Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:04:13.640><c> MMBc><00:04:14.920><c> inc><00:04:15.080><c> thec><00:04:15.200><c> 2025c
• c><00:07:51.760><c> Ic><00:07:51.920><c> urgec><00:07:52.160><c> youc><00:07:52.240><c> toc
• c><00:17:29.120><c> bec><00:17:29.240><c> ablec><00:17:29.480><c> toc><00:17:29.600><c> doc
• ><c> Ic><00:21:11.720><c> wasc><00:21:11.920><c> inc><00:21:12.040><c> thec><00:21:12.120><c>
• c><00:23:34.960><c> Butc><00:23:35.120><c> Ic><00:23:35.240><c> Ic><00:23:35.480><c> Ic><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> ofc><00:10:41.519><c> Housec><00:10:41.680><c> Billc><00:10:41.920><c> 566c> >> All
• c><00:13:59.760><c> There'sc><00:14:00.000><c> somec><00:14:00.240><c> typec> of these are studied
• There's some type of<00:14:00.639><c> processc><00:14:01.040><c> toc><00:14:01.279><c> goc><00:
• c><00:16:50.800><c> thisc><00:16:51.040><c> typec><00:16:51.199><c> ofc><00:16:51.279><c> damage
• c> bay and can cause this type of damage bay and can cause this type of damage through<00:16:51.839

Bills: HB542, HB566, SB270, HB618, HB617, HB542, HB566, SB270, HB618, HB617

Keywords: HB542, district attorney, prosecutor, supernumerary district attorney, Employees' Retirement System, ERS, Alabama retirement, public employee retirement, pension, retirement benefits, post-retirement employment, salary cap, dual participation, double dipping, District Attorneys' Plan, assistant district attorney, deputy district attorney, state pension, survivor benefits, Office of Prosecution Services

Transcript Highlights:

• incentives to work hazardous<00:07:38.400><c> dutyc><00:07:38.720><c> typec><00:07:38.960><c> jobs
• to work in these<00:10:55.120><c> typec><00:10:55.279><c> ofc><00:10:55.440><c> environmentsc>
• <00:10:55.920><c> butc><00:10:56.160><c> oncec><00:10:56.399><c> theyc> these type of environments
• c><00:13:03.920><c> canc><00:13:04.079><c> staffc><00:13:04.480><c> thosec><00:13:04.720><c> types
• c><00:13:04.959><c> ofc> that we can we can staff those types of that we can we can staff those types

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:42 Department of Corrections 04:14 Department of Juvenile Justice 16:22 Kentucky Law Enforcement Council 28:01 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard budget-related testimony from the Department of Corrections on a request for additional funding to take over operations of the Lee Adjustment Center, including $2.2 million in fiscal year 2027 and $5.2 million in fiscal year 2028. The witness said the governor’s budget did not recommend the request. Members asked about the cost savings of private operation versus state operation, the facility’s role in the department’s long-term goals, and whether the state intends to move toward operating all adult correctional facilities directly. The Department of Juvenile Justice then presented on staffing, recruitment, retention, and facility planning. Officials described recent pay increases and other investments, including a 10% security pay raise in 2021, an 8% state employee raise in 2022, higher youth worker starting salaries, and $4.8 million in 2023 funding to sustain salary increases. They said DJJ has also expanded mental health and medical staffing, improved recruitment efforts, and seen an upward trend in hiring. In response to questions, the commissioner said barriers to recruitment and retention include the Tier 3 retirement system, the structured and restrictive nature of detention work, and competition from other employers. He also said the department wants to move toward a regional model for female facilities under SB 162 and believes those facilities can be staffed. DJJ provided staffing figures showing 1,339 funded positions, with 157 filled and 182 vacant at a January benchmark, and 524 detention positions with 450 filled and 74 vacant. Officials said 30 correctional officers were in basic training and expected to join posts soon. Members also asked about the feasibility of staffing additional facilities and the department’s vacancy trends. Finally, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council testified on a funding request for one attorney, one paralegal, one additional monitor, higher costs for existing monitor positions, and Lexington office rent. Officials said the request is needed to handle a growing decertification caseload and expanded oversight responsibilities as the number of academies has increased to about eight, with more than 2,100 instructors requiring biennial review. They said KLEC currently has one attorney and about 15 total staff, with roughly 180 cases pending, more than 50 complaints left to file, and another 30 cases expected soon. Members asked about current staffing, attorney salary, the number of academies, and the move to a separate Lexington office. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned without a quorum for approving minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• > thatc><00:01:36.240><c> asc><00:01:36.479><c> ac><00:01:36.799><c> asc><00:01:37.119><c> a<
• c><00:31:31.200><c> intoc><00:31:31.520><c> ac><00:31:31.760><c> daycarec><00:31:32.240><c> type
• c> you're not hired into a daycare type you're not hired into a daycare type situation.<00:31:33.840
• ><c> typec><00:33:00.799><c> ofc> you're carrying gravel or that type of you're carrying gravel or
• that type of materials<00:33:02.159><c> andc><00:33:02.399><c> itc><00:33:02.640><c> bumpsc><00

