Transcript Highlights:

• The May Revision also requires community colleges to offer employees up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy
• The May revision also requires community colleges to offer employees up to 14 weeks, The May revision
• also requires community colleges to offer employees up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave
• And look at to try to resolve that issue, because if they don't, employees at these districts would not
• Because that feels like it'd be a little bit unfair to the employees of those institutions that wouldn't

Summary: The subcommittee heard May Revision proposals for higher education, beginning with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Finance proposed a one-time $10 million General Fund backfill to repay a special fund loan used to cover litigation costs, plus provisional language to allow budget flexibility for a remaining legal expense and to repay the loan without interest. The LAO opposed shifting the litigation costs to the General Fund and raised legal concerns about waiving interest on the loan, noting that special fund loans have historically been repaid with interest. Members asked about the litigation amount and the estimated interest savings, which Finance said would be about $245,000. The committee then discussed University of California funding, including the Governor’s proposed compact funding and a $1.5 million one-time increase for the First Star foster youth program at UC campuses. UC said the program has strong outcomes at UCLA, including a 100% college-going rate and high college completion rates, and that the new funding would expand the program to additional campuses and eventually be self-supporting through fundraising. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that UC already has overlapping outreach programs, including the Early Academic Outreach Program, and that the new initiative would duplicate existing services. Several senators questioned whether the state should expand a new program instead of strengthening existing ones, while UC and Finance emphasized the program’s focus on foster youth and its high success rates. For the California Community Colleges, Finance outlined the May Revision’s increase to the Student-Centered Funding Formula COLA from 2.41% to 4.31%, along with enrollment growth funding, categorical COLAs, deferred maintenance, and other ongoing and one-time investments. The Chancellor’s Office supported the flexible “super COLA” approach and asked for more enrollment growth funding, arguing that many districts are already above current targets and that unfunded growth restricts access. The LAO recommended funding at least the statutory COLA, redirecting some ongoing funds to enrollment growth or one-time priorities, and rejecting the $9.7 million Adult Learner Demonstration Project because districts already have incentives to do similar work. Senators pressed Finance and the Chancellor’s Office on the use of COLA funds to cover the new paid pregnancy disability leave requirement, the impact on hold-harmless and basic-aid districts, and whether the state should fund actual enrollment growth rather than a flat COLA. The committee also reviewed California Student Aid Commission proposals, including adjustments to Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship funding, continued Golden State Teacher Grant funding, and implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance said the Middle Class Scholarship changes reflected updated caseload estimates and that the higher 35% unmet-need level had been one-time funding, while CSAC urged continued support and noted the importance of financial aid for student success. The LAO recommended rejecting additional Golden State Teacher Grant funding as not well-targeted and urged caution on Workforce Pell trailer bill language, citing uncertainty about federal rules, ongoing administrative workload, and the need for clearer implementation planning. Members also raised concerns about declining CADAA applications and the need to better promote state aid for undocumented and mixed-status students. No votes were taken during the transcripted portion, and the committee moved through the agenda items with questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• We still have to have all of our employees fingerprinted with the state, submit our fire and health code
• That means that my employee that started in February, a couple weeks ago, got fingerprinted in January
• to have a rap-back program that the FBI reviews every two years, and I make sure that all of my employees
• That means that my employee that started in February, That means that my employee that started in February
• to have a wrap-back program that the FBI reviews every two years and I make sure that all of my employees

