Transcript Highlights:

• Given the consistent appreciation in agricultural land and assets, market value can be very high for
• </c> and increase in agricultural and increase in agricultural consolidation<00:08:47.720><c> so</c><
• and the Minnesota tax code, and that I'm here to fight for working-class people, for people who are
• This is the single most progressive tax in our tax code. ...for regular people who are having trouble
• The omnibus tax... in our tax in our tax code<00:36:56.680><c> and</c><00:36:57.800><c> one</c><00:36

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> code form steel. code form steel.
• It's in Texas.
• It's in Texas.
• It's in Texas.
• Um Texas is the one and &gt;&gt; It's in Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Code, you know, different things that we put in here.
• Code 36. Exceptions are given, including observances in U.S. Code 36.
• Senator, you mentioned this is something that happened in Texas.
• The Texas court said it was a fighter jet and artwork. That was reversed.
• And it also adds original bill, but it cites federal statute and code.

Bills: S0092 , S0110 , S0192 , S0212 , S0260 , S0350 , S0394 , S0422 , S0434 , S0442 , S0484 , S0546 , S0556 , S0684 , S0696 , S0706 , S0748 , S0786 , S0820 , S0824 , S0838 , S0840 , S0848 , S0856 , S0962 , S1000 , S1014 , S1036 , S1050 , S1054 , S1080 , S1118 , S1134 , S1338 , S1480 , S1500 , S1506 , S1622 , S1724

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: employee protections, whistleblower, retaliation, public trust, ethics complaint, Commission on Ethics, Public Employees Relations Commission, public employee, local government attorney, public officer, adverse personnel action, protected disclosure, whistleblower retaliation, state agency, independent contractor, public employment, civil service, reinstatement, back pay, front pay

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is coded A5. I recognize a member from Ramsey.
• The amendment to the amendment is coded A10.
• coded coded A8<00:24:39.080><c> I</c><00:24:39.240><c> recognize</c><00:24:39.760><c> the</c><00:24:
• </c> amendment is coded amendment is coded A9<00:27:51.559><c> I</c><00:27:51.679><c> recognize</c><00
• </c> overwhelmingly Texas Texas in the fiscal overwhelmingly Texas Texas in the fiscal year<00:54:06.280

Transcript Highlights:

• Fact that there are codes or zones that need to be addressed.
• the code.
• I encourage you to scan that QR code, as it will have...
• The QR code is not going to stop that. It is not.
• That kind of goes to, if the QR code is up, and it has these, so is that going to then... ...code is

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 2330, reconsidering a prior due-pass vote and then voting the House Committee Substitute due pass by roll call. It then considered House Bill 2291, where an amendment meant to clarify municipal building-code and zoning authority was discussed at length and ultimately withdrawn after members raised concerns that it would undercut the bill’s purpose; the bill itself then received a due-pass recommendation. House Bill 2336, dealing with state property conveyances and title issues, also drew questions about unclear title and the status of several properties, but the committee adopted the House Committee Substitute and voted the bill do pass. The committee then moved into public hearing on House Bill 3136, which would remove the state prohibition on creating a Missouri-based health insurance exchange; the sponsor and a witness argued it could save money, keep exchange fees in-state, and give Missouri more control, while several members objected that it would reverse the 2012 voter-approved prohibition and could entrench federal health-care policy. No action was taken on that bill in the hearing. The committee next heard House Bill 1833, which would let certain state employees opt out of the state health plan and receive a partial cash payout if they have other coverage. The sponsor argued it could be cost-neutral or save money and give employees more flexibility, while members and the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan raised concerns about fiscal impact, adverse selection, administrative burden, and whether the proposal turns a benefit into an entitlement. The witness for the plan said the fiscal note was based on about 4,112 active employees who already opt out, warned the stipend would be taxable and could create a new benefit that is hard to remove, and said proof of outside coverage would need to be maintained. The hearing then moved to House Bill 2506, which would require DESE to post QR-code placards at licensed child care facilities linking parents to existing inspection and complaint records; supporters said it would help parents make safer choices at no fiscal cost, while DESE explained the portal already exists and complaints are investigated quickly, and a witness described serious problems at one facility to illustrate why the information matters. Finally, the committee opened public hearing on House Bill 1758, a proposal to move Missouri to permanent daylight saving time once federal law allows it. The sponsor argued it would improve safety, boost economic activity, and avoid the inconvenience of changing clocks twice a year, while members raised concerns about darker mornings for schoolchildren and commuters and questioned whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The hearing was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final committee action on House Bill 3136, 1833, 2506, or 1758 was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• versus prescriptive-based building code.
• And we were learning about performance-based building code versus prescriptive-based building code, which
• of performance codes and prescriptive codes.
• California's codes are currently, or building standards, are a mix of performance codes and prescriptive
• codes.

