use regulation, described the recent growth of state-level housing reforms nationwide, and cited examples such as ADU legalization, smaller lot sizes, reduced parking minimums, streamlined permitting, and single-stair or other building-code reforms. They argued that housing shortages are a statewide concern, that localities often have incentives to block growth, and that state intervention can reduce costs and uncertainty without compromising health and safety. Members asked about the housing shortage estimate, the effect of red tape on safety and local authority, and how state reforms could be phased in; the presenters said reforms often include lead time, can be targeted to larger jurisdictions, and should focus on reducing time and cost while maintaining basic standards.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm an attorney with the firm of Lynch and Fierro in Boston, and I proudly represent the Home Builders
- I want to say that the Mass Home Builders and Remodelers are in good hands as its advocate.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses held a brief hearing on several housing and planning bills. Testimony focused on Senate Bill 176 and House Bill 313, which would update Chapter 40R smart growth zoning incentives and double municipal payments for adopting qualifying zoning districts, and Senate Bill 177, a technical correction to Chapter 40S so starter-home districts created under Chapter 40Y would also qualify for school cost reimbursement. Benjamin Fierro, representing the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts, strongly supported the bills, arguing that the current incentives are too modest, that starter homes are needed for young and first-time buyers, and that the school reimbursement fix is necessary to align the statutes. Nally Soto of the Massachusetts Housing Coalition also supported the bills, saying the higher incentives would help municipalities approve more housing and address the housing shortage.
Representative Kassner testified on House Bill 303, a remote community development planning bill modeled on Executive Order 418. She said it would restore and expand statewide comprehensive planning for land use, transportation, housing, open space, infrastructure, and climate resilience, with regional planning agencies playing a key role. Committee members asked about how Chapter 40S reimbursement is calculated and how the planning bill would interact with existing regional planning commissions. One member also spoke in support of the housing bills and described local challenges with affordability, land costs, and compliance with the MBTA Communities law.
No votes were taken during the hearing. The chair closed testimony after a final call for additional witnesses and announced that the committee would continue working on the bills and hold one more hearing in September on additional measures and late-filed bills. The committee then adjourned by motion and second.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
January 14, 2026 - 01:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- CAROL BOWEN ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS CONTRACTORS OF FLORIDA WAVES IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
- CARRIE HEMBRICK, FLORIDA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION WAIVES IN SUPPORT. GOOD? GARY HEMBRICK AGAIN.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Vets Committee Meeting - 2026-03-25
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- We're a statewide association of builders, remodelers, and trade partners focused on creating home ownership
- We're a statewide association of builders, remodelers, and trade partners focused on creating home ownership
- Projects like these don't just happen in theory; they happen because builders, remodelers, and industry
- Projects like these don't just happen in theory; they happen because builders, remodelers, and industry
Keywords:
military, pay, officers, enlisted members, state active service, Minnesota Statutes, veterans, burial eligibility, honor guard, state cemeteries, military service, burial fees, veterans affairs, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, advisory task force, commanders task force, veterans service organizations, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW
MD
Transcript Highlights:
- Rouse Community Builder Award, and induction into the Howard County Women's Hall of Fame.
- achievement award, the James W.<00:21:51.120>
Rouse <00:21:51.440>Community <00:21:51.840>Builder - Rouse Community Builder Award, and W.
- Rouse Community Builder Award, and induction<00:21:53.840>
into <00:21:54.159>the <00:21
Summary:
The House convened with 132 members present, offered prayer, approved the previous day’s journal, and adopted a House resolution honoring United Communities Against Poverty for 60 years of service in Prince George’s County fighting poverty. The organization’s board members were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then handled introductory business, including first-reading referral of House Bills 1587-1596, two introductory House bond initiatives referred to Appropriations, and Senate Bill 25 and other Senate bills received in the House and referred to committees.
The House also took up committee reports and special orders. The Economic Matters Committee reported favorably on several bills, including House Bills 236, 241, 242, 259, and 308, all of which were adopted and ordered printed for third reading. On House Bill 146 regarding on-site wastewater systems, a friendly amendment was adopted to allow repair or replacement of failed drain field components needed to meet the bill’s requirements. On House Bill 220 concerning individual water meters/submetering, a substitute amendment was adopted to strike a provision related to eviction proceedings and keep the bill aligned with existing law; the bill was then ordered printed for third reading.