Summary: The committee first continued the public hearing on House Bill 2897, which would expand optometrists’ authority to perform certain office-based procedures. Supporters, including an optometrist from rural Missouri, argued the bill would improve access to care in counties without resident ophthalmologists, reduce wait times and travel burdens, and better align scope of practice with optometry training. Opponents, including representatives of osteopathic physicians, raised concerns about patient safety, the lack of live-human-eye training in Missouri, and whether the bill would actually direct services to rural areas. The hearing then closed on HB 2897 without a vote. The committee next heard House Bill 2353 on interior designers’ licensure and sign-and-seal authority. The sponsor and supporters said the bill modernizes the profession, moves oversight under the state’s architecture/engineering board, and would let licensed interior designers stamp their own non-structural work after education, testing, and experience requirements. Supporters emphasized workforce retention, consumer savings, and that interior designers are trained in fire/life safety, ADA, and code compliance. Opponents from engineering groups said they were still negotiating language but objected to provisions that could be read to require interior designers for broad categories of buildings or blur boundaries with architecture and engineering; they asked for clearer scope language and continued collaboration. No final action was taken. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2241, which would create a framework for certain faith-based residential child care facilities to operate outside the standard foster care licensing system under a new oversight board. The sponsor said the bill is intended to address a shortage of foster placements while allowing Christian homes to maintain their religious mission, with background checks, inspections, and reporting still required. Supporters from Christian child care agencies said the bill would preserve religious freedom and expand placement capacity. Opponents, including child advocacy and child abuse prevention groups and several legislators, argued the proposal would create a separate, less accountable system for vulnerable children, weaken state oversight, and risk repeating past abuse scandals; they said existing licensing rules already allow faith-based providers to participate. The discussion was extensive, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• incorporating on-the-job accommodations, providing accessible physical structures to ensure success for all employees
• accommodations, providing accessible physical structures to ensure that there is success for all employees
• accommodations, providing accessible physical structures to ensure that there is success for all employees
• accommodations, providing accessible physical structures to ensure that there is success for all employees
• Radio, television broadcasting stations, websites, streaming platforms, and mobile applications that

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that they are about to share. ...the university systems to inform their employees that they are about
• My name is Cassie Mancini, and I'm here representing the California School Employees Association.
• It's frustrating, to say the least, for classified employees to hear from campus administrators that
• My name is Cassie Mancini, and I'm here representing the California School Employees Association.
• It's frustrating, to say the least, for classified employees to hear from campus administrators that

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• challenge of districts also face the challenge of serving<00:15:23.519><c> highly</c><00:15:23.800><c> mobile
• </c><00:15:24.279><c> student</c> serving highly mobile student serving highly mobile student populations
• I think that there are situations where parents, families, or employees want that protection.
• In section 13.43, that presumption is flipped for government employees, so there’s a list of public data
• But the bulk of what an employee does in their employment capacity is held by the employer—the government

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> The major prediction market platforms have entered mobile sports betting here in Minnesota, where
• For years, MIGA leaders have together supported a legal, state-regulated mobile sports betting market
• For years, MIGA leaders have together supported a legal, state-regulated mobile sports betting market
• gambling as you've used today uh mobile gambling as you've used today for<01:09:34.319><c> sports</c
• </c> Ohio should not have legalized mobile Ohio should not have legalized mobile sports<01:21:44.760>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm joined by a number of GLO employees.
• The commission will have the authority to hire its own executive director and employees.
• Employees and you can parse that out and whether if you're going to have to need specific designated
• We are 3,200 employees serving the state of Texas in all 254 counties.
• Unlike my esteemed colleague to my right from Parks and Wildlife with many employees, we have 14.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You are probably all aware that the election is conducted by county employees.
• It's conducted by county full-time employees.
• It's conducted by county full-time<00:16:15.759><c> employees.
• It's conducted by full-time employees.
• Already the election in Mobile happened.

Bills: HB541, HB541

Keywords: PFAS, drinking water, public health, environmental management, liability, primary elections, party registration, party affiliation, open primary, closed primary, runoff election, crossover voting, voter registration, Secretary of State, absentee ballot, polling place signage, election integrity, political party, Democrat, Republican

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 225 full-time employees. We have 225 full-time employees and 177 OPS employees.
• Of this $1.7 billion, key allocations include $505 million and 15 full-time employees to ensure Florida
• Of this $1.7 billion, key allocations include $505 million and 15 full-time employees to ensure Florida
• Before we launched a new mobile responsive user interface, claimants spent on average about 45 minutes
• December 2018, the I-Connect system went live into production for specific users, including APD employees

