Transcript Highlights:

• To further streamline access to this information and increase visibility, the department is developing
• And so they have developed and designed and created their own trainings and then incorporated [them]
• So the time really varies depending on the direct training that the CBC has developed on their own.
• CBC has developed on their own.
• And I think that's the essence of community-based care and why it was developed.

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh an endowment for human development uh an endowment for human development which<00:57:15.960><
• <01:00:23.160> again video on biological development again video on biological development
• Kids were allowed to do research on fetal development when it develops properly, as well as when there
• Kids were allowed to do research on fetal development when it develops properly, as well as when there
• when it research on fetal development when it develops<01:28:06.119> properly<01:28:07.119>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 662, which would require public schools to include discussion of abortion procedures and show specified videos in health education classes. The prime sponsor argued the bill would ensure students receive medically accurate, age-appropriate, and nonpolitical information about abortion, saying the topic is important for informed decision-making and should be taught consistently statewide. He said the videos were intended for grades 9-12, that parents could opt out, and that the requirement was meant to supplement, not sway, students’ views. He also acknowledged the bill could be seen as limiting local control over curriculum and said the intent was to prevent the topic from being missed due to scheduling disruptions. Committee members questioned the sponsor about local control, the need for a video mandate, the source of his statistics, whether the bill could be biased or inflammatory, and whether the requirement should apply every year in high school. The sponsor said the videos were only a starting point, could be replaced by others, and were meant to be informational. He also said the bill was not intended to influence students’ decisions about abortion. Several supporters testified in favor, including representatives of New Hampshire Right to Life and others who said students should be told the “truth” about abortion and its consequences. They emphasized graphic or emotionally difficult aspects of abortion and argued that young people need this information to make informed choices. Opponents and skeptical witnesses raised concerns about prescribing curriculum, eroding local control, and the appropriateness of the material for younger high school students. The New Hampshire School Administrators Association said the bill was overly prescriptive, that health education standards are already set by the State Board of Education, and that the topics in the bill are not part of the current standards. That witness recommended the committee consider retaining the bill for further work or making it less prescriptive. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, we student athlete development.
• development of those metric attainments. development of those metric attainments.
• <01:15:19.360> and responsive to workforce development and responsive to workforce development
• with encouraging workforce development with encouraging workforce development and<01:24:59.360><
• And so the the foundation develops And so the the foundation develops expertise<03:17:59.680>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Craig Nakamoto, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority.
• Lastly, we feel the bill is a bit misleading because it does not promote economic development.
• <00:43:53.440> Fund and special landan and Development Fund and special landan and Development
• First up, we have Senate Bill 1396 relating to economic development.
• First up, we have Senate Bill 1396 relating to economic development.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the House Committees on Tourism and Water and Land was held on March 20, 2025, on SB 1396 SD3 HD1, which would raise transient accommodations tax revenues beginning in 2027, impose a $20 per-night tax on stays booked through loyalty or rewards points, and dedicate funds to DLNR for natural resource protection, management, and restoration. The Office of the Governor, DLNR, DBEDT, the Hawaii State Energy Office, Tax Department, Hawaiian Home Lands, HI-EMA, the Climate Advisory Team, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HCDA, the Hawaii Ocean Legislative Task Force, Resource Legacy Fund, KUA, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority all testified in support or with comments, generally emphasizing the need for dedicated funding for environmental stewardship, resilience, wildfire and climate preparedness, and community-based projects. Several supporters cited polling showing broad visitor willingness to pay additional fees to protect Hawaiʻi’s resources, and DLNR and the Attorney General noted the bill aligns with broader state land-management and fire-safety priorities. Opposition came from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi and the Maui Chamber of Commerce, which argued the bill unnecessarily raises the TAT, places more burden on visitors and visitor-dependent businesses, and could harm Maui’s still-recovering economy. The Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaiʻi initially marked opposition but then said it had misunderstood the bill’s relationship to another measure and asked to resend testimony. Expedia Group did not oppose the TAT increase itself but raised operational concerns about the new tax on loyalty-point redemptions, calling it novel and difficult to administer. The American Hotel Lodging Association and Hawaiʻi Hotel Alliance were listed as having no comments present. Testifiers also suggested amendments, including dedicating the revenues to a special fund, ensuring community grants, and clarifying administrative provisions. One testifier urged the bill be used to fund hurricane shelters and stronger building standards, while another emphasized that the measure should support people and disaster resilience as well as environmental protection. During questions, members asked for the polling methodology and for a breakdown of current TAT allocations; staff indicated they could share the survey memo and began identifying existing statutory remittances. No vote or final committee action was taken during the excerpted portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're developing it currently. It's being developed. So, yes.
• And if you are one, I would assume you get a little bit more because you are helping to develop this.
• They're developing it currently. It's being developed. So, yes.
• And if you are one, I would assume you get a little bit more because you are helping to develop this.
• cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense, or as it may be known now, the Department of War, to develop

