Transcript Highlights:

• Just very quickly, at its core, cooperative housing is a model in which residents do not own their unit
• Um, it's modeled in democratic governance, long-term housing stability, and oftentimes we kind of pull
• Um it's modeled in proprietary lease.
• And so, it could be a model for other states to replicate.
• And so, it could be a model for other states to replicate.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The current fragmented 50-year-old opt-out model no longer reflects how transit is funded or used and
• These are structural and persistent. opt-out model no longer reflects opt-out model no longer reflects
• It would weaken accountability and eliminate the nimble, community-responsive service model that has
• <00:24:31.360> of<00:24:31.480> effective only threatens this model of effective only
• threatens this model of effective and<00:24:32.120> efficient<00:24:32.560> transit<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we want to be the model state, do everything right, do everything well, and get the fullest
• and the challenges of the AHEAD model.
• and the challenges of the AHEAD model.
• I think that was a good model that showed it is successful in helping to reduce hospitalization costs
• They will continue that, and we will see if that's a model that can be scaled to other FQHCs.

Bills: HB2246, HB2119, HB1929, HB1953, HB1572, HB2549, HB2594, HB2551, HB2595, HB2548, HB2459, HB1931, HB1604, HB1616, HB1736, HB2233, HB2241, HB1891, HB1803, HB2567, HB2534, HB2399, HB2172, HB1595, HB1811, HB2168, HB1780, HB1781, HB1785, HB2122, HB2012, HB2398, HB1779, HB2296, HB1894, HB1925, HB2019, HB1896, HB2294, HB2298, HB2300, HB2344, HB2345, HB2391, HB2037, HB2201, HB1941, HB1635, HB1943, HB2325, HB1926, HB2490, HB1710, HB2545, HB1976, HB2173, HB1804, HB1563, HB2015, HB1619, HB2475, HB1889, HB2367, HB2187, HB1765, HB1452, HB2231, HB1700, HB1705, HB1626, HB1897, HB1642, HB1523, HB2593, HB815, HB1655, HB1596, HB1732, HB1842, HB2476, HB2478, HB2022, HB1588, HB2575, HB1163, HB2153, HB772, HB1519, HB2050, HB2309, HB2147, HB2329, HB2274, HB2280, HB2547, HB2275, HB2452, HB2306, HB2148, HB2088, HB1764, HB2438, HB2117, HB1860, HB2604, HB2118, HB2017, HB2155, HB1832, HB2216, HB1601, HB1934, HB2297, HB2397, HB1893, HB2533, HB1890, HB2454, HB2004, HB2427, HB2207, HB1810, HB1840, HB1644, HB1645, HB1946, HB1648, HB2324, HB2323, HB1509, HB1514, HB1515, HB2164, HB2165, HB2283, HB1691, HB2386, HB2423, HB2121, HB1984, HB1593, HB1671, HB2619, HB1481, HB2314, HB2319, HB1643, HB2558, HB1864, HB1898, HB2214, HB2167, HB2488, HB2009, HB2007, HB322, HB1964, HB2218, HB2616, HB1535, HB1574, HB1977, HB2054, HB2046, HB146, HB2094, HB2181, HB2250, HB2515, HB2444, HB2385, HB1740, HB1724, HB1733, HB1799, HB1725, HB2049, HB2161, HB1970, HB2519, HB1790, HB2416, HB1873, HB2001, HB2151, HB1603, HB1880, HB1753, HB2198, HB1511, HB1991, HB2546, HB1615, HB1939, HB2140, HB2429, HB1870, HB1850, HB1782, HB2137