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several state technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Enterprise Business Solution (DEMS). FDEM said DEMS is about 50% complete, with some grants and finance functions already live, and is intended to replace manual disaster and grants processing with a cloud-based system. Officials described faster reimbursement timelines after recent storms, major return-on-investment claims, and a planned final phase focused on design, testing, communications, data governance, and additional functionality. Members asked about the total cost, the role of Florida Digital Service, deliverables-based contracting, and how much of the system is live; FDEM said the project is expected to cost about $16 million to $16.8 million and finish by June 2027, with some follow-up information to be provided. The Department of Legal Affairs presented its Office of Attorney General Modernization Program, a follow-up to an earlier effort that failed after spending about $26 million. Acting Attorney General John Gard said the department has now moved to an off-the-shelf case management product, LawBase, and is in development and testing, with the Office of Statewide Prosecution already live and full implementation expected by the end of the fiscal year. The request includes funding for staff augmentation, cloud storage, the LawBase license, redundancy through a backup site in Orlando, and OnBase support. Members questioned the prior failure, the use of Florida Digital Service standards, data location and cloud migration, and the redundancy plan; Gard said lessons learned included better scoping and that the current effort is on track. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles then updated the committee on Motorist Modernization, including the Orion system and the MyDMV portal. Officials said Phase 1 and Phase 2 have modernized driver license and motor vehicle services, with Phase 2 statewide rollout scheduled to begin in April 2025 and Phase 3 proposed at $16.5 million for dealer services, data warehouse improvements, and call center modernization. Members asked about payment options, organ donor questions, staffing, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and the digital driver license program. The agency said the portal already allows some sanctions to be cleared online, an ACH option is being developed, the digital driver license vendor has changed with a fall go-live anticipated, and the department is using security testing and a managed security service provider. Officials also said the system is currently on an on-prem private cloud, with future workloads expected to move to public cloud where appropriate. Finally, Florida Commerce presented on the Reemployment Assistance modernization system, Reconnect, and the FLWINS workforce system. Commerce said Reconnect is hosted in the Azure Government Cloud, has reduced claim filing time, improved fraud detection, and increased appeals capacity, and now needs $4.9 million in recurring funding to cover ongoing operations, cloud hosting, licenses, and staff augmentation. Members asked about adjudication issues, wait times, fraud prevention, and whether the system stores caller identifiers; Commerce said the average wait to speak to a representative is about 18 minutes and claims are generally processed in four to six weeks. The committee then began hearing about FLWINS, which is intended to create a “no wrong door” workforce portal under the REACH Act, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• That, um, obviously there were some people who weren't included, and that was the state employees.
• Then what became obvious was not just the state employees, but what happens if the state employee has
• So, right now, I would, you know, in terms of my employee who was really up there, it's like $1,500 a
• who was really up terms of my employee who was really up there<01:36:46.800><c> so</c><01:36:47.440>
• </c> well how where's the enforce Mobility well how where's the enforce Mobility who's<01:42:11.840><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 733-FN, a bill concerning third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors funding lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, increases litigation abuse, and contributes to higher insurance and consumer costs. He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with guardrails and reporting requirements on specified pages of the bill. He also noted a couple of drafting fixes, including adding the word “knowingly” and incorporating a missing section later. Members raised questions about the bill’s foreign-entity language, especially the provision allowing a governor or the Department of Safety to designate a country as a threat to critical infrastructure. Representative Cole said he would have lawyers review that issue. Another member asked whether the bill would prohibit a party from obtaining outside funding for a lawsuit; Cole clarified that the bill is intended as a reporting measure, not a ban, and that disclosure would be required. He also said the bill is aimed at American citizens rather than foreign-backed financing, and that some states had considered caps on such arrangements, though this bill does not. Brandon Gratz of the Attorney General’s office testified that the enforcement language appears too limited, because it would allow only civil penalties and not broader Consumer Protection Act remedies such as injunctions or restitution. He suggested the Attorney General may not have meaningful authority under the bill as written and raised possible insurance-law issues. Commissioner D.J. Benton-Court of the Insurance Department said the disclosure could help insurers better assess risk and potentially soften the hard insurance market by improving transparency, competition, underwriting, innovation, and claims management. He also said the bill likely needs further work on jurisdiction and enforcement, and that the committee may need to coordinate with the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and possibly banking regulators. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Cassie Mancini, and I'm here representing the California School Employees Association.
• It's frustrating, to say the least, for classified employees to hear from campus administrators that
• The point of our community colleges is to serve students and workers, classified employees and faculty
• My name is Cassie Mancini, and I'm here representing the California School Employees Association.
• It's frustrating, to say the least, for classified employees to hear from campus administrators that

