Video & Transcript Research : 'census'
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MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 02/06/25
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Transcript Highlights:
- So just for the fun of it, as I was listening to the presentation, I went on the census to compare our
- So in my district it's 79%, according to the census report I pulled up, and in your district it's only
- of a factor that plays in having a stable place to stay and their outcomes such as... went on the census
- to compare our went on the census to compare our districts<01:18:21.679>
and <01:18:22.159> - to the census report I pulled<01:19:28.600>
up <01:19:29.159>and <01:19:29.280>in
Summary:
The committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention heard presentations focused on public housing and related funding needs, with testimony from Minnesota NAHRO and several local housing authorities. Melissa Taphorn described the role of housing authorities statewide, including public housing, vouchers, CDBG/HOME funds, Bridges, and HEAT, and emphasized that public housing serves over 36,000 low-income Minnesotans, many of whom are seniors, people with disabilities, or children. She said federal operating and capital funds are insufficient, creating deferred maintenance backlogs, and noted that Minnesota’s public housing capital needs over a five-year period were about $500 million, with nearly $200 million unmet. She also discussed federal uncertainty, including a recent HUD funding freeze notice, possible changes to fair housing requirements, RAD repositioning options, and Build America, Buy America costs.
Committee members asked about tenant rent calculations and the populations served. Testimony clarified that public housing residents generally pay 30% of monthly income, with utility allowances factored in, and that the average tenant rent in Minnesota is about $399. Members also heard that about 65% of public housing households are seniors or people with disabilities, while about 35% are families. The committee then heard examples of how state POP grants have been used to preserve public housing stock. Kurt Kina of the Red Wing HRA described multiple POP-funded projects that replaced windows, upgraded heating and cooling, and modernized electrical systems in a 100-resident high-rise, saying the work was essential to keep the building viable.
Louise Siba of the St. Paul PHA testified that St. Paul’s authority serves nearly 22,000 people through more than 4,200 public housing units and over 5,200 vouchers, with most townhomes and high-rises serving elderly or disabled residents. She said St. Paul PHA has received nearly $16 million in POP funding since 2012, including about $8.5 million last year, and that those funds enabled major life-safety and modernization projects such as the Denan Terrace renovation and boiler, plumbing, and interior upgrades in high-rises. Jill Keers of the Duluth HRA described a broader set of housing programs, including vouchers, rehab loans, emergency repair funds, construction training, and development. She said Duluth HRA is adding 128 housing units between 2023 and 2025, including mixed-income rentals, senior housing, and family townhomes, and stressed that state investment through POP and other programs is necessary to keep housing affordable and safe.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Judiciary Committee Apr 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- As far as our current census, we're staffed to a level of 81, and our census is... ...our census is about
- So just to address, though, we have our sex offender program, which we currently have a census of 28,
- So just to address, though, we have our sex offender program, which we currently have a census of 28,
Summary:
The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information.
The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval.
The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- It includes Representative Jones's bill related to apartment access by campaigns and census workers.
- related to apartment access by campaigns related to apartment access by campaigns and<00:19:29.039>
census - 30.160>
Um, <00:19:30.400>and <00:19:30.640>it <00:19:30.799>includes and census - Um, and it includes and census workers.
Keywords:
veterans, military affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Military Affairs, omnibus veterans bill, appropriations, National Guard, state active service, armory, State Armory Building Commission, veterans homes, veterans cemeteries, county veterans service office, Minnesota GI Bill, Gold Star families, Blue Star families, Secret War in Laos, Hmong veterans, Laos veterans, special guerrilla units
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- US Census data shows that in 2023 alone, approximately 11.1% of Texans, that's 3,356,000 people moved
- According to the census data, uh, average American moves about 12 times in their lifetime.
