Transcript Highlights:

• That also means that I would imagine, you know, my colleague, Chair Galvin, says that he got an email
• So I would imagine what we're hearing today is that, from the administration down, starting with the
• So I would imagine what we're hearing today is that, you know, from the administration.
• And then like you, I imagine what we will start to see is what does it look like to Like you, I imagine
• Looking at her then, I never could have imagined the progress she would make.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the future of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, with commissioners, agency officials, workers, and families describing the hospital as a unique integrated setting combining medical care, rehabilitation, education, residential services, and adaptive engineering. Opening remarks from legislators emphasized continued budget funding, the legal requirement that Pappas not close before the commission reports, and a request to extend the commission’s deadline. Several commissioners and witnesses argued that admissions have effectively been curtailed while discharges continue, creating what they described as a de facto closure. Union leaders from AFSCME, SEIU, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association said staff are experiencing uncertainty, morale problems, and loss of confidence because referrals are being discouraged and the census is shrinking. They urged immediate action to stop admission denials and unnecessary discharges, and some proposed temporary modular units or other short-term investments to restore admissions while longer-term plans are developed. Parents and former patients testified that Pappas provided life-changing opportunities and supports that they could not find elsewhere, and that alternative programs or proposed Western Massachusetts options would not meet the same needs. Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the administration supports keeping Pappas open and stable during the commission’s work, but argued that admissions must comply with hospital-level-of-care rules and that the campus’s deteriorating infrastructure limits who can be safely served. He said DPH is continuing admissions where appropriate, backfilling staff, and exploring ways to expand services, including outpatient therapies and adaptive engineering, while also acknowledging that Pappas is a one-of-a-kind system with no true in-state duplicate. Commissioners requested de-identified admissions and denial data and continued to press the department on whether the current operational changes amount to a silent closure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine working from seven people to care for 12. How can we do that well?
• Imagine working from seven people to care for 12. How can we do that well?
• Imagine working from seven people to care for 12. How can we do that well?
• Imagine working from seven people to care for 12. How can we do that well?
• I can't even imagine what that would be like to have a management person say that they were going to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can't imagine how they would have been able to comprehend or pass the standard requirements of Algebra
• you are a high school problems imagine you are a high school senior<00:31:00.120><c> you're</c><00:31
• I think one of the because I can imagine I think one of the great<01:34:51.360><c> things</c><01:34:
• Imagine the shock.
• </c><01:47:46.920><c> the</c> level imagine the level imagine the shock<01:47:49.520><c> she</c><01:47

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can imagine, these things kind of just built over time, sometimes contradictory, sometimes confusing
• So, as you can imagine, under our health care work, this, As you can imagine, under our health care work
• So, as you can imagine, under our health care work, this, As you can imagine, under our healthcare work
• it just speaks to exactly what you said and my own lived experience of just, you know, I can only imagine
• So you can imagine how many of our hundreds of organizations we're reaching.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as you can imagine, under our health care work, this... political equality is a nonprofit organization
• So, as you can imagine, under our health care work, this, As you can imagine, under our health care work
• it just speaks to exactly what you said and my own lived experience of just, you know, I can only imagine
• So you can imagine how many of our hundreds of organizations we’re reaching.
• So you can imagine how many of our hundreds of organizations we’re reaching.

