Transcript Highlights:

• MEMBERS, LET'S TAKE UP TAB 2, SENATE BILL 296 ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL START TIMES BY SENATOR
• AND THANK YOU SENATOR BRADLEY.
• MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP TAB THREE, SENATE BILL 356 ON HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY BY SENATOR BERMAN
• AND THANK YOU SENATOR SIMON.
• AND THANK YOU SENATOR SIMON.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SENATORS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL? ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL?
• Ingoglia: WE SHOW SENATE BILL 164 REPORTED FAVORABLY.
• NEXT TAB 3 SENATE BILL 388 TRUST FUNDS FOR WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT BY SENATOR, CHAIR RODRIGUEZ, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED
• SHOWING NONE, SENATORS, ANY DEBATE ON THE BILL?
• SEEING NONE, SENATOR ARRINGTON MOVES WE ADJOURN. THANK YOU.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SENATOR BOYD? SENATOR BURTON? SENATOR HOOPER? SENATOR MARTIN? SENATOR OSGOOD? SENATOR PASSIDOMO?
• SENATOR HOOPER? SENATOR MARTIN? SENATOR OSGOOD? SENATOR PASSIDOMO? SENATOR PIZZO?
• SENATOR MARTIN? SENATOR OSGOOD? SENATOR PASSIDOMO? SENATOR PIZZO? SENATOR TRUENOW? SHARIEF?
• SENATOR OSGOOD? SENATOR PASSIDOMO? SENATOR PIZZO? SENATOR TRUENOW? VICE CHAIR SHARIEF?
• SENATOR HOOPER? SENATOR MARTIN? SENATOR OSGOOD? SENATOR PASSIDOMO? SENATOR PIZZO? SENATOR TRUENOW?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> SENATOR LEEK? SENATOR ARRINGTON? SENATOR DAVIS? SENATOR DICEGLIE? SENATOR GRUTERS?
• SENATOR McCLAIN? SENATOR SMITH? SENATOR WRIGHT? SENATOR YARBOROUGH?
• SENATOR SMITH? SENATOR WRIGHT? SENATOR YARBOROUGH? SENATOR ARRINGTON? SENATOR LEEK. >> Sen.
• SENATOR DICEGLIE? SENATOR GRUTERS? SENATOR McCLAIN? SENATOR SMITH? SENATOR WRIGHT?
• SENATOR McCLAIN? SENATOR SMITH? SENATOR WRIGHT? SENATOR YARBOROUGH? SENATOR ARRINGTON?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> SENATOR AVILA? SENATOR BRADLEY? SENATOR COLLINS. >> Sen.
• Collins: HERE. >> SENATOR GARCIA. >> Sen. Garcia: HERE. >> SENATOR GRALL. >> Sen.
• Grall: HERE. >> SENATOR POLSKY. >> Sen. Polsky: HERE >> SENATOR ROUSON ON. >> Sen.
• Gaetz: SENATOR ARRINGTON?
• THANK YOU SENATOR ARRINGTON. SENATOR AVILA IS EXCUSED FROM TODAY'S MEETING.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then Senator Howe will present Senate File 1930.
• Then Senator Farnworth will present Senate File 1782.
• Senator Farnworth will present Senate File 1782.
• Senator Anderson: Nay. Senator Dornink: No. Senator Gustafson: Yes. Senator Kunesh: She is on Zoom.
• Senator G... Senator Cek...

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, we will, uh, proceed, uh, right now with Senator Lang's Senate File 281.
• Senate File 190.
• <00:31:11.480> guson<00:31:12.159> and Senator KW thank you Senator guson and Senator
• Thank you, Senator Gustafson. Everybody, next up will be Senator Cran with Senate File 319.
• Senator Carlson. Senator Carlson, thank you, Madam Chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm now joined by a senator who has signed on to the bill, showing his support for the creation of a
• Republican Senator Mark Koran [member_11347], thank you for being here.
