Transcript Highlights:

• renegotiate its healthc care contracts renegotiate its healthc care contracts at least every three years
• every 5 years healthc care contract every 5 years healthc care contract every 5 years instead as this
• rates for these types of contracts rates for these types of contracts speaker asked for the B there's
• to periodic include but not be limited to periodic include but not be limited to periodic polygraphed
• it to intentional just kind of it limits it to intentional just kind of it limits it to intentional

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:19.280> that's so outside of that contract that's so outside of that contract that's
• Those leases are probably long-term, correct?
• district that it was for a limited district that it was for a limited period<01:28:30.760> of
• <03:27:16.399> of costs but it is what it is in terms of costs but it is what it is in terms
• <04:33:14.719> of we have in terms of we have in terms of employees<04:33:17.359> and

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from Charlotte Harding of the Conservation Land Stewardship Program, who explained that the office protects the state’s interests in conservation lands by monitoring conservation easements and related stewardship obligations. She described the program’s funding sources: a land conservation endowment held at the State Treasury and administered by the Council on Resources and Development, plus transfers from Fish and Game for easements not covered by the endowment. Members discussed how the endowment is funded when new easements are created, the program’s staffing, the loss of a state vehicle, and the need to increase in-state travel so staff can use personal vehicles for field monitoring. Harding said the office has two full-time positions and a seasonal employee, that the work is mostly monitoring rather than hands-on land management, and that enforcement issues are referred to the grantee agencies or, if needed, to the Council on Resources and Development. She also noted that the office works directly with landowners to resolve smaller issues and that stewardship has become a greater focus in the conservation community because ongoing oversight requires funding. Members asked about examples of properties under the program, including LCIP lands such as Musquash Headwaters, Hidden Valley Boy Scout Camp, and Nash Stream, and the committee did not take a motion before moving on. The committee then heard from Paul Breen and Susie Anzelone of the Pease Development Authority regarding the Division of Ports and Harbors operating budget. They explained that the authority provides finance, legal, environmental, and engineering support to the division, which operates New Hampshire’s only deep-water berth at Market Street, as well as facilities in Hampton, Rye, the Portsmouth Fish Pier, and navigational waters in the Piscataqua and Great Bay. They described the authority’s history after the closure of Pease Air Force Base, the transfer of roughly 2,400 acres, and the creation of a self-sustaining enterprise fund tied to airport and port operations. They emphasized that the division does not draw on the general fund because revenues from wharfage, dockage, parking, registration, and mooring fees cover operating costs, with any surplus retained for capital improvements and replacement. Members questioned several budget lines, including a sharp increase in overtime and workers’ compensation. Breen said overtime is driven largely by security needs at the deep-water port and fluctuates with vessel traffic, such as salt shipments, while workers’ comp is a DAS-set cost and not something the division controls. He said the budget is conservative and that if revenues fall short, capital projects would be the first items scaled back. The discussion also covered fee-setting, with Breen saying rates are reviewed against the local market and infrastructure constraints, and that some smaller facility fees had recently been increased after being stagnant for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Young people in secure confinement at Echo Glen have limited programming opportunities.
• And young people in secure confinement at Echo Glen have limited programming opportunities.
• In terms of assessments, we determined they were not validated.
• And as a result, we've been forced to limit our activity in that program.
• Going forward, the exemption is now limited to new construction.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The statute of limitations will have expired.
• In terms of capturing the data? Correct.
• a contract from someone who, you know, sought out their services.
• a contract from someone who, you know, sought out their services.
• I mean, it's the term "split the baby." I've never heard that when... ...the term "split the baby."

