Transcript Highlights:

• Vice chair for the vote. Okay. Voting on STR 58, SR 42. Wakai votes yes.
• Vice chair for the vote. Okay. Voting on STR 58, SR 42.
• We are adjourning this joint committee. vote. Okay. Voting on STR 58 SR42. vote. Okay.
• Voting on STR 58 SR42.
• Um, I vote I. Senator Moriwalki I. Um, I vote I.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Health and Human Services heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 58 and Senate Resolution 42, which urge counties to install special-needs recreational playground equipment in parks and playgrounds. Testimony came from the Disability and Communication Access Board, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Disability Rights Center, Autism Moms of Kona, and a Pacific Disability Center representative, all supporting the resolutions. Several testifiers asked that the term “special needs” be replaced with “access and functional needs,” and one requested language broadening the measure to explicitly include developmentally and intellectually disabled youth. A committee member also discussed the need for inclusion and the benefits of accessible play for all children. After questions, the chairs said they would adopt amendments from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Autism Moms of Kona, and Tina Marie Kira, along with technical, non-substantive changes. Both committees then voted to recommend passage of SCR 58 and SR 42 with amendments, with members voting aye and some excused. The committees then heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 163 and Senate Resolution 132, which request counties to adopt flexible setback requirements for state buildings and facilities to improve land use efficiency and public service delivery. Testimony in support came from the Grassroots Institute and the Department of Accounting and General Services. The chairs moved the resolutions forward with technical, non-substantive amendments, and both committees adopted recommendations to pass SCR 163 and SR 132 with amendments before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you. Thank you.
• We have a vote of 4 to 0. The bill's on call. We'll take it up. We have a vote of 4 to 0.
• We have a vote of 4-0. The consent calendar is on call.
• The current vote is 3 to 0, with the chair voting aye. Senator Strickland? Aye. Senator Cortese?
• I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, please open the queue for a vote. Vote. Olson, nay. Stiegel, nay.
• Seeing none, please open the queue for a vote. Stiegel, nay. Please declare the vote.
• Seeing none, please open the queue for a vote. I'll vote from my own bill.
• Representative Stiegel votes aye. Representative Olson votes aye. Please...
• Representative Olson votes aye. Please declare the vote. 16 aye, 0 nay.

Bills: SB1265, SB2154, SB1286, SB1365, SB1491, SB1525, SB1581, SB1775, SB1810, SB1884, SB2118, SB2174, SB1771, SB1805, SB1916

Keywords: SB1365, Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, procurement exemption, competitive bidding, state purchasing, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, tourism department, merchandise for resale, gift shops, lodges, golf pro shops, state parks, restaurant contracting, retail outlets, public procurement, purchasing flexibility, Title 74, emergency clause, presidential electors, vacancies

Transcript Highlights:

