Transcript Highlights:

• We need the single administrator. We need to make the change.
• And if—and We didn't do that, then we would kick in a single dental administrator.
• My single PBM bill is basically going to ask for a lot of money from our health plans.
• That means going back to single subject bills.
• You get candy every single committee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The opportunity and a choice if they want to put out for bid a private contractor to run the call center
• The opportunity and a choice if they want to put out for bid a private contractor to run the call center
• The reason is because there's multiple exemptions in this bill: independent contractors are exempted,
• The reason is because there's multiple exemptions in this bill: independent contractors are exempted,
• uh you know collective every single uh you know collective bargaining<01:42:55.400> agreement

Bills: HF1976

Keywords: paid leave, family leave, employment law, Minnesota statute, benefit eligibility, seasonal employment, workforce, labor rights, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, about a month ago, I have a charger in my home, but it's a single-family residence.
• least two and a half years to add one more field, you know, every year court forms are updated every single
• And fourth, give companies a single workable validity standard rather than ones they must apply under
• It's like one single space.
• As long as there's folks on that end, the low-income end of our economy, it's an ecosystem of contractors

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had to bring in contractors to rebuild my fence and gate multiple times after they were torn down
• negotiating with the state for livable reimbursement rates, we need to have the sustained funding source
• We need to have the sustained funding source to address this very important need.
• We ignore a critical look at our revenue sources and whether they're the right blend for our taxpayers

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation met under suspense-file procedures, with the chair explaining limits on testimony, position letters, and that bills with fiscal impacts of $150,000 or more would generally be sent to suspense rather than voted on immediately. Several bills were pulled from hearing, and a consent calendar of committee bills later passed 4-0. AB 761 by Addis, the only item initially slated for a vote, was ultimately held over to the next hearing. The committee heard testimony on a series of tax-related proposals. AB 232 would create catastrophe savings accounts for homeowners to save pre-tax money for wildfire, flood, or earthquake-related expenses; it drew support from the Department of Insurance and the California Bankers Association, but was sent to suspense. AB 1443 would exempt tips from state income tax for five years and was supported by the California Restaurant Association and a restaurant owner, but also went to suspense. AB 1435 would provide relief to businesses and property owners facing cleanup and security costs from unauthorized encampments and illegal dumping; it received broad support from business, real estate, trucking, retail, and local government representatives, and was referred to suspense. The committee also heard AB 1428, which would create a California Affordable Child Care Fund financed by a 0.5% tax on income above $10 million; child care workers and SEIU-backed witnesses supported it, while taxpayer and business groups opposed it as harmful to competitiveness and affordability. AB 691 proposed a tax credit for adopting shelter pets and covering veterinary costs, AB 1219 proposed a middle- and low-income personal income tax cut, AB 1354 proposed a credit for increased homeowners insurance premiums, AB 19 proposed an education savings account/voucher-style program, and AB 567 proposed insurance rate stabilization and related tax/fund changes; each drew testimony for and against where present, but all were referred to suspense. The meeting ended with the committee adjourning after the held-over AB 761 item was postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• anticipated revenue collections, including $146.8 million in appropriated receipts related to various sources
• I Said mark wiles that was a Eligible source of funding that was identified by the agency for this purpose
• The other source of expense.
• The mix to date is the majority of pass-through costs are going to Contractors or consultants in this

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're accused of silencing others' voices, but it's simple: if Jews are flattened to a single negative
• parent of three students in Campbell Union High School District who have faced anti-Semitism in every single
• So why then do we single out this one issue for exceptional censorship?
• advocate for voting rights against bigotry of all forms, including anti-Semitism, and object to any single
• It's really our charge to do that in a way that continues to make every single child feel welcomed and