Keywords: agriculture, federal grants, Hawaii, grant administration, revolving fund, department of agriculture and biosecurity, grant compliance, financial support, coffee, pest control, subsidy program, coffee berry borer, coffee leaf rust, economy, biosecurity, invasive species, Molokai, advisory board, quarantine, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh initially, there's a model >> Yeah.
• <00:43:45.200> I I'm I appreciate the models. I I'm I appreciate the models.
• And I'm kind of partial to that model.
• And I'm kind of partial to that model.
• I just thought I'd throw it that model.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:26 Approval of Minutes 00:02:27 LIHEAP Presentation and Public Hearing 00:02:42 Conservation Opportunities in Kentucky 00:29:52, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up a public hearing and presentation on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shannon Hall of the Department for Community Based Services and Rick Baker of Community Action Kentucky explained that LIHEAP is a 100% federally funded block grant that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, avoid utility disconnects, and support weatherization. They outlined the program’s components, eligibility limits, seasonal application periods, and recent participation figures, including tens of thousands of households served through the summer cooling, fall subsidy, winter crisis, and spring subsidy components. They also described weatherization priorities, the partnership with Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the role of Community Action agencies in administering the program statewide. Members asked about Assurance 16, the balance between need and available funding, summer cooling assistance, weatherization measurement, renter versus homeowner participation, and whether federal changes could affect LIHEAP. Hall and Baker said Assurance 16 supports energy-burden reduction through education, case management, and conservation strategies; that funding has generally been sufficient in recent years but crisis funds have sometimes been exhausted quickly in the past; and that summer assistance is primarily electric utility support. They also said weatherization uses return-on-investment testing and that Kentucky still has a large backlog of homes needing service. On federal funding, they said the recently passed federal bill did not directly cut LIHEAP, but future appropriations could still affect it, and any major reduction could leave a gap the state might need to consider filling. The committee approved the minutes and later approved the LIHEAP finding of fact; no members of the public signed up to testify. After concluding LIHEAP, the committee heard a presentation from Heather Jeff of The Nature Conservancy on conservation opportunities in Kentucky. She described the organization’s voluntary land-protection work and highlighted the Cumberland Forest project, a conservation easement on about 55,000 acres in Bell, Knox, and Leslie counties supported in part by a $3.875 million state appropriation. She also reported on mine-land reforestation, elk habitat work, and the rapid allocation of a $2 million appropriation for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. Jeff emphasized the economic value of conservation for tourism, hunting and fishing, agriculture, forestry, bourbon, and flood protection, and said the group is finalizing a Kentucky conservation needs assessment and related feasibility research.

Transcript Highlights:

• And lastly, to my beloved father that modeled what Cuban leadership looked like during the pandemic,
• modeled what couian leadership<00:10:39.839> looked<00:10:40.079> like<00:10:40.320>
• They modeled that after an MCO capitated program.
• <00:15:45.600> They<00:15:45.920> modeled million over four years.
• They modeled million over four years.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first goal of this legislation is geared toward restructuring the current CCC model.
• Employee-owned business models are a promising and growing option, with two cannabis businesses having
• This cumbersome model is inherited from DPH oversight of the initial legalization of medical marijuana
• The cost of setting up a fully vertically integrated model is extremely high and cost prohibitive for
• We propose removing this strict vertical model.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed students from the Frederick C. Murphy School in Weymouth, along with other guests introduced by members. The chamber then suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow several petitions to be referred, including proposals on alcohol labeling for beers consumed on premises, parity in funding for regional vocational and traditional public schools, and legal protections for victims of childhood sexual abuse. The main floor business was House No. 4187, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Laws, reported by Ways and Means as a substitute bill. Members speaking in support described it as a comprehensive overhaul of the Cannabis Control Commission and the state’s cannabis and hemp regulatory framework. The bill would reduce and restructure the CCC, expand options for cannabis businesses and social equity operators, raise license and ownership caps, remove the vertical integration requirement for medical marijuana, and create stronger rules for hemp and CBD products, including a ban on unregulated intoxicating hemp products and a new regulatory structure for allowable hemp beverages and CBD items. Several amendments were offered and adopted by roll call, including changes narrowing the hemp beverage ban from 11 ounces to 7.5 ounces, requiring out-of-state testing labs to be certified in good standing with the commission, and other technical revisions. After debate, the House passed H. 4187 to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 153-0. The chamber also passed to be engrossed two sick leave bank bills, for Andrew Satara and Dana Johnson, and ordered House No. 1590, establishing a sick leave bank for Eric J. Wenaka, to a third reading. The House then adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's modeled after a program in North Carolina.
• Um, so it's a proven model there. We'd like to, um, implement a similar model here.
• While we're starting with this pilot, we're hopeful that this model will prove itself.
• Um, so this is a successful model, um, and it's really a public-private partnership where the state does
• The great thing about the apprenticeship model is that it helps students who otherwise couldn't afford

