Video & Transcript : 'policy disclosure' :
Page 192 of 500
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
February 11, 2026 - 09:00 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- The PCS meets the federal minimum requirements on reserves, disclosures, and supervision.
- My issue, the question has to do with, since we're putting this policy in place, wouldn't it be wise
- We're a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy group that works on digital asset policy at this state level.
- Homeowners and auto insurance policies, get out there and shop your policy.
- This is H.B. 1265, the public records exemption for the policy bill you just heard, HB 1263.
Summary:
The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee met to hear and vote on several bills, with all measures reported favorably. The first major item was PCS for HB 175 on payment stablecoins, which would create a Florida regulatory framework aligned with the federal GENIUS Act so issuers can choose state regulation instead of federal licensing. Members asked extensive questions about how stablecoins differ from other digital assets, whether Florida would need federal approval, and what impact the bill would have on the Office of Financial Regulation; the sponsor and OFR said the state framework would mirror federal standards and that any workload increase was currently indeterminate. The PCS passed unanimously after testimony from OFR and the Florida Blockchain Business Association in support.
The committee then approved CS for HB 961, which streamlines electronic signature requirements for salvage titles and certificates of destruction, and HB 1415, a DFS stablecoin pilot program allowing certain stablecoins to be used for licensing and regulatory fees. HB 1415 was amended to remove authority for a Florida coin, limit the pilot to established stablecoins with at least $1 billion market cap, and require secure custody through a public depository or custodial bank. Members discussed how any interest or revenue would be used, with sponsors saying the pilot was still exploratory and intended mainly to cover program costs. Both bills passed favorably.
HB 1039, establishing a state cryptocurrency reserve, also passed after a strike-all amendment moved administration of the reserve from the CFO’s office to the State Board of Administration and tightened eligibility to cryptocurrencies with a $100 billion market cap over the prior 12 months. Supporters argued the bill would create a framework for future diversification and investment in established digital assets, while several members raised concerns about volatility, reporting frequency, and the meaning of new terms such as qualified liquidity provider and secure custody solution. The committee also passed CS for HB 951 on penny rounding for cash transactions, with an amendment clarifying cash transaction definitions and treating money orders and gift cards like credit-card transactions for rounding purposes.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- It's smart policy, it's just smart prevention, and a smart use of our resources.
- This is not energy policy.
- On behalf of the Tucson Conquistadors, not Tucson Electric Power, this is not energy policy, but Mr.
- to try to keep up then corrections as the policy week and the last but not least is the sheriffs and
- An agency that creates a program must establish written policies and procedures.
Keywords:
juvenile services, Coconino county, rehabilitation, detox center, financial appropriation, Arizona Rangers, statutory repeal, security, state law, regulatory changes, probation, dangerous crimes, children, Arizona Revised Statutes, criminal justice, juvenile offenses, appropriations, salary increase, corrections, public safety
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/03/2026 - House Democratic Caucus Calendar #3
Transcript Highlights:
- House Bill 2533 creates the Office of Homeless Services to centralize and coordinate homelessness policy
- House Bill 2533 creates the Office of Homeless Services to centralize and coordinate homelessness policy
- HB 2266 requires that policy to allow students to be... ...religious purposes.
- HB 2266 requires that policy to allow students to be excused from school for religious purposes.
- What this bill does is clarifies the process so assessors can better implement that policy.
Summary:
The caucus reviewed a long minority calendar covering a wide range of bills, with sponsors giving brief descriptions and members frequently raising concerns about constitutionality, cost, federal preemption, and policy impacts. Topics included medical intervention and vaccination/mask prohibitions, state treasurer investment rules, vacant state positions reporting, shooting range closure limits, congressional term limits, audit penalties, cellphone use while driving, procurement restrictions tied to China, air ambulance regulation, hospital immigration-status reporting, SNAP purchase restrictions, school assessment changes, school contract transparency, religious excusals from school, student contact information, fitness reporting, and several property tax, water, and agriculture measures. Members also discussed bills on AI-generated sexual material consent verification, DEI liability, hate-crime sentencing, commercial driver forfeiture tied to immigration status, speed-limiting devices for repeat speeding offenses, PFAS firefighting foam, name changes for sex offenders, abortion-inducing drugs, prisoner transition services, sexual extortion penalties, solar radiation management bans, and cultivated-cell food labeling and sales bans.
