Transcript Highlights:

• We will be on video of this hearing, and it can be found on the Senate's YouTube channel.
• We will be on video of this hearing, and it can be found on the Senate's YouTube channel.
• In all of the research that I have done, I have not found a previous violation against the Board of Water
• <00:15:16.519> a<00:15:16.720> previous have done I have not found a previous have
• done I have not found a previous violation<00:15:17.959> against<00:15:18.560> um<00:15

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several water, land, and conservation measures. HB 86, which would fund a permanent DLNR Makai Watch coordinator position, drew strong support from DLNR and community advocates. Testifiers said the coordinator is needed to connect community-based nearshore monitoring groups with government, support training and reporting, and provide stable civil-service funding instead of relying on grants and philanthropy. The committee discussed the position’s duties and cost, estimated at about $110,000 with fringe benefits, and noted broad support from organizations including Kuaʻulu, The Nature Conservancy, OHA, and others. HB 36, relating to state water code penalties, was also supported in principle by DLNR, but the agency proposed amendments to create two tiers of violations, distinguish first-time/non-harmful violations from repeat or harmful ones, and give the commission discretion on whether each day counts as a continuing violation. DLNR said the bill is intended to address egregious cases such as Red Hill while avoiding undue impact on small farmers and others without malicious intent. Testifiers from the Board of Water Supply, Lono Initiative, and others supported stronger penalties and transparency, while Earthjustice raised concerns about broader structural issues and the risk of penalties being applied unfairly. The committee then heard HB 316, which appropriates funds to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program. DLNR, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Kōkua, The Nature Conservancy, and other groups testified in support, describing the program as a workforce pipeline that places young professionals in communities, builds trust, and helps recruit future state employees. Supporters said the program has expanded capacity in watershed and reef management and has drawn extensive public backing. Finally, HB 506, funding equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, received support from DLNR and others. DOCARE said recent recruit classes are moving through training, that the new positions will expand patrol capacity, including nighttime enforcement, and that the Oʻahu-specific funding is tied to priorities such as the Māʻili Bay herbivore rules. The committee also began hearing HB 510 on water shortage and emergency declarations. DLNR proposed limiting shortage declarations to 90 days unless extended, capping groundwater reductions at 20% for lower-priority permits, removing climate-crisis language as a standalone criterion, and moving the process into rulemaking for more public input. The Board of Water Supply supported the bill and the proposed changes, while Earthjustice urged deferral absent broader Water Commission reforms. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would be decision-making after the hearing on items on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have to have their documents notarized so that they can do these services on behalf of the veteran
• <01:49:28.239> and incarcerated persons staff documents and incarcerated persons staff documents
• And then I was looking and I found something from the U.S.
• <02:22:56.280> um um and then I was looking and I found um um and then I was looking and I
• found um something<02:22:57.200> from<02:22:57.399> the<02:22:57.560> US<02:22:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety met on January 31, 2025, and first heard House Bill 1062, a housekeeping measure relating to the Hawaii Air National Guard. Testimony in support came from representatives of the Adjutant General and other National Guard witnesses. A member raised a technical question about language allowing the Guard to hold the rank authorized by the Department of the Air Force, and the response was that the bill should not require additional HR language; no vote was taken. The committee then heard House Bill 674, which would authorize allowances for TRICARE dental and vision coverage for Hawaii National Guard personnel ordered to active duty for more than 30 days. The Department of Defense supported the bill through Brigadier General Ross, Director of Joint Staff, and Terry Heiti also testified in support. There were no questions or action taken on the measure. House Bill 652, relating to veterans’ rights and benefits and regulating compensation for advice or assistance on veterans’ benefits, drew the most discussion. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Hawaii supported the bill, arguing it would protect veterans from illegal or exploitative practices and noting its own service to more than 2,000 veterans in fiscal year 2024. Opposition came from the National Association for Veterans Rights and Veteran Benefits Guide, which argued the bill would restrict access to needed services and that some for-profit providers operate legally and should not be barred. Committee members questioned the scope of the bill, accreditation requirements, and whether nonprofit or pro bono services would be affected. A Department of Defense veteran services official said veterans can be vulnerable to exploitation and that some legal fee arrangements can be abusive, while also noting pro bono options exist. The committee did not reach a decision on the bill during the excerpt. The committee also began hearing House Bill 1058, which would create a veteran cemetery board within the Office of Veteran Services to help state veteran cemeteries comply with federal standards. The Office of Veteran Services and Terry Heiti testified in support. Members asked about the board’s membership, timeline, and consultant selection, and were told the working group was still in an organizational stage and no construction timeline had been set. The final measure discussed was House Bill 503, which would appropriate funds for a consultant to evaluate locations and designs for a Hawaii First Responders Memorial. The Department of Accounting and General Services supported the bill, and testimony in support was received from county and city officials, UPW Hawaii, and individuals. Members asked about the working group, timeline, and budget, and were told the project was still in early planning; no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of this 315 number, only six of those have been found in our southern Alabama stores for vape products
• But in practice, it rarely happens because we'll have forfeiture documents in the bonds.
• When we were dealing with the court costs years ago, we found out that we were talking about millions
• And even still, what another interesting component of this is if the person comes back and they're found