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee held a special hearing on AB 715, with the authors presenting the bill as a response to rising anti-Semitism in K-12 schools. The authors said the measure is intended to strengthen protections for Jewish students, improve district accountability, expand the uniform complaint process, clarify protections related to religion and nationality, and create a state-level anti-Semitism coordinator. They emphasized that the bill was developed through collaboration with the Black, Latino, AAPI, and Jewish caucuses and argued it is meant to protect all students from hate while preserving legitimate classroom discussion. The hearing included extensive public testimony. Supporters, including students, parents, rabbis, Jewish organizations, and some educators, described harassment, biased curriculum, delayed or ineffective school responses, and fear among Jewish students and families. They urged the committee to act to make schools safer and more responsive. Opponents, including teachers, ethnic studies advocates, civil liberties groups, Palestinian rights advocates, and some Jewish parents, argued the bill was rushed, vague, and could chill academic freedom, censor discussion of Palestine and Israel, and expand complaints against teachers and school districts. Several witnesses said existing complaint and anti-discrimination systems already address these issues. Committee members then questioned the authors and witnesses about implementation, definitions, and possible effects on curriculum and school boards. The authors said the bill is still intent language and that details would be refined in further negotiations with stakeholders. Representatives from the California School Boards Association and California Teachers Association raised concerns about the new language and possible unintended consequences, while ACLU California Action said it had concerns but wanted to keep working on the bill. The transcript does not show a final vote or action taken on AB 715 during this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Contractors of America. Mrs.
• You have an individual that you get to work with, it's worked with every single person on this floor.
• But I know that he's done an enormous amount of work in every single one of your districts.
• That only assumes that every single student in one of these. programs in the state decides to do it.
• Means in the right to repair statute for contractors.

Bills: HB29, HB 125, HB145, HB171, HB255, HB50, HB796, HB363, HB 116, HB491, HB589, HB1495, HB368, HB 1285, HB1905, HB1360, HB2002, HB917, HB2723, HB2067, HB 1238, HB2337, HB745, HB 1188, HB1606, HB2003, HB2147, HB2391, HB2355, HB2546, HB2495, HB2818, HB2249, HB1749, HB3109, HB3228, HB3240, HB1507, HB658, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2001, HB2798, HB 107, HCR29, SB5, SB262, HB 11, HJR72, HB 106, HB18, HB48, HB27, HB37, HB1481, HB581, HB1696, HB2216, HB 1035, HB1633, HB742, HB754, HB1689, HB1690, HB2669, HB391, HB517, HB 1024, HB1607, HB252, HB1716, HB1562, HB4116, HB1866, HB1741, HB2103, HB2637, HB2884, HB503, HB 1089, HB2986, HB972, HB502, HB29, HB 125, HB145, HB171, HB255, HB50, HB796, HB363, HB 116, HB491, HB589, HB1495, HB368, HB 1285, HB1905, HB1360, HB2002, HB917, HB2723, HB2067, HB 1238, HB2337, HB745, HB 1188, HB1606, HB2003, HB2147, HB2391, HB2355, HB2546, HB2495, HB2818, HB2249, HB1749, HB3109, HB3228, HB3240, HB1507, HB658, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2001, HB2798, HB 107, HCR29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• maintain that crucial um contractor maintain that crucial um contractor workforce<00:42:25.920><
• At least provide a few sources for it.
• I think will be a few sources for it.
• find a source. find a source.
• the budgetary source is for that agency. the budgetary source is for that agency. um<01:50:27.119

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's a difference in state employee salaries versus the contractor. at a 10% cost savings to the
• 02:46.319> salaries<00:02:46.879> versus<00:02:47.280> the<00:02:47.519> contractor
• I don't have updated salary information from the contractor.
• would think to catch up on the backlog and keep up with the continuing numbers as they grow every single
• would think to catch up on the backlog and keep up with the continuing numbers as they grow every single

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:42 Department of Corrections 04:14 Department of Juvenile Justice 16:22 Kentucky Law Enforcement Council 28:01 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard budget-related testimony from the Department of Corrections on a request for additional funding to take over operations of the Lee Adjustment Center, including $2.2 million in fiscal year 2027 and $5.2 million in fiscal year 2028. The witness said the governor’s budget did not recommend the request. Members asked about the cost savings of private operation versus state operation, the facility’s role in the department’s long-term goals, and whether the state intends to move toward operating all adult correctional facilities directly. The Department of Juvenile Justice then presented on staffing, recruitment, retention, and facility planning. Officials described recent pay increases and other investments, including a 10% security pay raise in 2021, an 8% state employee raise in 2022, higher youth worker starting salaries, and $4.8 million in 2023 funding to sustain salary increases. They said DJJ has also expanded mental health and medical staffing, improved recruitment efforts, and seen an upward trend in hiring. In response to questions, the commissioner said barriers to recruitment and retention include the Tier 3 retirement system, the structured and restrictive nature of detention work, and competition from other employers. He also said the department wants to move toward a regional model for female facilities under SB 162 and believes those facilities can be staffed. DJJ provided staffing figures showing 1,339 funded positions, with 157 filled and 182 vacant at a January benchmark, and 524 detention positions with 450 filled and 74 vacant. Officials said 30 correctional officers were in basic training and expected to join posts soon. Members also asked about the feasibility of staffing additional facilities and the department’s vacancy trends. Finally, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council testified on a funding request for one attorney, one paralegal, one additional monitor, higher costs for existing monitor positions, and Lexington office rent. Officials said the request is needed to handle a growing decertification caseload and expanded oversight responsibilities as the number of academies has increased to about eight, with more than 2,100 instructors requiring biennial review. They said KLEC currently has one attorney and about 15 total staff, with roughly 180 cases pending, more than 50 complaints left to file, and another 30 cases expected soon. Members asked about current staffing, attorney salary, the number of academies, and the move to a separate Lexington office. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned without a quorum for approving minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's hard for you to go out and find those other sources of water that can make you more resilient, that
• It's hard for you to go out and find those other sources of water that can make you more resilient, that
• They felt like rural Arizona really deserved a funding source that they knew they could go to year after
• And would it make sense for you to use relatively more expensive imported water sources to try and fill
• The way that the next phase is going to work is that these development teams become WIFA contractors.

