Transcript Highlights:

• that you all would know—do you have a speculation as to what might be the reason for the cut to the urban
• The urban police program? Right. I don't. Again, we recommended continued funding the core amount.
• Do you know if another institution may have secured that $500,000 because they wanted the urban police
• Hill said DVSS funding is foundational for both rural and urban providers, not supplemental.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• issues with the criminal justice system by frequently imposing excessive penalties and by subjecting urban
• imposing incessive penalties and by imposing incessive penalties and by subjecting<00:13:08.320><c> urban
• </c><00:13:08.560><c> poor</c><00:13:08.880><c> and</c><00:13:09.040><c> minority</c> subjecting urban
• poor and minority subjecting urban poor and minority populations<00:13:10.880><c> to</c><00:13:11.120

Bills: HB1546

Keywords: Medicaid, health insurance, healthcare access, insurance subsidies, pilot program, affordable care, preventive services, low-income, community engagement, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2083, which would add homeless shelters to Hawaii’s drug-free/safe-zone protections. The City and County prosecutor’s office strongly supported the bill, saying service providers asked for the change because drug activity near shelters can undermine recovery efforts. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, focusing on a possible notice problem because many shelters are not readily identifiable and the bill’s 750-foot distance requirement could be difficult to apply. The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii also opposed the bill, arguing it would expand criminalization of poverty and drug use and that drug-free zone laws are ineffective and disproportionately harmful. The prosecutor’s office said it would do more research on the notice concern. The committee then moved on without taking a vote in the transcript provided. The committee next discussed HB 2087, which would change the treatment of abuse of family or household member cases by ending the deferred-acceptance pilot and returning to the prior statute. The prosecutor’s office supported the bill, saying the pilot had not reduced backlog as intended and that domestic violence cases should remain petty misdemeanors without deferral. The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Public Defender’s Office both opposed HB 2087, instead urging extension of the pilot for another five years so the legislature can better evaluate how deferred acceptance is working. They said deferrals can be a useful incentive for behavior change and that more data is needed before ending the program. Committee members questioned the prosecutor about why Hawaii should differ from other counties and whether repeat offenders could keep receiving deferrals; the prosecutor said the deferral is available only once and reiterated support for returning to the old statute. The committee then heard HB 2096 on aggravated circumstances in child protective proceedings. The family court and Attorney General’s Office supported the bill, saying current law limits aggravated-circumstances findings to the early return hearing, which can prevent findings in the most serious abuse cases when key evidence is not yet available. They said the bill would allow such findings later in the case and, with proposed amendments, would let the court consolidate aggravated-circumstances and termination-of-parental-rights hearings to reduce delay and appeals. The Libertarian Party of Hawaii opposed the measure, arguing it would expand state power in family matters and could worsen outcomes for parents and children. Committee questions focused on the amended language, including what “another court of competent jurisdiction” means and whether a charge alone would be enough; the judiciary responded that criminal courts are included, but a hearing and opportunity to defend would still be required. Finally, the committee took up HB 1959, another domestic violence measure. The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Public Defender’s Office, the Crime Victim Compensation Commission, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, and county prosecuting offices testified in support. Supporters said the bill would extend the pilot program while keeping deferred acceptance of guilty pleas in place, giving more time to evaluate whether the program is working and whether a more formal diversion model should be developed. The coalition also suggested technical fixes to ensure judiciary data reporting continues and that the deferred-acceptance statute is not inadvertently repealed. No vote or final action was taken in the transcript before the committee moved on to the next bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've rescinded unobligated funds for competitive grants for forest owners, urban and community forest
• <00:14:34.399><c> forest</c><00:14:35.040><c> owners,</c><00:14:36.160><c> um</c><00:14:36.639><c> urban
• </c><00:14:36.880><c> and</c> for uh forest owners, um urban and for uh forest owners, um urban and community

