Transcript Highlights:

• Yet the Governor's January draft budget seems to have very consistent and historically modest levels
• So each of those clusters each received their level of funding, and that's... Tech.
• So each of those clusters each received their level of funding, and that is the $80 million that was
• I'll share one high-level thing, and then Dana, I know, has a lot more commentary.
• So maintaining the baseline level that we have now is critically important for program continuity and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's nobody that actually is doing this level of scrutiny of these.
• For this low-level material.
• I mean, it's low level, I get that.
• Because it's low level? No? Okay. No, no security. Yes.
• It did not rise to the level where it would make the Superfund listing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you have a level one or level two, you can have them staffed, but without staff that are fully
• three or level four facility.
• This is only for level four. Only level four.
• It only precludes the level four.
• It only precludes the level four.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bureau level for that year. But that was using a one-time source of funding.
• It would not change our funding level.
• Anticipates seeing a leveling off of project development at very healthy levels levels.
• And as of now. are letting and returning to more normal levels, we're still expecting. a $12 billion
• level, 20 cents per gallon. per gallon at the state level, a nickel of that goes to the school fund.

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• But our team is really charged with kind of tracking what is happening at the federal level.
• so I want to give you uh spend a level so I want to give you uh spend a little<00:27:16.000> bit<
• The level of match for each program really looks different based on the authorizing legislation.
• The level of match for each program really looks different based on the authorizing legislation.
• We want to be at or above those designated levels.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The staffing was at dangerous levels.
• The staffing was at dangerous levels.
• The staffing was at dangerous levels.
• level what's our staffing<01:02:19.680> level<01:02:20.279> how<01:02:20.440> many<
• based on Acuity and based on the level based on Acuity and based on the level of<01:27:47.600>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committees on Health and Labor heard testimony on HB 1244, a measure relating to labor standards at health care facilities and nursing staff ratios. Committee members opened by explaining hearing procedures, including a suggested two-minute testimony limit and Zoom rules. The bill drew extensive testimony from hospitals, nursing organizations, unions, and individual nurses, with the central debate focusing on whether staffing ratios should be set by statute or left to collective bargaining and unit-level staffing decisions. Opponents included the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Straub Benioff Medical Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kapiolani Medical Center, and Queen’s Health Systems. They argued that fixed ratios are too rigid for the changing conditions of hospital care, could worsen workforce shortages, and should be handled through labor negotiations, staffing committees, and existing agreements. Several also pointed to investments in nursing education, loan repayment, and workforce development as better solutions. Queen’s said it had recently reached an agreement with nurses after more than 40 meetings that included a staffing framework, and Kapiolani and others emphasized the need for flexibility in emergencies and specialty care. Supporters, including the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Pride at Work Hawaii, the Hawaii Nurses Association/American Nurses Association chapter, Hawaii Nurses Association Local 50, UNAC/UHCP, and individual nurses, said unsafe staffing levels contribute to burnout, turnover, errors, and patient harm. Testifiers described chronic short staffing, emotionally and physically exhausting workloads, and situations in which nurses were responsible for too many patients at once. Supporters argued that safe ratios are necessary to protect both patients and nurses, and that collective bargaining has not been enough to ensure safe conditions statewide, especially in facilities without unions. No vote or final committee action was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• None of you know about the levels of offenses: level one, level two, level three, level four, level five
• So obviously, I'm for veterans, and all I said was, 'Senator Wright, you have this as a level nine offense
• But you have it as a level 9 offense, and here's my concern: What are other levels?'
• Level 9 offenses include looting, the molestation of a child, carjacking, armed robbery, and high-level
• There are levels of quality and competence.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• going to pay for programs, you probably want to make sure that they're actually resulting in some level
• Uh, Tim's working on the AI task force he's making sure we have uh some students at different levels
• And of course, research does show that, you know, if If you've got chronically absent, high levels of
• That's a very high level, uh, some work that Tim is doing, he's already uh convening a working group
• Uh, um, Again, that's sort of level setting around advisory councils because we think it's important