Bills: HB2024, HB2053, HB2097, HB2116, HB2117

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, irrigation, non-expansion areas, water management, agriculture, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation

Summary: The committee began with member and staff introductions, then heard House Bill 2024, which would expand the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority’s water supply development definition to include snowpack augmentation and related planning and facility work. Supporters argued cloud seeding and drone-based silver iodide deployment could increase snowpack and water supply at relatively low cost, while opponents raised concerns about weather modification, uncertainty in the science, and possible environmental or health effects. After debate, the committee approved HB 2024 on a 6-4 vote, with some members expressing reservations and requesting more information before floor consideration. The committee next considered House Bill 2053, which would direct the Arizona Department of Water Resources to update stormwater recharge mapping statewide and provide $100,000 for the work. The sponsor and ADWR said the bill would expand on prior state-land mapping and help identify recharge opportunities on private land; ADWR was neutral and said it could do the technical mapping but could not make legal determinations about appropriable surface water rights. Salt River Project opposed the bill’s language on surface-water rights, arguing that determinations about unappropriated water belong to the courts and that site-specific recharge projects could affect downstream rights. The committee adopted the Griffin amendment and then passed HB 2053 as amended on a 6-4 vote. Chelsea McGuire of WIFA then gave a broad presentation on the agency’s revolving funds, conservation grants, and long-term augmentation efforts, describing past investments, current grant awards, and seven potential augmentation projects under development. She said WIFA’s current budget ask was essentially for no additional cuts, while members asked about costs, project qualifications, and public-private structure. The committee then took up House Bill 2097, which would impose a six acre-feet-per-acre groundwater pumping cap in irrigation non-expansion areas, add reporting and well-measurement requirements, and set a $150 penalty for violations. ADWR said the bill could require additional staffing and that the cap and substitution provisions had technical concerns; environmental groups argued the cap was too high and could still encourage overpumping, while supporters said it would finally place a limit on INA pumping. HB 2097 passed 6-4. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million to the Colorado River Litigation Fund; the sponsor described it as a contingency for ongoing Colorado River negotiations, and the committee moved the bill forward after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Tennessee and Florida have fined private prison contractors, specifically CoreCivic. its strong opposition
• 40.320> prison and Florida have fined private prison and Florida have fined private prison contractors
• 00:17:41.600> specifically<00:17:42.160> core<00:17:42.400> civic CoreCivic contractors
• due to their out-of-state residency and purchases made on base, noting how these taxes are the only sources
• of funding taxes are the only sources of funding for<01:02:33.760> public<01:02:34.079> education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety heard several resolutions, including HCR 944/HR 90 to request a gubernatorial proclamation designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7, 2025; HCR 205/HR 197 urging Maui County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a permanent replacement for the Kulani Hakoi Bridge; and HCR 164/HR 159 urging counties to maintain an electronically accessible list of hurricane refuge shelters. No one testified on the first two measures. On the hurricane shelter resolution, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent and requested a wording change from “special needs” to “access and functional needs.” The committee then heard HCR 70, which asks the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to expand personal and professional development programs to include community service programs. Director Tommy Johnson said DCR supports the intent and described existing community service work lines at Kulani, the women’s correctional facility, and Wawa, including tasks such as pothole repair, tree trimming, and school grounds work. In response to questions, he said participation depends on inmate eligibility, volunteer status, and whether the work would interfere with programming; inmates must have no serious misconducts in the prior year and no escape attempts. He also explained that some work lines are tied to security classifications and facility type. The committee spent the most time on HCR 153/HR 148, which requests DCR to incrementally reduce the number of inmates housed in private out-of-state facilities. The ACLU of Hawaii strongly supported the resolution, arguing that private prisons are unsafe and that Hawaii should bring incarcerated people home. The ACLU cited federal findings and actions against private prison contractors, conditions at the Saguaro facility in Arizona, and the need for in-state rehabilitation and oversight. Director Johnson also supported the measure in principle but said population levels, security classifications, and available in-state facilities limit how quickly people can be returned. He said DCR provides annual reports on inmates eligible to return and suggested more frequent reporting could be considered. Committee members discussed benchmarks, quarterly reporting, parole, and reintegration services, and the ACLU argued that other states have reduced or phased out private prison use through sentencing reform, parole changes, and reintegration programs. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and officers and immediate Contractors and officers and immediate family<00:59:35.520> members
• Um, it's a JDC single, so we have, um, in legislative terms, we have a long time to deal with this.
• Um, it's a JDC single, so we have, um, in legislative terms, we have a long time to deal with this.
• <01:34:54.159> and<01:34:54.360> officers state or County contractors and officers
• state or County contractors and officers immediate<01:34:55.239> family<01:34:55.480> members