Transcript Highlights:

• It follows the model that we see in other states.
• It follows the model that we see in other states.
• <00:31:45.039> all business, this this business model all business, this this business model
• <00:32:16.880> Um uh transition to a different model.
• We don't problematic business model.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you're having to go out and try to model that and then put those models together within an agency
• And then last question: so are you in the process of creating an enterprise model, information model,
• and data model, or are you just focusing on data?
• But our security model is one thing over here.
• But our security model is one thing over here.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• It has been an incredible run for River through our hub model, but we now have a Road to Redemption model
• c> which have a Road to Redemption model which have a Road to Redemption model which basically<01
• , and creates a model for public and private partnerships statewide.
• , and creates a model for public and private partnerships statewide.
• Aloha and appreciate your time model Aloha and appreciate your time model thank<01:39:02.280>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Finance informational briefing on grants and aids was held February 14 and was organized as a high-volume public testimony session with strict procedures: no Q&A, one representative per applicant, one minute per testimony, in-person testimony first, and then Zoom participants. The chairs also announced a recess at 11:00 a.m. for floor sessions and a reconvening at 1:00 p.m. Testimony was heard first from neighbor island applicants, then Oʻahu applicants, with members repeatedly directing speakers to line up and keep remarks brief. Neighbor island testimony focused on a wide range of capital and operating requests. Health and community projects included Hawaii Island Community Health Center’s workforce housing in Kau, Wuli Hawaiian Homestead Association’s learning center and predevelopment work, Rescue Tube Foundation’s beach rescue tube expansion, Puna Community Medical Center’s planned hospital/ER campus, Maui Humane Society’s free veterinary care after the wildfires, Hawaiʻi Care Choices’ palliative care readiness, and the Lyman Museum’s HVAC replacement. Other requests included the Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance’s Pāʻia Mill redevelopment, Laua 2020’s preschool and learning lab, Mālama Aina’s USDA-compliant meat processing facility, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association’s water safety programs, Kaha P Organization’s agriculture education support, Ohana Arts’ youth performance project, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center’s emergency closet, EOA Pacific’s Marshall Islands teacher training, and the Central Pacific Youth Athletic Club’s new facility. Oʻahu testimony included the YWCA Oʻahu/Pythink Center’s renovation of Juliet M. Atherton Hall and its community kitchen, West Oʻahu Community Health Center’s wildfire protection and security needs, the Early School’s playground improvements, Surfing the Nations’ food distribution center expansion, and Sounding Joy Music Therapy’s weekly services for people with disabilities. Speakers generally emphasized community benefit, workforce development, health access, food security, disaster recovery, and support for children, seniors, and underserved populations. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• You mentioned in your remarks that you thought there were some other states that had better models.
• House Bill 967 models after those failed proposals.
• House Bill 967 models after those failed proposals.
• The legislature created the commission to evaluate EPR models for a range of products.
• The legislature created the commission to evaluate EPR models for a range of products.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a heavily attended hybrid hearing focused primarily on plastics reduction bills, along with a few local and related waste-management measures. Chair Rauch and Chair Barber outlined strict testimony rules because of the large number of speakers. Before the plastics docket, the committee heard support for a local Sharon sewer-extension bill for a Sunrise Senior Living project, and the bill’s proponents said the project would help address senior housing needs and would still require MWRA and local approvals. The chairs also noted a separate local matter involving Sharon and the MWRA. A major portion of the hearing centered on the Plastics Reduction Act and related bills addressing single-use plastics, including plastic bags, polystyrene, black plastic, plastic beverage bottles, non-flushable wipes, skip-the-stuff provisions, and truth-in-labeling. Sponsors and supporters said the bills would reduce litter, microplastics, greenhouse gas emissions, and municipal waste costs, while creating statewide consistency and supporting environmental justice communities. Several speakers cited local bans already adopted by many Massachusetts cities and towns, and many urged the committee to advance comprehensive statewide action. The committee also heard testimony on a boat wrap recycling bill, a mattress recycling bill, and a bill to prohibit hotels from providing small plastic toiletries. Municipal officials and waste professionals supported extended producer responsibility for paint and labeling for non-flushable wipes, saying these measures would shift costs away from cities and towns and reduce strain on wastewater systems. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, Mayor Ruth Ann Fuller of Newton, and a Franklin County waste official all backed paint EPR and wipes labeling. Fire Chief Brian Nardelli testified for the Fire Chiefs Association in support of lithium-ion battery legislation, citing fire safety and disposal concerns. Other speakers, including environmental groups, local activists, and business representatives, supported bag and polystyrene bans, though the Retailers Association of Massachusetts urged any bag policy to be truly statewide and said any bag fee should be retained by retailers. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, owing to the midwifery model generally and the birth center model specifically, Roots is proud
• However, owing to the midwifery model generally and the birth center model specifically, Roots is proud
• However, owing to the midwifery model generally and the birth center model specifically, Roots is proud
• However, owing to the midwifery model generally and the birth center model specifically, Roots is proud
• However, owing to the midwifery model generally and the birth center model specifically, Roots is proud