Transcript Highlights:

• versus prescriptive-based building code.
• And we were learning about performance-based building code versus prescriptive-based building code, which
• of performance codes and prescriptive codes.
• A mix of performance codes and prescriptive codes.
• Since 2010, we've had the first-in-the-nation green building code.

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on housing construction innovation, focusing on factory-built and modular housing as a way to lower costs, speed delivery, and expand housing supply. The chair framed the effort as a search for practical innovation paired with land use, financing, and regulatory changes that could make housing more affordable for working families. Government witnesses from HCD, the Strategic Growth Council, and the tax credit and bond allocation agencies explained how factory-built housing is regulated, how California standards and third-party approvals work, and how state programs are trying to build regional demand and financing pipelines for modular production. Testimony from investors and developers emphasized both the promise and the risks of modular construction. JP Morgan Chase and the Housing Accelerator Fund described projects that achieved meaningful time and cost savings, but said lenders still see elevated risk because of manufacturer solvency, upfront deposits, transportation and installation issues, and the need for standardized designs and experienced teams. They urged more standardization, more local factories, better alignment between financing timelines and construction schedules, and state support such as backstops, top-loss capital, and scoring preferences in tax credit and bond programs. Several speakers noted that recent federal changes to the 4% tax credit program increased production capacity, but warned that without continued state investment the pipeline could face a future funding cliff. The workforce panel, including union contractors, factory supervisors, and labor representatives, said modular construction can support good jobs if it is paired with union labor, training, and fair standards. They described benefits for workers such as steadier schedules, less commuting, improved safety, and better work-life balance, while also stressing the need for wages, health coverage, retirement benefits, and apprenticeship opportunities. Union representatives supported a model that keeps both factory and on-site work unionized and said the industry could create more jobs overall if California builds more factories and develops a stable, long-term demand pipeline. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The statute provides that we make recommendations for legislation deemed necessary to improve the Code
• The Office of Election Crimes and Security is continuing to pursue violations of the Election Code.
• The Office of Election Crimes and Security is continuing to pursue violations of the Election Code.
• We provide files where we find probable cause for violations of the election code.
• Not only that, of course, he is the president of an agricultural, mining, and development company.

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and heard a presentation from the Florida Commission on Ethics on several proposed legislative changes. The commission asked for changes to the Whistleblower Act to better cover ethics complaints, a public records exemption for commissioners’ and staff members’ sensitive personal information, an expanded gift-disclosure family definition to include foster relationships, and a first-time waiver of fines for late financial disclosure filers. Staff also requested technical fixes, including treating a timely postmarked appeal as filed on time, clarifying Form 6 filing requirements for appointees to elected seats, extending ethics-training requirements to municipal appointees filling unexpired terms, and clarifying where Form 10 gift disclosures are filed. Commission staff reported high electronic filing compliance rates, the rollout of automated fines, and an average of 92 days for completed preliminary investigations in 2025. They also updated the committee on two federal court challenges involving the in-office lobbying ban and the Form 6 requirement for elected municipal officers. The committee then heard from Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who outlined preparations for the 2026 election cycle and several policy proposals. He discussed work with new supervisors of elections, ongoing election-crimes enforcement, cooperation with federal agencies on citizenship verification, and data-sharing agreements with other states. Byrd also proposed a statewide pre-certification audit system with grants for smaller counties, a more streamlined process for checking voter citizenship status after registration, and a modernization fix for voter records affected by randomized driver’s license numbers. Members asked about special elections, election-crimes investigations, returning-citizen voting determinations, chain-of-custody procedures, and interstate data-sharing agreements. Byrd said special election timing is controlled by the governor, the elections-crimes office investigates but does not arrest, returning-citizen applications are resolved within 90 days, and he is confident in current chain-of-custody practices. The committee also considered gubernatorial nominations. By unanimous vote, members approved a block of nominees, then separately took up Joshua Kellum’s nomination to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The committee heard sworn public testimony from Robin Blevins, who urged rejection of Kellum’s appointment and criticized his background and past involvement in FWC-related advocacy. After brief discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve Kellum’s nomination as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• The game wardens have said, 'Nope, you are in violation of the state's conservation code, Century Code
• A lot of that land was agricultural land, and we value that by soil type.
• I believe one of them is whether the property is classified as agricultural.
• I think it's in the waiver rules, like the Code of Federal Regulations, as well.
• I think it's in the waiver rules, like the Code of Federal Regulations, as well.

