Transcript Highlights:

• And because the state can't control And because the state can't control federal<01:18:46.160>
• Often by controlling the situation beforehand.
• Often by controlling the situation beforehand.
• Often by controlling the situation beforehand.
• because we don't control because we don't control what<02:55:19.800> people<02:55:20.120>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• codified permit process will bridge a gap between local property owners, businesses, and public entities
• region of the state, both when I was in the Assembly and now in the Senate, we had no operating entities
• And so what would happen is people would come in and do ...had no operating entities.
• You know, I think ultimately, and I guess the last issue is about sort of the targeting of two entities
• This bill, again, would give them control with their image when they turn 18, requiring platforms to

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then I would suggest not necessarily giving it to nonprofits because we cannot necessarily control
• L.A., where there are larger and larger events, international games, and we are an international entity
• A city, a local city, would be an example of a hosting entity, but there will be more information as
• I know different funding has come at different times from different entities.
• So if you could just help us to identify, Funding has come at different times from different entities

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But at the same time, we have to ensure that we're not allowing any fraudulent entities into our system
• Instead of talking about elections and power and institutions and control, instead of talking about all
• Elections and power and institutions and control, instead of talking about all that, just talking about
• As what you're describing, is that kind of common for all the accrediting entities?
• As what you're describing, is that kind of common for all the accrediting entities?

Bills: SB 2

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are a number of things that we at the state level don't control.
• We don't control interest rates.
• So that suggests, and Commissioner Stepp referred to these as multinational entities, right?
• So that suggests, and Commissioner Stepp referred to these as multinational entities, right?
• So that suggests, and Commissioner Stepp referred to these as multinational entities, right?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a Ways and Means briefing opened by the vice chair, who introduced Jason Wong of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to discuss the national and regional economy. Wong focused on inflation, asking why it had fallen from about 9% in 2022 to the 2%–3% range, and what that meant for monetary policy and the risk of an economic downturn. He said the Fed’s target is 2%, noted that recent PCE inflation was about 2.4% and core PCE about 2.7%, and described the ongoing debate over whether interest rates should stay tight or be lowered further to protect the labor market. Wong explained that the improvement in inflation has been driven largely by goods prices, especially durable goods such as cars, appliances, and furniture, as well as non-durable goods like food. He said supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic caused major price spikes in 2022, but those pressures have eased and many goods prices are now at or below the Fed’s target. He also referenced the New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index, saying it showed extreme pandemic-era disruptions that have since receded. The main remaining inflation problem, he said, is in services, especially housing. Wong broke services into rent of shelter and all other services, explaining that shelter is a large share of household budgets and that housing inflation has a lag because rent measures often reflect older lease terms rather than current market rents. He said monthly Zillow data suggest market rents have cooled and may eventually feed through to official inflation measures. Members asked several questions about the chart’s time scale, the treatment of real estate, property taxes, and utilities, and Wong clarified that housing costs are counted in services and that the slides would be shared digitally. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Control this body has ever considered.
• I believe that until we local control.
• control this body has ever considered. control this body has ever considered.
• simply try to exercise zoning control simply try to exercise zoning control from<02:36:50.319>
• So this board being the only entity So this board being the only entity doing<04:04:24.960> this

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fentanyl to minors enhanced penalty: an act relating to controlled substances. Mr.
• penalty an act relating to controlled penalty an act relating to controlled substances.<00:16:20.959
• and authority, curriculum control and anti-bullying policies.
• , authority, curriculum control, authority, curriculum control, anti-bullying<01:19:20.400> policies
• It refers to an entity in the bill to provide guidance, a private organization.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are limits to what can be controlled. Okay, so that prompts another question.
• Then regulated entities have to purchase allowances equal to their emissions.
• So where many entities have to purchase allowances, they receive them at no cost.
• So where many entities have to purchase allowances, they receive them at no cost.
• So first, EITEs are covered entities in the program like any other covered entity that's not an EITE.