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 114, which would create a presidential preference primary for the 2028 election. The Office of Elections said the bill would cost about $4.1 million. Supporters, including the Hawaii Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters, favored moving the process to a state-run primary, while several opponents, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and multiple individual testifiers, argued it would be too expensive, would shift control away from the parties, and would replace volunteer-run caucuses with a mail-in system. Committee members questioned the chief election officer about election timing, certification, and how a primary might be scheduled with other elections. Testimony was recorded as 11 in support, 41 opposed, and 3 comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 725, which would require judges to make findings about a defendant’s ability to afford bail. Judiciary and Attorney General witnesses asked that the bill be deferred or amended, saying the Judicial Council is already reviewing pretrial bail reform and that the bill’s language could create practical problems for police, sheriffs, and courts. Supporters, including the Correctional System Oversight Commission, the public defender, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the ACLU of Hawaii, and disability rights advocates, said cash bail disproportionately harms low-income defendants, increases pretrial detention costs, and should require clearer findings and records. Opponents included the Hawaii County prosecuting attorney. Members questioned how bail is initially set, what records exist, and whether the bill would change current practice; Judiciary witnesses said initial bail decisions are often made by police or judges and later reviewed on the record, while supporters argued the bill would strengthen front-end due process. The ACLU said it supported the bill with amendments, including clearer standards for ability to pay and written findings. The committee also began hearing SB 733, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a continuous legislative session. Early testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates arguing that the current 60-day session limits public participation, makes it hard for working people to testify, and prevents lawmakers from collaborating effectively. Supporters said a year-round model could improve transparency, reduce duplicate bills, and better accommodate neighbor island legislators. The excerpt ends during the opening testimony on SB 733, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of strengthen, as an association executive director... ...to kind of go out and meet with every single
• Now they're running funds directly through them to the landowners or to the contractors to get these
• I thought, okay, they're going to be the one we see... ...and to the landowners or to the contractors
• I haven't had a single constituent approach me with concerns like that.
• hearing the comments from folks, and I think there's lots of concerns that, you know, we don't take a single

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most are independent contractors and small business owners, and we know that this would greatly benefit
• Most are independent contractors, small business owners, and we know that this would greatly benefit
• The time frame then to review such studies—and this is a single study, by the way—is extremely insufficient
• I'm a single-family real estate developer in North Texas. I headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
• various representatives, but not necessarily representatives with expertise in development or in single-family

Bills: SB32, SB464, SB996, SB1163, SB1173, SB1277, SB1452, SB1453, SB1548, SB1882, SB1883, SB2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, SB 464, school buffer zone, tobacco retailer, vape shop, e-cigarette, vaping, nicotine, tobacco products, retail permit, comptroller, Class A misdemeanor, school proximity, youth access, public school, private school