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our local workforce development boards and community organizations were able to get those additional
• Last year, there was a proposal to completely zero out federal youth workforce development funds.
• Our local workforce<00:03:28.080> development<00:03:28.480> boards<00:03:28.800> and
• workforce development boards and workforce development boards and community<00:03:29.440> organizations
• federal youth workforce development federal youth workforce development funds.<00:04:08.879>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We should have the same kinds of measures that we have in health care to be and to develop to make sure
• Data-driven policy and workforce development, 16, 20 also tasks the Luis de La part, Florida Mental Health
• They should also develop and routinely and analyze the Behavioral Health Workforce survey with monitoring
• I was raised in a rural county in North Florida and with the love and support of my parents, I developed
• The development of a client driven plan that identifies goals and targets the removal of bears.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh ADC,<00:22:35.600> Agra<00:22:36.000> Business<00:22:36.640> Development ADC,
• Agra Business Development ADC, Agra Business Development Corporation,<00:22:38.159> are<00:22
• is a couple of program IDs, a UO881, which is Aquaria, and um, UH220, which is a small business development
• is a couple of program IDs, a UO881, which is Aquaria, and um, UH220, which is a small business development
• is a couple of program IDs, a UO881, which is Aquaria, and um, UH220, which is a small business development

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on February 18, 2026, and heard four bills. HB 2519 would shift University of Hawaii funding toward block appropriations, a stabilization fund, limited procurement and fiscal exemptions, performance-based metrics, and annual reporting. UH supported the bill, saying line-item budgeting hampers systemwide efficiency across its 10 campuses; the State Procurement Office commented on the procurement exemption. The chair proposed amendments to address concerns from Budget and Finance and procurement, including capping UH’s retained funds at 10%, requiring lapse after three fiscal years, removing CIP-to-operating transfers, narrowing procurement exemptions while keeping Chapter 103B principles, shifting performance metric-setting to the Board of Regents, and requiring annual reporting. The committee then voted to pass HB 2519 with amendments. HB 2409 would establish the Hawaii Geological Survey in Hilo and designate its director as the state geologist. UH Hilo supported the concept but said it would need sufficient general-fund support, estimating roughly $200,000 to start. DLNR and the Attorney General offered comments, with the AG calling it a matter of statewide concern. The chair said the DNR testimony raised public safety concerns and that UH Hilo had not identified a firm funding amount, so the committee voted to defer the bill. HB 2141 HD1 concerned state enterprise zones and would expand eligible business activities and allow DBED to designate up to two areas as enterprise zones with gubernatorial approval. DBED, the Tax Foundation, and other organizations submitted support or comments. After discussion, the chair said the current version no longer fit the higher education committee’s focus and recommended reverting to the original bill, which would limit the zone to Kakaʻako Makai for a biomedical health innovation hub near JABSOM and the Queen’s Cancer Center, with a defective date. The committee voted to pass HB 2141 HD1 with amendments. HB 2233 HD1 would appropriate funds to continue the SNAP-Ed program through UH and the Department of Health. DOH supported the bill and said it had been working on nutrition education and environmental changes; it estimated about $600,000 each for DOH and SEAR, or $1.2 million total. Testimony in support also came from several organizations and individuals, including a senior advocate who described the program’s practical benefits. The chair said the committee would reflect the $600,000-per-entity estimate in its report, and the committee voted to pass HB 2233 HD1 as is before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• It strengthens requirements around professional development services and coordination for children at
• I think it's exciting because it also will enhance child care quality and improve the development of
• And then number four is professional development.
• And then number four is professional development.
• . because of lost research, lost entrepreneurship, and lost economic development.

Bills: SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• Item number 50 is for the Economic Development Department.
• Item number 50 is for the Economic Development Department.
• and workforce development—and earmarks them for economic development in the counties of Torrance, Cibola
• and workforce development—and earmarks them for economic development in the counties of Torrance, Cibola
• Yeah, their legislation, I think, is always under development.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'm seeing that the bill requires development of future cohorts in Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough,
• Development process.
• Requirement five: development of the per child per month, or PCPM, which drives the fiscal outcome.
• Requirement five: development of the per child per month, or PCPM, which drives the fiscal outcome.
• A PCPM is an accumulation of expenditures, actuarial adjustments, and child-month trends that develop

Bills: S0042, S0578, S0624, S7018

Keywords: child protection, medical records, investigation, abuse, neglect, healthcare, Child Protection Team, diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimers, dementia, related dementias, brain health, early detection, caregiver support, elderly affairs, Department of Elderly Affairs, Department of Health, public health outreach, memory loss