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know how a law school, or otherwise, I'm just using that as an example, would be able to predict
• example um would be using that as an example um would be able<05:00:55.600> to able to able to predict
• 59.638> would<05:00:59.840> be<05:01:00.040> more<05:01:00.638> successful predict
• for who would be more successful predict for who would be more successful at<05:01:01.798> the

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on HB 584, which would bar New Hampshire and its political subdivisions from enforcing mandates, orders, or similar directives from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum. Prime sponsor Representative Green described the bill as a sovereignty measure and offered an amendment to clarify language, including replacing a reference to entities that “create and enforce policies” with language covering enforcement of policies, mandates, orders, requirements, edicts, or directives. Supporters argued the bill was a preemptive safeguard against outside influence and cited concerns about pandemic-era public health measures and international organizations. Opponents, including the American Heart Association, warned it could chill local policymaking and limit the ability of communities to use outside research or guidance. The chair closed the hearing on HB 584 after testimony concluded. The committee then moved to HB 580-FN, relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases. Representative Anita Burroughs, the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to protect people who report sexual assault, sexual harassment, abuse, or domestic violence from retaliatory defamation suits, so long as statements are made in good faith and without malice. She also said the bill preserves the ability of accused persons to defend their names. Burroughs explained that the proposal was prompted by a survivor’s experience and was meant to address the chilling effect of expensive litigation on reporting misconduct. Testimony on HB 580 was generally supportive. Witnesses said the bill would help survivors speak out without fear of meritless lawsuits and described retaliatory defamation as a tool used to silence or intimidate accusers. Burroughs noted the bill was informed by anti-SLAPP principles and referenced high-profile defamation cases as examples of the cost and pressure of litigation. No vote was taken in the portion of the transcript provided; the hearing on HB 580 was opened and testimony began.

Transcript Highlights:

• when it comes to the cost savings, some of it comes from eliminating the redundancy in the staffing model
• , which when physicians are supervising in a care team model, the physician is not providing direct care
• when it comes to the cost savings, some of it comes from eliminating the redundancy in the staffing model
• , which when physicians are supervising in a care team model, the physician is not providing direct care
• or the model they have—but this would remove that supervision paper protocol, so it would remove the

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard a lengthy agenda of health care and public health bills. The first major item was HB 649, which would remove the paper supervision protocol for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and allow autonomous practice. The sponsor and supporters argued it would improve access, especially in rural areas, address workforce shortages, and reduce costs, while opponents from the medical community raised patient safety concerns and argued it would weaken physician oversight. After extensive testimony and debate, the committee reported the bill favorably by a vote of 18-7. The committee then unanimously advanced several other measures. HB 259, creating a special observance for fentanyl awareness and education, passed 23-0. HB 791, which codifies infant safety devices as an option for surrendering newborns and amends safe-haven law, passed as amended 25-0. HB 355, allowing schools to use FDA-approved emergency opioid antagonists rather than only naloxone, passed 26-0. HB 1119, requiring hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric readiness policies, training, coordination, and assessment requirements, also passed 26-0 after two amendments. HB 431, changing the date for level-two background screening of athletic coaches to July 1, 2026, passed 26-0. Later, the committee approved CS for HB 907, the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases or “Sunshine Genetics Act,” which would establish an opt-in newborn genome sequencing program at FSU and a statewide consortium for rare disease research; supporters emphasized earlier diagnosis and cost savings, and the bill passed 25-0. CS for HB 519, aligning state law with federal law on controlled substances for paramedics, passed 25-0. Finally, CS for HB 723, requiring the Department of Health to provide early-detection materials for type 1 diabetes to families of young schoolchildren, passed as amended 26-0. The meeting adjourned after all bills were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• for a workforce but also to be able to have some power so that we are not all just victims of the model
• And um frankly uh victims of the model.
• <00:53:59.760> that<00:53:59.920> I So that's a model that I think works really well
• And it's a very innovative model where they're getting hands-on experience right with the staff at the
• <00:58:06.480> getting innovative model where they're getting innovative model where they're