• Of the five members on Water and Land, any no votes or votes of reservation?
• /c><01:54:06.960> ey<01:54:07.199> sen votes ey Vice chair votes ey sen votes ey Vice chair
• I<01:57:16.800> Senator votes I Vice chair votes I Senator votes I Vice chair votes I Senator
• any votes or present any no votes any votes or reservations<02:00:36.440> hearing<02:00:36.719
• Any no votes or votes or reservations? Any no votes, votes, or reservations?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees first heard SB 1146, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaiʻi to develop an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan for debris management and water quality control in the Ala Wai Watershed. Testimony was largely supportive from DLNR, a UH student, and a special improvement district representative, while one speaker suggested the work should be coordinated with existing efforts to avoid duplication. Committee discussion focused on the multi-jurisdictional nature of the watershed, existing debris-trap work that captures only about 20 to 30 percent of debris, the role of the university in capstone projects and recommendations, and the relationship to the existing Geni project and other community efforts. Members also asked about costs, tracking progress, and the difference between water-quality improvements and the larger debris problem. The committees then voted to pass SB 1146 with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation and deferring the effective date to July 31, 2050. The motion passed in both committees, with votes recorded in support and no opposition noted during the decision-making. The committees also heard SB 321, which would deem certain fee simple privately owned lands transferred to adjacent property owners or community associations if specified conditions are met. Testimony was in support from several individuals, but members raised concerns about the lack of input from counties and the state, and about how the bill might affect roads already used by the public or maintained by local governments. After discussion, the committees voted to advance SB 321 unamended to the next committees, with the measure adopted in both committees despite one recorded no vote in the Water and Land committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• , residents can vote the members vote, residents can vote them<04:52:07.840> out<04:52:08.000>
• vote on HR1.
• Vote no. I vote no here to stop this big ugly bill from moving to the Senate.
• And finally, vote no if you voted yes the first time. is about any of that.
• A recorded vote is ... Did I not have to? Okay. I did. I didn't call the vote.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes. If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes.
• Chair votes eye. Thank you. amendments. Chair votes eye. Thank you.
• Vice chair votes with reservations. Vice chair votes with reservations.
• electronic voting, and mail in voting. electronic voting, and mail in voting.
• receiving their full voting rights. receiving their full voting rights.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate committees heard HB 108 HD2, which would allow direct shipment of beer and distilled spirits by certain licensees and require liquor commissions to adopt rules. Most testimony came from craft brewers and distillers in support, who said the bill would help small and fragile producers reach customers, move limited or specialty products that wholesalers do not carry, and maintain relationships with visitors after they leave Hawaii. Supporters also argued that direct-to-consumer shipping would not meaningfully increase underage access because common carriers age-gate deliveries and require adult signatures, and that the measure would supplement rather than replace the three-tier system. Opposition came from the Hawaii Food Industry Association and the Hawaii Liquor Wholesalers Association, which said the bill could create problems with minor access and tax revenue and would allow out-of-state manufacturers to ship directly to Hawaii households. Supporters responded that similar concerns were raised when wine direct shipping was adopted and said the existing shipping and reporting systems can track and tax these sales. Several witnesses, including Maui Brewing, Ola Brew, Koloa Rum, Hana Rum, Koulana Rumworks, Koval Distillery, and the Brewers Association, described their small-batch operations, limited distribution options, and the potential for direct shipping to expand sales and jobs. Committee members questioned witnesses about underage access, tax collection, and the impact on the three-tier system. One witness discussed efforts to protect and potentially scale the Hawaiian spirit Okolehao through geographic and sourcing rules. The transcript does not show a final vote or disposition on HB 108 HD2 in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Vice Chair, please take the vote. then Vice chair for the vote voting on then Vice chair for the
• /c><01:38:21.520> 239<01:38:22.320> chair's vote please voting on HB 239 chair's vote please
• vote vote please<01:38:49.400> voting<01:38:49.679> on<01:38:49.840> HB<01:38:50.560
• members then Vice chair for the vote members then Vice chair for the vote voting<01:40:00.639>
• ><01:44:10.440> chair's vote voting on HB 1081 chair's vote voting on HB 1081 chair's recommendation

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several Human Services measures focused on Medicaid access, long-term care benefits, home health reimbursement, SNAP administration, trauma-informed child welfare, and child abuse reporting. HP 702 would increase funding for Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are secured, and testimony from disability advocates supported the measure as needed to help people with disabilities cover medical expenses. HB 1477, described as a correction to a prior session’s mistake, would clarify that the monthly needs allowance for certain long-term care residents does not replace state supplemental payments and would raise the ceiling by $25 to fix the prior issue and by an additional $20 as a new benefit; DHS supported it with amendments, and the committee indicated it would amend accordingly. HB 713 would fund a DHS rate study for home health services, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii strongly supporting it and describing rising labor costs, losses on Medicaid patients, and access concerns if agencies cannot keep serving Medicaid clients. HB 1099 would appropriate emergency funds to DHS after a USDA penalty tied to SNAP response times, with supporters including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others arguing the money should be reinvested in staffing and systems to improve access and avoid further penalties. HB 1079 would direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS to create trauma-informed assessments and training for Child Welfare Services staff; testimony from state offices and advocacy groups supported it, citing the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, staff burnout, and the need for a sustainable train-the-trainer model. Finally, HB 239 would narrow when failure to provide a child’s needs constitutes abuse or neglect, but DHS raised concerns that the current wording could broaden abuse findings and leave families in poverty without a clear safety net, while the Honolulu prosecutor’s office opposed it, warning it could weaken mandatory reporting and hinder investigations of child abuse. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, though the chair said HB 1477 would be amended and several measures were left open for further questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chair, please take the<01:34:01.040> vote. the vote. the vote.
• please take the vote. please take the vote.
• please take the vote. please take the vote.
• . vote. vote.
• . vote. vote.