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Latina Inequities opened with remarks framing the discussion around reproductive and maternal health disparities affecting Latina, Black, and Indigenous women in California. Members emphasized the need to connect state data with lived experience, and the committee heard historical context on coercive sterilization, language access, and the ways immigration status, poverty, and racism continue to shape reproductive health care. The first panel featured Clarissa Ramirez of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Sophia Pedrosa of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and Kim Robinson of Black Women for Wellness, who described reproductive justice principles, the legacy of eugenics and forced sterilization, community education efforts, promotoras, and the importance of culturally and linguistically responsive care. They also raised concerns about federal funding cuts, fear related to ICE and public charge, and the loss of education and outreach programs that support patients and families. The second part of the hearing focused on maternal health. Matt Green of the California Department of Public Health described persistent racial disparities, including Black birthing people being three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and outlined state efforts such as the Black Infant Health Program, the Perinatal Equity Initiative, the Centering Black Mothers in California report, and a new Black birth equity action plan. Chris Esgera of the Department of Health Care Services explained the state’s birthing care pathway, postpartum care pathway, and Transforming Maternal Health model, including policy changes to support doulas, community health workers, transitional care, and postpartum coverage. He said the department is working through policy updates and payment reforms, with Medi-Cal coverage for pregnant people and 12 months postpartum remaining protected. The final panel included Dr. Nicole Economo and Dr. Kelly McHugh of ACOG, who discussed provider education, anti-racism and implicit bias training, and the need for quality improvement projects focused on closing equity gaps at individual hospitals. They highlighted tools such as the CLEAR Initiative, the Elevate Toolkit, and use of CMQCC data to track outcomes by race and ethnicity. Across the hearing, members repeatedly stressed that community-led solutions, sustained funding, better data, and accountability are needed to reduce preventable maternal deaths and improve reproductive health outcomes. No formal votes or bill actions were taken during the hearing, though several policy priorities and ongoing legislative efforts were referenced for future consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I never imagined, however, was that the underlying evidence, including that footage, could be copied
• I can imagine that there are instances where a family member is unaware of their vehicle being used for
• I can imagine that there are instances where a family member is unaware of their vehicle being used for
• I can't imagine how profoundly difficult it is to lose somebody in this way, and I know so many of us
• I cannot even imagine how painful it is to have to continually relive the worst possible trauma.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1056 by Senator Grayson, which would require courts to issue protective orders for sexually explicit material involving adult victims in criminal cases and limit copying or dissemination of that material. The author and survivors Aaron Quinn and Denise Haskins-Quinn testified that the bill is meant to prevent revictimization and protect privacy while preserving defendants’ access to discovery. Opposition from public defenders and criminal defense groups argued the bill was too vague, could interfere with defense preparation, and inappropriately modeled adult-material protections on child sexual abuse material. After committee amendments narrowing the bill’s scope and clarifying access, SB 1056 passed out of committee to Appropriations on a due-pass-as-amended vote, with some members voting aye and the bill kept on call. The committee then took up SB 937 by Senator Gonzalez, which would restrict law enforcement use of flashbang devices for crowd control and ban their use in immigration enforcement. Supporters, including the author, the mayor of Huntington Park, and advocacy groups, described injuries and fear caused by flashbangs and explosive breaching devices, especially in protests and immigration operations. Law enforcement organizations opposed the bill, saying the definitions were vague, the restrictions could hinder officers in fast-moving situations, and the immigration-enforcement language could conflict with existing task-force arrangements. Members discussed possible amendments to clarify definitions and exigent circumstances, but the bill was ultimately moved due pass to Appropriations and then failed on the roll call, with only one aye and several no votes. Next, SB 1070 by Senator Grove proposed making intentional disruptions of worship services a wobbler offense, allowing felony charges for more serious conduct. The author and faith leaders said the bill was needed to deter coordinated disruptions at houses of worship and protect religious freedom. Opponents, including the Friends Committee on Legislation, ACLU California Action, and public defender groups, argued the measure would criminalize speech, raise constitutional concerns, and impose excessive penalties for conduct that should be addressed through existing law or restorative justice. Several committee members also objected to elevating the offense to a felony, and the bill failed on a due-pass vote, though a motion to reconsider was granted. The committee also heard SB 1130 by Senator Reyes, which would update privacy law for wearable recording devices such as smart glasses by restricting covert recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and limiting devices or technologies that disable recording indicators. Supporters said the bill responds to rapidly advancing wearable technology and surreptitious filming, while opponents from tech and business groups warned it could create liability for manufacturers and be too broad. After committee amendments reduced penalties, removed manufacturer provisions from the criminal section, and shifted them to civil enforcement, SB 1130 passed out of committee to Rules on a due-pass-as-amended vote, with some support and one no vote. Finally, Senator Troy presented SCA 2, a constitutional amendment to bar governors from pardoning themselves or immediate family members; with no opposition testimony, members briefly discussed the proposal, and the transcript ends before any final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we see the prices increase at the border, what do we imagine, like how much do we imagine those
• I imagine your district would have particularly keen interest in it, so my colleague... ...my colleague
• So I would imagine that this is something California farmers would want to pay very close attention to
• speak too far for sort of the administration and their enforcement of those rules, but I have to imagine
• And as we're imagining, investing, and recovering, we know what we need, right?