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's the current level of support that we are providing.
• So that's the current level of support that we are providing.
• But I think those partnerships at that local level are so very...
• Is there a way to say, like, this is a level one?
• The larger-scale messaging is easier for us at the local level.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on California’s emergency alert and warning systems, especially in light of recent Southern California wildfires and the January 9 evacuation alert that was mistakenly sent to millions of residents. Opening remarks emphasized the loss of life, the strain on first responders, the importance of timely warnings, and concerns that public trust in alerts has been undermined by delays, confusion, and over-alerting. Members repeatedly raised questions about how to improve speed, accuracy, coordination across jurisdictions, and public understanding of the difference between evacuation warnings and orders. Cal OES staff described the state’s alert and warning framework, including SEMS, the State Warning Center, IPAWS, WEA, and EAS, and said local governments retain primary responsibility for issuing alerts because they know local roads, shelters, and hazards best. They said Cal OES supports local agencies with training, technical assistance, testing, and backup alerting help when requested, and that local alerting authorities must test their systems every 30 days and complete FEMA-required training. Members pressed Cal OES on gaps in smaller or under-resourced jurisdictions, the lack of a statewide unified system, compliance monitoring, redundancy for people without reliable technology, and whether the state should take a more active role. Cal OES said it could assist smaller jurisdictions and step in during emergencies, but that a statewide system would require further analysis and funding. Sheriff Eric Taylor of San Benito County emphasized that local control is essential because counties differ widely in structure, geography, and alerting responsibilities, and he described the challenges of rural areas, limited cell coverage, and multiple platforms such as Nixle, Reverse 911, and social media. Nick Russell of Watch Duty said the nonprofit fills gaps by providing fast, geospatially detailed wildfire information from volunteers and public data, and argued that context and redundancy are critical because official alerts often arrive too late or lack enough detail. Members praised Watch Duty’s usefulness and asked about incorporating similar capabilities into state systems. Public commenters also raised the need for broader redundancy, including earthquake-warning partnerships, and wildfire survivors urged the committee to address the confusing patchwork of alerts and to honor prior compensation commitments to PG&E fire survivors. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational only and adjourned after member questions and public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The reality is Walls administration has grown spending to unsustainable levels.
• Our kids need to be able to read at grade level. We need safe communities.
• Our kids need to be able to read at<00:17:48.559> grade<00:17:48.880> level.
• <00:17:49.760> We<00:17:50.000> need<00:17:50.480> safe at grade level.
• We need safe at grade level.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Getting a first level of nursing degree as CTE.
• I think the best example is that first level of auto mechanics.
• There's eight levels in auto mechanics. He's like, I will send them to school and pay for.
• I just need entry level.
• of reliability. intended with a high level of reliability.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:07.199> doesn't level, high water level events doesn't level, high water level events
• <00:08:03.199> of a pro there has been a a high level of a pro there has been a a high level
• We know what our it at the same level.
• comes together at the regional level comes together at the regional level around<00:58:39.200>
• There's a lot of levels of strain.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The first meeting of the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force focused on the task force’s mission and on recent Kentucky flooding disasters. The co-chairs described the need to better prepare for increasingly frequent and costly natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and ice storms, and emphasized coordination among local, state, federal, and interstate partners. The discussion also stressed the importance of budgeting for mitigation, infrastructure resilience, housing, insurance, and recovery planning, with several members sharing personal experiences with disaster impacts in their districts. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave the main presentation, responding to questions about the February and April flooding events. He said the February event affected the entire state, with 11,825 individuals registering for assistance and 1,194 public-assistance projects written so far; he also reported 134 households still sheltered, 190 households moved to permanent housing, and three disaster recovery centers still open after a regional consolidation. For the April event, he said 37 counties had individual assistance, 83 counties were still pending public assistance, and no hazard mitigation had yet been declared; 5,893 people had registered for individual assistance, and 144 households were sheltered, with 83 families already moved to permanent solutions. He noted that counties without public assistance would have to cover expenses locally unless state or federal aid is approved. Gibson also outlined Kentucky Emergency Management’s tools and resources, including a 24/7 state operations center and warning point, embedded National Weather Service meteorologists, five regional warehouses stocked with water, MREs, blankets, and kits, a statewide web-based damage reporting system, laundry trailers, generators, a disaster needs hotline that has received 6,972 calls, and a mutual aid system used to deploy resources such as water tankers. He highlighted ongoing work on urban search and rescue, qualification systems for emergency operations personnel, and aerial documentation of storm damage. No votes or formal actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's just make sure that's level set.
• The level of interaction You would agree with me level of interaction in a personal bond office in terms
• What level...
• And that there is some discretion that needs to be maintained at the prosecutorial level. level with
• some of these lower level offenses.