• So, talking about the bill that's before the Senate now, Senate File 447, do you think that it will just
• Senate now Senate file that's before the Senate now Senate file 447<00:02:43.920> you<00:02:44.080
• Senator, thank you for your time. Awesome. Thank you.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator, welcome to Senate Spotlight. Thank you very much.
• Senator, is there anything else you'd like to say on this topic?
• Senator, is there anything else you'd like to say on this topic?
• Senator, is there anything else you'd like to say on this topic?
• legislators will pay attention Senator legislators will pay attention Senator is<00:10:53.200>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Chang? Senator DeCoite? Senator Dela Cruz here. Senator Elefante here.
• Senator Fevella here. Senator Fukunaga excused. Senator Gabbard? Senator Hashimoto?
• Senator Kidani excused. Senator Kim excused. Senator Lee? Senator McKelvey? Senator Moriwaki?
• Senator Gabbard? Senator Hashimoto? Senator Ihara present. Senator Inouye present. Senator Kanuha?
• Senator Keohokalole? Senator Kidani excused. Senator Kim excused. Senator Lee? Senator McKelvey?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, called the roll, approved the previous day’s journal, and heard several introductions recognizing staff, visiting students from Do Middle School participating in Working Families Day, and advocates from organizations including H-CAN, Hawaii Workers Center, Aloha Care, the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the American Association of University Women Hawaii. The clerk then reported gubernatorial messages withdrawing several nominations to boards and commissions, transmitting one nomination to the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, and House communications sending House bills to the Senate for first reading and committee referral. The chamber adopted multiple groups of standing committee reports, including reports requiring 48-hour notice and one-day notice, and then took up third reading of Senate bills. Several bills passed third reading by unanimous consent or near-unanimous votes, including measures relating to water pollution, spaying and neutering animals, condominiums, marine life conservation districts, mental health, geothermal resources, the University of Hawaiʻi, and aircraft. Senate Bill 841 SD1 and SB 1042 SD1 each passed 22-1, SB 1197 SD1 passed 21-2, and SB 319, relating to marijuana, failed on third reading with 11 ayes and 12 noes. The Senate also granted a waiver of referral for Senate Bill 1621 SD1 to the Committee on Ways and Means so it could meet the first taking deadline, and gave one day’s notice for third reading. The session concluded with a motion adopted to leave the journal open until 11:00 p.m. for additional committee reports and to recess until 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, Senator Gabber on SB 1285 SD1. The recommendation is to pass with amendments.
• Senator Chang, I. Senator Sand Vura, excuse Senator A. I.
• <00:01:11.400> Chang<00:01:12.000> I<00:01:12.400> Senator<00:01:12.880>
• sand Woods I Senator Chang I Senator sand Woods I Senator Chang I Senator sand vura<00:01:14.680>
• excuse<00:01:15.240> Senator<00:01:15.640> a<00:01:16.400> i<00:01:17.400

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met on Friday morning and considered one bill for decision-making, SB 1285. The bill would establish the offense of operating a vehicle while impaired, set penalties, and require the Department attorney to submit a report to the legislature. The chair recommended passage with amendments, including a new section that would automatically suspend the license of a person arrested for driving under the influence while allowing the person to contest the suspension through the existing ADLRO administrative process. The amendments would also make conforming changes and set an effective date of April 23, 2057. After no questions or concerns were raised, the committee voted to adopt the recommendation and pass SB 1285 SD1 with amendments. The recorded votes were in favor from Chair Roads, Vice Chair Woods, Senator Chang, and Senator Sand Vura, with Senator A excused. The measures were adopted, and the meeting then moved on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Vice Chair Bia? Senator Aino hi. Senator Decorte hi. Senator Elefante hi.
• Senator Hashimoto hi. Senator Inouye hi. Senator Kanuha hi. Senator Kidani excused.