Bills: SB210, SB225, HB280, HB287, HB94, HB88, SB157, HB7, HB8, HB42

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, blood tests, DUI, law enforcement, traffic offenses, chemical analysis, public nuisance, event liability, local government, community health, legal action, transparency, reporting, public safety, regulation, accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• We haven't found any waste, fraud, or abuse in the last two years. We have not.
• Documentation and website to ensure that, that there weren't any inadvertent references and you say,
• Hub guidelines because you said there's no DEI you found so none of your state agencies deal with any
• that were selected for further review for due diligence did include Eagle Power, which was quickly found

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, the Committee on Enrolled Bills has examined and found correctly enrolled the following entitled
• The court found that educators were not given fair warning about what conduct was prohibited and that
• I found another definition what I think is<01:53:05.000> uh,<01:53:05.200> equally<01:
• human burial remains that might be found human burial remains that might be found in<03:53:44.760
• and I've never found it, so here we are. and I've never found it, so here we are.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what they actually found is that between 2022 and 2024, the number of millionaires increased by a
• It supports our our friends found<01:41:49.040> in<01:41:49.280> Ohana<01:41:49.840>
• need,<01:41:50.000> but<01:41:50.239> also<01:41:50.719> supports found in
• Ohana need, but also supports found in Ohana need, but also supports the<01:41:51.119> farmers
• The FCC looked into this recently and found that behaviors ranging from mouse movements on a web page

Bills: HB2488, HB2456

Keywords: disability, communication access, deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, healthcare, sign language interpreters, auxiliary aids, weight loss, GLP-1 drugs, obesity, Medicaid, healthcare costs, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HP 1972, which would create a nonrefundable family caregiver tax credit, and on a related tax measure to increase the existing dependent care tax credit. Supporters of HP 1972, including AARP, the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, and others, said unpaid caregivers are essential to keeping kūpuna and other loved ones at home and described significant out-of-pocket costs. The Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation raised technical concerns, including the need to avoid overlap with existing credits and to prevent double-dipping. The department said taxpayers can claim credits to the extent allowed, but recommended explicit language barring the same costs from being claimed under more than one credit. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the chair moved the bill along after questions. The committee then heard HP 1975, which would repeal the sunset on the state rent supplement program for kūpuna. AARP, Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Executive Office on Aging, and others supported making the program permanent, saying it helps low-income older adults avoid eviction and homelessness and allows them to remain in affordable housing. Catholic Charities described clients who were paying unsustainable shares of income for rent before receiving the supplement. Members also shared a constituent example of an elderly retiree who needed the subsidy to stay housed. Written support was noted from additional organizations and individuals. Next, the committee took up HB 1706, which would expand Medicaid prospective payment reimbursement to include mental health services furnished in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics by mental health professionals under supervision. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, and DHS said it appreciated the intent to address workforce shortages and expand training, but cautioned that unlicensed professionals cannot currently bill Medicaid and that a state plan amendment would be needed, with limited precedent for approval. Members asked about the likelihood and timing of federal approval and whether the bill could help rural areas; DHS said approval is uncertain and the process can take time, though it saw possible alignment with the state’s rural health transformation efforts. The committee also discussed HB 546, a three-year health coverage continuity pilot program for people losing Medicaid coverage. DHS, the Attorney General’s office, DCCA, Catholic Charities, the University of Hawaii, and others testified, with DHS warning that federal changes could increase uninsured rates and that the state may need to act quickly. Catholic Charities and others emphasized the risk to Medicaid recipients, including homeless and near-elderly residents, while DHS explained the state’s existing premium assistance program for certain immigrants and compared it to the proposed pilot. The excerpt ends during discussion of that comparison, with no vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• experiencing domestic violence and who are allowed to break their lease if the tenant provides documentation
• confidentiality override any other general release of information form or any other priorly signed documents
• <00:03:00.959> of the tenant provides do documentation of the tenant provides do documentation
• and the and it meets the is found and the and it meets the conditions<00:41:52.040> of<00:41:
• A neighbor found my brother when he was a foot and a half from that water.