Summary: The committee held an information hearing on California’s economy and household affordability, with the first panel focusing on inflation, housing, energy, wages, and the likely effects of new federal tariff policy. PPIC’s Sarah Bone said Californians remain deeply pessimistic about the economy, with inflation the main driver of concern; she noted prices are still about 23% higher than in January 2020, with especially large increases in food, energy, and housing costs. LAO’s Brian Euler emphasized that housing is the largest household expense and pointed to insurance, electricity, gasoline, and health care as other major cost pressures, urging the Legislature to review whether existing policies are actually reducing costs and to consider studies of why recent housing laws have not produced more units. UC Davis economist Catherine Russ warned that tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico, and potentially broader imports could raise consumer prices, disrupt supply chains, and hurt California exporters, farmers, and small businesses; she suggested monitoring prices, strengthening food assistance, and preparing transition support for affected workers and producers. Members pressed the panelists for concrete, near-term policy ideas, especially on housing and tariffs. Questions centered on whether accessory dwelling units are making a meaningful dent in affordability, how to improve implementation of pro-housing laws at the local level, and how to measure the impact of tariffs on consumers, health care, and agriculture. Panelists said ADUs help but are limited, that state laws can be undermined by local implementation and litigation, and that tariff effects may show up quickly in prices and later in hiring and investment. Several members stressed that the tariff issue is not a minor disruption for constituents and asked for more data on consumer impacts, food aid needs, and crop-specific farm losses. The second panel shifted to regional economic development and small business support. Go-Biz’s Derek Kirk described California Jobs First and the state economic blueprint as a first-in-decades, regionally informed strategy to create good-paying jobs, support key sectors, and align workforce and business development across 13 regions. The California Association for Local Economic Development’s Gerbach Sahota argued that local governments need practical tools, stable policy, and stronger partnerships with the state, while warning that prosperity is not always perceived as shared and that rural communities can be left behind. He urged the Legislature to use hearings, local input, and existing funding streams more effectively, including for recovery and infrastructure. David Fitzgerald of the Small Business Development Centers said California’s SBDC network serves hundreds of thousands of clients, many of them women and historically underrepresented entrepreneurs, and has generated billions in economic impact, capital access, revenue, and jobs. He said the biggest gaps are outreach to the state’s many self-employed businesses with no employees, better labor data on those workers, and more flexible support for direct services. Committee members then asked what small businesses need most in the face of inflation and tariff shocks, including lower licensing costs and other relief, and the discussion continued on how to better target state support to businesses and households under pressure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, for the PUC, um, just the very nature of the Public Utilities Commission, I would imagine a lot of
• Let's let the public and whoever interested parties, consumer advocates, that's when I would imagine
• 00:30:26.480><c> Commission</c><00:30:27.000><c> I</c><00:30:27.080><c> would</c><00:30:27.320><c> imagine
• </c><00:30:28.240><c> a</c> Utilities Commission I would imagine a Utilities Commission I would imagine
• Let's let the public and whoever interested parties, consumer advocates, that's when I would imagine