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• A 5-year window provides a longer-term view to assess whether effects persist over time.
• Longer follow-up periods over 5 years add complexity and data limitations while offering diminishing
• A 5-year window provides a longer-term A 5-year window provides a longer-term view<00:10:08.960>
• add complexity and data limitations add complexity and data limitations while<00:10:17.240> offering
• They actually contract the Department of Public Safety.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We Have entered into a contract and are working on, I guess, starting that project this week.
• So we're doing much better in terms of income, but we're also this community space.
• What we've requested is a modest $50 million in terms of infrastructure construction recurring.
• We're looking at a shorter-term fixed-rate loan.
• So anyway, we've accomplished many of the goals that we've wanted to over these two terms.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's like fire, floods, earthquakes, or I would just say to make a note of that so it's more limited
• They're very, very familiar with So I think that that's OK in terms of generators.
• So in terms of of cost with Fima currently operating on this We are currently able to cover the cost
• Moving back, Assembly Bill 1075, Assemblymember Bryan, regarding fire protection, privately contracted
• And second, regarding the fire protection, privately contracted firefighters seeing no witnesses, is

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• were even more harmful to my long-term were even more harmful to my long-term health<00:10:01.840
• . limitations. limitations.
• statute of limitations in place? statute of limitations in place?
• we limiting it to 18 and above? we limiting it to 18 and above?
• most recent contract. Got it. Thank you. most recent contract. Got it. Thank you.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:15.440> to hurricane relief fund for a term to hurricane relief fund for a term to
• So at discussing his fees and contract.
• differences in terms of salary versus hourly wages.
• It would be wrong to say otherwise in terms of the fairness.
• <00:47:16.480> of be wrong to say otherwise in terms of be wrong to say otherwise in terms

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered multiple gubernatorial nominations, beginning with several appointments to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund board. Testimony on the Hurricane Relief Fund nominees was overwhelmingly in support from the DCCA Insurance Division, Hawaii Insurance Council, Hawaii Insurers Council, the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, and various individuals and industry representatives. Nominees Michael Naka, Marie White, Raina Miamoto, Leslie Door, Edward Hike, and Gwen McDonald were discussed, with Miamoto and Hike offering brief remarks about the need to address hurricane insurance affordability, condo coverage, and the importance of attracting reinsurers. The committee spent substantial time questioning Hike about the fund’s strategy, including whether to keep eligibility broad in the first phase to move quickly into the reinsurance market, how much capital would be available, and whether later policy refinements such as owner-occupancy requirements could be added after an initial rollout. Hike said the fund intended to start with broad parameters to secure reinsurance and then consider more targeted changes later, and he indicated further responses to prior committee questions would be submitted later that day. No votes were taken during the excerpted discussion. The committee then moved to other nominations. Terresa Hernandez was considered for the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic, with support from the board, and she said chiropractic had been a passion for her for seven years. Terrence Aratani was considered for the Board of Nursing, with support from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and others. During questioning, a senator raised concerns from constituents about a 2019 grant-related controversy involving a proposed resiliency hub project; Aratani responded that his organization had partnered on a grant-in-aid proposal, later withdrew when the project scope changed substantially, and said no money was transferred to the other group. Cheryl Schultz Hansen was also considered for the Board of Nursing and described her long nursing and teaching background, while a senator asked about alleged pressure on nurses to participate in employee give-back campaigns at Hawaii Pacific Health and the University of Hawaii; Hansen said the campaigns were voluntary and she was unaware of harassment, though she acknowledged managers may feel pressure to encourage participation. The excerpt ends before any final committee actions or votes on these nominations are announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, but yes, I think there are processes in place in terms of long-term care.
• So since our age... since the long-term care facility...
• So since the long-term care facility, the Office of Long-Term Care investigates these on behalf of the
• I think the other is that many times we do have to hit contracts.
• And you talk about, what's the term, restraints.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that question is, are we actually being truthful when we use misleading terms like widespread?
• And what they've protected are limits on contributions to...
• Tampa just signed contracts with a consulting firm.
• Tampa just signed contracts with a consulting firm.
• The amended language clarifies the term foreign countries of concern and adds Qatar to the list.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of member introductions recognizing interns, pages, and a retiring Senate employee. Leadership also announced that budget talks with the House were continuing and that senators should not plan to be in next week, with hopes of sharing more budget news soon. The chamber then moved to third reading and took up a major bill on citizen initiatives and constitutional amendments, with sponsors saying it was needed to address documented petition fraud and to protect the integrity of the process. That bill drew extensive debate. Supporters argued that recent investigations showed widespread fraud in petition gathering, that the measure would add reasonable guardrails, and that it would prevent taxpayer-funded government messaging from being used to influence ballot measures. Opponents said the bill would make it much harder for ordinary Floridians to place amendments on the ballot by adding costs, deadlines, registration requirements, fines, and felony exposure, and they warned it would chill grassroots participation and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed campaigns. After debate, the Senate passed the bill 28-10. The Senate then adopted several House amendments and concurred on a series of education and public-safety measures, including bills on stem cell therapy, student-athlete electrocardiograms, cardiac emergency planning in schools, school safety, Bright Futures and other education policy items, and educator preparation. Most of those measures passed unanimously or with overwhelming support, and the chamber also recognized additional interns and a long-serving education advocate before recessing and returning to continue with House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• be held without bail is the limited be held without bail is the limited exception<00:23:08.960><
• backlogs and stretching limited backlogs and stretching limited resources<01:21:40.640> even<
• Um this is further comp is limited.
• and the primary purpose of setting terms and the primary purpose of setting terms and<01:50:49.679
• <01:52:27.040> and visitors and looking at the terms and visitors and looking at the terms