Bills: HF2296, HF1566, HF1854, HF1385, HF1142

Keywords: landlord-tenant, victim confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, tenant privacy, housing law, eviction, unpaid rent, damages, release of information, shared database, protective order, victim of violence, Minnesota Statutes 504B.206, housing finance, civil law, autism, rental properties, reasonable accommodation

Transcript Highlights:

• with a firearm that's a Wyoming found with a firearm that's a Wyoming law >> Mr.<00:36:12.240>
• upticks where firearms are being found upticks where firearms are being found and<00:56:30.000><
• submachine gun style assault found submachine gun style assault weapons<00:58:40.160> with<00
• to Randy and told him he had documents to Randy and told him he had his<01:04:55.599> rights<
• There was allegedly 4 ounces of some narcotic I don't even know what it was found in his home in his

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:54:53.760> over We got a different um document over We got a different um document over
• , have the same exact documentation, have the same exact documentation, primary<04:29:55.600>
• they're U.S. federal documents.
• training to identify those documents training to identify those documents because<04:33:38.320><
• because they're US federal documents. because they're US federal documents.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing began with SB 12, which would let certain veterans who already qualify for a disabled veteran license plate use that VA disability determination to obtain a walking disability placard without having to undergo a second physical or submit additional proof. Senator Waters, the prime sponsor, said the bill was prompted by a constituent and would reduce redundant paperwork. Melinda Sims of United Spinal and Leo Pacquin of the State Veterans Advisory Committee both supported the bill, saying veterans already go through an extensive VA certification process and should not have to repeat it for the state. A DMV representative said the department had no known objection and explained that the change would let the placard travel with the veteran in another vehicle. The hearing on SB 12 was then closed. The committee then took up SB 40, which would allow safe boater education certificates to be completed and tested online, rather than requiring an in-person final exam. Representative Coker and Senator Tim Lang described the bill as a cleanup measure to make a COVID-era online process permanent and said it would improve convenience and keep more revenue in New Hampshire. Tom Praol, representing the vendor, said the state lost significant revenue when the online option ended and argued that online proctoring can verify identity and prevent cheating. The New Hampshire Marine Trades Association supported the bill, saying it would help boaters learn New Hampshire-specific laws and keep dollars in-state. The Department of Safety Marine Patrol was neutral: Captain Tim Dunlvy said the current system includes classroom and online coursework followed by an in-person proctored final exam, and he raised concerns about safety, exam integrity, and lower scores in computer-only testing, while noting New Hampshire’s strong boating safety record. Committee members asked about reciprocity, proctoring methods, costs, and crash data, but no vote was taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• That being said, we have not found any lead pipes associated with residential wells.
• Representative Skraba said he was just curious about where the lead was found.
• just curious as to what where we found the<01:00:17.200> lead.
• <01:32:01.360> and we are often required to document and we are often required to document
• systems, and internal care documentation systems, and internal care documentation that<01:32:08.480

Bills: HF4736, HF4737, HF3806, HF3352, HF4840, HF3748

Keywords: emergency shelter, grant program, homelessness, capital investment, Minnesota Statutes, appropriation bonds, public funding, housing, infrastructure bonds, funding, appropriation, Minnesota constitutional amendment, public debt, state bonds, general obligation bonds, information technology, IT infrastructure, software licenses, technology modernization, capital improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• We put all the backup documents on, uh, it starts on page four and goes through page eight.
• ><00:27:46.000> fire<00:27:46.240> academy<00:27:46.480> has<00:27:46.640> found
• meeting, the fire academy has found meeting, the fire academy has found itself<00:27:47.120>
• >> Bring—if you are going to speak, please speak into that microphone just so we can have an old document
• >> Bring—if you are going to speak, please speak into that microphone just so we can have an old document