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first heard SB 624, which would codify DCF’s current practice of allowing batterers intervention programs to offer supplemental faith-based activities so long as participation is voluntary. The bill drew support from faith-based and family organizations, which argued it would restore access to effective rehabilitation options and remove discriminatory barriers. SB 624 was reported favorably after a roll call vote. The committee then heard SB 42, which would require child protective investigators and child protection teams to rely on qualified medical professionals when a child has a documented pre-existing diagnosis or when a parent requests an exam, and would require clearer notice to parents and custodians at the start of an investigation. Testimony overwhelmingly came from parents, advocates, and disability rights representatives describing cases in which medically complex children were allegedly misdiagnosed as abuse victims and families were separated unnecessarily. Members expressed sympathy and support, and SB 42 was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered CS/SB 578, creating an Alzheimer’s disease awareness initiative within the Department of Elder Affairs to promote early detection, brain health education, research updates, and clinical trial awareness, with outreach focused on older adults and at-risk populations. An amendment was adopted to place the campaign within the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative. A caregiver testified about the need for public education and early diagnosis, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also took up SPB 7018, a committee bill on child welfare that would extend the definition of “visitor” for foster homes to reduce repeated background checks, make the Step Into Success foster youth workforce pilot permanent and statewide, and create a program through the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to catalog best practices among community-based care lead agencies. The bill was approved as a committee bill and reported favorably. Finally, the Department of Children and Families presented its 2025-26 final funding methodology and rates report for community-based care. Members questioned the proposed tiered model, including insurance costs, risk corridors, prevention funding, performance measures, and regional funding disparities. No vote was taken on the presentation, but members discussed the possible need for follow-up legislation and additional stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have developed and submitted a multi-year corrective action plan beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022
• So at this time, ... ...development and excellence in Daytona Beach. So at this time, Mr.
• The homeowner will never see the permit expense; the developers will.
• It will be the developers. Mr.
• That's what they put in, in terms of they being builders and developers.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee first heard a long-running audit finding involving Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit funds, which have exceeded the statutory limit for several years and were reported at $10.8 million in the most recent audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city has analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees over several periods, and used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation and a proposed City Hall expansion. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, raised concerns about the legality and necessity of proposed expenditures, and asked about interest earnings, truck purchases, and the lack of detailed tracking for training-facility use. The city said an Attorney General opinion allows construction of a new building for building-code functions but not purchase of an existing building, and that if the city cannot comply through permissible construction it would have to return the funds. No vote was taken, but members expressed strong frustration and urged the city to resolve the issue quickly and lawfully. The committee then received the Auditor General’s presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings covered elections and quorum issues, conflicts of interest, late or missing financial disclosure forms, related-party transactions, poor meeting notices and minutes, council involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget and accounting deficiencies, weak bank reconciliations, improper utility billing and rates, grant compliance problems tied to a grocery store project, personnel and compensation issues involving the town manager, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control problems, public records issues, and IT/fraud-policy weaknesses. The auditor said the review focused mainly on October 2022 through February 2024 but went back further for some grant-related matters. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit reflected actions of a previous administration and that the current council and staff have already adopted seven new policies to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics. They said the town has a new manager and clerk, that the former manager was terminated, and that the town referred matters to FDLE, which is investigating. Committee members asked about the manager’s salary increase, severance, P-card use, and whether the town should consider consolidation or dissolution. The mayor said the town is on a better path, that most of the prior leadership has been voted out, and that the town is working with auditors and an outside accounting firm to correct the problems.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can have additional workforce development across the state.
• We have been a hub of research and development. We have an educated workforce.
• They mean new companies don't get the bright minds to develop.
• It cheats the Workforce Development Fund.
• You do economic development if you're on the Transportation Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:37.199> grant identification and development grant identification and development grant
• and and and have it go toward developing and and and have it go toward developing rail<01:11:04.960
• I believe it would also be restoring a corridor and developing it again.
• I believe it would also be restoring a corridor and developing it again.
• Uh we have project development work.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:01:58.920> and Director of Economic Development and Director of Economic Development and
• for growth um and further development for growth um and further development into<00:03:16.120>
• I think that could help develop better data.
• <00:48:41.800> of beforehand uh during the development of beforehand uh during the development
• Acres actually took one year to develop Acres actually took one year to develop the<01:24:55.800