- According to census data, uh, 28-year-olds move appro approximately 6 times in their lives, so the majority
- The same census data shows that 13% of Hispanics and 14% of African American voters move on about on
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HSG/TRN Joint Public Hearing - Thu Mar 13, 2025 @ 8:59 AM HST
Transcript Highlights:
- Census American Community Survey, housing data from the Department of Business, Economic Development
- /c><01:14:32.400>
US such as United Way Alice report US such as United Way Alice report US Census - American<01:14:34.000>
Community <01:14:34.400>survey <01:14:34.840>hav Census - American Community survey hav Census American Community survey hav housing<01:14:35.480>
data
Summary:
The meeting included a joint public hearing of the House Housing and Transportation committees, followed by a Transportation Committee hearing. In the joint hearing, members considered SB 662 SD1, which concerned transportation and included two parts: transferring certain streets to the city and clarifying police authority on state streets. The chair recommended moving the bill out as an HD1 with Part One removed, explaining that the street-transfer issue should be worked out by the county and state and that removing it would improve the bill’s chances. The committees voted to pass the measure with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted.
The Transportation Committee then heard several bills. SB 1095, relating to license plates, would increase decal size restrictions for special number plates; the Department of Transportation offered written comments, with testimony split between two individuals in opposition and one in support, and no questions were raised. SB 344 would require skateboard users under 16 to wear helmets; DOT supported the bill, as did TRIAA Hawaii, the Injury Prevention Coalition, and other individuals, while two individuals opposed it. SB 30 would require all moped riders to wear helmets regardless of age; DOT supported it, but Moped Doctors and Hawaiian Style Rentals and Sales opposed it, arguing the bill was overreaching, could be hard to enforce, and should be more narrowly targeted or replaced with education efforts.
The committee also heard SB 1216, which would tighten noisy muffler and exhaust enforcement by conditioning inspection certificates, adding inspection-station penalties, increasing fines, and prohibiting repair or installation of noisy systems. DOT supported the measure, and Waiʻanae Neighborhood Board testified in support, while Moped Doctors and the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed it, saying the bill would burden inspection stations, create liability concerns, and raise questions about insurance-related language as applied to mopeds. The hearing included discussion of enforcement, inspection burdens, and whether the bill’s insurance references applied to mopeds. No final vote was taken on the Transportation Committee bills in the portion provided, and the hearing adjourned after testimony and discussion.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 14th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- district lines in Alabama and Louisiana and other southern states is based on what we know to be census
- When people fail to realize that census data has a profound impact on the balance of political power,
- The reality is census data is not race-neutral.
Summary:
The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then handled a long consent and procedural agenda, including suspending rules to move AJR 31 forward without reference and approving a large Appropriations Committee hearing list. The chamber also heard several guest introductions, including recognition of Shannon Lee for work tied to AB 2455 establishing a Bruce Lee Day, and district staff and visitors from other members’ offices.
The main floor debate centered on AJR 31, a resolution urging Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Supporters argued that recent federal court decisions and state redistricting efforts are weakening protections against racial vote dilution and disenfranchisement, while opponents said the resolution promoted race-based districting and was inconsistent with equal protection principles. After extensive debate and repeated parliamentary reminders about decorum, the Assembly added 57 coauthors and passed AJR 31 on a 58-8 roll call vote. Justin Jones of Tennessee was later introduced as a guest.
The Assembly then moved through a series of bills and resolutions, most of which passed with little or no opposition. These included AB 2341 clarifying emergency language translation rules for local agencies, AB 1816 extending court supervision for sex-offender rehabilitation completion, AB 2561 protecting users’ phone and digital privacy settings, ACR 167 recognizing World Agritourism Day, ACR 190 honoring California Day of the Teacher, AB 1581 improving identification of Native American students, AB 1586 requiring opioid overdose prevention training for school resource officers and school safety plans, AB 1665 adding mental health training for coaches, and AB 1693 streamlining retail tenant-improvement permitting. The Assembly also passed AB 1768, an urgency tax measure tied to federal Medicaid reimbursement cuts for Los Angeles and Contra Costa counties, and began consideration of AB 1712 regarding Santa Fe Springs’ water system sale, with debate starting but not completed in the excerpt.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 14th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- district lines in Alabama and Louisiana and other southern states is based on what we know to be census
- When people fail to realize that census data has a profound impact on the balance of political power,
- The reality is census data is not race-neutral.