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard several bills by Senator Bettencourt focused on property tax and local government accountability. SB 32 would provide about $700 million in business tax relief by raising the business personal property exemption from $2,500 to $25,000 and continuing a 20% franchise tax credit for inventory taxes paid. Witnesses from NFIB, the Texas Retailers Association, and Texas Realtors supported the bill, saying business personal property and inventory taxes are burdensome and especially hard on small businesses. After no opposition testimony, SB 32 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 1453, which would change how interest and sinking tax rates are calculated by using only the minimum debt service required under bond schedules, while still allowing a higher rate with a 60% governing body vote and a public explanation. A witness from the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association supported the bill as a way to keep debt rates from rising as property values increase and to preserve tax relief. The bill was left pending after testimony. SB 1883 would tighten rules on local impact fees by requiring 60 days of public availability for capital improvement plans and land use assumptions, raising the approval threshold for adopting impact fees from a simple majority to two-thirds, limiting how often fees can be increased, and expanding notice requirements. Builders and developers testified in support, arguing that impact fees are often poorly reviewed, lack accountability, and are passed on to homebuyers, worsening housing affordability. Committee members discussed adding audit provisions and questioned the lack of city testimony. The bill was left pending with subcommittee action. SB 1452 would require a voter election to decide whether a municipal management district continues to exist, with dissolution if voters reject it; supporters said it would add accountability, while others noted some districts provide essential services and infrastructure. The committee heard testimony from district representatives and builders, then left SB 1452 pending before recessing.

Transcript Highlights:

• contractor. I have plumbers on my staff. contractor. I have plumbers on my staff.
• It’s something that we do every single year.
• It’s something that we do every single year.
• it's something that we do every single it's something that we do every single year.<01:21:01.440
• I started out as a plumbing and heating contractor many moons ago.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and consent calendar, then took up several rule items. For Department of Safety rule 2611, DMV leadership explained the rule had been under development since January but needed to be updated to reflect a new statutory change and to align the rule with RSA 266. Members discussed narrowing the rule to road-safety items rather than automobile inspection provisions, and the department said it would issue a new public notice and hold another hearing. The committee voted to grant a waiver and postpone the item until the October 15, 2026 meeting. The Board of Active Puncture Licensing item 26-47 was postponed one month at the agency’s request so it could incorporate OS feedback, with no waiver needed. The Insurance Department’s claim settlement rule 25-234 and related item 26-78 drew more extensive discussion over waiver language. Committee members objected that the proposed language gave the commissioner broad discretion to set waiver periods without clear criteria, while agency counsel argued the rule already contained standards and that the language allowed temporary waivers. After discussion about consistency, permanency, and the need for clearer documentation, the committee voted to postpone 25-234 with a waiver and to postpone 26-78. Finally, the committee considered Health and Human Services rule 2690, which sets SNAP certification periods for a pilot demonstration authorized by SB 499. Staff explained that federal changes now require the age threshold for the 36-month certification period to be 65 instead of 60, and that the agency had been directed to make the change by August 12. Agency staff said the rule needed to be updated to match federal direction, and members generally agreed. The committee discussed whether the federal citation was sufficient and whether the rule should reference the law change directly, but no final objection was raised in the portion shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation that seeks to amend and reenact sections of the Code of Virginia related to regulation of contractors
• added a delayed enactment to July 1, 2027, and directs DCJS to evaluate potential federal funding sources
• added a delayed enactment to July 1, 2027, and directs DCJS to evaluate potential federal funding sources
• HB 1046 creates increased transparency on the use of independent contractors.
• House Bill 1439, now before you, relates to regulation of contractors, solar installation companies,

Keywords: March 11, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The homeless veterans registry is a by-name list of every single veteran in the state of Minnesota that
• Every step of the way, one company is making profits at every single one of those stops.
• But if I were a betting person, I'd wager that every single one of us here knows someone who has been
• Along those lines, not everyone's first home is just the regular single-family starter home.
• Thinking out of the box, it's another source of housing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the biennium, NOAA will have funded 44 projects in every single county across the state.
• All of this happens without raising a single tax.
• Opposition testimony came from the Nevada chapter of Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders
• and Contractors, Nevada Urban Consortium, the National Electrical Contractors Association, the Nevada
• Policy Research Institute, and the Nevada Contractors Association.