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have a great partnership with all of the 15 area development districts.
• <01:04:30.360> Each<01:04:30.640> of area development districts.
• Each of area development districts.
• represented by that area development represented by that area development district. district. district
• needs within each area development needs within each area development district,<01:05:30.040>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received a budget and program update from Kentucky Emergency Management on the state’s urban search and rescue buildout. Eric Gibson and Doug Hargrave said the legislature’s funding was used to create FEMA-type urban search and rescue capacity, including Kentucky Task Force 1 and 2, the incident support team, and the helicopter aquatic rescue/hoist team. They emphasized that the effort is not just equipment purchases but also training, credentialing, warehouse and training-facility development, canine program expansion, and coordination with local search and rescue agencies across the Commonwealth. Gibson reported that the agency executed 99.4% of the $16.175 million appropriation by the end of the fiscal year and said the team met its readiness target ahead of schedule, with equipment already being deployed in recent flood response operations. He also said $500,000 per year was set aside for local search and rescue grants, with about $482,000 awarded to 29 teams in one year and $490,000 to 36 teams in the next, averaging about $20,000 per grant. Several members urged the committee to consider increasing support for local responders in future budgets, noting rising equipment costs and the importance of local teams as first on scene. Members asked about staffing, coverage, and benefits. Gibson explained that the task force is a mixed workforce of full-time fire personnel loaned from local departments, professional service staff such as doctors and engineers, and temporary deployment staff, with workers’ compensation coverage provided through KYEM and/or home agencies depending on the arrangement. He also said local search and rescue members are not currently included in line-of-duty death benefits. In response to questions about coverage and deployment, he described the two task force locations as designed to keep resources within roughly 100 miles of every Kentuckian. The discussion also turned to recent flood response and disaster recovery. Gibson said the state had mobilized up to 24 teams over the weekend, documented roughly 60 to 80 water rescues or assisted evacuations, and was seeing significant damage in counties such as Cumberland, Clinton, and Metcalfe, including agricultural losses. He said several counties were meeting FEMA public assistance thresholds and that the state was preparing a broader relief request that could include FEMA, SBA, and USDA assistance. He also updated members on efforts to claw back and reallocate unused “strained fiscal liquidity” funds by the statutory deadline, saying notices were sent and funds were redirected where possible to unmet local needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Investing in tribal nations is not charity; it is smart economic policy, it is rural development, and
• She brings strong experience and education, health care, workforce development, and community service
• The problem is there's no economic development down around there.
• So it's just an area that needs economic development, and that's what we want to do.
• President, Madam President, a lot of this sounded like private development.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First we have the literacy instruction professional development investment.
• Along with the English Language Arts, English Language Development, or ELE, ELD framework.
• The trailer bill language is modeled after the professional development included in AB 1454.
• the in-service professional development programs, which the CDE will then post on its website.
• And then providers around ELA and English language development and then stand up?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:10.000> Agency Health Planning and Development Agency Health Planning and Development
• So, what growth and development of this.
• But yet, if economic development at all.
• talk about economic development talk about economic development initiatives<00:58:04.720> trying
• <00:58:46.960> uh<00:58:47.520> in economic development uh in economic development

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 302, which would expand access to medical cannabis by removing the in-person provider-patient relationship requirement and related restrictions. The Department of Health supported the bill, and multiple advocates and organizations testified in support, including the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Alliance for Cannabis Reform, Marijuana Policy Project, and others. Supporters said the measure would improve access for patients, especially on outer islands, and some urged broader amendments allowing providers to certify cannabis for any medical condition and to speed registration and treat in-state and out-of-state patients equally. No opposition was heard, and the bill was left with no questions after testimony. The committee also heard HB 1052 HD1, which clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission may use universal service fund monies to provide free telecommunications access for individuals with print disabilities. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the DCCA Division of Consumer Advocacy, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Human Services, the Public Utilities Commission, and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii. Witnesses described the program as an important accessibility service that has been operating under prior appropriations and should continue under the universal service program. HB 1482, relating to controlled substances and hemp/synthetic cannabinoids, drew support from the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Health, Honolulu Police Department, and others, with some comments from the Attorney General’s office. Supporters said the bill would clarify that delta-8 THC is a controlled substance and help enforcement against illegal hemp products and synthetic cannabinoids. Testimony and questioning focused on the need for better lab testing capacity, retail registry and age-gating, seizure authority, nuisance abatement, and possible use of special funds or appropriations to support enforcement. Members also discussed enforcement of illegal hemp businesses and whether additional funding or statutory changes would be needed. Finally, the committee took up HB 712, a 340B drug-discount measure affecting safety-net providers and contract pharmacies. Hospitals, health centers, and provider groups testified in support, saying the bill would protect access to discounted drugs and preserve funding for services such as chronic disease management, transportation, and specialty care. Pharmaceutical-industry representatives opposed the bill or sought amendments, arguing the 340B program has expanded beyond its original intent and lacks transparency, and they requested reporting or audit-like provisions to verify claims and revenues. Members questioned both sides about alleged abuse, the growth of contract pharmacies, and whether the bill should include transparency requirements before moving forward.