Bills: HF4598, HF4884, HF3732

Keywords: workers' compensation, Minnesota workers' compensation, Workers' Compensation Advisory Council, reinsurance association, Workers' Compensation Reinsurance Association, WCRA, occupational disease, presumption, first responders, firefighter cancer, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, police officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician, correctional officer, security counselor, public safety dispatcher, temporary total disability, permanent partial disability

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:12.879> which opposed to a commissioner model which opposed to a commissioner model
• he reports up to the commissioner model he reports up to the commissioner<00:43:10.599> under
• commissioner under Board model that same commissioner under Board model that same individual<00:
• So I'm hoping that we can ... and I and others who are interested looking into that model and figure
• and figure out looking into that model and figure out uh<00:47:05.720> what<00:47:05.880>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to make this social certain social model to make this work<00:14:13.959> and<00:14:14.199>
• They're living under that single-household model, that they're representing or resembling what would
• I think the recovery community in general wants to follow the good model.
• is the ones to follow the good model is the ones that<00:29:39.279> you<00:29:39.399> know
• in there that's get a a well-run model in there that's um<00:29:54.799> works<00:29:55.080>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:34:36.000> to extending that Health Care model to extending that Health Care model to
• also to introduce uh new service models also to introduce uh new service models to<03:35:15.760>
• /c><03:38:54.880> model the direct pay model this is a model the direct pay model this is a model
• get away from a business model.
• <04:15:18.920> would membership based business model would membership based business model

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so, so I'm also still learning about AI myself, um. focus on AI and a I modeling and what focus on
• AI and a I modeling and what little<00:32:30.840> I<00:32:30.960> know<00:32:31.159>
• Those specific models may or may not be already available.
• right some effort into building models right some effort into building models um<00:34:02.760>
• can be close to the kind of models can be close to the kind of problems<00:34:09.440> that<00

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard confirmations for two Hawaii Technology Development Corporation board nominees, Jaclyn Ka and Gregory Oara. Testimony for both was overwhelmingly in support. Supporters for Ka emphasized her Kauaʻi roots, work in workforce development and digital equity, and ability to connect schools, industry, and community needs. In her own remarks, Ka said she wants to bring resources to Kauaʻi and the neighbor islands, strengthen local workforce pathways, and use the HTDC board to help local residents access technology jobs and training. Members questioned Ka about how to reduce reliance on mainland hires for jobs at PMRF and other technology employers, how to better align training with local needs, and how to connect Kauaʻi schools, community college programs, and creative media/digital technology efforts. Ka described KDB’s role in building islandwide digital media and drone clubs, professional development for teachers, and partnerships intended to create a pipeline from school to workforce. She also said the legislature can help mainly by listening and staying informed about local needs. For Oara, supporters highlighted his engineering and semiconductor background, his experience in academia, industry, and startups, and his potential to help HTDC with technology commercialization, IP, and exportable services. Oara said he wants HTDC to better support early-stage companies, improve coordination among universities, government, and the private sector, and create a directory of technical skill sets to connect startups with needed expertise. He also discussed AI, saying Hawaii can contribute by developing smaller, locally relevant models rather than only relying on large-scale data-center infrastructure. The hearing focused on these nominations and testimony; no vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the intent is to align instructional minute requirements across all dual enrollment models so that
• So the intent is to align instructional minute requirements across all dual enrollment models so that
• That's the charter school facility program, which is modeled after SFP. Okay, thank you.
• That's the charter school facility program, which is modeled after SFP. Okay, thank you.
• The Charter School Facility Grant Program is The Charter School Facility Grant Program is a model.

Keywords: 988, house, all