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 818 HD1, which would establish the Waiawa Community Development District. The Attorney General’s office said the bill may not comply with requirements for a special fund, and DLNR asked for further amendments so lease revenues would remain with DLNR while it continues managing the lands. DLNR cited ongoing costs, including the Uncle Billy’s demolition debt and management needs at Banyan Drive/Banyan Country Club. HCDA/Waiawa representatives supported the bill, agreed that DLNR should keep lease revenues while it remains the land manager, and said a future transfer of land management would change where revenues should go. Members focused on whether removing lease revenue would undercut the bill and on how existing and future revenues should be allocated. The committee then took up HB 338 HD1 and HB 339 HD1 on renewable energy-related utility transactions and procurement. Testimony came from the Consumer Advocate, the State Energy Office, the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric, IBEW Local 1260, Ulupono Initiative, and Life of the Land. Supporters generally backed the measures, while some asked for labor-related strengthening language. Discussion centered on how the PUC should handle competing bids or offers in utility merger or acquisition situations, with concerns raised about NDAs, timing, and whether the original version or amended language better allowed public and intervenor participation. A witness from Life of the Land argued that utilities should not negotiate under NDA in a way that blocks later public competition, and a PUC-related witness said the current language was changed from the original to address PUC testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1467 HD1 on housing resiliency. OIP was not present, while B&F raised concerns about placing federal funds into a special fund, saying federal grant money should remain in a separate P fund for transparency, accountability, and single-audit compliance. State agencies and groups including OPSD, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Climate Advisory Team, and Hawaii Realtors supported the measure. Testimony emphasized that many older roofs lack hurricane clips and that strengthening homes could reduce disaster sheltering and temporary housing costs. IBEW Local 1260 supported the bill but argued that building to current standards upfront is preferable to retrofitting later. Members questioned funding structure, eligibility, and whether the program should be needs-based; the bill was described as limited to households under 140% AMI. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I can't even imagine what that looks like. But, um, thank you, Chair, for the time.
• All right, thank you, sir. would imagine 100% rating is I mean I would imagine 100% rating is I mean
• I can't<01:31:31.560><c> even</c><01:31:31.880><c> imagine</c><01:31:32.400><c> what</c><01:31:32.600
• ><c> what</c><01:31:32.719><c> that</c><01:31:32.880><c> looks</c> can't even imagine what what that
• looks can't even imagine what what that looks like<01:31:33.520><c> but</c><01:31:33.880><c> um</c><01

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety heard testimony on several bills. HB 628 HD1, relating to education, would reinstate a prior law allowing veterans whose high school education was interrupted by wartime to receive a diploma. Testimony was generally supportive from the Office of Veterans Services, the Department of Education, the Hawaii Military Affairs Council, and an individual testifier, with one person in opposition. The committee later recommended passage of HB 628 HD1 as is, and the motion was adopted. The committee also heard HB 1158 HD1 and HB 1159 HD1, both relating to commercial harbors. HB 1158 HD1 concerns firefighting at commercial harbors and drew support from the Department of Transportation; the committee recommended passage as is and adopted the recommendation. HB 1159 HD1 would require masters or persons in charge of vessels to comply with a Harbor Master’s order to evacuate a commercial harbor during emergencies. Testimony included support from Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Transportation, and comments from the Hawaii Harbor Users Group. Members raised concerns about small boat operators and safety, and the committee passed the bill with reservations. The committee then discussed HB 1262, relating to the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, and HB 1296, relating to the major disaster fund. Supporters of HB 1262 included the Climate Advisory Team and AARP Hawaii, while the Department of Budget and Finance cautioned about duplication of benefits with federal disaster aid and the need to preserve the fund’s primary purpose. Members questioned how the bill would interact with federal assistance and whether the fund could be used more broadly; no vote was taken, and the bill was deferred to decision-making. On HB 1296, HEMA and Budget and Finance opposed the measure, citing the need for flexibility in emergencies and concerns that added reporting requirements could hinder response efforts, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii noted the major disaster fund is much smaller than the EBF. The committee likewise deferred HB 1296 to decision-making, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• new administration because I'm just thinking, we just had an exiting. administration, and I would imagine
• New Mexico is already facing a shortage of nurses, doctors, and every healthcare worker you can imagine
• Can you imagine that patient whose circulation is bad? I took care of cancer patients.
• Madam Chair and Representatives, when we're looking at this, I would imagine you all looked at the stick
• I do agree, but imagine your mom is admitted into the hospital.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a topic that we have been spending, as you may imagine, a significant amount of time on, and
• that we have been spending, as you topic that we have been spending, as you may<00:10:06.320><c> imagine
• You can imagine the variety of political thoughts, theories, etc. across those memberships.
• ><c> political</c> imagine the variety of political imagine the variety of political thoughts,<00:36:
• </c> Now, if professionals running these programs are struggling to keep up, imagine the experience of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The mental health impacts are so hard to imagine.
• We literally are so hard to imagine.
• Imagine trying to learn is questioned.
• Um, I want you to imagine a senior 12th grader.
• Imagine your child getting off the kids.