Committee: Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So this expands that to other building code matters.
• So this expands that to other building code matters.
• In just the last few years, Texas and Tennessee have also passed this language.
• to other the building code it expanded to other the building code it expanded dramatically<03:03:44.200
• So if you can hire just building code, right, is that what this is?

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Medical Board, who found that we were in compliance with that set forth in Business and Professions Code
• And in a rural agricultural district, it's very difficult to get health care services, period.
• come into existing priority programs right now that are already actually reflected also in the BP code
• Instead, it was intended to apply to the animal agriculture industry in which surgical procedures such
• Instead, it was intended to apply to the animal agriculture industry in which surgical procedures such

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills on access to care, professional licensing, and consumer protection, beginning as a subcommittee because quorum was initially lacking. AB 1307 would create a pilot program allowing up to 30 qualified dentists from Mexico to work in underserved California areas for up to three years; the author and sponsor framed it as a cost-neutral way to address dental shortages, the California Dental Association moved from opposition to neutral after amendments, and members expressed support. AB 1703 would restrict use of osteopathic titles and osteopathic manipulative treatment to licensed DOs; supporters said it would prevent patient confusion and unlicensed practice, while non-physician osteopaths argued it would criminalize a long-standing, safe practice and reduce access. Members raised concerns about consumer clarity and access, and the author said she would continue working with opponents. AB 2250 made technical cleanup changes to last year’s hemp enforcement law, with support from the cannabis industry and no opposition. AB 1758 would raise the annual seller-of-travel assessment for the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund from $35 to $60, and AB 1794 would allow prescribed enteral nutrition formulas to be drop-shipped directly to patients’ homes with pharmacist oversight; both drew support and no opposition. AB 1775 would expand state licensing priority and related support for veterans discharged because of a federal transgender military policy, with emotional testimony from a transgender Army captain and support from equality and women’s organizations. AB 1939 would allow licensed professional fiduciaries to form corporations, and AB 2477 would create a limited provisional period for new pest control employees to work under supervision while licensing is pending; both were supported, though AB 2477 drew questions about supervision and committee amendments. AB 1999 would address veterinary workforce shortages by creating retired volunteer status, a shelter-veterinarian pathway, changes to VCPR rules, and narrowing the owner exemption to exclude surgical procedures; supporters cited animal welfare concerns, while some opponents warned about overreach. AB 2010 would permit high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinics in nontraditional settings to expand access, but the Veterinary Medical Board and some advocates opposed it unless amended over safety and clarity concerns. AB 2311 would let public health care district hospitals directly employ physicians, with supporters saying it would improve recruitment and access and opponents warning about erosion of physician autonomy; the author said the bill included safeguards, a sunset, and reporting requirements, and continued negotiations were ongoing. After quorum was established, the committee took roll-call votes and advanced the bills, generally on party-line or broad bipartisan votes, with several measures placed on call and others sent to Appropriations, Judiciary, Revenue and Taxation, Military and Veterans Affairs, or other committees as noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Navajo and a daughter of a Navajo code talker.
• I'm also a daughter of a Navajo code talker, and that's how I got to meet Jean. ...a daughter of a Navajo
• code talker, and that's how I got to meet Jean through that organization when she was the secretary
• We amended that in Agriculture, so I don't know if you guys have the amended version, but we took that
• So the day this bill ran through Agriculture, I was signing up for my run in U.S.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Brent Carlton, Executive Director of the Texas Medical Board.
• They have no authority over the Texas Medical Board.
• In Texas or in the nation? In Texas, the starting salary is what, 102?
• I mentioned Texas State Technical College.
• an array of settings across Texas.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I bring the Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee to order this morning on the 10th of April.
• Agriculture wants, needs these particular pesticides for crop production, and yet there seems to be big
• this particular bill and this is not only just in North Dakota this is a national type of a issue agriculture
• wants needs issue, agriculture wants, needs these particular pesticides for crop production and yet
• wasn't something that was originated here, okay, what this does is it limits it more to the section of code