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Agriculture and Environment committees held an informational briefing on how recent federal policy changes, funding delays, cancellations, and layoffs are affecting Hawaii’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and on the legality of some of those federal actions. Chair Carl Rhodes and Chair Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing it as part of an interim series on the rule of law and Hawaii’s response to federal actions. They noted there would be no public testimony, only invited presenters, and that questions would be held until the end. No votes or formal committee actions were taken. State climate change coordinator Leah Laramie described broad impacts from federal actions, including grant cancellations, litigation over terminated funding, staff cuts at NOAA and EPA, and the effect of the federal tax and spending law she said would raise energy costs, reduce grid reliability, and threaten renewable energy and transportation projects. She highlighted the loss or expiration of incentives for EVs and other clean-energy technologies, the termination of the Solar for All program and other rescissions, and the risk to major Hawaii projects such as Carbon Smart Commodities and other energy and land conservation programs. She also said the state’s attorneys general had taken numerous climate-related legal actions, including suits challenging federal cuts and the oil companies’ role in the climate crisis. Retired Justice Michael Wilson focused on the rule of law and climate justice, arguing that Hawaii is on the front line of climate change and that fossil fuel companies pose the greatest long-term threat. He said the state lacks a comprehensive climate protection plan despite the urgency of the crisis, cited UN and scientific warnings about a limited time horizon and severe warming, and pointed to projected local harms such as sea-level rise, beach loss, infrastructure damage, and major economic losses in Waikiki. His remarks emphasized the need for stronger planning and legal accountability, especially in light of federal rollbacks and the influence of fossil fuel interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• front end, um, they're able to get them employed and fill those jobs that they need, not just in the urban
• not</c><01:24:25.600><c> just</c><01:24:25.760><c> in</c><01:24:25.920><c> the</c><01:24:26.159><c> urban
• </c> that they need not just in the urban that they need not just in the urban areas<01:24:26.560><c>

Keywords: The livestream event for this meeting failed before the meeting was finished. This copy was pulled from backups and is reposted in it's entirety., 958, all

Summary: The committee met to review KHEAA’s student aid programs ahead of the upcoming biennial budget. KHEAA officials outlined the agency’s role administering state grants and scholarships, emphasizing that net lottery proceeds are statutorily dedicated to student financial aid after a literacy appropriation. They focused on the College Access Program (CAP), Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG), and KEES, and explained that the FAFSA simplification changes significantly expanded eligibility for Pell and CAP recipients. KHEAA said the General Assembly’s additional funding this biennium allowed CAP to be fully funded, and that FY25 spending for CAP reached about $232 million for roughly 72,000 students, up from about 55,000 recipients the prior year. Officials said they are watching current-year application trends closely and expect a clearer funding picture by late fall as awards are actually disbursed and enrollment data comes in. Members asked about how CAP eligibility works, the difference between applicants and recipients, and whether KTG is tied to Pell eligibility. KHEAA explained that CAP is essentially aligned with Pell eligibility, while KTG uses a different need formula and is limited to private colleges in Kentucky. They also noted that schools verify final eligibility after KHEAA’s initial review of application data. Questions about the FAFSA simplification act and federal changes led KHEAA to say they do not expect major effects on state grant and scholarship programs, though federal student loan changes may affect students, especially at the graduate level. The committee also discussed KEES, which KHEAA said has been fully funded since its creation, and dual credit/work-ready scholarships. KHEAA reported that dual credit participation continues to grow and that FY25 spending for dual credit and Work Ready Kentucky totaled about $26.4 million, compared with a $13.1 million appropriation, with transfers from Work Ready used to keep dual credit fully funded. Officials said they will seek growth funding for dual credit in the next budget because the program has expanded and now includes the work-ready component under one statute. Members asked about transferability of dual credit courses and whether students actually use the credits toward degrees; KHEAA said it does not have hard data on every credit’s transfer, but it is seeing positive trends in bachelor’s completion and more high school graduates earning associate degrees. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the July 15, 2025 meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• update because I'm sure you're aware of the juvenile crime epidemic that is sweeping our country in urban
• our<01:03:19.760><c> country</c><01:03:20.720><c> uh</c><01:03:20.880><c> in</c><01:03:21.200><c> urban
• ><01:03:21.440><c> areas</c><01:03:22.160><c> uh</c><01:03:22.319><c> around</c> our country uh in urban
• areas uh around our country uh in urban areas uh around the<01:03:22.960><c> United</c><01:03:23.280