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 2 February, 2026; 4:30 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up a series of criminal justice and public safety bills. Early discussion focused on immigration-related concerns and the costs of enforcement, with one senator pressing for data to support claims about crimes by undocumented immigrants and another citing specific cases and DPS removals of drivers with falsified CDLs. The committee also heard a bill requiring the sex marker on a driver’s license to match sex at birth; the sponsor said it was the same measure passed by the committee the prior year, and it received a title sufficient/do pass recommendation. Several bills addressed corrections and court procedures. One bill clarified that people in intervention court are subject to the sentencing judge’s sanctions and are not entitled to a separate technical-violation hearing like probationers or parolees; the sponsor said it would reduce, not increase, leniency, and the committee passed it. Another bill extended the statute of limitations for felonious assistance program fraud from five to ten years, citing the TANF fraud case and the need for more time to detect abuse in executive agency programs; it also passed. The committee then approved a bill allowing judges, after a hearing and specific findings, to order firearms removed in domestic violence cases and protective-order proceedings when the weapons pose a credible threat. The committee also advanced a bill increasing penalties for witness tampering, with the sponsor saying prosecutors wanted a stronger tool because defendants were sometimes willing to accept the current five-year penalty rather than face the underlying offense. Members discussed whether the bill covered intimidation versus tampering and whether the penalty should be tied to the underlying crime; a motion to reconsider/adjust the bill was adopted, and the bill ultimately received a do pass recommendation. Another measure increased fines for handheld mobile device violations while driving, especially in school and work zones, and members discussed whether the bill should be stronger and how any collected fines would be used; it passed. Finally, the committee approved a bill requiring reporting of certain convictions and adjudications to the Child Protective Services central registry, and ended by passing a bill increasing the fine for failing to use a screen on loads that can spill from vehicles and damage windshields, with members noting the fine had not been updated since 1974.

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> testimony,c><00:00:50.399><c> canc><00:00:50.559><c> bec><00:00:50.640><c> foundc> the bills
• c><00:02:31.680><c> Whatc><00:02:31.840><c> ac><00:02:32.000><c> differencec><00:02:32.160><c
• c><00:03:08.879><c> Firstc><00:03:09.040><c> upc><00:03:09.200><c> onc><00:03:09.360><c> our<
• <c> ac><00:04:12.959><c> formc><00:04:13.200><c> asc><00:04:13.439><c> ac><00:04:13.519><c> commissioner
• c><00:09:22.560><c> Umc><00:09:23.040><c> Ic><00:09:23.200><c> knowc><00:09:23.360><c> youc