Bills: HF3435, HF3409

Keywords: school access, school site, school district, charter school, federal agents, DHS, Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CBP, Customs and Border Protection, USCIS, immigration enforcement, judicial warrant, student privacy, school safety, sanctuary schools, warrant requirement, federal warrant, school grounds

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine receiving that phone call and then tell me what is this gun for?
• </c><00:09:46.480><c> Imagine</c> our daughter a second time. Imagine our daughter a second time.
• Imagine receiving<00:09:47.360><c> that</c><00:09:47.680><c> phone</c><00:09:47.920><c> call</c><00:09
• We have in the amendment we adopted took out the part about inspection, and so I imagine that this will
• </c> part about inspection and so I imagine part about inspection and so I imagine that<00:54:01.040>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, imagining that was in the last five years, the childhood vaccination schedule and required vaccines
• So<00:16:42.160><c> uh</c><00:16:42.399><c> imagining</c><00:16:42.880><c> that</c><00:16:43.040><c>
• was in the last So uh imagining that was in the last five<00:16:43.759><c> years</c><00:16:44.079><c
• I would imagine that there would be some differential there.
• I would imagine that what the rates are.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, approving the prior meeting minutes with one abstention from a member who had been absent. It then received an update from DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver on the department’s rural health transformation grant submission. Weaver said the grant was submitted ahead of the deadline, reflected input from communities and providers statewide, and would now enter a CMS review and negotiation phase. She explained that the governor’s office will oversee the grant with DHHS, that some proposals may be limited by federal parameters, and that the department may need to hire some staff to administer the grant, within the grant’s administrative cap. Members also discussed DHHS budget pressures and staffing. The department’s CFO, Nathan White, reviewed the agency’s budget mix, noting that DHHS accounts for a large share of the state’s operating and general fund budgets, and explained projected general fund lapse estimates, which he said are currently just under $20 million for the department. He also described why lapse projections are difficult to predict in DHHS because many costs are driven by utilization and because some funds are statutorily non-lapsing. White reported that vacancy rates have risen, citing about 400 unfunded positions in the current biennium and the department’s hiring freeze, while emphasizing that direct-care positions are being prioritized. Committee members raised concerns that back-of-the-budget cuts and weak revenue collections could affect the department’s ability to manage lapse projections. The committee then heard from Division of Public Health Director Ian Watt on vaccine policy and federal changes. Watt said New Hampshire continues to support access to safe and effective vaccines, including through the universal purchase program and seasonal respiratory virus guidance. He explained a recent CDC change regarding the MMRV vaccine, which now discourages the combined shot for the first dose in children under four because of febrile seizure risk, while still allowing it for the second dose. Watt said New Hampshire’s school and child care vaccine mandates remain stable, with nine vaccines required for schoolchildren and 10 for child care, and that the state continues to review federal recommendations cautiously. He also said there have been no supply or funding disruptions affecting vaccine access, and that childhood vaccine funding through commercial insurers remains intact. Finally, the Permanent Subcommittee on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Related Dementias presented its annual report. The subcommittee said it met about six times, heard presentations on state services, silver alerts, brain