Transcript Highlights:

• since, were instrumental in creating... ...initiating the nascent, yet vibrant, quantum computing industry
• This industry of the future is one that the U.S. must dominate, as it has profound scientific, economic
• I have a friend in the utility industry.
• Senator, Caesar is a very important tool for the department and for industry and its stakeholders to
• Are we really going to decide between homes and industry?

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nominations, Undersecretary of Energy, Undersecretary of Science, Preston Griffith, Dario Gil, energy policy, scientific innovation

Summary: The meeting was convened to discuss several significant nominations, particularly focusing on Preston Wills Griffith III for Undersecretary of Energy and Dr. Dario Gil for Undersecretary of Science. The committee underscored the importance of these roles in shaping American energy policy and scientific innovation. The discussion highlighted the nominees' backgrounds, with Griffith having extensive experience at the Department of Energy and the White House, and Gil bringing expertise in quantum technology and energy research. Members expressed a strong desire to understand the nominees' perspectives on current challenges facing the energy sector, including regulatory mandates and national security concerns. The meeting concluded with a commitment to ensuring thorough evaluations of the candidates and their proposed approaches to pressing issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• that must be included in the technical advisory group, including the state fire chiefs, elevator industry
• Section 22 was then added directing the State Building Code Council and Department of Labor and Industries
• This is something the elevator industry has said they are moving towards.
• Without this push, I think everyone in the elevator industry in the U.S. is kind of happy to have our
• I think everyone in the elevator industry in the U.S. is kind of happy to have our own standard that

Summary: The committee heard three housing-related bills. SB 5937 would regulate smart access systems in rental housing by requiring landlords, on tenant request, to provide non-biometric and non-app-based alternatives such as physical keys, key fobs, or key cards, and by adding privacy-policy and data-minimization requirements for smart access systems. The bill’s sponsor and a tenant testified in support, describing concerns about app-based entry systems tracking movement and collecting personal data. The Washington Multifamily Housing Association testified neutral, saying the bill had been improved through stakeholder work and amendments that allowed privacy-policy links and delayed implementation until January 1, 2027. The hearing on the bill was closed with no vote taken. The committee then heard ESSB 5156, which directs the State Building Code Council to allow smaller elevators in apartment buildings up to six stories and 24 units and creates a technical advisory group to review certain elevator safety requirements. The sponsor and several supporters argued the bill would reduce elevator costs, improve feasibility for small multifamily and middle-housing projects, and increase accessibility and age-friendly housing. The National Elevator Industry opposed the bill’s harmonization language in Section 2, paragraph 2, warning it could create ambiguity, multiple standards, and litigation, but said it would be neutral if that language were removed. Other industry and housing advocates supported the measure as a way to lower costs and expand housing supply. No action was taken during the hearing. Finally, the committee heard SB 6237, which would require landlords to disclose flood risk information to tenants for leases entered into after December 31, 2026. The disclosure would note whether a property may be in a flood hazard area, where tenants can find county flood information, and that the landlord’s insurance does not cover tenants’ belongings. The Washington Multifamily Housing Association testified neutral, saying the bill had been narrowed to a more manageable disclosure and that removing a requirement to recommend flood insurance addressed concerns about landlords acting as insurance advisers. The hearing concluded without a vote, and the chair announced the committee would meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• The council was also tasked with the creation of an industry EV advisory committee.
• And it's a complicated industry where there's a lot of trade involvement that goes in in procurement
• Because industry is already doing it. I think it's a simple way to do it.
• Because industry is already doing it. I think it's a simple way to do it.
• I have a question about the industry straight.

Bills: SB5750 , SB6148

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: electric vehicles, charging fees, state facilities, sustainability, infrastructure, regional transit authority, RTA, transit bonds, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, bond maturity, debt limit, 25-year cap, regional mobility grant program, public transit financing, transportation funding, Washington RCW, bond issuance, municipal finance, infrastructure finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, actually it was zoned industrial.
• It's zoned industrial, even though it's...
• It was zoned industrial, and it could be commercial, but the property owner lost a $10 million sale to
• In a nutshell, there are industry segments coming out of the BRAC processes.
• We've always had ongoing business and leases to different various industry groups that are doing some

Bills: HB148 , HB334 , HB554 , HB762 , HB1520 , HB1593 , HB3526 , HB3810 , HB5092 , SB2215 , HB2607 , HB148

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• So that would make our jobs a lot easier to support the industry and protect consumers with fuel quality
• It's the industrial symbiosis that we talk about many times, and this is the best way to use that waste
• So we think this is a really good amendment that will help those companies that are using that industrial
• Thank you. ...and they've been doing it for a long time, and it's the industrial symbiosis that we talk
• So we think this is a really good amendment that will help those companies that are using that industrial