Several bills drew explicit opposition or requests to pull them from consent, especially those affecting abortion access, immigration-related hospital reporting, school testing, religious release programs, DEI policies, and cultivated-cell foods. Members noted that some measures appeared duplicative, overly broad, or likely unconstitutional, and in multiple cases referenced prior vetoes or prior-year versions of the same bills. Supportive comments were also made on selected bills, including the PFAS foam prohibition, the assistive technology study committee, the digital goods consumer protection bill, and the prisoner transition services extension.
The caucus also considered water and infrastructure measures, including brackish groundwater funding and studies, water augmentation authority bonds, Pima County water rates, groundwater transport rules, and HOA drought watering limits. Toward the end, members reviewed election-related memorials and resolutions, including a proposal to limit voting centers, a memorial urging withdrawal from the United Nations, and another urging defunding the IMF; all three were noted as being on consent and were pulled for further discussion. The meeting closed with announcements, including a note about a local missing-person concern and a caucus recognition program called the Affordable Arizona Award.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Jan 14th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Environment, Energy & Technology
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the Washington Policy Manager for the Surfrider Foundation.
- For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to oppose this legislation and allow existing policies the
- For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to oppose this legislation and allow existing policies the
- The two policy pieces— The two policy pieces that have evolved over the last prior two years are the
- Full disclosure. You're good. Senator Harris, please tell us about your bill.
Committee:
Senate Environment, Energy & Technology
Keywords:
environment, retail bags, sustainability, pollution, customer impact, plastic bags, retail, waste reduction, cookware safety, lead regulation, consumer protection, interstate trade, health standards, SB 5941, Washington State Energy Code, State Building Code Council, renewable energy, solar panels, school district exemption, public school construction
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Health Committee Jan 14th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So whether or not it's mandated, there is a central policy question of how appropriate it is to have
- To ensure adopted adults are treated equally under the law, SB 381 authorizes the disclosure of an original
- You know, we’d have to separate, you know, the policy to what’s good and what’s bad.
- It gets out of this policy committee.
- the mother and the impact of this and the impact of that, we are also talking about the impact of policy
Summary:
The committee first took up SB 490 by Senator Umberg, which would require the Department of Health Care Services to investigate allegations of unlicensed sober living or residential recovery facilities within set timelines, issue notices promptly, and conduct follow-up site visits. Supporters, including a Garden Grove councilmember and the League of California Cities, said the bill would improve public safety, clarify enforcement, and address complaints about illegal operations in neighborhoods. County behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, arguing counties lack jurisdiction over these private facilities, could face liability and unfunded workload increases, and should not be pulled into enforcement responsibilities that belong to the state. After extensive discussion about whether the bill creates a county role or merely a pathway for local assistance, the committee passed SB 490 on an 8-0 vote and placed it on call for missing members.
The committee then heard SB 381 by Senator Wahab, which would allow adult adoptees, and in some cases descendants of adoptees, to obtain their original birth certificates, create a contact preference form for birth parents, and remove current limits that omit certain birth information from amended certificates. The bill drew strong support from adoptees, birth parents, and advocates who said access to original records is a matter of identity, dignity, and health because it can reveal family medical history and cultural background. Several committee members expressed support for the goal but raised concerns about privacy, the potential emotional impact on birth parents, and whether the contact preference form adequately protects confidentiality. The author and supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored, that the form is nonbinding, and that many birth parents are open to contact; they also noted the bill had been amended to delay implementation and allow public notice. The transcript ends amid continued debate, with members indicating the bill would continue moving forward with further work, but no final vote is shown in the excerpt.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- So whether or not it's mandated, there is a central policy question of how appropriate it is to have
- or... ...we do here based on policy, but then there's some personal experiences or just things that
- You know, we'd have to separate, you know, the policy to what's good and what's bad.
- It gets out of this policy committee.