Members also made several announcements recognizing visiting groups and observances, including the ALS Association, Career and Technology Education Month, Economic Development Day, Developmental Disabilities Day, Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day, the start of Ramadan, and Easter season. The House heard a Black History Month-style recognition of Ethel Beh Hill and welcomed multiple delegations and student groups. Committee and subcommittee meeting announcements followed, and with 134 members present, the House remained in session before the majority leader moved adjournment until Thursday, February 19 at 10:00 a.m.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select Aug 22nd, 2025
Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select
Transcript Highlights:
- Hale, Texas Association of Builders, against House Bill 117. Thank you, Chairman, members.
- I represent nearly 10,000 builders, remodelers, developers, and associate members of the Texas Association
- of Builders.
- And again, I want to respect our builders, but they're being a little picky.
Keywords:
HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Judiciary Committee Jun 17th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- sometimes there's still resistance at the local level, and sometimes... ...local governments still force builders
- It also drives up the cost of building housing, which especially impacts smaller builders and smaller
- When developers, especially smaller local builders, try to fight in court for authority to build more
- Raymond Contreras of Lighthouse Public Affairs, on behalf of Buckeye Properties, Council of Infill Builders
Summary:
The committee heard several bills focused on civil rights, family law, privacy, housing, and artificial intelligence. SB 477 would clarify FEHA procedures for the Civil Rights Department, including tolling deadlines by agreement and updating complaint definitions; it drew some concern about venue and convenience but was moved forward. SB 450 would confirm California jurisdiction over adoption proceedings for children born in the state even if families have moved away, and would require all legal parents to be listed on adoption orders; it received strong support, especially from LGBTQ family advocates, and passed to Appropriations. SB 683 would clarify that people whose name, image, or likeness is misused may seek TROs or injunctions under existing publicity-rights law; opposition from media and First Amendment groups focused on the 48-hour compliance default and speech concerns, but the bill advanced as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection.
The committee also considered SB 11, the AI Abuse Protection Act, which would regulate voice, image, and video cloning technology, require warnings, and direct the Judicial Council to develop evidence standards for AI; it passed to Public Safety. SCR 66, a resolution designating May 1 as Law Day and emphasizing the rule of law, was adopted unanimously after supportive comments from members. SB 808 would create expedited judicial review for housing permit denials that violate state law; supporters said it would reduce costly delay and help housing production, while the Judicial Council opposed it as imposing unreasonable timelines and staffing burdens. The bill passed to Appropriations despite concerns about court resources and broader housing-law issues.
The committee then took up two privacy bills from Senator Wiener. SB 59 would automatically keep confidential court records for adult and retroactive gender/name change petitions, expanding protections previously enacted for minors; supporters described real-world doxxing and harassment, while opponents raised First Amendment and public-records objections, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 497 would require warrants for out-of-state law enforcement access to California prescription monitoring data, expand transgender shield protections for gender-affirming care records, and bar certain disclosures without legal process; the author framed it as a response to out-of-state anti-trans enforcement, and the bill was presented with support from trans advocacy groups.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 19, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- All right, we do have public testimony, and then Brennan Burke from the Florida Home Builders Association
- My name is Brendan Burke with the Florida Home Builders Association.
- from the Florida Home Biller Association is a proponent of this Brennan Burke from the Florida Home Builders
- My name is Brendan Burke with the Florida Home Builders Association.
Summary:
The subcommittee met with a quorum and took up a series of bills, beginning with PCS for HB 743 on social media use by minors. The sponsor said the bill would extend last session’s restrictions by requiring parental access to messages for minors ages 15 and 16 and allowing law enforcement access with a warrant or parental request. Members raised concerns about abuse situations and private communications, but the sponsor said the bill was aimed at protecting children from grooming and trafficking. The PCS was supported in public testimony and passed 15-0.
Members then approved HB 1161, which would let victims of altered sexual depictions or deepfakes demand removal of the content and pursue civil remedies if it is not taken down; an amendment clarified a definition tied to federal law, and the bill passed 14-0. The committee also passed local bills for Duval County (HB 4053) and Oviedo/Seminole County (HB 4031) creating special alcohol licensing exception areas, and HB 717, which increases penalties for unlawful demolition of historic buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places, with supporters from historic preservation and local government groups.