Bills: HB1813, HB2429, HB2423, HB1996, HB1851, HB2546, HB2028, HB2583, HB2490, HB2545, HB2114, HB1859, HB2534, HB2474, HB1863, HB2475

Keywords: taxation, general excise tax, use tax, exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, tax expenditure, tax expenditure evaluation, tax credit review, tax incentive, tax exemption, use tax exemption, income tax credit, DBEDT, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Department of Taxation, fiscal oversight, budget accountability, tax policy, revenue loss, public spending

Summary: The committee opened with HB 1813 on taxation and HB 2429 on tax expenditure evaluation, taking mostly written testimony and limited oral discussion. On HB 2429, the Tax Foundation and Department of Taxation raised privacy and federal-law concerns, warning that the bill could require taxpayers to file duplicative returns and could risk disclosure of federal tax information if released publicly. Members and witnesses discussed using anonymized or summary reporting instead of individual public release, with the department saying summarized data would be preferable and that the state can ask for the information as a policy matter, but individual public release could create problems. The committee then heard HB 2423 HD1 on biodiesel, where Pacific Biodiesel said it can supply all biodiesel needed for B5 in Hawaii without imports and asked to move the implementation date earlier to November 2027 to allow rollout planning. HB 1996 HB1 on hearing aids drew broad support; a disability access representative said earlier insurance-based efforts had run into administrative problems and that this bill would immediately lower costs for consumers. HB 1851 HD1, also related to hearing aids, received support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, while the Tax Foundation argued the program would be better funded directly rather than through the tax system, citing overhead costs and blank provisions that should be filled in before passage. On HB 2546, the research activities tax credit, HCDC said the credit supports long-term R&D and should be converted from a first-come, first-served system to proration so more applicants receive some benefit; the agency described the credit as helping companies move from idea to commercialization and noted the state is leaving potential jobs and federal dollars on the table. HB 2028 HD1, relating to Labor Day for construction workers, drew support from labor representatives who said it recognizes construction workers and helps offset cost-of-living pressures, while the Tax Foundation opposed it as an industry-specific subsidy and flagged technical issues with undefined terms and blank credit amounts. The committee also heard HB 2583, HB 2490, HB 2545, HB 2114, and HB 1859 HD1. HB 2490, concerning coastal erosion at Mokuhiki Bay, received strong support from a temple representative who described severe shoreline loss, years of temporary emergency work, and the need for a long-term, nature-based solution in coordination with state agencies. HB 2545, involving HCDC and SBIR commercialization, was supported as a way to turn R&D into economic development; HCDC said it had more applications than it could fund and that the bill could help create high-wage jobs. HB 2114, the Hawaii Benefits Hub, received comments from ETS and DHS emphasizing support for the concept but cautioning that operational, policy, cybersecurity, and data-sharing standards must be carefully aligned. HB 1859 HD1 on workforce development drew strong support from workforce and philanthropic groups, who said Hawaii faces a long-term gap between projected living-wage jobs and the number of young people entering the workforce, and argued the bill would create durable infrastructure for coordination and long-term planning. No formal votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We should vote on it, and we should vote yes.
• voting no.
• By your vote of 12 aye, one no, 13, I, one no, and one present, you have voted the House Committee Substitute
• By your vote of 16 aye, zero no, you have voted the House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1572 due
• Your vote of nine yes and seven no, with one courageous present, you have voted the House Committee Substitute

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We should vote on it, and we should vote yes.
• voting no.
• By your vote of 12 aye, one no, 13, I, one no, and one present, you have voted the House committee substitute
• By your vote of 16 aye, zero no, you have voted the House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1572 do
• Your vote of nine yes and seven no, with one courageous present, you have voted the House Committee Substitute