Summary: The committee held a work session covering PFAS regulation and impacts, no-cost allowance allocation for emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries (EITEs), and regional resource adequacy and data center load growth. Senator Victoria Hunt was welcomed as a new member. The Department of Ecology reviewed Washington’s Safer Products for Washington PFAS work, including completed restrictions on PFAS in outdoor furniture, carpets, rugs, stain/water-resistant treatments, and newer rules adopted in November restricting PFAS in most apparel, cleaning products, and automotive washes, with reporting requirements for some other products such as cookware and firefighting gear. Ecology also described Cycle 2 PFAS reviews now underway, including artificial turf and paints, and answered questions about compliance, online sales, sell-through periods, and how Washington’s approach differs from broader bans in states like Maine and Minnesota. The Department of Ecology also presented on PFAS in biosolids, describing a 2024 sampling study, limitations in testing methods, and a 2025 statutory amendment requiring additional sampling between 2027 and 2028 and a report to the legislature in 2029. The Department of Health then updated the committee on PFAS in drinking water, reporting that most Group A public water systems have completed sampling, that 317 sources and 188 systems are expected to exceed new contaminant levels, and that treatment costs for public systems are estimated at about $970 million, leaving a large funding gap; members also asked about private wells, health effects, bathing exposure, and home filters. The Board of Health’s new state action levels are being aligned with federal MCLs, and the department said it expects to continue monitoring and notification under state rules. Ecology also briefed the committee on no-cost allowance allocations to EITEs under the Climate Commitment Act, explaining the leakage-mitigation rationale, the current allocation schedule through 2034, and a forthcoming report on policy options for 2035-2050; members asked about industry barriers, competitiveness, and whether facilities might leave the state. Finally, E3 presented a regional resource adequacy study showing rising load, retirements outpacing additions, limited winter reliability value from wind, solar, and batteries, and a projected shortfall beginning in 2026 that could grow to about 9,000 MW by 2030 if planned projects are not built. The presentation emphasized winter cold-weather events, hydro variability, the importance of permitting and transmission, and longer-term options including nuclear, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon capture, and long-duration storage. EPRI then introduced its DC Flex initiative, which is studying how data centers can provide flexible load through workload shifting, cooling optimization, and on-site backup or bridging resources to reduce grid stress and protect ratepayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, and it limits foreign government's controlled
• Or, three, to perform or allow another person under their control to perform a drag show in the view
• the possibilities for the solution would be to further define or clarify in the definition of state entity

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• statute to a regulatory entity statute to a regulatory entity is<00:23:04.159> somewhat<00
• Um the entity and inconsistencies here.
• summation uh it only refers to entities summation uh it only refers to entities not<06:07:34.480
• Um, in this all by the same entity.
• owned by the same entity.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's the angle of the drums that controls the reactivity.
• You've got drums, and it's the angle of the drums that controls the reactivity.
• We should be able to control emissions and bring down, you know.
• When you don’t have control of these things, you really don’t have control of the ability to maintain
• We're looking at new control rod mechanisms.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:52.200> to<00:31:52.399> further to the appropriate entities to further to the
• appropriate entities to further investigate<00:31:53.519> such<00:31:53.720> as<00:31:
• think that putting on those entities think that putting on those entities versus<01:56:24.679>
• For parents whose rights to care, custody, or control of a child have been abridged, halted, modified
• the same meaning as care custody control the same meaning as care custody control and<03:30:35.160