- the mother and the impact of this and the impact of that, we are also talking about the impact of policy
Committee:
Senate Health
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE Jun 16th, 2026
ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- So item F is our monthly disclosure report, and we send that on the 10th of each month, and it reports
Committee:
All ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Summary:
The committee reviewed two Arkansas Scholarship Lottery contracts and the lottery’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget, along with the monthly disclosure report for May 2026. The first contract was a new three-year advertising and marketing agreement with Cranford Company, running July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, for $19.29 million total, with two optional one-year extensions. Lottery officials said the contract followed an RFP with five bids, no disqualifications, and would cost about $1 million less than the prior contract. Members asked about the bid scoring formula and the weight given to price, and the item was reviewed after a motion and vote. The second contract was a three-year University of Arkansas sponsorship agreement through Learfield for $86,800 per year, or $260,400 total, with no extensions; members questioned a system-generated summary figure that incorrectly showed $1.8 million, and staff clarified that the contract itself did not contain that amount. This item was also reviewed without objection after a motion and vote.
In the budget presentation, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery projected about $108.2 million in net proceeds to be transferred to the scholarship account for fiscal 2027. Officials highlighted expected savings of about $1 million each from the new gaming system/scratch ticket printing contracts and the new advertising contract, along with slight shifts in instant and draw ticket revenue forecasts. The committee did not take action on the budget beyond hearing the presentation.
The monthly disclosure report showed May 2026 instant game sales were flat year over year, draw game sales were up 12.6%, and total revenue was up 2.2%, while net proceeds were down 8.2% year over year but up 2.5% versus budget for the month. Year to date, draw game sales were up nearly 11.5% and net proceeds were up about 6.4% to 6.5% year over year, with net proceeds ahead of budget by 9.5%. Members asked how unclaimed prizes are handled, and staff explained that scratch-off prizes must be claimed within 90 days and draw prizes within 180 days; unclaimed prizes remain in reserve during the year, then all but $1 million are transferred to the scholarship trust account at fiscal year end. The meeting ended with praise for the lottery’s marketing around a recent large winner and then adjourned.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE Jun 16th, 2026
ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- So item F is our monthly disclosure report, and we send that on the 10th of each month, and it reports
Committee:
All ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Summary:
The committee met to review Arkansas Scholarship Lottery contracts and receive updates on operations and finances. Sharon Strong, the lottery’s executive director, presented a new three-year advertising and marketing contract with Cranford Company for $19.29 million, replacing an expiring contract and coming in below the prior three-year amount. Members asked about the RFP process, number of bids, and how cost is weighted in the award formula; the contract was reviewed and approved without objection after a motion and vote. The committee also reviewed a three-year Learfield sponsorship contract tied to University of Arkansas promotional events for $86,800 per year, with a corrected three-year total of $260,400; members questioned a system-generated summary figure that incorrectly showed a seven-year total, and staff clarified the contract itself was only for three years with no extensions. That item was also reviewed without objection.
Strong then presented the fiscal 2027 budget, highlighting expected savings of about $1 million each from the new gaming system/scratch ticket contracts and the new advertising contract. The lottery projected slight shifts in instant and draw ticket revenue, corresponding prize payout changes, and net proceeds of about $108.2 million transferred to the scholarship account. In the monthly disclosure report for May 2026, she reported flat instant game sales, a 12.6% increase in draw game sales, and year-to-date net proceeds ahead of budget, with strong draw game performance attributed in part to Powerball. Members asked about unclaimed prizes, which remain in reserve during the year and are transferred at fiscal year-end to the scholarship trust account except for a $1 million reserve, and about how scholarship funds are distributed through the Division of Higher Education based on student rosters and class year awards.
The committee also discussed the lottery’s financial statements, including revenue, prize payouts, operating expenses, trust account balances, and unclaimed prize balances. Staff explained that the lottery is self-sustaining and funded by lottery revenue, not taxpayer appropriations, and that the trust account balance is used to meet scholarship requests from higher education. The meeting ended with Senator Hill praising the lottery staff’s marketing around a recent large winner in Little Rock, and the committee adjourned.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-04-28 (12:00PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Tempore Brodeur, if you would remark on this in your close, who is exempted from public records disclosure
Summary:
The Senate convened with an opening prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then administered the oath of office to newly elected Senator Brian Nathan of District 14, with his family present. The chamber also read the Governor’s amended special session proclamation, which expanded the call to include legislation on artificial intelligence protections, an AI Bill of Rights, related public-records exemptions, and medical freedom, in addition to congressional redistricting and related litigation funding.