Bills: SB6013

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: ski areas, winter sports, terminology, recreation, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• These fees that are standard in the industry in Arizona have not been increased for 25 years.
• These standard fees in the industry are substantially lower than most states.
• and by investing properly in the department I think we it will be a wise investment for both the industry
• What the department, in our conversations, is going to do is sit down with the industry and say, here's
• By way of background, the Industrial Commission of Arizona administers workers' compensation insurance

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard three bills after announcing that House Bill 2118 would be held. House Bill 2091 would raise the maximum asset-based assessment DIFI can charge domestic insurers to fund financial surveillance staff, with future increases tied to inflation and capped. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the fees had not been updated in 25 years, that Arizona’s insurance regulatory workload has grown substantially, and that the change should help DIFI hire staff, reduce reliance on more expensive contracted work, and not increase premiums. The committee voted 11-0 to give HB 2091 a due pass recommendation. House Bill 2138 would clarify workers’ compensation coverage for professional firefighters injured while traveling to or from work, defining firefighter for that purpose. The sponsor and witnesses from Queen Creek and the fire community said the bill was intended as cleanup language to restore the original legislative intent after a claim was denied because of a statutory loophole, and that the change would protect firefighters and support recruitment and response readiness. The County Supervisors Association said it was neutral but requested counties be removed from the definition because counties do not employ firefighters; a floor amendment was expected to address that. The committee approved HB 2138 11-0. House Bill 2122 made clarifying changes to last year’s reciprocity/endorsement law for registration of BTR-related professions, including reciprocity with the United Kingdom. The sponsor described it as a cleanup bill to fix an omission and support workforce development and commerce, and the only witness offered no additional testimony. The committee passed HB 2122 on an 11-0 vote, and the meeting adjourned after all three bills received due pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• These fees that are standard in the industry in Arizona have not been increased for 25 years.
• These standard fees in the industry, we are substantially lower than most states.
• and by investing properly in the department I think we it will be a wise investment for both the industry
• What the department, in our conversations, is going to do is sit down with the industry and say, 'Here's
• By way of background, the Industrial Commission of Arizona administers workers' compensation insurance

Bills: HB2091 , HB2118 , HB2122 , HB2138

Committees: House Commerce , House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, mobile food vendors, licensure, food safety, statewide regulations, health standards, zoning, temporary vendors, technical registration, engineering, architect, land surveyor, reciprocity, endorsement, qualification standards, firefighter

Transcript Highlights:

• I am also continuing conversations with industry representatives to address remaining issues, such as
• I'd like to align my comments with my industry colleagues today and thank the author for future further
• commitment to continue to talk to folks that have concerns, especially service providers in this industry
• But I do have confidence that you'll work with industry partners.
• Pairing their fair share to keep the industry competitive and properly regulated. Thank you.

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And we would ask the same in a health care industry: price transparency.
• Is that what the industry intends people to understand?
• Is that the intent that the industry wants out? Is that the message?
• Our industry operates on margins of less than 1%.
• Our industry operates on margins of less than 1%.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and so it reflects the evolution of the industry.
• </c> of the industry. of the industry.
• Industry or profession.
• </c> industries. Thank you, Mr. Chair. industries. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• :40.800><c> whole</c><00:42:41.040><c> electrical</c> industries we own the whole electrical industries

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> It's going to be adjusting with industry It's going to be adjusting with industry and<00:21:32.960
• </c> difficult for industry to to swallow. difficult for industry to to swallow.
• </c> having continuously with the industries having continuously with the industries and<00:30:59.120
• ><c> that</c><01:34:56.960><c> we</c> It's private industry partners that we It's private industry partners
• We know like EV industry with EV.