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint meeting of the Senate committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs heard testimony on several resolutions focused on community safety, emergency preparedness, and commemorative actions. STR 16 and SR 30 sought permission for the City and County of Honolulu to use restricted vacant land on the Pearl City Peninsula for youth ball programs; Pearl City Neighborhood Board chair Larry Vere testified in support, describing a shortage of youth sports space and the availability of the former Navy fuel farm area. STR 22 asked Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to work with other agencies on outreach to help kūpuna prepare for emergencies; testimony from AARP Hawaii, neighborhood boards, and others emphasized lessons from the Lahaina wildfires and the need for statewide, community-based preparedness efforts. Testifiers also urged that disabled seniors be included, and committee members discussed coordination with neighborhood boards, area agencies on aging, and nonprofits. STR 112 and SR 93 proposed lighting City Hall purple on August 7 for National Purple Heart Day, and STR 84 and SR 67 addressed disaster preparedness and drills in Maui after the wildfires. STR 184 and SR 146 would direct county police to enforce registration rules for out-of-state vehicles, and STR 229 and SR 205 would call for explosion-detection technology to respond to illegal fireworks and gunfire; Larry Vere supported the latter as a way to speed law enforcement response, while one senator said she would vote no on the vehicle-registration measure pending more information about possible effects on the Nation/Kingdom of Hawaii community. In decision-making, both committees adopted recommendations to pass STR 16, STR 22, STR 84/SR 67, and STR 184/SR 146, with STR 112/SR 93 and STR 229/SR 205 passed with technical, nonsubstantive amendments. The committee report for STR 22 was also noted to include disabled seniors and to engage neighborhood boards and community groups already working on preparedness. For STR 184/SR 146, one senator recorded a no vote because of concerns about impacts on Native Hawaiian sovereignty-related communities. The meeting concluded after all listed measures were acted on and the joint committee hearings were adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• 10:45.279><c> wasc><00:10:45.440><c> typingc> Ford.
• c> typec><00:35:28.079><c> ofc> policies and procedures and that type of policies and procedures
• ><c> typec><00:39:58.560><c> ofc><00:39:58.720><c> thingc><00:39:59.520><c> andc> procedures
• c> forc><00:40:37.359><c> thatc><00:40:37.520><c> typec><00:40:37.760><c> ofc> use those funds
• $250,000c><01:11:45.840><c> typec><01:11:46.080><c> kid,c> student, $250,000 type kid, student

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to approve the November 21, 2025 minutes, making several clerical corrections before adopting them as amended. The edits included adding the date, correcting a misspelled name, clarifying references to a scholarship fund representative’s title, removing an incorrect “DOE” reference, and fixing a few wording errors. The minutes were approved with one abstention from members who were absent. The bulk of the meeting focused on organizing the commission’s work under SB 57 and identifying which special education cost issues should be prioritized for research and reporting. Members discussed a long list of topics, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, increases in referrals since school closures, interventions before referral, costs of non-medically necessary services in IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal and state requirements, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, dispute resolution, Medicaid and insurance use, graduation rates, and adult learning participation. Several members emphasized the need to combine or narrow topics and to gather better data before the report due July 1, 2026. Representative Ames highlighted HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid payments when state appropriations fall short, and explained that the Education Funding Committee recommended interim study. He argued that local districts are bearing too much of the cost and that the state and federal governments should provide more support. Other members raised concerns about rising special education identification rates, possible overidentification, school climate and mental health factors, bullying, staffing, speech therapy access, and residential placements. One member cautioned that DOE website numbers may be inflated or at least difficult to interpret because of how students are counted. Department of Education staff then explained how special education data and costs are monitored. They said student counts are tied to IEPs and SASIDs in the state system, districts are checked through both desk audits and on-site monitoring, and billed services are compared against IEP requirements. They also described IDEA funding, noting that most DOE special education staffing is federally funded, with a large share of federal money flowing through to local education agencies and the remainder supporting administration, monitoring, and training initiatives. Members discussed whether more staff and more robust oversight would improve accuracy and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• is that if you have other states is that if you have different<00:42:12.920><c> typesc><00:42:13.200
• ><c> ofc><00:42:13.359><c> licensesc><00:42:13.839><c> orc> different types of licenses or different
• types of licenses or classifications<00:42:15.280><c> andc><00:42:15.520><c> onec><00:42:15.760>
• ><c> licensec> of those vertically integrated license of those vertically integrated license types<
• 09:20.239><c> ofc> types so we we may see a large amount of types so we we may see a large amount of