The Senate took up SB 2D, the Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights, and SB 4D, the accompanying public records bill. Supporters said the AI measure was intended to protect children and consumers from deceptive or harmful AI practices, preserve privacy, and prevent unauthorized commercial use of personal images. Opponents argued the bill was too permissive, especially regarding parental opt-out provisions, and did not provide meaningful protections or remedies. After debate, SB 2D passed 37-1.
The Senate then considered SB 4D, which creates public-records exemptions tied to investigations under the AI bill. Questions focused on who would be exempted, and the sponsor explained the exemption would apply to investigative files handled by the Department of Legal Affairs involving minors, parents, and name-image-likeness issues. SB 4D passed 33-4. The Rules Chair announced committee and scheduling updates, including postponing the medical freedom bill, and the Senate adjourned until the next day.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-04-28 (12:00PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Tempore Brodeur, if you would remark on this in your close, who is exempted from public records disclosure
Summary:
The Senate convened with an opening prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then administered the oath of office to newly elected Senator Brian Nathan of District 14, with his family present. The chamber also read the governor’s amended special session proclamation, which expanded the call to include legislation on congressional redistricting and related litigation, artificial intelligence protections including an AI Bill of Rights and related public records exemptions, and medical freedom. The secretary then read the bills filed within the call: SB 2D (Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights), SB 4D (public records), SB 60 (medical freedom), and SB 8D (congressional districts).
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Special Session D Apr 28th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Tempore Brodeur, if you would remark on this in your close, who is exempted from public records disclosure
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- price for an uncomplicated vaginal or cesarean birth, a list of common additional charges, and a disclosure
Committee:
Senate Health and Welfare
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- It focuses on standardizing disclosures and practices so that homeowners better understand what they're
Bills:
HB3790 , HB2941 , HB2959 , HB3087 , HB3974 , HB3500 , HB3697 , HB3262 , HB3582 , HB4226 , HB3037 , HB4139 , HB4143 , HB4144 , HB2936 , HB3322 , HB4296 , HB3278 , HB4202 , HB4176 , HB3303 , HB3648 , HB4119
Committee:
House Civil Judiciary
Summary:
The committee considered a series of House bills, mostly on civil procedure, public records, insurance, local government, and liability issues. Early measures included HB 4139, creating the Oklahoma Home Warranty Transparency Act to improve disclosures in home service contracts; HB 4143, raising the property-damage threshold for Oklahoma City officers to work traffic collisions from $300 to $3,000; HB 4144, clarifying that arrest and incident reports must include a brief summary; and HB 3974, allowing counties in multi-county jails to limit lawsuits to the county that placed the inmate in the facility. Each of these bills received a motion, no debate, and a unanimous due-pass recommendation.
The committee also heard HB 3303, which was presented as a response to an insurance claim dispute involving fault allocation after a red-light crash. The author said the bill would align with Oklahoma Insurance Department processes and could be revised further before oversight; members raised concerns about jury verdicts and whether the bill could affect premiums. HB 3790, giving homeowners a five-day cooling-off period after door-to-door home repair sales, and HB 3697, a procedural fix codifying extra time defendants can already obtain by reservation, also advanced unanimously. HB 3262, a request bill from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office to update warrant fees, was amended to say “up to” and then passed 7-2.
Additional bills approved included HB 4226 on timelines for judicial recusals, HB 2936 barring people convicted of pedophilia from adopting, HB 3322 on interpreting statutes when multiple versions exist, HB 4296 protecting a notary’s home address from publication, HB 3278 creating a process to resolve Open Meetings Act violations without court, HB 4202 moving radiology reimbursement rates in workers’ compensation to the fee schedule, HB 3648 extending Governmental Tort Claims Act coverage to OU Health entities, HB 3500 removing a nine-month delay for filing a transfer-on-death deed confirmation, and HB 3037 adding certain students working under professors to the employee definition for tort-claim purposes. The committee also laid over HB 2941, HB 2959, HB 387, HB 4176, and HB 419, and adjourned after reporting the remaining bills due pass.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
December 2, 2025 - 03:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- the necessity is that when this unit is reinvestigating this crime, it could result in the public disclosure
Summary:
The Criminal Justice Subcommittee considered four bills and reported all of them favorably. HB 373, by Rep. Duggins, tolls the statute of limitations for the offense of knowingly and willfully failing to report suspected child abuse until law enforcement or another outside agency learns of the violation. Members raised concerns about fairness if the underlying abuse is time-barred while the reporter still faces prosecution, and the sponsor said he would discuss possible changes with his state attorney, but the bill was not amended and passed 13-0.