Summary: The Committee on Crime and Public Safety met in executive session with a quorum present and considered three measures. For Senate Bill 1652, members adopted a House committee substitute that clarified the bill’s language about creating an office within the Department of Public Safety rather than targeting women and girls directly. The bill, which relates to missing and trafficked women and girls, was then reported do pass by a vote of 12-1, with one member voting no because the bill was not all-inclusive enough for their preference. The committee next took up Senate Bill 1572, a retirement-related measure affecting the St. Louis Police Board and the St. Louis City teachers’ retirement system. Testimony explained that the substitute staggered board appointments, addressed quorum issues after board expansion, clarified overpayment recovery and refunds for small accounts, and made related retirement-system cleanup changes without altering benefit payments. The House committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported do pass unanimously, 16-0. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 3533, which was amended to remove sports betting language and focus on increasing the riverboat admission fee from $2 to $5.50. Members discussed the fee increase as overdue and noted the revenue distribution to veterans and developmental disability funds, while one member argued the increase was too large and another noted operators could pass the cost to consumers. The House committee substitute was adopted, and the bill was reported do pass by a vote of 9-7, with one member present.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do recommend that the bill be voted do pass.
• That has to be by vote of the people.
• If they vote on it, and I'm looking at the back, if they vote on it, then we have a group that is overseeing
• By your vote of seven ayes and two nos, you have voted do pass House Committee Substitute for House Bill
• By your vote of seven A's and two nos you have voted do pass house committee set for house bill 2379

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met in executive session with a quorum present and took up House Bill 2379, first adopting a pre-distributed House Committee Substitute with no amendments. The sponsor explained that the substitute was revised to align with Senate language and would clarify definitions, limit applicability to certain counties, rename the fund the Early Childhood Education Fund, broaden eligible uses to include child care services, move fund custody to the county treasurer, expand eligible recipients, and prioritize children with the greatest financial need. Most of the discussion focused on how the bill would work in practice. Members asked whether the measure created a new tax; the sponsor repeatedly said it did not, but instead would govern how any local sales tax for early childhood education, if approved by voters in St. Louis City or St. Louis County, would be deposited and spent. Supporters said the bill would add transparency and ensure funds are dedicated to early childhood purposes rather than diverted to general revenue or other uses. Some members raised concerns about taxpayers, including seniors, paying a tax from which they would not directly benefit, while others said the bill simply clarifies management of already authorized local tax authority. After discussion, the committee adopted the substitute by voice vote and then voted on the bill itself. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2379 was reported do pass by a roll call vote of seven ayes and two nos. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• President Pro Tem, I rise to explain my vote. Please. For one, I am... ...explaining my vote.
• And so I strongly vote no. Okay, Senator Gonzalez votes no.
• Senator Epstein-Fernandez, Gobildone, Sears, please vote. Sears, please vote. All right.
• Secretary, record the vote.
• Those in favor, vote aye. Those opposed, vote no. The ayes have it. Do you have it? Still ordered.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Explain<00:10:12.160> my<00:10:12.320> vote. >> Explain my vote.
• I'll vote on the vote.
• I'll vote on the vote.
• >> like to explain my vote, Mr. Chairman. >> like to explain my vote, Mr.
• a vote on 565? a vote on 565? >> I'm<00:21:16.799> a<00:21:17.039> yes.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Licensing and Occupations Committee met with a quorum and heard several licensing and regulatory bills. House Bill 565, presented by Rep. Myron Dossett with support from the Kentucky League of Cities and the Paducah Fire Department, would clarify and broaden the authority of “fire protection officials” so local fire officials, along with the state fire marshal, can enforce final orders and seek court enforcement locally. The sponsor described it as cleanup language to streamline fire code enforcement and improve efficiency. The bill passed unanimously. The committee then considered House Bill 776, a modernization of Kentucky’s Dental Practice Act, presented by Rep. Derek Lewis and Jeff Allen of the Kentucky Board of Dentistry, with Rep. Chad Hall also speaking in support. The bill updates definitions and board authority, revises licensure and renewal provisions, clarifies supervision and training rules for hygienists and assistants, updates telehealth standards, and preserves dentists’ authority over diagnosis and treatment planning. Members also discussed a provision allowing the board to use excess licensing funds for a scholarship to attract dentists to Kentucky. After questions about Medicaid access and a promised amendment removing certain ownership-related provisions, the bill passed unanimously. House Bill 657, presented by Rep. Stephanie Deetsz and Michelle Sanborn of the Children’s Alliance, would give five licensing boards the statutory authority needed to obtain FBI fingerprinting/ORI numbers for interstate compact compliance. The boards named were counseling, speech-language pathology and audiology, occupational therapy, social work, and psychology. Supporters said the bill simply updates Kentucky law to match current FBI fingerprint language. It passed unanimously. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 273, presented by Rep. Mike Klein and the Kentucky Board of Barbering. A committee substitute was adopted first. The bill reduces barber training hours from 1,500 to 1,200, allows 10-hour school days, shortens out-of-state licensure experience requirements from three years to one year, and makes other cleanup changes, including moving board compensation to regulation. Supporters said it would reduce barriers to entry and help address workforce shortages. The amended bill passed unanimously, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Peruso: No vote, so ordered. Standing Committee Report No. 1369.
• Thank you. you representative Garcia no vote so you representative Garcia no vote so ordered<00:44:49.839
• Representative Garcia: No vote, so ordered. 1376 Representative perck no vote so 1376 Representative
• is going to expand that so I'm voting is going to expand that so I'm voting no<00:46:23.400>
• :25.760> so Representative Garcia: No vote, so ordered.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How many votes? Okay. Five votes. Consent calendar is out and adopted. All right.
• Not voting. Lowenthal, not voting. Patel. Patel, no. 2-3. The bill is on call.
• But I do want to lay out why I'm voting the way I'm voting today.
• I urge you to vote. vote in favor of AB 1230.
• The Chair is voting no. And the Vice Chair is voting aye. Okay.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By your vote, SB 984 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, SB 984 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, CS for CS SB 494 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, CS for SB 1252 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, CS for SB 1654 is reported favorably.