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Government Contracts Committee met with a quorum and approved the July 8 minutes. It then deferred several items from the July agenda, including a Kentucky Education Television contract because the vendor was not yet registered with the Secretary of State, and a University of Louisville contract at the university’s request. The committee also deferred a behavioral health memorandum of agreement and later a Department of Community Based Services contract after questions were raised about the scope of services and the need for additional information. The most extensive discussion involved the Seven Counties Services contract with the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities. Committee members questioned why the state continues to contract with Seven Counties despite its bankruptcy and pension-related liabilities, how the funding split was determined, whether the services are statutorily required, and whether the state or another provider could deliver the services more efficiently. Agency representatives said Seven Counties is the sole provider of core community mental health services in its region, serves about 24,500 people, and that service needs and acuity remain high even as the number served has declined. A cabinet attorney said the bankruptcy dispute is ongoing and involves roughly $20 million in contested retirement contributions, though members suggested the amount may be higher. Members also raised broader concerns about whether local governments, especially Metro Louisville, should contribute more toward services tied to social determinants of health, and whether the contract includes services beyond what statute requires. The committee requested additional information on the contract scope and possible offsets or recovery of unfunded liabilities, and then voted to defer the Seven Counties contract to the next meeting. The committee also heard a separate DCBS presentation on the Youth Villages Intercept program, where staff explained it was selected because it is an approved evidence-based Family First prevention service, provides intensive in-home and foster care stabilization services, and is headquartered in Tennessee but operates across Kentucky; members asked for clarification on Medicaid billing and additional funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor had it capped at 2%, and we are doing a 4% per year cap on the consumer price index urban
• :04:26.320><c> consumer</c><00:04:26.720><c> price</c><00:04:27.040><c> index</c><00:04:28.000><c> urban
• </c><00:04:28.800><c> uh</c><00:04:29.040><c> piece</c> the consumer price index urban uh piece the consumer
• price index urban uh piece of<00:04:29.759><c> that.

Bills: HF2433, HF2434

Keywords: education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I've worked on a number of strategic plans for urban planning, and this is head and shoulders above anything
• strategic plans worked on a number of of strategic plans um<01:12:04.719><c> for</c><01:12:05.120><c> urban
• 06.400><c> this</c><01:12:06.640><c> is</c><01:12:07.440><c> the</c><01:12:07.920><c> as</c> um for urban
• planning and this is the as um for urban planning and this is the as a<01:12:08.400><c> resource</c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up a Senate message on HB 179, relative to hazardous waste accident fees. Members reviewed the Senate amendment, which would cap the daily non-payment penalty at no more than $1,000 per day and limit the cumulative penalty to 25% of the cost, with no additional daily penalty if the responsible party is following an agreed payment plan. Members discussed the change from the committee’s earlier version, which had allowed penalties up to 100% of the damages, and agreed the revised language was reasonable. The committee voted to concur with the Senate amendment and indicated the bill could be placed on consent. The committee then recessed SB 302, requiring background checks for solid waste facility owners, because a late request for an additional change had not yet been fully reviewed. It next voted on SB 229, relative to the sale of uninspected bison, red deer, and elk meat. Supporters said the bill would expand retail access to these meats, support New Hampshire farms, and improve food security. Members also noted the Department of Agriculture did not object, that the bill would remove a sunset and keep more workable inspection rules in place, and that the animals involved are largely from closed herds. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 229 and agreed to place it on consent. Finally, the committee considered SB 50, establishing a committee to study the regulation of private animal boarding facilities. Members described disturbing testimony about missing, injured, or dead dogs and the lack of clear oversight, licensing, or even a reliable list of kennels in the state. They discussed possible study topics including licensing, inspection authority, standards, penalties, and protections for both pet owners and boarding operators, including disclosure of medical conditions. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 50 and also agreed to place it on consent. After the executive sessions, the committee heard a presentation from the New Hampshire Food Alliance on the state’s first food and agriculture strategic plan, introduced by director Nicole Cardwell, with participation from advisory committee members including Rep. Bixby and Commissioner Sean Jasper.