health awareness, and palliative/hospice care, and began work on updating the state’s Alzheimer’s plan, which had last been updated in 2015-2016. To gather more direct input, the subcommittee formed a needs-assessment work group to develop a survey for people living with dementia, caregivers, and service providers. It recommended integrating Alzheimer’s and dementia materials into chronic disease, aging, and public health outreach; embedding cognitive health into systems of care and the state health improvement plan; adding cognitive health measures to BRFSS; and continuing partnerships with aging and advocacy organizations. Members praised the report and suggested it should clearly identify the subcommittee and include page numbers in future versions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been 40 years, so you can kind of imagine how behind it is. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• And you can imagine that this data-sharing practice could also put other vulnerable populations like
• Imagine, if you will, a 20-million-pound train, two miles long, traversing your district.
• Imagine, if you will, a 20-million-pound train, two miles long, traversing your district.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on 31 bills covering driver privacy and data, distinctive license plates, public awareness signage, railroad safety, superload permitting, TNC/delivery data reporting, and MBTA safety measures. Chairs Jim Arciero and Brendan Crighton outlined the hearing process, and the committee heard testimony from state officials, advocates, family members of fallen officers and firefighters, transportation industry representatives, civil liberties groups, and others. No votes were taken during the hearing itself, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn. Several speakers supported bills creating a Blue Star Family license plate to honor families of fallen law enforcement officers, and a separate motorcycle plate for fallen firefighters. Colonel Jeffrey Noble and others from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and law enforcement groups said the plates would complement existing memorial practices and provide a lasting public tribute. Family members of officers killed in the line of duty gave emotional testimony in support, and Representative Steve Ultrino and Paul Jakes backed the firefighter memorial motorcycle plate as revenue-neutral, with proceeds supporting the fallen firefighter memorial. The committee also heard testimony on transportation policy and safety bills. Industry witnesses urged modernization of Massachusetts superload permitting rules, saying current requirements are slower and more expensive than neighboring states and delay public projects. Advocates supported a human trafficking awareness bill requiring hotline signage in transit facilities, a driver privacy bill limiting automatic license plate reader data retention and sharing, and a bill requiring two-person crews on freight trains and other railroad safety measures such as hotbox detectors and transportation for railroad employees. Senator John Keenan also testified for expanded naloxone availability in MBTA stations and said the MBTA had not fully complied with prior legislative directives.

Transcript Highlights:

• Given the conversation we've had tonight, I can't imagine why we would, as a group, as a body, want these
• <00:01:48.560><c> tonight,</c><00:01:48.880><c> I</c><00:01:49.119><c> can't</c><00:01:49.280><c> imagine
• </c><00:01:49.600><c> why</c><00:01:49.759><c> we</c> had had tonight, I can't imagine why we had had
• tonight, I can't imagine why we would<00:01:50.240><c> as</c><00:01:50.479><c> a</c><00:01:50.720><c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, imagine you go to the lab and you get your blood drawn and something's wrong with it.
• And finally, imagine walking into an ER, having chest pain.
• Imagine if they were able to draw a bunch of blood and, with those biometrics in that secure electronic
• Imagine what that cost. $4,000 on average per patient for a wrong medication.