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills. SB 1154 would allow community college districts to use best-value procurement for public works projects over $1 million. The author and community college supporters argued it would give colleges flexibility similar to K-12, UC, and CSU and help avoid delays and costly change orders. Contractors and electrical subcontractors opposed the bill, saying its skilled-and-trained workforce requirement and safety provisions would narrow competition and disadvantage small and nonunion firms. The bill passed the committee on a due-pass vote and was placed on call. SB 1347 would clarify that stock albuterol may be stocked in all public schools, including preschool programs. The author and a physician testified that the bill would remove confusion in existing law and improve access to emergency asthma medication for students. School nurses, respiratory care advocates, and small school districts supported the measure, and there was no opposition. The bill passed unanimously on a due-pass to the floor vote and was placed on call. SB 1222 would create a pilot program to designate a lead county office to help regions struggling with career technical education implementation. Supporters said many students remain disconnected from school and work and that the bill would spread proven regional CTE practices. Some committee members questioned whether another pilot was needed, arguing existing CTE programs need more funding and fewer new structures, while the author and sponsor said the bill would build regional capacity and share successful models. The bill passed to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. SB 1378 would create a California Excellence in Service Learning Designation Program to recognize schools and districts with strong service-learning programs. Supporters said it would validate existing work and encourage civic engagement, while one member raised concerns about adding more designations and workload for schools. The bill passed as amended to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. SB 1048 would create a Seal of Climate Literacy for high school students demonstrating climate science knowledge through coursework and hands-on learning. Supporters, including the Department of Education and climate education groups, said it would align students with growing clean-energy careers; some members cautioned against adding more curriculum-related seals and noted equity and implementation concerns. The bill passed to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. Later, SB 1101, the Higher Education Data Sharing Transparency Act, was presented. It would require CSU, community colleges, independent colleges, and request UC to notify students, faculty, and staff when their personal information is shared with federal agencies such as the Office for Civil Rights, and to limit disclosure to what is legally required. Supporters said recent federal investigations and subpoenas have created fear and a lack of transparency on campuses. Committee discussion focused on subpoena authority, constitutional limits, and whether notice should be required; one member said she would abstain because of legal concerns, while another said the bill would continue to be examined in the next committee. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 1101 before a final vote is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are our employee information.
• Those are our employee development<00:35:04.880><c> is</c><00:35:05.200><c> employee</c><00:35:05.680
• , employees, employees, 371<01:08:26.199><c> full-time.
• </c> consideration the payout for employees consideration the payout for employees in in in 26<01:15:
• Page 27 unclassified employee.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to kind of enumerate what we've committed to accepting and implementing, namely including mobile
• Following the 2025 fires, General Motors deployed mobile charging units to assist affected residents,
• We've seen recently that Florida has similarly deployed mobile fast chargers along evacuation routes
• Currently, Florida has similarly deployed mobile fast chargers along evacuation routes during Hurricane
• There are mobile charger stations. There are that you can bring in.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several emergency-management-related bills. AB 1749 would prohibit drones from knowingly or recklessly interfering with wildfire suppression or other emergency response airspace and authorize civil enforcement with penalties up to $75,000 per violation. AB 1540 would restore the 988 “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, with the author and supporters describing it as a needed crisis lifeline; opponents argued the bill was unnecessary and criticized the Trevor Project. AB 1805 would overhaul oversight of the state’s troubled next-generation 911 project by strengthening the advisory board, requiring quarterly reports, and mandating an independent technical evaluation and audit. AB 1832 would create a statewide 2-1-1 support fund and a community needs dashboard to expand and stabilize 2-1-1 services. AB 2543 would require EV charging operators to develop emergency management plans and identify backup power or charging options during disasters, with opponents arguing it singled out one industry and could slow deployment. Testimony was largely in support of AB 1540, AB 1805, and AB 1832, with many public agencies, behavioral health groups, fire organizations, and local governments backing the measures. AB 1540 drew emotional testimony from a parent who lost a child to suicide, while AB 1805 received support from police chiefs, dispatchers, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which discussed the need for an independent technical review of regional versus statewide 911 system options. AB 1832 supporters emphasized that 2-1-1 helps divert non-emergency calls from 911 and provides critical disaster information and referrals. AB 2543 drew opposition from EV charging companies and industry groups, who said the bill imposed unique obligations on private operators and did not address all fuel types. After debate, the committee voted to advance all of the measures. AB 1540 was sent to Senate Health, AB 1749 to Senate Judiciary, AB 1805 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection, AB 1832 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications, and AB 2543 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications with amendments to be taken in the next committee. The consent item, AB 1836, was also approved. Final recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with AB 2543 receiving the most opposition but still passing the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, our mobile clinics that we have launched out in this area have really helped, but that might
• We've seen some success with mobile access, and I think that would be an area that we would look to figure
• Mobile care units reaching patients before they need emergency care.
• Closer to Home, that’s building on a lot of the work from this commission, this committee before in mobile
• And the work and the success that you had initially on improving transportation options, looking at mobile