• Senator decoy hi Senator elepante hi Senator decoy hi Senator elepante hi Senator<00:01:19.439> Hashimoto
• hi Senator Hashimoto hi Senator inoi hi Senator Hashimoto hi Senator inoi hi Senator<00:01:23.360
• 26.119> excuse Senator kuha hi Senator kidani excuse Senator kuha hi Senator kidani excuse Senator

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Ways and Means committee met in several decision-making agendas and took action on a number of Senate bills. Early in the meeting, members adopted a measure with amendments that removed a section due to legal issues identified by the Attorney General and set an effective date of July 1, 2050. The committee then passed SB 14, SB 1434, SB 1443, and SB 152 unamended, and SB 1612 with amendments clarifying that certain requirements apply to buildings constructed after December 31, 2025, and defining joint custody between the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health for inmate mental health services and medications. In a joint Judiciary and Ways and Means agenda, the committee considered SB 242 on foreign ownership of agricultural land. Members agreed to amendments adding non-impairment-of-contract language and revising enforcement and penalty provisions so consideration exchanged in a violating transaction would revert to the respective parties. The bill was adopted with reservations noted by several members. The committee also took up SB 534 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority and residential development on certain Makakilo Makai parcels, but because there was no consensus, the measure was deferred indefinitely. Later Ways and Means agendas approved several additional bills, mostly unamended, including SB 878, SB 1146, SB 614, SB 891, SB 964, SB 1559, and SB 503. SB 1379 was passed with amendments adding a blank appropriation for acquisition of land for Community Readiness centers and an emergency operations center, with the funds to lapse on June 30, 2027. SB 1571 was amended to remove an advisory board and restore earlier authority language, and SB 1632 was amended to rank the appropriation and set the date to 2050. Across these votes, measures were generally adopted with some members recording reservations or being excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:15:59.279> celis<00:15:59.639> Webster<00:16:00.360> 576<00:16:01.000> Senator
• <00:16:01.480> oh GM 577 t celis Webster 576 Senator oh GM 577 t celis Webster 576 Senator
• Senator Hashimoto excused. Senator Kanuha excused. Recommendation is adopted.
• K hi Senator F excuse recommendation is K hi Senator F excuse recommendation is adopted<00:26:35.559>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services heard a series of gubernatorial nominations and board appointments, mostly to health-related advisory councils and commissions. Nominees testified briefly about their backgrounds and reasons for serving, including Melanie Lao for the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee; Asana Saragosa Torres and Jessica Stevens for the State Council on Mental Health; several nominees for the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee, including S. Brian, Jacob Pelo, Patrick Winfield Lougher, Dr. An Young, Marin Anka, and Kenneth Faria; Roxanne Row for the Hawaii County Health Planning Council; Lewis Johnson and Susie Schulberg for the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs; Mariah Nicholls and Evan Nakatsuka for the State Rehabilitation Council; and Co Woly for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation board. Testimony in support came from the Department of Health, the Executive Office on Aging, the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, and other individuals and organizations, with several nominees emphasizing lived experience, rural health access, mental health advocacy, EMS experience, or community service. One nomination, GM 522 for Melanie Lao, drew favorable comments about her qualifications and written responses. GM 572, Roxanne Row’s nomination to the Hawaii County Health Planning Council, was the only item that raised concern because the committee had not received her questionnaire answers directly; after questioning, the chair deferred decision-making on that nomination until March 5 pending receipt of the answers. The committee also noted a title correction for GM 548, changing the reference from an advisory board to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to advise and consent on all nominations except GM 572, which was deferred. The adopted recommendations covered GM 522, 523, 525, 526, 540, 541, 548, 575, 576, 577, 579, 629, 630, 631, and 633. The meeting then adjourned after congratulating the nominees and inviting them to remain for a group photo.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator<01:03:05.200> a Yes Senator fuk Senator Kim Senator a Yes Senator fuk Senator Kim