Transcript Highlights:

• weather and the issues of climate change becoming much more hurting not just our producers but also the urban
• producers<00:21:00.559><c> but</c><00:21:00.720><c> also</c><00:21:01.000><c> the</c><00:21:01.159><c> urban
• </c><00:21:01.440><c> areas</c><00:21:01.840><c> too</c> producers but also the urban areas too producers
• but also the urban areas too so<00:21:02.960><c> um</c><00:21:03.280><c> I</c><00:21:03.600><c> I</c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Hospitals, both rural and urban, will also struggle to remain open.
• 29.480><c> and</c> without Medicaid Hospital both rural and without Medicaid Hospital both rural and urban
• 31.159><c> struggle</c><00:31:31.639><c> to</c><00:31:31.960><c> remain</c><00:31:32.279><c> open</c> urban
• will also struggle to remain open urban will also struggle to remain open Medicaid<00:31:33.840><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Aging is a rural and urban issue. It's comprehensive throughout the state in every county.
• is</c><00:36:22.319><c> a</c><00:36:22.520><c> rural</c><00:36:23.000><c> and</c><00:36:23.359><c> urban
• </c><00:36:24.040><c> issue</c> rate aging is a rural and urban issue rate aging is a rural and urban

Bills: HF1837, HF361, HF2725, HF2566, HF2744, HF1685, HF501, HF1889, HF1389

Keywords: state policy, employment, health insurance, fossil designation, public funds, community resources, Capitol Mall, grantmaking, community vitality, livability, funding, healthy aging, aging policy, older adults, seniors, elderly, gerontology, long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes

Transcript Highlights:

• seasonally adjusted index for the shelter expenditure category of the Consumer Price Index for all urban
• </c><01:37:31.719><c> index</c><01:37:32.040><c> for</c><01:37:32.199><c> all</c><01:37:32.440><c> Urban
• </c> consumer price index for all Urban consumer price index for all Urban consumers<01:37:34.440><c>

Bills: HF1143, HF1548, HF1340, HF2549, HF2559, HF1673, HF2740, HF2507, HF2461, HF2381, HF2695

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI

Transcript Highlights:

• He said that in urban areas in Minnesota there is one dentist per 1,600 people, in regional centers roughly
• to</c><00:12:26.279><c> access</c><00:12:27.279><c> uh</c><00:12:27.440><c> in</c><00:12:27.600><c> urban
• </c><00:12:27.920><c> areas</c><00:12:28.199><c> in</c> relates to access uh in urban areas in relates
• to access uh in urban areas in Minnesota<00:12:28.800><c> there's</c><00:12:28.959><c> a</c><00:12:29.240

Bills: HF1833, HF148, HF1127, HF1227, HF1681, HF1974, HF1106, HF1016, HF2197

Keywords: sales tax, education funding, construction, Aitkin Public Schools, tax exemption, refundable credit, HF148, use of force training, deadly force, peace officer training, police training, law enforcement, POST Board, Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, scenario-based training, de-escalation, defensive tactics, force-on-force training, stress management, officer wellness

Transcript Highlights:

• She added that they are often near urban and suburban areas where they are struggling to compete with
• 02:59.559><c> to</c> they're also often Farmers uh close to they're also often Farmers uh close to Urban
• c> Suburban</c><01:03:00.480><c> areas</c><01:03:00.760><c> where</c><01:03:00.880><c> they're</c> Urban
• and Suburban areas where they're Urban and Suburban areas where they're struggling<01:03:01.400><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• regarding the AMI calculation, that calculation is done by HUD, the Federal Department of Housing and Urban
• /c><01:20:48.400><c> of</c><01:20:48.520><c> Housing</c><01:20:49.280><c> and</c><01:20:49.440><c> Urban
• </c> Federal Department of Housing and Urban Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development<01:20