Bills: AB102, AB108, AB117, AB213, AB220, AB221, AB251, AB259, AB331, AB336, AB375, AB379, AB409, AB475, AB476, AB550, AB575, AB594, SB466

Keywords: emergency medical services, ambulance, licensing, health district, paramedic, training requirements, outdoor education, recreation, grant program, environment, funding, special license plates, vehicle registration, custom plates, state revenue, transportation, public works, prevailing wage, custom fabrication, nonstandard materials

Transcript Highlights:

• the contract goes, right, and how big of a, um, pool we choose to look at first and how long the contractor
• the contract goes, right, and how big of a, um, pool we choose to look at first and how long the contractor
• the contract goes, right, and how big of a, um, pool we choose to look at first and how long the contractor
• the contract goes, right, and how big of a, um, pool we choose to look at first and how long the contractor
• Vice Chair, for every single vote. Voting on Senate bills 1346 through 1358.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology heard several labor and personnel measures. Senate Bill 1567 would require the Department of Human Resources Development to conduct a comprehensive review of the executive branch classification and compensation system and allow it to contract with a third party outside normal procurement rules. Director Brana Hashimoto testified in support, saying the state has more than 1,400 classes of work and limited staff to keep the system current; she said outside vendor help and market data are needed to update class specifications, minimum qualifications, and pay structures. She noted the project scope and timeline would depend on funding, and said the governor had approved about $1 million for the effort. Members asked about vendor scope, comparisons to the private sector and other public employers, consolidation of obsolete classes, and whether the exemption from procurement rules would speed the work. The committee also heard Senate Bill 326 on defense of state employees, with testimony in support from HGEA, the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Senate Bill 337 would expand the pool of interest arbitrators used in collective bargaining disputes by allowing the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to request a list from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and to use arbitrators from both FMCS and the American Arbitration Association; HGEA supported the bill, saying the broader pool would improve selection and address communication issues. Senate Bill 1233 would create a State Internship and Workforce Development Program within DeHerd. The University of Hawaiʻi, HGEA, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and the Chamber of Commerce supported it. DeHerd said the program could help place interns into vacancies and convert them to civil service jobs, but said it would need about five FTE and roughly $330,000 in salaries to administer a program serving about 50 to 75 interns at a time; members questioned whether the positions could be filled and whether the program could proceed without added resources. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1359, which would increase the employer-based composite monthly contribution to the Hawaii EUTF Benefits Trust Fund beginning in January 2026 and then tie future increases to Medicare Part B premium changes with a lag. The EUTF administrator testified, and a member noted the measure resembled a bill that had died in conference the prior year. Senate Bill 1454 would give the Labor and Industrial Relations director authority to issue wage payment violation orders, establish penalties and appeals, and broaden the definition of wage; the department supported it, explaining it would align procedures under chapter 387 with existing chapter 388 enforcement and make investigations easier. Finally, the committee moved through a series of collective bargaining cost-item bills for various bargaining units and related entities, with testimony generally in support from Budget and Finance, HGEA, UH, HHSC, UPW, and other unions and associations. One amendment request was to include bargaining units 1 and 10 in the temporary hazard pay funding bill, and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association noted its airport firefighters unit was still in arbitration and would provide final numbers later.

Transcript Highlights:

• to redo consent every single time? to redo consent every single time?
• contractors versus um the school itself. contractors versus um the school itself.
• around Medicaid to schools every single around Medicaid to schools every single year.<00:47:13.280
• But we are talking about, we are asking teachers to know every single moment of every single day.
• But we are talking about, we are asking teachers to know every single moment of every single day.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 34, which would require parental consent for each new service provided to a student through the Medicaid to Schools program and require reports to legislative policy committees. Senator Ruth Ward said the bill was intended to increase transparency, protect parental involvement, and ensure continuity of care, especially for students with disabilities. She also noted a proposed amendment she received shortly before the hearing that would change the bill’s focus from a “new service” to a “new care plan.” Representatives from the New Hampshire Primary Care Association and Amoscake Health testified that they opposed the bill as written but would support it with the amendment. They explained that tying consent to individual diagnosis codes or services could be burdensome, could delay care, and could create compliance problems if a diagnosis changes during a visit. They said the amendment would better align consent with the overall care plan and avoid interrupting treatment mid-appointment. Committee members raised questions about how the bill would interact with IEPs, individualized health plans, homebound services, telehealth, billing, and whether the amendment would still require parental involvement after a care plan changes. The deputy Medicaid director from the Department of Health and Human Services testified that the amendment was more operationally feasible because Medicaid billing involves many ICD-10 codes that can change or overlap, and consent should be tied to the care plan rather than to each code. He said the current law already requires parental consent for participation in the Medicaid to Schools program and annual consent for billing, but the bill would make explicit consent for care-plan changes. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and the committee appeared to continue discussion with DHHS after the testimony.