Summary:
The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, then completed the prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, journal motions, and a long series of procedural actions, including suspending rules to move bills and approve a large Appropriations Committee hearing list. Members also made several guest introductions, including Shannon Lee, district staff from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez’s office, and later guests tied to agritourism and education recognitions.
The floor debate centered heavily on AJR 31, a resolution urging Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Supporters argued that recent Supreme Court decisions and redistricting efforts in other states were weakening Black and other minority representation and that California should take a clear stand for voting rights. Opponents argued the measure promoted racial division, conflicted with equal protection principles, and that districts should be drawn based on place or communities of interest rather than race. After a contentious debate with repeated parliamentary warnings over decorum, the Assembly suspended the rules to take up the resolution, added coauthors, and passed AJR 31 by a vote of 58-8.
The Assembly then moved through a series of bills and resolutions, generally approving them with little or no opposition. These included AB 2341 clarifying emergency language translation rules for local agencies; AB 1816 extending court supervision for certain sex-offender rehabilitation programs; AB 2561 protecting consumer privacy settings on phones and digital devices; ACR 167 recognizing World Agritourism Day; ACR 190 recognizing California Day of the Teacher; AB 1581 improving identification of Native American students in public schools; AB 1586 requiring opioid overdose prevention training for school resource officers and safety planning; AB 1665 requiring mental health training for school coaches; AB 1693 streamlining retail tenant-improvement permitting; AB 1768 authorizing a local tax measure related to health funding; AB 1712 facilitating a water-system sale for Santa Fe Springs; AB 1792 addressing sexually exploitive AI imagery in health education; and AB 1822 prioritizing school projects that address extreme heat. Most measures passed overwhelmingly, several unanimously, and the resolution on agritourism and the teacher day were adopted by voice vote.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee Mar 19th, 2025
Communications and Conveyance
Transcript Highlights:
- It was relief from the Kohler obligations and census blocks with a demonstrated voice alternative which
- And then second, an opportunity to opt out of carrier of last resort obligations. and remaining census
- definition I think I'm looking at your slides as defined as wireless within more than 50% coverage of the census
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Mar 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I think the number I've seen recently is in the Census data.
- That's based on the Census data.
- That's based on the Census data, and that is not adjusted regionally; it's just the dollar amount that
Summary:
The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations.
For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others.
On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Environment and Natural Resources Feb 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- waste-to-energy facility in a county with a population less than 1.7 million per the most recent decennial census
- waste-to-energy facility in a county with a population less than 1.7 million per the most recent decennial census
Summary:
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met with a quorum present and took up several environmental bills and one confirmation. First, the committee considered SB 1422 on surface waters, which was amended with a strike-all focused on coral reef protection and designation of coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure. Senator Garcia described the amendment as a way to support restoration, disaster resilience, and access to federal funding; Audubon Florida waived in support. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS for SB 1422 favorably.
The committee next considered SPB 7034, a DEP rule ratification concerning the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee River minimum flows and levels and recovery strategy. Senator Rodriguez explained the rule would replace prior MFLs and allow longer permits, while opponents from the Florida Springs Council and local river advocates argued the plan relies too heavily on one future wastewater reuse project, delays restoration, and lacks a clear funding source. DEP and JEA waived in support. After debate, the committee approved the motion to submit the proposal as a committee bill; the measure was favorably reported, with Senator Smith voting no.
The committee then heard SB 1510 on DEP-related matters, as amended. The strike-all addressed Outstanding Florida Springs B-MAP mediation plans, septic system upgrades where sewer is unavailable, rural cost-share eligibility, notice to property owners, rulemaking procedures, and land acquisition governance, while removing biosolids and fee provisions. Florida Springs Council opposed the 60-day delay for B-MAP effectiveness, saying it could slow restoration and allow more conventional septic systems to be installed before stricter requirements take effect. DEP and others supported the bill. The committee reported CS for SB 1510 favorably. It also heard SB 1196 on waste facilities, which would prohibit new ash-producing incinerators and waste-to-energy facilities within two miles of certain federally authorized water impoundment areas, with an amendment narrowing the bill to Miami-Dade and Broward County. Supporters, including the City of Miramar, said it would protect water resources and Everglades restoration; opponents from the Florida Waste-to-Energy Coalition warned it would limit local solid waste options and could force more landfilling. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 1196 favorably.