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• inputs from those producers are very widely varied and include agriculture waste, forestry waste, urban
• agriculture waste widely and include agriculture waste forestry<00:35:53.520><c> waste</c><00:35:54.319><c> Urban
• wood</c><00:35:55.000><c> waste</c><00:35:56.000><c> biog</c><00:35:56.440><c> gas</c> forestry waste Urban
• wood waste biog gas forestry waste Urban wood waste biog gas from<00:35:57.000><c> animal</c><00:35:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Townships are not, uh, under Data Practices, but the prior board had designated our township as an urban
• /c><01:36:07.239><c> Township</c><01:36:07.800><c> as</c><01:36:07.920><c> an</c><01:36:08.119><c> urban
• </c> designated our Township as an urban designated our Township as an urban Township<01:36:09.239><c

Bills: HF25, HF1, HF428

Keywords: pregnancy support, women's health, maternity homes, nonprofit organizations, grant funding, abortion, family services, Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices

Transcript Highlights:

• regulate congregate living, but it tends to be college towns or places that are higher density or urban
• <01:39:12.960><c> higher</c><01:39:13.239><c> density</c><01:39:13.639><c> or</c><01:39:13.760><c> urban
• </c><01:39:14.119><c> areas</c> that are higher density or urban areas that are higher density or urban

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Municipal and County Government subcommittee met on February 19, 2025 to gather additional information on House Bill 432, which concerns recovery houses. The first witness, State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi, said his office had worked with stakeholders for more than a year on the bill’s definition changes and supported the revised definition. He explained that the bill removes vague language such as “safe, healthy, family” and instead relies on fire-code requirements and certification standards, including a primarily non-transient dwelling unit and living as a single household. He distinguished recovery houses from boarding or rooming houses and from other congregate settings such as group homes or transitional housing, saying those other uses do not currently have the same exemptions. Members questioned Tumi about fire safety, inspections, smoke alarms, egress, and whether sprinklers should be required. He said recovery houses are inspected by the fire marshal’s office and local fire departments, with annual inspections under state fire code provisions, and that operators must work with a certifying body. He described the inspection process as checking alarms, extinguishers, heating systems, cooking equipment, street numbers, and no-smoking rules, and said new houses are generally given time to obtain certification. He also said he would prefer sprinklers everywhere but believed mandating them for these existing structures would likely shut down many recovery houses and significantly harm the recovery community. Bill McKenny of the New Hampshire Building Officials Association then testified in support of HB 432. He said recovery housing is an important step after treatment and that the 2024 code changes and the bill help align state law with federal disability law. He emphasized that certification through a recognized organization gives code officials confidence that standards are being monitored, and warned that if a recovery home loses certification it would lose the waiver from sprinkler requirements and could be treated more like a boarding or rooming house. No vote or final action was taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Housing and Urban Development provides housing authorities federal capital funds and operating
• /c><00:07:47.240><c> of</c><00:07:47.360><c> Housing</c><00:07:47.599><c> and</c><00:07:47.720><c> Urban
• </c> US Department of Housing and Urban US Department of Housing and Urban Development<00:07:48.759><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• unique place, especially the Twin Cities campus, where you have that beautiful collision of rural and urban
• unique place, especially the Twin Cities campus, where you have that beautiful collision of rural and urban
• unique place, especially the Twin Cities campus, where you have that beautiful collision of rural and urban
• unique place, especially the Twin Cities campus, where you have that beautiful collision of rural and urban

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and rural areas do have more shortages than urban centers.
• Some of you might not consider that an urban center, but it is a city in the state, and she could in
• Um, and rural areas do have more shortages than urban centers.
• Some of you might not consider that an urban center, but it is a city in the state, and she could in
• So the doorway in our urban resources.

Keywords: 1189, house, all