• hi<01:03:30.039> Senator<01:03:30.400> a Yes Senator fuk Senator Kim hi Senator a Yes
• fuka Senator Kim vote Yes Senator fuka Senator Kim Senator<01:04:15.599> a<01:04:16.000> hi
• c><01:04:37.920> Senator<01:04:38.319> a Senator fuk Senator Kim hi Senator a Senator fuk
• Senator<01:05:03.799> I Yes Senator fuka Senator Kim Senator I Yes Senator fuka Senator Kim

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard confirmations for two Hawaii Technology Development Corporation board nominees, Jaclyn Ka and Gregory Oara. Testimony for both was overwhelmingly in support. Supporters for Ka emphasized her Kauaʻi roots, work in workforce development and digital equity, and ability to connect schools, industry, and community needs. In her own remarks, Ka said she wants to bring resources to Kauaʻi and the neighbor islands, strengthen local workforce pathways, and use the HTDC board to help local residents access technology jobs and training. Members questioned Ka about how to reduce reliance on mainland hires for jobs at PMRF and other technology employers, how to better align training with local needs, and how to connect Kauaʻi schools, community college programs, and creative media/digital technology efforts. Ka described KDB’s role in building islandwide digital media and drone clubs, professional development for teachers, and partnerships intended to create a pipeline from school to workforce. She also said the legislature can help mainly by listening and staying informed about local needs. For Oara, supporters highlighted his engineering and semiconductor background, his experience in academia, industry, and startups, and his potential to help HTDC with technology commercialization, IP, and exportable services. Oara said he wants HTDC to better support early-stage companies, improve coordination among universities, government, and the private sector, and create a directory of technical skill sets to connect startups with needed expertise. He also discussed AI, saying Hawaii can contribute by developing smaller, locally relevant models rather than only relying on large-scale data-center infrastructure. The hearing focused on these nominations and testimony; no vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Melby, aye. Senator Richards, aye. Senator Aino, aye. Senator Decoy, excuse.
• Senator El, aye. Senator Hashimoto, Senator Ino, Senator Kidani, aye. Senator Kim, excuse.
• > Ino<00:02:41.760> Senator Senator Hashimoto Senator Ino Senator Senator Hashimoto Senator
• Kim kuha hi Senator kidani I Senator Kim excuse<00:02:46.560> Senator<00:02:47.040> Le
• excuse Senator Le hi Senator excuse and excuse Senator Le hi Senator excuse and Senator<00:02:51.440

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and the Committee on Ways and Means held a joint hearing on S.P. 1365, which concerns the interstate medical licensure compact. The bill would authorize the Hawaii Medical Board, as the state of principal license, to investigate and request criminal history records for qualified physicians seeking licensure through the compact. Testimony was strongly supportive. SHIPA, the Hawaii Medical Board, Queen’s Health Systems, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, HMSA, and the Hawaii Medical Association all supported the measure. The Hawaii Medical Association said the bill would help move the compact forward as part of Hawaii’s access-to-care strategy and noted that nearly 200 physicians have already come in through the compact. After brief discussion, no members raised questions or objections. The committees recommended passage of the measure unamended. The motion was adopted by vote, with several members voting aye and a few excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Chang: Aye. Senator Samura: Aye. Senator OA: Aye. The measure passes. Thanks very much.
• Vice chair Wai Senator Chang hi Senator Vice chair Wai Senator Chang hi Senator San<00:02:05.680>
• Reservations for Senator Bentura? Senator A: No. Vice Chair votes no. And the measure passes.