Finally, the committee considered SB 912 on battery collection and recovery, establishing a battery stewardship program and requiring producers and retailers to join a stewardship organization by 2028. Supporters from the battery industry and recycling sector said the bill would reduce fires and keep batteries out of the waste stream. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 912 favorably. The committee also recommended confirmation of Gary Jennings to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and then adjourned.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study May 29th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- those students go to the healthcare authority and they go back to PED to be matched through the US Census
- those equations distribute money based on different student counts, based on student poverty from the census
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Joint Legislative Auditing Committee Jan 13th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Based on the last census, the 2020 census, we're conducting financial audits at 35 districts every year
Summary:
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries.
Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs.
OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- Census at their respective schools, where they live and sleep most of the time, as opposed to their home
- Census at their respective schools, where they live and sleep most of the time, as opposed to their home
- I worked for the Census Bureau, and one of the major things we do during the decennial census is sort
- previous Li I worked for the Census previous Li I worked for the Census Bureau<01:14:53.840>
- peral actually goes a lot of census peral actually goes a lot of effort<01:15:22.400>
to <01:15
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 2/26/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Census Current Population Survey and payroll data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.
- statistics<00:14:42.519>
from <00:14:42.680>the <00:14:42.839>US <00:14:43.199>Census - employment statistics from the US Census employment statistics from the US Census Uh<00:14:44.079
- 00:14:46.800>
from <00:14:46.959>the <00:14:47.079>quarterly <00:14:47.519>census - <00:14:47.880>
of data from the quarterly census of data from the quarterly census of employment
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Sep 11th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- diversity and habitat, such as the research that Olivia is doing, beekeeper hive consensus, or a census
- I'm just Curious what it would take to do a pollinator census.
- But a census would be figuring out how many are in different areas.
- habitats and use those as sort of telling us something about a larger habitat so we don't have to census
- In terms of a census, we could start with voluntary, see how that goes.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 4/2/25
Elections Finance and Government Operations
Transcript Highlights:
- democracy, so that residents have access to political candidates and to be counted as part of the census
- democracy, so that residents have access to political candidates and to be counted as part of the census
- Number two, it ensures that resident access to candidates and to be counted by the census in the event
- that there is no return communication from a property owner when either a candidate or a census enumerator
- Number two, it ensures that resident access to candidates and to be counted by the census in the event
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- they're mutually exclusive but<01:14:22.560>
there <01:14:22.800>are <01:14:23.800>census - /c><01:14:24.239>
tracks <01:14:24.600>like <01:14:24.760>that but there are census - tracks like that but there are census tracks like that all<01:14:25.159>
over <01:14:25.320> had the environmental justice uh census had the environmental justice uh census tracks<01:14:55.800- 53.440>
environmental <01:14:54.000>justice <01:14:55.040>uh <01:14:55.159>census - 53.440>
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee Jul 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 1191 extends the census date Senate Bill 1191 extends the sunset date for the California
- Senate Bill 1191 extends the census date for the California high-cost Fund A and B programs by five years
Summary:
The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee met with several bills on the agenda, beginning with SB 739 (Arreguín) on the Clean Miles Standard and Incentive Program for transportation network companies. The author and supporters from Lyft, Uber, and TechNet said the bill would update EV miles traveled and greenhouse gas targets to reflect current market conditions, add flexibility for CARB and the CPUC, and protect drivers from losing platform access while also creating a path for future electrification. Opponents including the American Lung Association, Sierra Club California, and NRDC argued the bill would weaken a program meant to accelerate EV adoption and should retain stronger targets. Members discussed affordability, charging infrastructure, and the need to balance climate goals with feasibility. The committee approved SB 739 as amended and re-referred it to Appropriations, later recording a 9-0 vote when the roll was completed.