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Children and Family Law Committee opened its March 4 meeting with procedural announcements, including a deadline for any Minority Report, notice that the committee would not meet the following Tuesday because of town meeting day, and a preview of its March 18 agenda. The chair said that meeting would include hearings and executive sessions on HB 518, requiring DHHS to provide a detailed annual report of DCF costs, and HB 775, directing DHHS to seek proposals for supervised visitation centers; HB 553 was also slated for executive session. The committee also heard an update on Representative Grossman’s son, who remained in the PICU at Mass General. The main hearing was on HB 493, which would require child abuse and neglect education for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants as a condition of licensure. Representative Alicia Gregg presented the bill and an amendment reducing the required training from two hours to one hour, saying the goal was to improve recognition of abuse and prevent both missed cases and false accusations. Cassandra Sanchez, the state Child Advocate, strongly supported the bill, describing a 2020 review of nine cases of non-ambulatory infants with serious injuries and later system mapping that identified gaps in medical recognition; she said the training should be part of existing continuing education hours and that voluntary uptake had been limited. Dr. Michael Matos of Wolfeboro Pediatrics also testified in support. Ben Bradley of the New Hampshire Hospital Association opposed legislating the requirement, saying hospitals already train staff and that the legislature should not single out one topic for statutory mandate when other reporting obligations are handled differently. In questioning, committee members asked whether the hour would be part of existing continuing education, whether hospitals already provide similar training, and whether the bill should be placed in the continuing medical education statute instead of child protection law. Bradley said hospital members already provide annual training and collaborate with proponents, but did not support putting the requirement in statute. Sanchez said the bill was intended to use one of the hours already required for training, though members noted that the bill text did not clearly say so. The committee also heard broader testimony about the Family Division of Circuit Court, including a proposal to create a subcommittee to study more difficult issues such as pre-trial counseling, evidentiary practices, and domestic violence-related cases, with the Speaker appointing members to that subcommittee.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:24.800> invasive endangered species and control invasive endangered species and control
• Because it looks like you're doing the same thing and controlling invasives.
• you're not sure who's really in control you're not sure who's really in control of<01:10:13.800>
• So there's control, even if it's among yourselves, that have one common dashboard. Yes.
• , the management and control of Kahol shall be transferred to that entity.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's only school districts cuz entities.
• part we're talking about, you know, where we're exempting school districts rather than any other entity
• These programs are administered, controlled, and managed by the local public school district, as Mr.
• These programs are administered,<01:28:55.000> controlled<01:28:55.880> and<01:28:56.000
• > managed<01:28:56.320> by administered, controlled and managed by administered, controlled

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These state corporations and authorities were established to function as quasi-private entities with
• And finally, it clarifies language allowing temporary erosion control measures when an emergency erosion
• control permit runs out, provided that the applicant engages with the state to develop and implement
• trust and allows for the removal of the trust and allows for the removal of the temporary erosion control
• It controls diseases and outbreaks because they realize sometimes rehabilitation and just saying no is

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• continuing education requirements, so only podiatric physicians registered with the DEA must complete controlled
• It imposes enhanced quality control requirements by mandating the products be retrieved, processed, stored
• is one accountable administrator overseeing compliance and data security while allowing limited controlled
• is one accountable administrator overseeing compliance and data security while allowing limited controlled
• It requires the contracted entity to provide regular reports to the board for data collection in the

Bills: S0042, S0196, S0878, S0902, S0914, S1092, S1168, S1340, S1404, S1414, S1684, S1686

Keywords: child protection, medical records, investigation, abuse, neglect, healthcare, Child Protection Team, diagnosis, uterine fibroids, health database, medical research, personal data protection, women's health, clinical laboratory, licensure, healthcare personnel, technologist, technician, medical marijuana, low-THC cannabis