The committee next approved HB 1035 on building permits for single-family dwellings, as amended, to extend permit validity around building code updates, speed approvals after emergencies, and create faster review timelines for smaller projects; members questioned possible loopholes and storm-related applications, while the home builders association supported the measure. It also passed PCS for HB 1219 on employment agreements, creating a framework for covered non-compete and garden leave agreements for higher-wage employees or those with access to confidential information; several members objected to its impact on workers and the marketplace, and the vote was 11-5. Additional favorable votes were taken on HB 799 regarding condominium alcohol licenses, HB 869 expanding underground utility contractors’ scope to include certain fire line work after a contested amendment and testimony from both utility and fire sprinkler groups, HB 1071 on alternative plan reviews and inspections, PCS for HB 981 on athlete representation and NIL compensation, and PCS for HB 801 on HVAC/mechanical contractors repairing and replacing certain pool heaters, both of which drew mixed testimony and debate over scope and safety. The final item introduced was HB 311 on repair of motorized wheelchairs, which the sponsor said would improve access to parts, tools, and independent repair options for users.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jun 24th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Despite the state's significant legislative reforms intended to improve fee transparency, builders continue
- Builders may find out about an on-site or off-site improvement late in the process, adding unforeseen
- This bill reflects two years of real-world data and feedback from local governments, planners, builders
- power, California Action, East Bay Leadership Council, North Bay Leadership Council, Visionary Home Builders
- the TEFRA aspect of the bill so that we can pivot to a solution that provides affordable housing builders
Summary:
The committee heard several housing-related bills, beginning with SB 1003, which would create pro-housing enhanced infrastructure financing districts to help local governments fund infrastructure needed for housing developments. The author and supporters argued that infrastructure costs often prevent projects from penciling out, while the chair expressed support and said the bill would be taken up later when quorum was available. SB 1014 followed, proposing new disclosure requirements for local jurisdictions to provide good-faith estimates of on-site and off-site improvements within 30 days of application, with supporters saying it would reduce late surprises and opposition from several cities citing implementation concerns with the 30-day timelines.
The committee then took up SB 802, a Sacramento-region bill requiring a joint powers authority to coordinate housing and homelessness services. Senator Ashby and former Mayor Darrell Steinberg argued that Sacramento’s fragmented system has failed for years and that a JPA would improve accountability, coordination, and use of state funds. The bill drew broad support from local officials, service providers, business groups, and advocates, while some county and city representatives registered opposition or neutral concerns about state-mandated local governance. Several committee members said they were persuaded by the need for regional coordination, though some raised concerns about local control; the chair noted the bill would be moved when quorum allowed.
The committee also heard SB 1092 and SB 1093, both focused on mobile home park residents after disasters or park sales. SB 1092 would give residents a right of first opportunity to match a sale offer for a park, with supporters saying it protects vulnerable seniors and preserves affordable housing, while park owners and their representatives argued it would devalue property and raise constitutional and financing concerns. SB 1093 would require more transparent communication, access to property, and consideration of rebuilding or closure after a disaster; supporters cited the long uncertainty faced by Palisades residents, while opponents warned about liability, safety, and burdensome review requirements. Members split along similar lines, with some emphasizing property rights and market impacts and others stressing the need to protect residents and preserve scarce affordable housing.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jul 2nd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Fear with more regulations that this may just lead to developers and builders just deciding, nope, we're
- that once an emergency disaster, and I've spent again my entire career working with developers, builders
- Builders.
- But they would only have that opportunity if a developer or builder decides to build.
- And I mean, even in the sense of two, like... ...or builder decides to build.
Summary:
The committee heard several housing bills, with the longest discussion focused on SB 79, which would allow more housing near high-capacity transit stops and on transit agency-owned land. The author and supporters argued it would address California’s housing shortage, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and strengthen transit systems by putting more residents near rail and rapid transit. Supporters included housing advocates, local officials, environmental groups, and transit-oriented development organizations. Opponents, including many cities, the League of California Cities, and some tenant and legal advocacy groups, raised concerns about affordability requirements, displacement, demolition protections, local control, and the bill’s interaction with existing local planning efforts. The committee discussed amendments to strengthen anti-displacement protections, minimum density, affordability standards, and a local flexibility alternative, and SB 79 was moved out on a due-pass-as-amended vote of 8-1, with one member not voting.
The committee then took up SB 21, which would amend the Housing Crisis Act to allow limited unit reductions when converting deed-restricted SRO buildings into larger, more livable affordable units with private bathrooms, kitchens, and supportive services. The author and nonprofit housing providers said many SRO buildings are financially unsustainable and that the bill would preserve deeply affordable housing while improving conditions for residents. There was no organized opposition testimony at the hearing, though one business property group registered opposition. Members expressed support for the preservation-focused approach, and SB 21 was approved on an 8-0 vote and sent to the Assembly Committee on Local Government.