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 22 January, 2026: 1:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The meeting began with a budget presentation from the insurance commissioner’s office. The commissioner said most of the request was for personnel costs, including an increase above LBO and two additional IT positions tied to a possible conversion to a state-based system and cybersecurity needs. The office also discussed travel costs, contractual expenses, vehicle replacement, and hurricane mitigation funds, noting that some funds are in trust accounts and require legislative authority to spend. The commissioner also briefed members on possible policy changes affecting the ACA exchange and a proposed low-cost plan for the high-risk pool, warning that if coverage options are not developed, more people could shift into uncompensated care. Members asked about the budget request, the IT positions, and a constituent question about propane meter regulation, which the commissioner said falls under the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, though his office sometimes checks related issues informally. The committee then moved to the State Fire Academy hearing. The academy director described a workforce stabilization proposal focused on retaining and recruiting fire instructors, citing competition from local fire departments that pay more, a shrinking applicant pool, and a growing number of retirement-eligible staff. He said the academy’s instructors are being recruited away by municipalities, that recent applicant pools have produced very few qualified candidates, and that the academy may soon have to cut advanced courses if staffing does not improve. He referenced a State Personnel Board review that supported the need for compensation changes and said the academy is trying to remain competitive while continuing to train firefighters, hazmat responders, EMS personnel, and fire officers statewide. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken in the portion provided. Members mainly asked questions, requested written follow-up on some budget items, and indicated they would work with the agencies later in the session if pending bills or funding needs changed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes maybe documents have been sent.
• Sometimes maybe documents have made. Sometimes maybe documents have been<00:41:29.920> sent.
• and everything else, they documentation and everything else, they they<00:41:37.920> may<00:41
• This was just something I found last night as I was going through the side-by-sides one last time.
• Um, this was just something I found<01:22:32.080> last<01:22:32.400> night<01:22:32.560

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• stayed the course, provided a calm and encouraging presence for the family until their loved one was found
• Fast forward, we found out, and we had conversations.
• and not as a moralistic document.
• But something happened in conference that I found a little bit disturbing on House Bill 2012.
• But a state constitution is also the governing document for a separate and sovereign state.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 107-1 roll call vote. Members then spent a substantial portion of the morning introducing guests, including family members, students, interns, nonprofit representatives, a park ranger recognized for life-saving work, and legislative staff being honored for service or graduation. Committee reports and Senate messages followed, including Senate refusals to concur on several amendments to Senate Bill 1421 and the appointment of a conference committee on House Bill 2818. The main floor debate centered on the conference committee report for House Bill 2002, the K-12 education budget. The budget chair explained that the report maintained record-level overall funding for the foundation formula but changed the mix of funding sources, including a reduction in capital commission dollars and use of blind pension funds, with possible later ARPA dollars to offset shortfalls. Several members argued the bill still underfunded schools by about $190 million and raised concerns about relying on projected or one-time funds; others defended the budget as meeting or exceeding constitutional requirements and noted record spending per pupil and recent increases in education funding. A substitute motion to send the bill back to conference failed 62-89, and the conference report was then adopted 83-68; the bill was subsequently third read and passed 83-68. The House then adopted and passed House Bill 2003, the higher education budget, by 119-28 on adoption and 109-32 on third reading. Debate there focused on restoring the governor’s recommended funding while directing higher education institutions to develop a new performance-based funding formula by the end of the year. Members generally described the compromise as a step toward a more sustainable model while preserving current funding levels. Next, House Bill 2004, covering the Departments of Revenue and Transportation, was adopted 128-21 and passed 127-27; discussion highlighted transportation funding, rural roads, and a small local safety appropriation that had already been addressed by MoDOT. The House then began debate on House Bill 2005, the Office of Administration budget, with members emphasizing IT accountability, state employee functions, and ongoing technology consolidation/deconsolidation issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• The contracted program administrator will be responsible for handling intake, reviewing documentation
• The contracted program administrator will be responsible for handling intake, reviewing documentation
• . ...by people coming to one of my businesses to apply for work, only to make sure that we would document
• wrote a brief that studied the Massachusetts implementation of their bill to add this requirement, found
• that photo EBT cards are not a cost-effective approach to... ...the bill to add this requirement, found