The committee then heard SB 1190 (Grove), the “Safe Passage for Youth Act,” which would regulate private youth transport services used for out-of-state residential placements. The author and sponsor testimony described abusive practices such as nighttime pickups, blindfolds, restraints, and emotional trauma, and said the bill would require CPUC permitting, TrustLine background checks, training, parental consent, and bans on certain practices. Support came from youth and disability advocates, with no opposition testimony. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended recommendation and later passed 9-0.
SB 1191 (Ochoa Bogh) would extend the sunset for California High Cost Fund A and B universal service programs that help provide affordable telephone service in rural and high-cost areas. Supporters from rural telecom companies and industry groups said the funds are essential for maintaining service, 911 access, and emergency communications in remote communities. There was no opposition, and the committee advanced the bill on a due pass recommendation; it later passed 9-0. The consent item, SB 985 (Strickland) on the 911 emergency system, was also approved.
Finally, the committee heard SB 1246 (Cortese) on autonomous vehicles and emergency response. The author and supporters from SEIU California and the California Professional Firefighters said the bill would require AV companies to provide incident response, notify local jurisdictions during system failures, ensure U.S.-based remote drivers, and prevent public safety workers from having to manage AV breakdowns. Industry opponents argued the bill intrudes on federal vehicle standards, gives local governments enforcement authority they should not have, and could create overly broad notification and response requirements. Members raised questions about local control, response times, and whether the bill was premature given existing DMV regulations. Despite those concerns, the committee passed SB 1246 on a due pass as amended recommendation, later recording a 7-1 vote. The committee then recessed and returned to complete roll calls before adjourning.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JDC, JDC DEFER Public Hearings 03-24-2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The number of folks that are currently in detention has gone from an average daily census count of about
- Our, the number of folks that are currently in detention have gone from an average daily census count
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee heard and acted on several nominations and bills. It first recommended advise and consent for Governor’s Message 573, confirming Luann Blake to the Statewide Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee after she described her experience as a blind voter and her goals of improving outreach and accessibility for voters with print disabilities. The committee then took up the judiciary supplemental budget bill, HB 2095, with testimony from the courts and several supportive organizations. The courts requested funding for security, cybersecurity, substance use treatment contracts, public guardian services, staffing, and capital projects; members questioned the lump-sum CIP request, the substance use contract funding, and the Kamanu Hale elevator project. The committee later voted to pass HB 2095 with amendments, including changes to cybersecurity funding, security-related report language, and other committee-report notes.
The committee also heard HB 1520, which changes the five-year statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions of campaign finance violations to begin upon discovery by the Campaign Spending Commission. The commission supported the bill, saying it would prevent delayed reporting from avoiding prosecution, while one senator raised concerns about due diligence, tolling, and the difference between administrative and criminal enforcement. The bill drew broad support from advocacy groups and was advanced with an amendment clarifying “criminal prosecution.” HB 1548, which reduces the maximum sentence for misdemeanors and other offenses punishable by up to one year to 364 days, received strong support from the Public Defender, immigrant-rights groups, OHA, and others, who said the change would reduce immigration consequences for noncitizens. The committee later amended and passed the bill, limiting it to non-violent offenses.
HB 2050, increasing partial public financing limits and available public funds, was supported by the Campaign Spending Commission and good-government groups, while OHA asked for parity with lieutenant governor races. The committee passed it with amendments increasing the public-fund match and funding levels, and requested additional appropriations in the committee report. HB 2494, which would set factors for warrantless arrests for petty misdemeanors and violations and require documentation of the justification, drew strong support from the Public Defender and civil-liberties advocates but opposition from the Attorney General’s office, prosecutors, police, and some business groups, who warned it would restrict officer discretion and trigger litigation. The committee nevertheless passed it with amendments. In a final decision-making agenda, the committee also passed HB 2250 with amendments, adding blank appropriations and committee-report language related to claims against the state, including claims involving exonerees and a disputed USEPA-related claim.
NM