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House Commerce Committee held its inaugural meeting with Chair Tim O’Driscoll and co-chair Representative Greg Davids opening the session and inviting members to introduce themselves. Members briefly described their districts, business backgrounds, and priorities, with recurring themes including small business competitiveness, insurance and health care access, property and real estate issues, agriculture, and making Minnesota easier to do business in. Committee staff also introduced themselves and reminded members and testifiers about sign-in procedures and microphone use. The committee then heard an overview from Eric Toell, interim director of the Office of Cannabis Management, on the agency’s work and budget priorities. He said the office now oversees adult-use cannabis, medical cannabis, and hemp-derived cannabinoid products, has grown from about nine employees to 90 full-time staff plus temporary workers, and has been working with a Cannabis Advisory Council on testing, warning labels, and implementation issues. He also described outreach efforts, including webinars, newsletters, guidebooks for local governments, and office hours for applicants, along with enforcement of hemp-derived product rules through more than 3,000 inspections and an increase in compliance rates from about 35% to 75%. Toell also reported that the medical cannabis program has surpassed 51,000 patients and nearly 2,500 registered health care providers, and that a chronic pain report found more than a third of patients reported decreased pain. On the adult-use side, he said the office has posted proposed rules for public comment, plans to adopt them after review, and will open a licensing window from February 18 to March 14. He explained that the office is also managing community reinvestment grants and a technical assistance grant, with an emphasis on safeguards to ensure funds reach intended recipients. No votes were taken during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> statusc><01:09:52.640><c> forc> any type of you know priority status for any type of you know
• ><c> uhc><04:11:33.760><c> typesc> looking at for uh the different uh types looking at for uh the
• ><c> kindc><04:11:40.000><c> ofc> types of technology and really kind of types of technology and
• ><c> differentc><04:32:55.439><c> typec><04:32:55.600><c> ofc> employee needed a a different type
• c><05:20:37.680><c> andc><05:20:38.320><c> uhc> types of large energy businesses and uh types of

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> thosec><00:05:11.360><c> typesc><00:05:11.600><c> ofc><00:05:11.840><c> programs.
• umc><00:10:31.440><c> whatc><00:10:31.680><c> thec><00:10:32.000><c> typesc><00:10:32.160><c>
• can successfully build<00:32:16.399><c> anyc><00:32:16.720><c> typec><00:32:16.880><c> ofc><00
• :32:17.200><c> specializedc><00:32:17.840><c> supportc><00:32:18.159><c> onc> build any type of
• c><00:55:49.520><c> comec><00:55:49.760><c> throughc> types of interactions come through types

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> somec><03:28:17.120><c> typec><03:28:17.279><c> ofc><03:28:17.520><c> billc><03:28:17.760
• ><c> orc><03:28:18.000><c> ordinancec> get uh some type of bill or ordinance get uh some type of
• ><c> whatc><03:29:32.080><c> typec><03:29:32.239><c> ofc> have to consider is what type of have
• <c> atc><03:43:20.880><c> otherc><03:43:21.120><c> typesc><03:43:21.439><c> ofc><03:43:21.600
• :39.600><c> typec><05:37:39.760><c> ofc> to be discriminating on the type of to be discriminating