Next, SB 92 was heard, a measure to close a density bonus loophole by limiting how much additional commercial floor area a project can receive and preventing the law from being used to justify very large nonresidential projects with only minimal affordable housing. The author cited a San Diego project as an example of the problem, and the City of San Diego supported the bill as a reasonable fix. Several labor and housing groups also supported it, while no formal opposition witnesses testified. The committee accepted amendments, members praised the effort to curb abuse while preserving feasibility, and SB 92 passed on a 7-0 vote.
Finally, the committee began hearing SB 522, which would extend just-cause eviction protections to units rebuilt after disaster if they had previously been covered by the Tenant Protection Act. The author and the Los Angeles City Attorney said the bill would help preserve rental housing in disaster-affected communities, especially after the Pacific Palisades fires, and would not create new rent control. Opponents, including apartment, realtor, and property owner groups, argued it would add burdens to rebuilding and could discourage reconstruction. Members raised questions about whether existing law already protects returning tenants and whether the bill was necessary, and the hearing continued into committee discussion.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- robust<00:33:56.320>
scientific <00:33:57.120>development Rosanne Prus continued: Builders - that provide housing for sale at 100% below AMI, and these are typically nonprofits or self-help builders
- that provide housing for sale at 100% below AMI, and these are typically nonprofits or self-help builders
- 12.960>
self-help are typically nonprofits or self-help are typically nonprofits or self-help Builders - and this bill only exempts Builders and this bill only exempts those<00:47:18.400>
projects <00
Summary:
The House Committee on Housing held a public hearing on a wide range of housing-related bills. HB 295 on Hawaiian homelands drew support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and individual testifiers who described long waits for DHHL housing, while the Department of Hawaiian Homelands offered comments noting that lowering the Native Hawaiian blood quantum from 50% to 25% would require multiple legal and federal review steps. The committee also heard testimony on several Hawaii Public Housing Authority measures, including HB 99, HB 1096, HB 1097, HB 1095, HB 1093, and HB 1094, which generally received agency support and little or no public opposition during the hearing. HB 1094 prompted questions about the handling and sale or donation of seized property, and the agency said it lacked capacity to manage that work directly and would need to consult the Attorney General on liability concerns.
The committee then heard HB 1056 and HB 1467, both related to a proposed Hawaii Homes or housing resiliency program. DCCA, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, the Climate Advisory Team, and Hawaii Realtors supported HB 1056, while the Attorney General requested clarification on fund language. The Insurance Commissioner said DCCA was willing to run the program and that strengthening homes would help keep insurance available in Hawaii. For HB 1467, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and Climate Advisory Team also supported the measure, with the Attorney General raising concerns about delegation, the special fund, and extension authority. Testimony on both bills emphasized hurricane retrofits, with some witnesses urging harmonization of the two similar proposals and one witness warning that the bills could conflict with efforts to reduce building-code minimum standards.
Other measures included HB 1013 on important agricultural lands, which received support from HHFDC, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, DBEDT, the Agri-Business Development Corporation, and Purple Maiʻa Foundation, with some agencies offering comments. HB 1294 on agricultural workforce housing drew comments from the Attorney General, who said commissions may be established by law rather than by the department itself, along with support from OHA, a council member, and the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus. HB 89 on teacher housing received support from OHA and education groups, while the Attorney General said the bill may have constitutional issues and suggested amendments to set standards for voucher applications. HB 276 on condominiums and HB 528 on residential leases also drew support, with no testimony in opposition.
HB 415 on public safety and fire sprinklers generated the most clear split in testimony: the State Fire Council, a fire department representative, and an individual supported the bill, arguing sprinklers improve safety and can prevent major losses, while BIA Hawaii, Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution, NAAP Hawaii, Gentry Holmes, and DR Horton Hawaii opposed it, saying the added cost would worsen housing affordability and that existing codes already address safety. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing; the chair repeatedly closed each bill after testimony and questions, and the hearing moved through the agenda without recorded committee votes.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
January 20, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- We have Carrie Hebring from the Florida Home Builders Association, who is a proponent and wishes to appear
- It also allows for the addition of both electrical and plumbing items in the chickie hut if the builder
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Trade, Workforce & Economic Developent Apr 30th, 2025
CA