Bills: HB36, HB75, HB76, HB166, HB799, HB 1135, HJR15, HJR16, HB36, HB75, HB76, HB166, HJR15, HJR16

Keywords: family violence, global positioning monitoring system, victim resources, electronic monitoring, protective orders, magistrate, criminal procedure, probable cause, written findings, law enforcement, bail bonds, bail fund, charitable bail fund, nonprofit bail organization, public funds, local government spending, political subdivision, county, city, taxpayer lawsuit

Transcript Highlights:

• At the individual level, the system is set up to do a variety of things.
• So we've set up a few individual-level reminders.
• materialized, we will get a clearer sense. ...level, you know, materialized.
• Because, again, they are operating at the local level.
• ... ...those resources that exist at the community level to address those in need.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're in North county level. Right?
• I think what would be helpful is for us to provide better data on what is the appropriate level.
• what that appropriate level would be. what that appropriate level would be.
• current level of funding. current level of funding.
• I'm not sure where appropriate level.

Bills: SB2699

Keywords: fare-free transit, youth transportation, environmental tax, transit equity, public transit, Hawaii, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee reconvened and first addressed SB 2699 on public transit/free transportation for young people. Members noted that the Committee on Transportation had already deferred the measure, and this committee said it would defer it as well before adjourning that brief reconvened session. The hearing then moved to SB 2373, which would establish a state goal to strengthen nature-based carbon emissions reduction solutions and authorize the Hawaii State Energy Office to develop methods to quantify carbon reductions from marine ecosystem restoration. The Energy Office said marine carbon sequestration was outside its expertise and asked to be removed from that portion of the bill, while DLNR and OPSD offered comments and said the work fit better with their areas, with DLNR saying it could take it on if properly resourced. Testimony included support from environmental groups, and committee discussion focused on which agency should lead and whether existing methodologies could be used. Next was SB 21001 on organic waste reduction and diversion. The Department of Health supported the intent but raised implementation concerns. Hawaii Farmers Union strongly supported the bill, arguing it would help build compost supply, improve soil health, and give counties time to develop infrastructure; they cited Vermont as a model and said the bill could extend landfill life and reduce methane. Members asked about the Vermont approach and the need for infrastructure before household-level diversion. The committee also heard SB 2905, which would increase the environmental response, energy, and food security tax and direct more revenue to the electric vehicle charging system subaccount. The Energy Office, PUC, and Tax Department offered comments; youth and clean transportation advocates strongly supported the bill as a way to expand charging access and meet EV adoption goals. A member questioned whether the proposed increase would outpace the state’s ability to deploy chargers, and PUC staff said the current annual appropriation is about $750,000 and that they could provide more data on an appropriate funding level. Additional measures were briefly taken up: SB 3231 on condominium maps and county zoning certification in A districts drew support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau; SB 2486 on climate change drew comments from the Energy Office, Climate Commission, and OPSD, who said it duplicated existing climate planning and should include adaptation language; and SB 2376 on the renewable fuels production tax credit drew support from industry and agricultural groups, while the Energy Office and Tax Department raised concerns about the rollover provision and the scale of the credit. No final votes were recorded in the excerpt beyond the earlier deferral of SB 2699.