Bills: SB1786

Keywords: artificial intelligence, content verification, provenance data, transparency, digital content, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I just wonder, can you imagine having a brand new school in your community and leaving it empty for
• And I just wonder, can you imagine having a brand new school in your community and leaving it empty for
• And I just wonder, can you imagine having a brand new school in your community and leaving it empty for
• Chairman, Senator Groh, so anytime with the federal appropriation, you can imagine that the federal government

Summary: The committee first took up the Department of Environmental Quality budget. Staff outlined enhancements for monitoring and maintenance at the Triumph Mine, a transfer for Coeur d’Alene Basin remediation, and a fund shift to move positions from federal funds to the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program fund. Members also approved language to consolidate certain air permitting and drinking water permitting fee funds, and later adopted additional language related to a solid waste regulatory fund transfer tied to House Bill 555. The DEQ motion passed with do-pass recommendations. The committee then considered the Department of Lands, focusing heavily on fire preparedness funding for the Forest and Range Fire Protection Program. Members debated whether to restore one-time General Fund money for standby crews in FY 2026 and FY 2027, with some arguing the department had reverted funds in prior years and had other dedicated funds available, while the department explained those funds were legally committed to other purposes and that the standby crews support state firefighting readiness. The FY 2026 supplemental passed, the FY 2027 enhancement initially failed, reconsideration was debated under parliamentary rules, and after reconsideration the FY 2027 fire preparedness funding passed. The committee also adopted language allowing transfers between department programs and approved language restricting the use of General Fund firefighter bonus money to firefighters. Next, the committee reviewed Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind. The budget included career ladder adjustments, a van replacement, staffing for a new 18-bed residential building in Gooding, replacement items, and an endowment fund adjustment. Members debated a substitute motion that would fund the new cottage staff for the opening of the new dormitory, with supporters emphasizing the need to avoid leaving the new facility unused and opponents noting the budget’s size and the broader constraints on other agencies. The substitute motion failed and the original motion passed, resulting in a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee considered the State Department of Education budget. The agency requested additional spending authority for school bus camera grants, an extended USDA farm-to-school grant, and ongoing child nutrition technology grants. A substitute motion to increase the farm-to-school authority to match the anticipated federal extension failed, and the original motion passed, approving the dedicated and federal fund increases and sending the budget forward with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then adjourned after announcing the next day’s agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• So imagine if you were a political scientist how amazing that would be to have this sort of research
• Now, imagine somebody who... Things like wisdom and truth. So the teachings were about that.
• Now, imagine somebody who doesn't have a heart or any passion for anything decent getting in control
• And so I would imagine that the collaboration would be, I don't know, incredibly helpful for all.

Summary: The House Education Committee heard a presentation from Dr. Ed Kates, headmaster of Kootenai Classical Academy, describing the Hillsdale College charter school model and its emphasis on classical education, virtue development, Socratic discussion, phonics, limited technology use, constitutional history, and sports. He highlighted the school’s rapid growth, strong waitlists, spelling bee success, and student achievement, and answered questions about how new schools are founded, why some districts have declined the curriculum, the role of music, the purpose of education, and the school’s per-student cost. Committee members generally praised the school’s approach and discussed broader concerns about education focused too narrowly on jobs or testing. The committee then heard from Dr. Sally Brown of the Idaho Higher Education Literacy Partnership (I-HELP), joined by colleagues from NNU and Boise State. She explained that I-HELP works across Idaho’s higher education institutions to strengthen teacher preparation in the science of reading, revise literacy standards and assessments, and support literacy initiatives statewide. She described the partnership’s concept and competency guides, reliability and validity work on assessments, and a literacy learning lab at the College of Idaho that trains pre-service tutors and supports first-grade reading intervention. Members asked about collaboration with BYU-Idaho, whether the effort is improving teacher readiness, and how the state’s K-3 reading investments are working; Brown said the state is moving in the right direction but emphasized the need for continued teacher preparation, mentoring, and instructional coaching. No formal votes or committee actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So imagine if you were a political scientist how amazing that would be to have this sort of research
• Now, imagine somebody who... Things like wisdom and truth. So the teachings were about that.
• Now, imagine somebody who doesn't have a heart or any passion for anything decent getting in control
• So I would imagine that the collaboration would be incredibly helpful for all. Maybe I'm wrong.

Keywords: 989, all