Summary: The Appropriations Committee considered a large agenda of bills and reported several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and a trust for Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, and CS/CS/SB 1266, which creates a cybersecurity experiential learning and clearance-readiness program through the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida. The committee also approved SB 532 on clerks of court funding, allowing clerks to retain all excess Article V revenue rather than returning half to the state and clarifying foreclosure sale procedures. In addition, the committee passed CS/CS/SB 1602 and CS/CS/SB 1604 to create and fund a pilot housing program for veterans through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and CS/SB 1110 to expand Medicaid and private insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including testimony from affected families and advocates. The committee also adopted an amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/SB 1012 on inmate services, removing the bill’s medical-services compensation provisions while retaining changes to the inmate welfare trust fund and related facility uses. It also adopted a delete-all amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/CS/SB 1614, which was narrowed to remove a provision allowing local governments to use excess fees to construct new buildings. The committee spent substantial time on CS/SB 17, a Medicaid oversight and transparency bill. The sponsor said the measure would create a joint legislative Medicaid oversight committee, authorize the Legislature to retain its own actuary, modernize Medicaid statutes, strengthen managed-care performance standards, and increase accountability for pharmacy benefit managers and related entities. After amendment, the committee adopted changes removing several PBM-related provisions while retaining the broader oversight framework. Testimony from supporters emphasized transparency, fraud prevention, and cost control, while a PBM trade association asked to continue working on affiliate-manufacturer, network, and payment issues. The bill was reported favorably. The most extensive discussion centered on CS/SB 1758, which proposes major changes to Medicaid and SNAP. The sponsor described five reforms: stronger fraud and overpayment recovery authority, a Medicaid work requirement for certain able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral-health services through Medicaid waivers, pharmacy-program changes to obtain rebates and reduce institutional costs, and SNAP/EBT reforms including photo IDs and work requirements. The committee adopted two amendments: one adding a transitional “glide path” for people who gain employment but risk losing Medicaid, and another exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would reduce fraud, improve accountability, and encourage work, while opponents warned it would increase administrative burdens, push eligible people off coverage, and conflict with federal law or guidance. The bill remained under debate with extensive public testimony from advocates, providers, and affected families, and the transcript ends before final disposition on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• chairman senator rogers i move that the government committee amendment to senate bill 1808 be a document
• And locally, Scottsdale-Leer engineering found that Scottsdale intersections with photo enforcement,
• And the suggestion that the statute of limitations is too long is not founded in the reality of the world
• I looked it up and found their position statement issued February 3, 2026.
• done by the Center for the Future of Arizona and Gallup, a nonpartisan group and nonpartisan poll, found

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I've found that... Because they're not eligible to collect insurance reimbursement.
• But with all these protections, not all transitioners found the relief they were looking for.
• I found the true solace in the heart of the forest.
• When I got introduced to it, I found out I don’t know... It’s a white gay man thing.
• I'm also a founding member of the Gender Critical Law Society.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of health insurance and public health bills, with most speakers focused on expanding coverage for specific treatments and services. Bills discussed included H. 1187/S. 792 on rehabilitation counselors, H. 1173/S. 692 on patient navigation, S. 2600 on scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, S. 2599 on medically necessary treatment for port wine birthmarks, H. 1164 on licensed educational psychologists for child and adolescent mental health services, S. 754/H. 1254 on autism diagnosis and treatment by nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists, S. 714/H. 1137 on infectious disease response and coverage, and S. 791 on making nature a prescriptive therapeutic intervention. Speakers generally argued these bills would improve access, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and address gaps in current insurance reimbursement rules. Testimony in support emphasized personal stories and clinical evidence. Cancer patients and providers described the benefits of patient navigation and scalp cooling for dignity and quality of life during treatment. Boston Children’s Hospital staff and families said port wine birthmark treatment is medically necessary, can prevent complications, and should not be denied as cosmetic. Rehabilitation counselors and school psychologists argued their services are effective, cost-saving, and underused because they cannot bill insurance. Autism advocates said current insurance statutes are outdated because nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists already provide evaluations and should be recognized for reimbursement to avoid delays in early intervention. Public health and GLAD Law testimony supported stronger infectious disease coverage to remove barriers to testing, treatment, and PrEP access. The hearing also included extensive testimony on H. 1172, a bill requiring insurance coverage for detransition-related care. Supporters said it would ensure coverage for medically necessary care for people who regret or reverse gender transition, while opponents argued it would legitimize anti-trans narratives or, conversely, that detransition care is needed because transition procedures can cause harm. The committee also heard strong support for S. 791 from advocates who described nature access as a health intervention that could help with trauma, anxiety, substance use recovery, and environmental justice, with claims that insurance coverage and reduced park fees would improve access. No votes were taken during the transcript, and the chair repeatedly thanked speakers and moved through the long list of public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Did you know that the herbicide is found in 70% of our water supply.
• I have, on my own research, found several anecdotal items that are banned in.
• What I found there. changed my life.
• The support system I found there gave me the strength to push forward.
• And the successes are, you know, well-documented, unqualified.