Summary: The committees received an informational briefing from Hawaii DOT and related partners on the Navahine settlement and the department’s plan to meet its climate and transportation commitments. Speakers described the settlement as a first-of-its-kind agreement rooted in the state constitution, the public trust doctrine, and prior legislative findings and laws, including Act 131. They said the settlement is intended to formalize DOT’s work, establish milestones, and keep climate and transportation policy less dependent on changes in administration. The presentation emphasized that transportation is Hawaii’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and that the plan is aimed at meeting 2030 and 2045 clean energy goals. DOT outlined several major implementation pieces: creation of a new Office of Energy Security and Community Outreach, formation of a youth council, and development of an emissions reduction plan that will be updated over time. The youth council reported on its membership, statewide representation, meetings, and work on charter, bylaws, and committees focused on policy and legislation, events and advocacy, and ground transportation. Youth members said they provided feedback on the energy security plan and discussed walk audits and safe routes to school. The department also described a new project-scoring tool to measure greenhouse gas impacts of every DOT project, which it said is intended to make Hawaii a national leader in evaluating transportation emissions. A major topic was the settlement’s transportation network requirement, which speakers said compresses roughly 15 years of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network work into five years and will require about $40 million to $50 million per year over the next five years. They said a GIS map is being developed to identify gaps and that the work will involve counties and other partners, with benefits for safety, connectivity, and emissions reduction. Other topics included clean fuel standards, electrification of ground transportation, sustainable aviation fuel, marine fuel transitions, cold ironing at ports, and the costs and availability challenges associated with those transitions. DOT also reported progress on EV charging infrastructure, including two completed sites and more planned, and said it is using a sustainability partner contract to maintain chargers and recover only electricity costs. The briefing also highlighted carbon sequestration and fire mitigation work, including native tree planting. DOT said it has exceeded its minimum annual tree-planting commitment, with 3,000 trees planted in 2024 and 4,200 by mid-2025, and noted that the Legislature provided $15 million for fire mitigation that is being used for this work. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:50.440><c> working</c> new teams within their industry working new teams within their industry
• Whom no profits nor industry are possible. Thank you very much. Thank you, Chair Baker.
• </c> band particularly for these industries band particularly for these industries do<00:37:27.240><c
• The industry did not become dangerous once there were two fatalities.
• The industry did not become dangerous once there were two fatalities.

Bills: HF1355 , HF1469 , HF1768

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Naomi Padron on behalf of the Computer and Communications Industry Association.
• And certainly, I think that partly on industry to suggest definitions too.
• Naomi Padron on behalf of the Computer and Communications Industry Association.
• It covers many, many industries.
• And it does not talk about specific practices by specific industries.

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the CEO at the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and we are in strong support of HB 1.
• </c><00:26:41.080><c> Association</c><00:26:41.559><c> of</c> the building industry Association of the
• </c> hampered the construction industry hampered the construction industry building<00:31:50.720><c>
• Every industry says that. Restaurants say that.
• I am a past president of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii.

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The Committee on Housing held a public hearing on January 31 and heard testimony on a series of housing and building-code bills. The first major item, HB 1 relating to building codes, drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters, including BIA Hawaii, Grassroot Institute, Dr. Horton, and several builders and trade groups, argued the current code-adoption process is slow, fragmented, and costly, and that reform would help housing production. Opponents, including Sierra Club Hawaii, AIA Hawaii, ICC, and labor representative Kiko Bosi, said the bill would weaken public safety, reduce statewide consistency, and could leave tenants and first responders at greater risk. No vote was taken during the hearing, and members asked questions about the effect of a governor’s emergency proclamation suspending the Building Code Council and about county authority over code amendments. The committee then heard HB 745 and HB 1321, both also relating to building codes. Grassroot Institute supported both measures, saying the system is broken and needs streamlining, while BIA Hawaii and others emphasized the cost burden of repeated code updates. Opponents, especially Bosi and ICC, argued that the bills would undermine the State Building Code Council’s role, create confusion, and prioritize cost over safety; Bosi also said labor should be included in any code discussions. Members questioned whether counties can remove state code provisions and whether the state code already supersedes county codes, and one member noted the need for clarity and consistent enforcement rather than a wholesale overhaul. Later, the committee heard HB 284 on housing, HB 761 on county permitting and inspection, and HB 738 on historic preservation. HB 284 drew support from several housing and real estate groups, while DLNR opposed it. On HB 761, HHFDC supported the bill, DLNR warned that the proposed changes could jeopardize Hawaii’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, DAGS said it would likely need to duplicate county permitting staff, and the Department of Planning and Permitting opposed it; Grassroot Institute and NAIOP supported it. For HB 738, HHFDC, DLNR, Grassroot Institute, Hawaii YIMBY, NAIOP, and others supported the measure, with Grassroot and NAIOP suggesting clarifications so expedited review would also cover mixed-use projects and better define the scope of work. The transcript does not show any final votes or committee action on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of America, and the Motorcycle Industry of America, and the Motorcycle Industry Council.<01:02:33.440
• Light industrial residential properties.
• </c> conditions light that's light industrial conditions light that's light industrial containing<01:
• It's not proposal is industrial.
• Thank you, Senator Jacowski. process um is uh for light industrial process um is uh for light industrial

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Soon after, the insurance industry filed a complaint challenging the 2024 final rules.
• Soon after, the risk industry filed a complaint challenging the 2024 final rules. Thank you.
• This was a huge issue almost 20 years ago when I was working in the industry.
• scientific and industry leaders.
• scientific and industry leaders.