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the state. opportunities and limits in the state.
• could do here in the near term. could do here in the near term.
• We with the Fair Contracting Foundation.
• I mean, we at the Department of Labor and Industry, you know, do have limited resources and limiting
• management body to make sure contracts management body to make sure every<01:12:04.120> contract,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it could be a contracted speech-language pathologist that is contracted; they're doing a private
• c> pathologist contracted speech language pathologist contracted speech language pathologist that
• c> doing<00:20:09.200> a that is contracted, they're doing a that is contracted, they're doing
• Thanks for taking my question. might do it or they might contract with might do it or they might contract
• that aren't secrets in the term that aren't secrets in the term everything<02:10:24.000> goes

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• by Representative Bowie is an act in Title 39 relative to state finances and the calculation of a limit
• House Bill 1233, by Rosetta Coates, is an act in Title 38 relative to contract limits for hospital service
• Title 15 relative to temporary release of an inmate for limited purposes.
• be the purchaser. ...someone without the intent to ever buy a piece of property will get a contract
• Members, this bill is designed to say that an insurer's payment under the terms of a contract shall not

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These contracts for these agreements included favorable terms for the funding organizations, like power
• These contracts included favorable terms for the funding organizations, like power to remove for any
• that we could have done to talk about perhaps the misplaced priorities of the Attorney General in terms
• of why he was pursuing including... ...priorities of the Attorney General in terms of why he was pursuing
• for hire by third-party activist groups because it will come to a point where the DOJ will have a limited

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are in a terms of their analysis. So we are in a terms of their analysis.
• We're there's a limit what they can do. We're there's a limit what they can do.
• Pro Tim Pringle, public works contracts. Pro Tim Pringle, public works contracts.
• It allows us to to to whole contract. It allows us to to to whole contract.
• Now on the other side in terms of Now on the other side in terms of Now on the other side in terms of

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This increases the expenditure limit.
• For families, this ensures contracts.
• contract. So, yes, it would help us. contract. So, yes, it would help us.
• . contract. contract.
• There's either contracts boxes, right?