Summary: The committee heard and voted on a long agenda of criminal justice, public safety, and civil justice bills. Among the measures reported favorably were SB 984, which adds aggravating factors for capital sentencing when a murder occurs during religious, school, or public government gatherings; SB 1140, creating a Hillsborough County pilot program to address substance abuse among offenders on probation; SB 1180, expanding child pornography laws to cover lewd altered or filtered images and solicitation; SB 10, providing compensation to Sidney Holmes for a wrongful conviction; SB 500, creating a Spectrum Alert system and training for missing children with autism; SB 1054, increasing penalties for tampering with electronic monitoring devices; SB 1072, establishing an expedited DNA testing grant program; and SB 240, the Haven Act, which aligns domestic and dating violence protections and creates a feasibility study for a discreet emergency contact system for victims. Several bills were amended before passage, including funding for the Spectrum Alert program and technical changes to the DNA, juvenile justice, and other proposals. Members also advanced SB 494, creating a statewide FDLE animal abuse database and increasing sentencing consequences for aggravated animal cruelty, with strong support from animal welfare groups and county officials. SB 1422 was reported favorably to strengthen penalties for unmanned aircraft over critical infrastructure and for weaponized drones, though members raised concerns about the bill’s “reasonable force” language. SB 1268 updated FDLE statutes and increased reimbursement for retired police dogs. SB 1252 was amended into a feasibility study for a statewide pawn data database, and SB 1386 increased penalties for assaults and batteries on utility workers, drawing support from utility and industry groups. The committee also approved SB 1084 on sexual cyber harassment, which criminalizes dissemination of intimate images and digitally forged intimate images, and SB 1654, which revises sexual offender and predator registration rules, including online reporting for certain in-state travel residences. SB 1650 expanded the vexatious litigant law, and SB 1652 created a public records exemption for stricken non-criminal court filings. Finally, SB 1284, expanding Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow civil claims for the death of an unborn child, drew extensive testimony both for and against; supporters called it a life-affirming measure, while opponents warned it could increase litigation, affect abortion-related care, and discourage physicians from practicing in Florida. The bill was heard with multiple public comments, but the transcript excerpt does not show a final vote on SB 1284.