HB 359, by Rep. Anderson, extends the deadline for forensic examination of seized computers and electronic devices from 45 days to 365 days. Supporters from the Florida Prosecutors Association and state attorneys said modern devices are difficult and time-consuming to unlock and analyze, creating repeated requests to extend search deadlines and slowing investigations in cases involving child exploitation, homicide, and other crimes. The bill passed 13-0.
HB 703, by Rep. Gentry, preserves a public records exemption for information generated by a state attorney’s conviction integrity unit during reinvestigation of a claim of innocence, with supporters saying disclosure could reveal sensitive information such as alternate suspects, witnesses, or evidence and compromise the review. It passed 12-0. HB 4001, by Rep. Tant, caps inmate health care compensation in Jefferson County at 110% of the Medicare reimbursement rate to encourage preexisting provider contracts and prevent overbilling; it also passed 13-0. The committee then adjourned.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
November 18, 2025 - 03:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- Take up House Bill 89 by representative bracket relating to veterinary prescription disclosure and you
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division I (03/05/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:42:03.640><c> person</c><00:42:04.640><c> okay</c> the other for Deputy policy person okay the
- other for Deputy policy person okay why<00:42:05.319><c> don't</c><00:42:06.319><c> that's</c><00:42
- </c><00:54:48.960><c> and</c> P it's um second uh chief of policy and P it's um second uh chief of policy
- The other policy position, I believe, is not mandatory; it's optional, and therefore that person could
- They worked out the policy side of it on our front for here today.
Summary:
The committee took up House Bill 2 provisions affecting the New Hampshire Retirement System, focusing on Group 2/Tier B retirement changes in pages 25 through 39 of the bill. NHRS Executive Director Jan Goodwin and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions and to HB 727, with the main difference being that the 2025 version does not include the earlier increase in the maximum benefit. They also said the fiscal note for HB 2 is based on earlier actuarial work and that an updated valuation was expected later in the week.
A major topic was whether the bill accidentally removed an anti-spiking or special-duty compensation limit. NHRS said the omission appears to be a scrivener’s error caused by moving language between Group 1 and Group 2 definitions, and they planned to flag it in the fiscal note. Members also reviewed the bill’s intent to restore Tier B members to pre-2011 benefit rules, including changes to earnable compensation, average final compensation, and the comp-over-base rule. Some members questioned whether restoring those older rules was appropriate, arguing the 2011 changes were meant to curb pension spiking and that undoing them could be problematic.
The committee also discussed the bill’s cost and funding assumptions. NHRS said the 2025 bill would reduce unfunded actuarial liability by about $98.2 million and would have a more favorable effect than the 2023 version, while employer contribution impacts would remain relatively small. Members noted the bill assumes annual appropriations of $27.5 million for 10 years, but House Bill 1 currently provides only $5 million in the first year, and NHRS had not yet analyzed the effect of that shortfall. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill’s language, intent, and fiscal impact.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So we're in that stage right now where it's a policy decision.
- That is kind of a policy, Senator, at the end of the day.
- **Charlie Smith**: Selected fiscal and policy issues.
- Turning to page 3, there are two included items as policy issues.
- My name is **Mitra Avini**, and I am a policy advisor at Texas 2036.
Committee:
Senate Finance
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- >> We have, um, many policies which could spell out what many of our processes, um, look like.
- We have<00:30:47.520><c> um</c><00:30:47.919><c> many</c><00:30:48.320><c> policies</c><00:30:49.200>
- <c> which</c><00:30:50.080><c> could</c><00:30:50.399><c> spell</c> have um many policies which could
- spell have um many policies which could spell out<00:30:51.200><c> what</c><00:30:52.240><c> many</c
- Senator Moriwaki asked whether existing laws cover financial disclosures or disclosure of interests.