Bills: HB367, HB497, HB549, HB983, HB 1188, HB 1290, HB1368, HB2243, HB2310, HB2849, HB3099, HB3546, HB3629, HB3627

Keywords: education, absences, severe illness, life-threatening, school policy, verification, healthcare, insurance, affordability, coverage, patient rights, school health, respiratory distress, airway clearance devices, medication training, public health, HB 983, Texas Education Agency, TEA, educator privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• And what they found out was that kids were really excited to learn how to mountain bike, but a lot of
• out uh that we have those we found out uh that we have those impaired<00:58:15.119> waters.
• And for someone with a public health approach to develop that value after we found it is contrary to
• And for someone with a public health approach to develop that value after we found it is contrary to
• And for someone with a public health approach to develop that value after we found it is contrary to

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I found out that already is going to happen on July 1st, so we're, that's moving along.
• <00:01:54.240> out the counties are spending I found out the counties are spending I found
• > found<00:49:06.480> gangs<00:49:07.280> they<00:49:07.400> found right
• they found gangs they found right they found gangs they found trouble<00:49:09.079> and<00:49:
• for one of the highest documented for one of the highest documented Returns<00:58:48.400> on<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One contributing factor is the documentation, which has been slow to be generated and then slow to revise
• In the court docket, we found a story of a woman living in Bend.
• We just found that wasn't where we were getting the most effective impact for the program.
• This final slide includes a lot of statistics documenting the needs seniors have for this type of support
• So this final slide includes a lot of statistics documenting the needs seniors have for this type of

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee met for a series of information sessions focused on housing stabilization, rental assistance, senior housing, and heat resilience. In the first panel, OHCS and NOAA described the state’s affordable housing preservation work, including the $35 million in 2025 stabilization funding used to reduce debt and keep distressed affordable rental projects operating, plus manufactured home park preservation efforts. OHCS said the portfolio remains under strain, with about a third of projects at debt coverage ratios of 1.0 or less and rising insurance and operating costs. NOAA urged faster closings on the stabilization awards, more funding in 2027, and broader rent assistance and process reforms. Committee members asked about the gap between current appropriations and need, and OHCS explained that the new Article 11-Q bond preservation program is structured differently and requires full refinancing rather than simple cash infusions. The committee then heard a detailed discussion of the state’s eviction prevention and rental assistance program, ORDAP. OHCS said the program is administered through community action agencies, prioritizes households at imminent risk of eviction, and is now funded at a much lower level than in the prior biennium, reducing expected service to about 8,200 households this biennium. The Oregon Law Center, a county community action agency, and Multifamily Northwest all agreed the program prevents homelessness and is effective, but they differed on whether assistance should be tied so closely to eviction court. Legal aid and community action witnesses said the current system is underfunded and that eviction filings are the clearest indicator of need, while Multifamily Northwest argued the process can push people into court unnecessarily and should be moved earlier when possible. Legislators raised questions about whether a pre-eviction model could be developed and about the costs of court involvement; one member shared a personal story about how rental assistance helped keep their family housed. Next, the governor’s office, OHCS, and OHA presented on the new senior housing initiative and healthy homes work. The governor’s housing director said Oregon is making progress on homelessness and housing production, with reductions in homelessness outside Multnomah County and an estimated 50,000 future units added to the pipeline through recent state actions. OHCS outlined the senior housing programs launched in May: a debt-financing program using elderly and disabled bond authority, an older adult housing development program funded through the senior property tax deferral revolving account, and a rehousing program for older adults that will use bridge funding and services to move at least 400 unsheltered older Oregonians into housing. OHA also described its Healthy Homes Grant Program, including $24.6 million already awarded, a new $5 million grant round for seniors and people with disabilities, and examples of home repairs and weatherization that help people remain safely housed. The final information session focused on home cooling and heat resilience. OHA presented data showing rising extreme heat days, more heat-related emergency visits, and likely undercounted heat deaths, especially among older adults, people with disabilities, low-income communities, and people without access to healthy homes. ODOE reviewed implementation of Senate Bill 1536, including a cooling needs study that found 58% of surveyed households in the studied housing types needed permanent cooling, with estimated statewide costs of $582 million to $1 billion. ODOE said its rental home heat pump and community heat pump programs have supported 4,638 installations so far, with a temporary reopening planned using remaining funds. The session ended with a remote presentation from a Community Action Partnership of Oregon representative, continuing the discussion of how community action agencies help deliver energy and anti-poverty services.