Bills: SB3123

Keywords: conditional gifts, private education, scholarships, donor conditions, Hawaii education law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee took up three measures in decision-making. SB 2678, which would create a Judiciary working group to improve family court processes and youth access to legal representation in the child welfare system, was recommended for passage with amendments. The amendments would clarify that members with lived experience are those who have navigated the state child welfare system, replace an actively serving guardian ad litem with a former GAL, allow co-chairs to invite additional experts, and provide compensation for lived-experience members. The committee report would also recommend a $20,000 appropriation, and the motion passed without objection. SB 2528, a Campaign Spending Commission proposal to expand the partial public financing program and raise expenditure limits, was also recommended for passage with amendments and adopted without objection. The committee’s changes would increase the public-funds match to 4:1, raise the maximum public funding available to 20% for statewide executive offices and 25% for legislative and certain county offices, blank out the appropriation in the bill, and instead recommend $7.2 million in the committee report. Technical amendments would also rename the program for consistency and set the bill’s effective date to March 22, 2075. In a joint Judiciary/Education hearing, SB 3123 drew extensive testimony in support from the Governor’s office, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaiian Council, Kamehameha Schools, and many private-school and community representatives. Supporters said the bill would clarify that donor-funded scholarships, grants, and tuition-free educational programs are charitable gifts rather than contractual obligations, giving donors and schools greater certainty and preserving educational access. Some members questioned whether the bill could affect Kamehameha Schools’ admissions practices or allow schools to avoid donor conditions; witnesses responded that the measure is intended to clarify donor intent, not change admissions, and that an opt-out clause would preserve the ability to create contractual agreements if the parties choose. The discussion ended with the bill still under consideration, with no final vote reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• schools and tribal contract schools. schools and tribal contract schools.
• As a result, taxpayer dollars go toward short-term rentals instead of long-term community assets.
• As a result, taxpayer dollars go toward short-term rentals instead of long-term community assets.
• <01:19:30.400> contract-based Connecticut's recent contract-based Connecticut's recent contract-based
• It limits from participating. It limits [clears throat]<01:47:43.880> opportunities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:33:11.120> the representative democracy limiting the representative democracy limiting
• testimony is different the time limit testimony is different the time limit for<01:22:55.880>
• <01:31:29.920> with because you're going to contract with because you're going to contract
• <01:31:32.760> and probably some of who they contract and probably some of who they contract
• Thank you. it's not limited to these those are just it's not limited to these those are just examples

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Water and Land Committee heard several measures related to DLNR, coastal management, and public lands. SB 561, which appropriates funds for conservation enforcement equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, drew broad support from DLNR and multiple organizations, with the chair noting 18 supporters and no opposition. SB 465 would require DLNR to study the carrying capacity of Kīkiʻola Small Boat Harbor on Kauaʻi and report to the Legislature; DLNR supported the intent but suggested the study be timed with an ongoing $41 million capital improvement project. Senator Kouchi explained the bill was meant to close a permit loophole that has allowed operators to increase passenger capacity without additional approval, while one testifier opposed the measure as unnecessary and late. Supporters included county and community representatives, while some written testimony opposed it. The committee also heard SB 1456, which broadens the definition of beach restoration to include work on eroded beaches and degraded dune systems, including sand management, native vegetation, and removal of abandoned materials. DLNR, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other testifiers supported the measure as an administrative update. SB 1460 would require BLNR lease extensions to use updated forms reflecting current leasing practices; DLNR supported it as an administrative bill. SB 1517 would authorize public land leases for recreational residential use by public lottery limited to county residents. DLNR supported the bill, and Chipper Wiman and others testified that it would help preserve Kauaʻi’s historic recreational cabins and create fairness for local families; the committee also heard concerns about older cabins, market-based auction prices, and the need to keep these leases affordable for residents. The committee then heard SB 1511, which would prohibit vessels longer than 75 feet from entering Honoliʻi Bay, with an exemption for government vessels; DLNR and at least one additional testifier supported it. SB 1019 would allow the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund to be used for beach restoration planning and grants to nonprofits for cleanup, but DLNR said that purpose fit better under the separate Beach Restoration Special Fund, and the Ocean Tourism Coalition opposed the bill on that basis. Finally, SB 1457 would authorize DLNR to issue interim rules on commercial and recreational water sports equipment use for up to two years; DLNR described it as an adaptive-management tool for changing conditions, while multiple water-sports operators and residents opposed it, arguing it would reduce public participation, expand agency power, and target the foiling community. The hearing closed with the chair noting heavy opposition to SB 1457, including 88 written testimonies against it and only a few in support.