Transcript Highlights:

• and regional level.
• We're loaning out, in some cases, 0% interest with some entry-level homes.
• There continues to be a level of disparity.
• So I will give you that, but income levels haven't risen on that level, right?
• to incentivize via our ZIP program entry-level homes that are coming in at about the... 250 level, but

Bills: SB48, SB64, SB100

Keywords: State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance, special education, office of special education, deputy secretary, public education department, IEP

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's your very high-level summary. So that's your very high-level summary.
• Next, if you will turn to page 14, this is the Higher Education Department high level.
• One is the tier level of the actual credit.
• And so they're teaching our teachers how to teach college-level courses.
• And so they're teaching our teachers how to teach college level courses.

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• a township level.
• available at a more granular level that would have been more applicable.
• So taking away from that level of service does have an actual impact.
• So taking away from that level of service does have an actual impact.
• In actually 13 areas, there are levels of compliance.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, there are requirements for the disposition of buildings that are valued at a certain level
• We have a very good program with excellent teachers and staff at all levels.
• We don't have quite the numbers per grade level; we have around 40 to 55 students per grade level, so
• That isn't often enjoyed at the public school level, at the non-charter level.
• A lot of the freedoms come from the fact that we get to make decisions at the school level.

Transcript Highlights:

• highest level, these eligibility highest level, these eligibility criteria<00:42:19.680> require
• You have level you have three levels.
• flip these around. we have level one flip these around. we have level one that<00:48:37.760>
• <00:48:43.520> three applied to a situation and level three applied to a situation and level
• offset that level of financial exposure. offset that level of financial exposure.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on February 23, 2026, approved the January 12 minutes, and then focused primarily on Kentucky Medicaid’s coverage and potential expansion of GLP-1 drugs, especially for weight loss. Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee explained that Medicaid currently does not cover drugs for weight loss, anorexia, or weight gain, but the department had filed a regulation to remove that blanket exclusion so GLP-1s could be covered when used for an underlying health condition. She said the administrative regulation review subcommittee found the regulation deficient, and the co-chairs wanted the board to discuss the policy and financing implications before any change. DMS also said it would be open to adding caveats to ensure coverage would not extend to cosmetic weight loss alone. The department provided several data points on current utilization and spending. In 2025, Kentucky Medicaid paid for appetite-stimulating drugs such as Megestrol, Dronabinol, and Marinol, but did not pay for weight-loss drugs. For GLP-1s, DMS said coverage began in 2025 and is limited to FDA-approved medical conditions, with prior authorization requiring a type 2 diabetes diagnosis code and A1C documentation. DMS reported $234.6 million in GLP-1 spending in 2025 before rebates, about 240,931 prescriptions, and said GLP-1s accounted for 7.3% of pharmacy spend in 2024 and 8.3% in 2025. It also said there were 24,844 expansion members and 13,638 non-expansion members using GLP-1s, with spending of about $156 million and $78.5 million respectively, and that 10 pediatric weight-loss prescriptions were covered under EPSDT. The department said outcome analyses, including whether GLP-1 use reduces insulin or other diabetes treatment, are underway and should be completed in a couple of months. Members asked about cost, rebates, and whether the state should wait for more outcomes data before expanding coverage. DMS said average reimbursement to pharmacies was $975 per prescription and the average dispensing fee was $109; it also said 2025 rebate invoices totaled $90.8 million, with $7.6 million collected so far. Several members expressed concern about the high cost and the need to evaluate whether the drugs improve health outcomes before expanding access, while others noted the potential benefits for obesity and diabetes treatment. Some members also discussed whether GLP-1s are effectively being used for weight loss in diabetic patients and whether broader data collection should be used to assess long-term value. After the Medicaid discussion, Eli Lilly executive Tracy Sims presented on obesity as a chronic disease and the economic burden it creates in Kentucky. She said Kentucky’s adult obesity rate is a little over 37%, that obesity is linked to about 200 diseases, and that untreated obesity costs the state billions in GDP and hundreds of millions in state budget impact. She highlighted recent federal access programs for GLP-1s, including a Medicaid-related program that she said could lower the state share of a Zepbound prescription to about $71 per month after federal matching. No votes were taken on the GLP-1 policy question during the meeting, and the main action was the receipt of testimony and discussion of the department’s proposed regulatory change.