Committee:
Senate Labor and Technology
Summary:
The committees heard testimony on several personnel and employment bills. SB 2119 would require the state or counties to reimburse public officers and employees for approved work-related travel costs within 30 days; testifiers from the State Procurement Office, UPW, HGA, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and others supported the measure, citing delayed reimbursements. SB 3131 would update state position titles by changing “private secretary” to “executive assistant” and “secretary” to “administrative assistant” where applicable, and it drew support from DEED and comments from the State Librarian. SB 3069 would permanently exempt a limited number of specialized positions in DAGS Public Works and the Comptroller’s office from civil service; DAGS, HCDA, and DEED supported it, while UPW opposed it. Committee members questioned whether the exemption should be narrower and whether the positions should be consultants or actual employees, and DAGS said the roles were narrowly tailored, highly specialized, and intended to help manage complex projects such as Aloha Stadium, the convention center, and other major redevelopment work.
The committee then heard SB 3180, which would repeal the limit on temporary employment in a single position for two 89-day terms. Testimony included support from the Procurement Office, DOE, DHRD, the State Librarian in opposition, UPW written comments, HGA, the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii, and others. Discussion focused on whether the bill was needed to address abuse of repeated 89-day hires and whether it would affect recruitment and career pathways. Finally, SB 2137 would allow departments, divisions, and agencies to assume hiring and recruitment functions from DHRD under certain conditions. DHRD opposed the bill, saying existing law already allows delegation and that agency-level recruitment often lacks the expertise and staffing to do the work; UHPA supported it, and UPW submitted written support. In questioning, DHRD said it had reduced backlog and was now current on screening, while also offering programs like Operation Hire Hawaii for faster agency-led recruitment.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
CPN-PSM, CPN-EDT, CPN Public Hearing 02-05-2025
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- My name is Emily Sasa, and I'm a policy fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi.
- This measure establishes rate-making regulations for insurers who base their rates on a policy holder's
- So Act 199 was adopted, requiring a mandatory disclosure of what is considered seven critical items on
- It's a simple disclosure item. ...It was signed into law, effective July 1, 2023.
- It's a simple disclosure item.
Committee:
Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection
Summary:
The committee opened by outlining testimony procedures and then heard SB 376 on tax credits, which would create a home fire safety improvement tax credit. Testimony from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi urged that the concept would be better handled as a subsidy program and raised drafting concerns about unclear definitions and eligibility. Later, the committees agreed to pass SB 376 with amendments, including making the credit nonrefundable, clarifying third-party certification, deleting recapture-related language, and making technical changes.
Members then heard SB 417, which would make unlicensed contractor work during or within five years after an emergency or disaster a class B felony. The Contractors License Board was listed for comments, and the Subcontractors Association supported the measure. The committees ultimately recommended passage with technical, non-substantive amendments and an adjusted effective date, and the measure was adopted.
A substantial portion of the meeting focused on SB 782, which would require free and accessible voice communication services for incarcerated people and prohibit state agencies from profiting from those services, while also directing the PUC to set standards and providing funding for the SAVIN victim notification program. Supporters, including the Public Defender, ACLU of Hawaiʻi, Worth Rises, and others, argued the bill would reduce costs for families, improve reentry, and align adult corrections with the juvenile system. Opponents, including the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority, and SAVIN-related witnesses, warned that changing the funding structure could weaken victim notification and safety services. The committees deferred SB 782.
The committee also heard SB 999 on fireworks, which would repeal permissible consumer fireworks uses, impose civil penalties and forfeiture remedies, and create a forfeiture special fund for safety education. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, while fireworks industry representatives and others opposed it, arguing prohibition would be ineffective and urging stronger enforcement and education instead. The committees deferred SB 999 for further consideration, and SB 1136 on insurance was also deferred after insurers and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs opposed it. In the later joint session with the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, SB 744 on condominium loans was heard with support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and banking groups, while one testifier raised concerns that the program could function like C-PACE financing and add risky debt to condominium associations; testimony and discussion continued on that measure.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Indian Affairs Aug 14th, 2025
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- And policy priorities.
- A lack of supporting policies.
- Policies and regulations need to happen.
- But again, we need supporting policies.
- The policy with the Housing Authority needs to change.