Keywords: House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we probably have to do something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should
• And we probably have to do something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should
• Something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should happen.
• So I was just, I think when you said that about the mobile, I think that addresses that.
• You know, those mobile food trucks can cost anywhere from $250,000 to a half million dollars.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we probably have to do something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should
• And we probably have to do something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should
• Something like a mobile food truck to help make that happen the way it should happen.
• So I was just—I think when you said that about the mobile, I think that addresses that.
• You know, those mobile food trucks can cost anywhere from $250,000 to a half million dollars.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cassie Mancini here on behalf of the California School Employees Association, co-sponsors of AB 84.
• Cassie Mansini, on behalf of the California School Employees Association, in support. Thank you.
• And certainly our employees need to learn this de-escalation training.
• And certainly our employees need to learn this de-escalation training.
• Castie Mancini on behalf of the California School Employees Association in respectful opposition.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires the director of transportation to adopt rules allowing for mobile vehicle safety inspections
• </c> to adopt rules allowing for mobile to adopt rules allowing for mobile vehicle<00:32:40.399><c> safety
• I think now we have the tablets, you know, mobile data, and we're able to do things a little bit more
• </c><00:33:17.120><c> data</c><00:33:17.440><c> and</c> tablets that you know mobile data and tablets
• </c> purpose of a mobile vehicle inspection. purpose of a mobile vehicle inspection.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard several vehicle and traffic safety measures. HB 2347, which would require the director of transportation to adopt rules allowing mobile vehicle safety inspections, drew support from DOT and individual testifiers who said it would add convenience and efficiency for passenger vehicle owners. Committee members questioned how home or driveway inspections would handle safety standards such as headlight checks and whether added convenience would come with higher costs; DOT also said it would follow up on inspection fees and audit procedures. HB 182, which would exempt motorcycles and passenger cars from safety inspections, received opposition from DOT, the Hawaii Police Department, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, with Grassroot Institute in support. HB 2022, which would equalize county and state annual vehicle registration fees, was opposed by the Hawaii Transportation Association because it would raise costs that would likely be passed on to consumers. The committee also took testimony on HB 1708, which would make operating a vehicle under the influence at a high intoxication level a class C felony and add probation requirements. Prosecutors, police, DOT, and the Honolulu customer services department supported the bill, while the Public Defender’s Office opposed it, arguing that it would increase court workload, require more defense resources, and create collateral consequences, including possible immigration impacts. Several witnesses and members discussed a proposed HD1 that would change the bill to a graduated penalty structure, making a first offense a misdemeanor and a second offense a felony, while also addressing deferred pleas and DUI deferrals. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the bill’s intent but warned that Oahu lacks a reliable electronic or telephonic warrant system, which could lead to more refusals and additional court impacts. HB 2086, which would amend negligent injury in the first degree to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers, received support from DOT, county prosecutors, police, and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office. Honolulu’s prosecutor supported the bill but recommended against the attached HD1, saying the current drafting better preserves negligent injury as a lesser included offense and avoids blending it with a separate statutory scheme. HB 2154, which would create a framework for intelligent speed assist technology and require a report to the legislature, was supported by DOT, county police, Smart Start LLC, AAA Hawaii, and others, with the Alliance for Automobile Innovation offering comments and proposed amendments. A testifier described the bill as a way to prevent repeat speeding by limiting vehicles from accelerating beyond the speed limit. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, right now our mobile entities, 740 of the folks that we have licensed as mobile entities have $50,000
• units that fall under MDA uh mobile units that fall under MDA jurisdiction,<00:37:52.800><c> typically
• Um, right now our mobile<00:38:10.760><c> entities,</c><00:38:11.760><c> 30</c><00:38:12.480><c> um,<
• /c><00:38:12.640><c> let's</c><00:38:12.880><c> see</c><00:38:13.040><c> here,</c> mobile entities, 30
• um, let's see here, mobile entities, 30 um, let's see here, 740<00:38:15.280><c> um,</c><00:38:15.440