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met to hear and vote on a series of health, human services, and education-related bills, along with a presentation of the committee’s proposed HHS budget. The budget was described as increasing by more than $2.1 billion over the current base, with major funding highlighted for Medicaid and KidCare, rural health, provider rate increases, child welfare, mental health and substance use, opioid treatment, Alzheimer’s initiatives, cancer research, ADAP, veterans’ services, and IT modernization. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on AIDS Drug Assistance Program funding and concerns about Department of Health changes affecting access, premium assistance, notice, and continuity of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Among the bills reported favorably were measures on podiatric medicine and tissue-based products (SB 1092), background screening and clearinghouse procedures (SB 1168), child protective investigations involving specific medical diagnoses and second opinions (SB 42), clinical laboratory personnel licensure standards (SB 878), uterine fibroid data tracking and research (SB 196), medical marijuana treatment center oversight and related health provisions (SB 902), dyslexia and dyscalculia screening and intervention in schools (SB 1340), memory care licensure for assisted living facilities (SB 1404), congenital CMV education materials (SB 1414), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public records exemption bills (SB 1684 and SB 1686), and occupational therapy dry needling licensure standards (SB 914). Several bills were amended before passage, including SB 1092, SB 42, SB 902, SB 1684, and SB 1404. Testimony generally came from professional associations, advocacy groups, and affected stakeholders, with support voiced for most measures. The committee adopted amendments on the floor, heard no opposition during debate on the bills described, and then voted to report each measure favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded in the affirmative on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our entity, the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, saw some retail stations charging two or even
• Those events are outside of your control.
• It increases risk, reduces control, and leaves Californians more exposed.
• Unfortunately, I think that would be a crisis, and it would be completely out of control of the state
• control how resilient the California system is.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the impact of the Iran conflict and global oil supply disruption on California fuel markets. Committee members and administration witnesses from the California Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight described California’s heavy reliance on imported crude and refined products, the state’s shrinking refining base, current inventory levels, and how global supply tightness is affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel prices. CEC officials said near-term supply looked adequate for roughly the next six weeks, but warned that continued disruption would likely raise prices further and increase competition for imports. DPMO said the conflict is a real supply shock, but also emphasized a separate, longstanding problem of unusually high California retail gasoline prices, especially among major branded stations. Witnesses and members debated the causes of high prices and the state’s longer-term fuel strategy. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that much of the price gap beyond taxes and environmental costs comes from a “mystery gasoline surcharge” downstream of refineries, while also noting that California’s shrinking number of refineries creates market-power and supply-resilience concerns. Western States Petroleum Association CEO Jody Mueller argued that state policies have weakened California’s refining system and made it more vulnerable to global shocks, urging the state to protect remaining refining capacity and improve infrastructure for imports. United Steelworkers Local 675 Vice President Norman Rogers stressed the need for safe, reliable refinery operations and adequate staffing. Several members pressed witnesses on whether California should rely more on imports, how to manage inventories and port/storage capacity, and whether the state needs clearer authority and better data collection to coordinate fuel policy. Discussion also covered branded versus unbranded gasoline pricing, the role of California fuel specifications, and whether a floating gas tax or other policy tools could buffer consumers from global price spikes. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our terms of service require that a customer affirmatively acknowledges that they control the wallet
• they are using and... implemented internal controls to ensure implemented internal controls to ensure
• controlled by Coinflip. controlled by Coinflip.
• the organizations one of the entities the organizations one of the entities that<00:50:02.079>
• <01:11:39.679> gambling constitutional right to control gambling constitutional right to control

Bills: HB2227, HB1775, HB1560, HB1642, HB1647, HB2003, HB1640, HB2198

Keywords: eviction, housing stability, tenant screening, court records, writ of possession, foreclosures, public sale, eligible bidders, housing, downpayment, judicial foreclosure, digital financial assets, consumer protection, financial kiosks, refunds, transaction security, HB1642, Hawaii, cryptocurrency ATM, crypto ATM