• questions or concerns if not Senator questions or concerns if not Senator card<00:07:13.000>
• questions or concerns if not Senator questions or concerns if not Senator gabard<00:08:34.000>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met in decision-making only session and took up a series of bills, mostly approving them with amendments. SB 1032 on campaign finance passed with amendments to change the certification process for business entities, add a severability-type provision if foreign-influence conditions are struck down, and note a related Minnesota federal case. SB 401 on firearms passed with amendments to exclude shotguns, grandfather legally registered devices in place as of the effective date, and add committee report findings; SB 382 on procurement confidentiality passed as is; SB 598 extending deadlines for administrative driver’s license revocation review decisions passed as is; SB 771 on HHFDC board leadership passed as is; and SB 1318 clarifying water pollution enforcement jurisdiction passed as is. The committee also approved SB 1657 with an amendment removing authority to condemn public property, SB 1102 with an amendment making the Fire Council the source of nominees for the aircraft rescue fire fighting chief, and SB 100 with amendments replacing the original substance with a prohibition on fingerprinting nonprofit liquor-license board members during background checks and limiting the bill to counties under 500,000 population. SB 170 and SB 1296, both related to special management area exemptions for affordable housing and disaster-related reconstruction, passed with amendments incorporating Office of Planning, Sustainable Development, and Attorney General changes to narrow and clarify the exemptions. Finally, SB 363, a cleanup bill related to firearm parts and ghost gun laws, was considered with amendments that deleted a proposed new penalty section, revised existing firearms statutes, removed an unnecessary definition, and expanded penalties to include indeterminate imprisonment terms. Despite the amendments, the measure was not adopted because the Vice Chair voted no. The committee then adjourned and announced a later joint hearing with Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, Senator Kouchi. Hi, Senator Kimani. Hi, Senator Kim. Hi, Senator Lee. Hi, Senator Wai? Yes.
• If not, Senator Gabard here?
• questions or concerns if not Senator questions or concerns if not Senator gabard<00:01:36.439>
• here R Hice Shai Senator Chang hi Senator<00:01:40.159> San<00:01:40.600> matura<00:01
• San matura hi Senator OAS hi Senator San matura hi Senator OAS hi measures<00:01:44.040> adopted<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Judiciary committee met in decision-making mode and took up a long list of measures, mostly recommending passage with or without amendments. Early actions included S.B. 414, which was amended to blank the appropriation, draw funds from the major disaster fund, and change the effective date to 2050, and S.B. 223, which would require fire breaks in hazardous fire areas and create or expand wildland fire prevention and protection programs with blank appropriations for FY 2026 and 2027. The committee also advanced S.B. 1009 on state reserve parking space enforcement, S.B. 1149 on reported hate crime definitions and reporting, S.B. 402 on mooring-line requirements for certain vessels, S.B. 1441 on the Oahu regional health care system transfer, S.B. 1442 on child and adolescent mental health responsibilities, S.B. 1478 on harbor evacuation orders, and S.B. 493 on written notice for emotional support animal sales or verifications. Members generally raised little opposition, and most measures were adopted without reservations. Some bills drew brief discussion or committee-report notes, including S.B. 1149, which referenced a Hawaii Civil Rights Commission report encouraging policy-level hate crime data reporting, and S.B. 1442, which was amended with a far-future effective date and a committee-report note about whether mental health services should be expressly subject to funding. S.B. 1441 was substantially revised to require a memorandum of agreement between the Oahu Regional Health Care System and the Department of Health by November 30, 2025, with patient care to begin by December 31, 2025, and a report to the legislature before the 2026 session. The committee also considered several finance and energy-related measures. S.B. 897 on the wildfire liability trust fund prompted questions about whether costs would be passed to consumers; the response was that the proposal contemplated cost sharing and that some amounts were still blank. S.B. 1395 and S.B. 1396 were amended to remove special-fund structures, direct revenues into the general fund, and require the governor to include equivalent amounts in the executive budget for climate-related projects. S.B. 501 was amended to expand step-in agreement provisions for future PPAs and establish a fund outside the State Treasury, and S.B. 1589 was amended so private donations to the stadium authority would go into the NID special fund for stadium infrastructure and sod, with members discussing accountability and the source of stadium-related consultant spending. The committee adopted the recommendations on all measures considered, with some members noting reservations on a few bills, and one item, S.B. 1418, was deferred.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Chang here. Senator DeCorte here. Senator Dela Cruz here. Senator Elefante here.
• Senator Fevella here. Senator Gabbard here. Senator Hashimoto here. Senator Ihara present.
• Senator Kim here. Senator Lee here. Senator McKelvey here. Senator Moriwaki present.
• Senator Kidani here. Senator Kidani. Senator Kim. Senator Lee. Senator McKelvey.
• I rise to request a waiver of the public notice requirement pursuant to Senate Rule 21 to hold a hearing

Keywords: 912, senate, all