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, as of last week, there were 10 active rigs mobilizing and moving around, destroying the infrastructure
• infrastructure projects, it eliminates the salaries that you just talked about, given all their employees
• About giving all their employees that, you know, are we all going to get 25% raises because we just,

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on March 16, 2026, and heard several bills dealing mainly with tax checkoffs, severance tax revenue, and estimated tax administration. The first major item was HB 156 by Rep. Bagley, a proposed constitutional amendment to remove the cap on the 20% share of severance tax revenues remitted to parishes where production occurs. Supporters from local government and the Police Jury Association argued that the cap prevents parishes from receiving the full share intended to help repair roads, bridges, drainage, and other infrastructure damaged by oil and gas activity. Members raised concerns about the bill’s roughly $42 million fiscal note and the state budget outlook, and the author ultimately agreed to voluntarily defer the bill after discussion of possible phase-ins and other compromises. The committee then took up HB 602 by Rep. Bamberg, another severance-tax-related constitutional amendment that would phase in a higher parish cap over five years, with a separate amendment tying the increase to parishes that exempt business inventory from ad valorem taxes. After questions about how it would interact with the pending inventory-tax amendment and its fiscal impact, the committee adopted the amendment and voluntarily deferred the bill pending a fiscal note. The committee also heard HB 852 by Rep. Lyons, which restores the income tax checkoff for donations to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence by lowering the performance threshold from $10,000 to $5,000; members discussed the number of checkoffs on the return and the need to keep the form manageable, but the bill was reported favorably as amended. Next, the committee considered HB 474 by Rep. Young, creating an individual income tax checkoff for the Grambling University National Alumni Association. Members again debated whether tax-return checkoffs amount to government-facilitated fundraising and whether they crowd the return, but the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HB 633 by Chairman Bacala, a cleanup bill adjusting estimated tax penalty timing and calculations to match current tax law; an amendment set was adopted to replace references to personal exemptions with the standard deduction, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. The meeting concluded with adjournment.