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 5, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 227 relating to eviction records. Supporters, including the Public First Law Center and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would help people who prevail in eviction cases avoid long-term housing harm from online court records, while the Public First Law Center said keeping records off eCourt Kokua would not violate the First Amendment because the records would still be available in person. Members discussed access-to-justice concerns, and a witness said legal aid attorneys could still access the records through the attorney-only Jeff’s system and the court’s access-to-justice room. The chair also asked about precedent, and a witness cited a Hawaii Supreme Court case as supporting removal from the online database rather than sealing records entirely. The committee then took up HP 1775 relating to foreclosures, but the transcript only shows in-person opposition comments from the Hawaii State Bar Association Collection Law Section, the Hawaii Credit Union League, and the Hawaii Bankers Association. The credit union and banking groups said they had concerns about broader negative impacts on mortgage lending and other requirements, but no detailed discussion or action was captured before the committee moved on. The next measure, HB 1560 relating to consumer protection, drew support from the Office of Consumer Protection and cryptocurrency companies including Coinflip and America Digital, which said they already use wallet-pinning and other safeguards to prevent fraud. AARP Hawaii did not take a formal position but said the bill addressed a real problem, noting that Hawaii residents, especially in Kona, had lost more than $920,000 in 2024 to cryptocurrency ATM scams and arguing that stronger oversight was needed. The committee also heard HB 1642, which would ban cryptocurrency kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the ban as the best way to protect consumers from fraud, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed it, arguing kiosks provide cash-based access to crypto, especially for unbanked or underbanked consumers, and that targeted regulation would be better than an outright ban. AARP Hawaii took no formal position but strongly emphasized the harm caused by scams, saying victims are often frightened into acting quickly and that kiosk transactions currently lack enough friction or intervention. Finally, HB 1647, also on consumer protection, would impose liability on host businesses that provide space for crypto kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection warned small businesses might not understand the liability, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed the bill, saying it would unfairly shift enforcement duties to host stores and could discourage businesses from hosting kiosks, effectively creating a de facto ban. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've know that the federal agencies have a less controlled process.
• I mean, Congress doesn't control their rulemaking as tightly as we control our agencies.
• I mean, less controlled process.
• <00:43:33.680> rule Congress doesn't control their rule Congress doesn't control their rule making
• <00:43:35.680> our making as tightly as we control our making as tightly as we control our

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with routine business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, seating alternates, and approval of the minutes and consent calendar. Both were approved without opposition. The committee then moved to the regular calendar, beginning with Department of Environmental Services drinking water rules (2532). Staff noted that the final proposal deleted requirements that had been in the initial proposal, making the published notice technically inaccurate because it said there were no substantive changes. The agency responded that the requirements still exist in other rules, that regulated entities and the Water Council were notified, and that the public had notice through related hearings. After discussion about whether a new noticed hearing was needed, the committee approved the rule. The next item was Department of Administrative Services personnel rule 2510 on seniority and employee performance evaluation. Staff raised informational comments and one unclear comment about language that appeared to require a checkbox even though no form exists, and about evaluation categories that could overlap. The agency said the checkbox language should be removed, but defended the overlapping categories as part of a long-standing template used by agencies for the past 10 years. Members discussed whether the language was too ambiguous or could lead to inconsistent application, but the committee ultimately approved the rule with a condition striking the checkbox language in the affected sections. The committee then considered personnel rule 25109 on investigations, discipline, non-disciplinary communications, and non-disciplinary removal. Staff recommended clarifying language distinguishing license suspension from termination for cause, and questioned whether the sexual-harassment discipline language was too broad because the same conduct could fit multiple discipline levels. The agency agreed to add the suggested clarification for the license-suspension provision, but argued the sexual-harassment language should remain because another rule already provides the factors for determining the appropriate discipline and the agency needs discretion for fact-specific cases. The discussion included concerns about how non-verbal conduct might be treated, but the committee moved toward conditional approval with the agreed clarification and approval of the rest of the rule as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• the strict timing requirements for unlicensed dental assistance to complete the 8-hour Infectious Control
• Before January 1st 5 dental assistants were required to complete the 8-hour infectious control course
• AB 875. to address some unintended workforce challenges caused by recent changes to the infection control
• While infection control training is essential, this region requirement causes hiring delays, particularly
• This maintains patient safety, as new hires already receive Cal OSHA mandated infection control training

Keywords: 988, house, all