Committee: House Health

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission, appropriating additional money to the Industrial Commission.
• The Idaho Industrial Commission plays an important role in our state.
• This is a software package that the Industrial Commission had created.
• This entire industry, obviously not everybody, but this entire industry is a pretty dark industry once
• Obviously not everybody, but this entire industry is a pretty dark industry once you look into it.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and supporting existing industrial and supporting existing industrial uh<00:08:52.839><c> employee
• </c> representing the oil and gas industry. representing the oil and gas industry.
• over this period of time, and industry over this period of time, and we'd<00:09:51.920><c> be</c><00
• Mike Kurtz for KIUC, Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers. Make sure everybody's mics are on.
• of industry and jobs, and an out-migration of people from the area.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• David Raju of the Department of Labor, Industrial Relations.
• Next up, Hawaii School Facilities Authority in support. industrial relations we stand on our industrial
• Next up, Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association in support.
• Other states have passed similar bills to protect consumers as well as their fishing industries in the
• Other states have passed similar bills to protect consumers as well as their fishing industries in the

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures, beginning with HB 205 HD1 and HB 480 HD1 on workers’ compensation. Testifiers from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Department of Human Resources Development supported the bills, with DLIR saying HB 205 would codify and regulate nonprescription over-the-counter drugs at a reasonable rate, and DHRD saying HB 480 would encourage timely and accurate assessments of injured workers’ physical abilities. No opposition was raised on those measures, and the committee moved on without votes or amendments noted. On HB 331 HD1 relating to permits, the University of Hawaiʻi, the Department of Education, and the Hawaii School Facilities Authority supported the bill, while the Board of Water Supply and Greg Mikan opposed it. Supporters did not elaborate much beyond standing on written testimony, but the School Facilities Authority asked that renovations be added to the definition of repeatable projects. Opponents argued the Department of Planning and Permitting is understaffed and that bypassing or speeding the permitting review process could create problems, especially for projects requiring proper engineering review. No action was taken beyond hearing testimony. The committee also heard HB 72 HD1 on pharmacy technician regulation, with the Board of Pharmacy offering comments and the Hawaii Pharmacist Association, Walgreens, and Mōʻiliʻili Drugs supporting the measure. Supporters said pharmacy technicians already perform essential duties such as vaccinations, compounding, inventory, and dispensing, and argued Hawaiʻi is the only state without an active managed list of practicing pharmacy technicians. On HB 139 HD1 regarding insurance, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments, and the Hawaii Society for Clinical Oncologists supported the bill, arguing fertility preservation coverage should not conflict with federal law or the prepaid health care system. On HB 32 HD1 relating to cannabis, the Attorney General and Department of Health raised concerns about allowing purchase before certification is approved, while the Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association supported the bill and suggested lowering the purchase limit from 2 ounces to 1 ounce; the Department of Health said its average turnaround is two to three business days, with about 20% of applications returned for incompleteness and an internal expedited process for certain cases. Later, the committee heard HB 470 HD1 on noise, with the Department of Health supporting the goal of reducing noise pollution but cautioning that regulating intermittent noise like string trimmers is complicated, while the Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi opposed the bill as a hardship for small businesses and questioned the practicality of battery-powered equipment. Ted Bolan supported the measure, saying it would not ban gas leaf blowers but would require quieter models over time. The committee then heard HB 534 HD1 on labeling requirements, where DLNR and the Department of Agriculture offered comments and several fishing and consumer groups supported the bill. Testimony focused on seafood origin labeling, especially raw tuna used in poke and sushi, with DLNR explaining the bill was being narrowed to avoid federal preemption and to avoid unintentionally covering canned tuna or other processed products. Finally, the committee heard H47 HD1 on aquaculture, with the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, and the Agribusiness Development Corporation supporting the measure; no votes were taken on any bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Isaac Metta, animal industry administrator.
• </c> and her and the PI the plant industry and her and the PI the plant industry team<00:24:24.400><c
• The coffee industry has done it.
• The coffee industry has done it.
• The coffee industry has done it.