Bills: HB1318

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs

Summary: The Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee met on April 10 and took up House Bill 1318, a bill dealing with pesticide-related liability and warning-label issues. The chair explained that the bill had drawn strong interest from both agriculture and public health sides, and that the committee was trying to craft language that would protect consumers without unduly harming agricultural production. He said the committee had worked through multiple draft amendments and was now considering Amendment 1006, which was described as a compromise combining earlier proposals and narrowing the bill’s scope to pesticides registered with the state commissioner. Members discussed whether the amendment would weaken the original intent of the bill. Senator Myrdal said the revised language added needed guardrails and addressed concerns about overly broad preemption language and warning-label standards, while also preserving agriculture’s ability to operate. After a motion to rescind the earlier action on the bill passed, Amendment 1006 was adopted unanimously by the members present. A motion to move the bill without committee recommendation failed for lack of a second. The committee then voted on House Bill 1318 as amended. The do-pass motion passed on a roll call vote, with Senators Weber, Luick, Myrdal, and Lemm voting yes, and Senators Marcellais and Weston voting no. The chair said he would carry the bill. The meeting ended with members thanking the chair and staff for their work during the session, and the chair noted he might call the committee back if a conference committee report required further input.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allen, to urge your request the American Sugarcane League, LSU Act Center, Southern University Agriculture
• Center, along with LSU AgCenter, Southern University Agriculture Center, along with agricultural manufacturers
• by Representative Boyer to urge and request certain entities involved in medical and public health coding
• to urge and request the LSU AgCenter, in coordination with the Southern Ag Center, Department of Agriculture
• and Forestry, to study and develop strategies to strengthen small- and mid-scale agricultural production

Bills: HR320 , HR321 , HR308 , HR309 , HR310 , HR311 , HR312 , HR313 , HR314 , HR315 , HR316 , HR317 , HR318 , HR319 , SCR65 , SCR74 , SCR76 , HR245 , SCR30 , SCR40 , HB1259 , SB4 , SB52 , SB57 , SB83 , SB145 , SB152 , SB194 , SB276 , SB319 , SB333 , SB448 , SB450 , SB465 , SB484 , SB501 , SB509 , HR73 , HR118 , HR144 , HR196 , HR237 , HR249 , HR260 , HR267 , HR272 , HR278 , HCR85 , HCR100 , HCR105 , HCR107 , HCR114 , SCR5 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SCR37 , SCR63 , HB62 , HB193 , HB210 , HB220 , HB246 , HB364 , HB420 , HB475 , HB584 , HB622 , HB772 , HB784 , HB949 , HB953 , HB1043 , HB1070 , HB1092 , HB1134 , HB1162 , HB1176 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB119 , HB129 , HB233 , HB283 , HB538 , HB789 , HB850 , HB870 , HB1236 , HB1241 , HB378 , HB509 , HB1090 , SB80 , SB131 , SB143 , SB251 , SB254 , SB279 , SB367 , SB384 , SB388 , SB389 , SB398 , SB408 , SB431 , SB468 , SB469 , SB496 , SB149 , HB463 , HB998 , SB123 , SB353 , SB479 , SB495 , SB82 , SB97 , SB283 , SB326 , SB518 , SB197 , SB268 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HR168 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB89 , HB74 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB468 , HB956 , HB1117 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB78 , SB217 , SB274 , SB300 , SB379 , SB382 , SB441 , SB449

Summary: The House met with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then received a series of Senate messages, conference committee appointments, and enrolled bill reports. The chamber also noted Senate concurrence in several House concurrent resolutions and the adoption of conference reports, while multiple Senate bills and resolutions were signed by the Senate President. Senate Bill 480, dealing with butterfly bottom nets and vessel use/anchorage, was referred to the Natural Resources Committee without objection. Members introduced several House resolutions, including measures to commend Arsenal Football Club, recognize Pope Leo XIV and 4-H honoree Margaret Mimi Stoker, study forensic medical exam protocols for domestic violence survivors, create a task force on second-degree murder sentencing, review miscarriage and pregnancy-loss terminology, commemorate the 250th anniversary of New Orleans, and support the National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Committee reports also moved forward bills on child welfare, water quality, scenic rivers, orphan wells, gravel mining reclamation, groundwater conservation, agricultural production, railroad hazards, and retirement system merger feasibility, along with resolutions on Pope Leo XIV and the LaMelle family. The House took up numerous Senate bills returned from the Legislative Bureau, adopting amendments and advancing many to third reading, including bills on health and welfare, education, insurance, and criminal justice. The chamber also reported favorably on resolutions condemning political violence and honoring public figures and organizations, and it scheduled several committee meetings for the following day, including Health and Welfare, Appropriations, Natural Resources, Civil Law, Transportation, and Ways and Means. The session ended with announcements about upcoming committee agendas and delegation meetings, and the House adjourned on motion to reconvene at 1:00 p.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is agency code 340.
• This is Agency Code 460.
• It's an agricultural fair.
• This is Agency Code 522.
• This is Agency Code 632, Mr. Chairman.