Transcript Highlights:

• will vote on the resolution once we vote will vote on the resolution once we vote on<00:46:50.359
• Representative Almy votes yes. Representative Ducey votes yes. Representative Soti votes yes.
• Representative Tierney votes yes. Representative Brier votes yes. Representative Ford votes yes.
• We have 21 votes, and the 20 votes we need the chairman to vote yes. Chairman Janigan votes yes.
• You have 21 votes, and the 20 votes we need the chairman to vote yes. Chairman Janigan votes yes.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in a work session on revenue estimates and reviewed updated spreadsheet pages for several tax categories, using prior agreements and new testimony to refine FY 2025-2027 estimates. Early discussion covered insurance tax estimates, where members reviewed a letter from the insurance commissioner saying he was comfortable with the numbers provided; the committee accepted those estimates without opposition. Members also discussed utility property tax, with testimony about recent infrastructure buildout, tariffs, depreciation, and the difficulty of forecasting future growth. After debate over whether to use the average of high and low estimates or lean lower, the committee unanimously adopted the utility property tax numbers. The committee then turned to real estate transfer tax and communications tax. For real estate transfer tax, members cited county input, housing market conditions, interest rates, lumber costs, and uncertainty about future policy; they agreed to use the averages and adopted those estimates unanimously. For communications tax, members noted the decline in landline-based revenue and the shift to data services. After discussion of whether to use the low estimate or the average, the committee settled on the average with a small rounding-down adjustment when the figure ended in .5, and adopted the numbers unanimously. The chair also clarified that these estimates remain subject to change until the final resolution is adopted. The committee next accepted interest and dividends estimates as presented, with members noting the decline in that revenue source and the lack of additional information beyond the department’s analysis. Finally, the committee began discussing tobacco tax revenue, with members noting long-term declines in smoking, offsetting effects from out-of-state sales, and a suggestion to take a slightly conservative approach by reducing the average by 0.5. The transcript cuts off during that discussion, so no final vote on tobacco is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
• He was approved by the Rules Committee on June 3rd on a 5-0 vote.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.
• And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you, Senator.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Respectfully ask for your aye vote. Would you like to close? Respectfully ask for your aye vote.
• As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words, and I hope it earns your vote—your aye vote.
• The current vote is 4 to 0. File item number 1, AB 1155. The current vote is 4 to 0.
• Vote 7 to 0; we will replace the call. Thank you. Vote 7 to 0. We will replace the call.
• The current vote is four to zero. Senator... 12, AB 1609. The current vote is four to zero.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• votes on this or not? votes on this or not?
• Chair votes yes. Chair votes yes. With the vote 10-0, the amendment to House Bill 1097 passes.
• >> chair votes yes. >> chair votes yes.
• Chair votes yes. The vote is 10 to nothing on House Bill 1663 for ITL.
• Uh, chair votes yes. >> yes. Uh, chair votes yes. >> 10.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in work session to consider amendments to House Bill 1332, which concerns Gold Star-related flag displays. Members discussed two proposed amendments: one would allow the governor to choose to honor Gold Star families by ordering display of the Gold Star flag at the State House and at the State Veterans Cemetery, and another would define the flags covered by the bill as those officially recognized by the federal government. Members debated whether the language should be mandatory or permissive, whether the State House display would trigger broader flag-flying requirements, and whether the veterans cemetery language was necessary. Testimony noted that the Gold Star flag is federally recognized, while the Honor and Remember flag has not been officially recognized by Congress. The committee also took up House Bill 1097, dealing with historic road signs and the committee referral for that bill. Representative Janet Wall explained an amendment changing the bill’s referral from the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to the Joint Historic Committee, saying the historic committee is better suited to handle issues involving historic signs and artifacts. She described the Joint Historic Committee’s broader jurisdiction after a prior statutory combination of committees, and members discussed whether that committee has authority beyond the State House complex. Supporters said the change would provide more appropriate oversight and public input on controversial historic markers; one member opposed legislative involvement in removing markers, arguing the issue should remain with existing historical and transportation entities. The amendment was discussed favorably, and members indicated they liked it. No final votes were taken in the portion provided. The committee appeared to set aside the Gold Star amendments for further consideration and moved on after discussion of the historic-signs amendment, with members noting the need to review the written amendment text before acting.