Transcript Highlights:

• Apples, potatoes, and wheat are the largest agriculture exports in our state.
• They represent over three billion dollars worth of agricultural products around the world.
• I have been vocal about the need for clarity in the tax code. and proudly led a letter alongside the
• but through the individual code because they are partnerships or they are sole proprietors.
• am familiar with is that the tax cuts and jobs Act actually increased the progressivity of the tax code

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: nomination, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, economic policy, inflation, tariffs, tribal nations, government relations

Summary: The meeting convened to consider the nomination of Mike Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. During the session, multiple members voiced concerns regarding current economic policies under the Trump administration, particularly around inflation, tariffs, and the impact on small businesses. Discussions frequently centered on the administration's approach to tariffs and taxation, and how these factors contribute to the rising cost of living and potential job losses. Additionally, the importance of bolstering government-to-government relationships with tribal nations was emphasized, highlighting the need for specialized offices focused on tribal affairs within the Treasury Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• Agriculture in the Valley supports across system levels in the Central Valley.
• And because of that, we're going to be able to ... ...around agriculture can coexist.
• Solar is not displacing thriving agriculture.
• The Valley is a very productive area agriculturally, and there are changes coming.
• We invest heavily in enforcement and continuous code updates.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, environmental, recycling, and land-use bills, beginning with SB 925 by Senator McNerney, which would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy. Supporters said the bill would help California retain leadership in fusion research and commercialization, attract investment, and create jobs, while some members emphasized the need to avoid overregulation and keep the state competitive. No opposition testified, and the bill was later approved on a 4-0 vote and held on call. The committee also heard SB 1350, another McNerney bill, to expand the use of green hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for turbines using renewable hydrogen. Supporters framed it as a way to support clean energy reliability, preserve tax credits, and create jobs, while opponents including TURN and Earthjustice warned about greenwashing, resource shuffling, and increased NOx emissions. The author and chair described committee amendments as adding guardrails, and the bill passed 4-0 and was held on call. Senator Grayson presented SB 1145, which would streamline CEQA and related review for qualifying projects in the Concord Reuse Project Area, part of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The bill is intended to speed a long-planned transit-oriented development with housing, commercial space, parks, and open space; supporters included local officials, labor groups, and business organizations, while a housing group raised concerns about affordable housing guarantees but still supported the CEQA exemption. The committee described the bill as balancing streamlining with retained environmental review and approved it 4-0, held on call. Senator Cabaldon’s SB 1341, dealing with CalRecycle processing fees for bag-in-a-box wine and spirits containers, also drew support from the wine industry and some environmental groups that wanted a workable recycling market, while glass packaging and other opponents objected to giving CalRecycle too much discretion; it too passed 4-0 and was held on call. The committee then heard SJR 13 by Senator Padilla, urging the U.S. to seek enforceable commitments to eliminate transboundary sewage pollution at the 2026 USMCA review. Supporters described severe public health and environmental harms from sewage and runoff in the Tijuana River and New River watersheds, especially for border and farmworker communities, and the resolution passed 4-0. Padilla’s SB 1033, requiring protein product manufacturers to test for and disclose heavy metals, drew support from consumer and public health groups citing Consumer Reports findings, while industry groups argued for narrower scope, QR-code options, and thresholds tied to health standards; the bill passed 3-0 and was held on call. Senator Ashby’s SB 1010, creating a manufacturer-funded system for refrigerant recovery from discarded appliances, was supported as a climate and enforcement measure but opposed by appliance manufacturers and recyclers who said existing law already regulates refrigerants and that the bill could raise costs and reduce recycling; it passed 4-0 and was held on call. Finally, Senator Caballero presented SB 1183, requiring a state study of the environmental, land-use, and economic impacts of industrial solar in the Central Valley. Supporters said the bill would help ensure solar development benefits local communities and farmland, while solar industry groups argued it duplicated existing work and should better reflect solar’s benefits; the bill was heard but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This reflected the restoration of the 2,500-acre agricultural site at the confluence of two big rivers
• We have a QR code on the passes so that people can self-report what they're experiencing or what they
• They're a threat to our beneficial uses, including agriculture, recreation, and the environment.
• So things like QR codes...
• may be there, including opportunities for folks to use a QR code and hear what species may be out at

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> it's to be applied for agricultural it's to be applied for agricultural housing<00:03:42.120><c>
• Agriculture."
• </c> agricultural workers. agricultural workers.
• </c> standard of the building code. standard of the building code. Okay. Okay. Okay.
• And so, though agriculture.

Bills: HB1736 , HB1620 , HB1695

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered. The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present. The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.