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up House Bill 1598 and an amendment, 2026-0463H. Elliott Barry and Nick Norman testified that the amendment reflected a hard-fought compromise balancing concerns from all sides, and they urged no further changes. With no questions from members, the subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend the bill with the amendment to the full committee, 3-0, and closed the subcommittee. The housing committee then moved through several executive session bills. HB 1010 was amended with 2026-0274H, described as clarifying and implementing prior housing law (HB 631) governing residential units above office and retail space; the amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 17-0 vote and placed on consent. HB 65 was then voted ought to pass and also placed on consent, with members saying it was duplicative of the compromise reached on HB 1010. HB 1349 was reconsidered for a clarifying vote and again received unanimous support for its prior disposition, 17-0, and was placed on consent. The committee next took up HB 1523, which concerned homeowners associations. An amendment, 2026-0380H, removed Section 5’s Attorney General enforcement mechanism, added HOA conflict-of-interest approval language, and delayed the effective date to give stakeholders more time; it was adopted unanimously. The bill then passed 18-0 as amended and was put on consent. The committee also voted ITL on CACR 16, a constitutional amendment related to sleeping or homelessness issues, after debate over unintended consequences and whether it protected a basic right; the vote was 10-8, with a majority report assigned and a minority report to be written. Later, HB 108, dealing with inclusionary zoning, was voted ITL 10-8 after members argued the bill imposed unrealistic burdens and could halt development; a minority report was noted with amendment 0149H. HB 7, concerning ADUs and restrictive covenants, was also voted ITL 10-8 after discussion of unintended consequences and a proposed amendment to encourage second ADUs; it was sent to the regular calendar with a minority report and amendment 0289H. HB 1120, on water-related subdivision requirements, was ITL’d 17-1 and placed on consent, with one member noting a study amendment had been offered. HB 1143, addressing housing-provider obligations and municipal enforcement powers, was ITL’d 17-1 and placed on consent. Finally, HB 1145, a fee/tax proposal tied to housing development, was ITL’d 11-7; members debated whether it would discourage development, and a minority report was assigned.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:08:54.160><c> Ic><00:08:54.480><c> willc><00:08:54.640><c> notec> other types of water
• ><c> ofc><00:32:53.039><c> projectsc> system improvement type of projects system improvement type
• ><c> toc><00:36:01.920><c> satisfyc> type of regulation in order to satisfy type of regulation in
• ><c> typec><00:36:40.560><c> ofc><00:36:40.800><c> reduction.
• isc><00:36:45.760><c> goingc> type of involuntary reduction is going type of involuntary reduction

Bills: SF0050, SF0084, HB0133, HB0116, HB0011, HB0044

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, conservation districts, supervisors, elections, agriculture, local governance, beneficial use

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> aboutc><00:22:22.240><c> thosec><00:22:22.480><c> typec><00:22:22.679><c> ofc><00:22:22.800
• ><c> issuesc><00:22:23.480><c> andc><00:22:23.600><c> wec> people about those type of issues and
• c><00:52:43.120><c> inc><00:52:43.240><c> thesec><00:52:43.680><c> typesc><00:52:44.000><c> of<
• They are willful evasion,<01:04:44.240><c> allc><01:04:44.400><c> thesec><01:04:44.600><c> type
• c><01:04:45.720><c> Thatc> evasion, all these type of things.

Bills: HF1338

Keywords: Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, state oversight, government accountability, fraud, waste, abuse, audit, investigation, subpoena, whistleblower, public integrity, transparency, state agencies, executive branch, public funds, taxpayer funds, law enforcement oversight, public safety programs, advisory council

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> toc><00:04:13.440><c> seec><00:04:13.720><c> youc><00:04:14.080><c> whenc> everybody to
• c><00:04:51.960><c> Uhc><00:04:52.160><c> so,c><00:04:52.320><c> we'llc><00:04:52.480><c> go<
• ><c> butc><00:11:51.200><c> umc><00:11:51.560><c> ifc><00:11:51.800><c> Ic><00:11:51.880><c>
• c><00:16:44.720><c> Um,c><00:16:44.920><c> canc><00:16:45.160><c> Ic><00:16:45.360><c> getc
• c><00:16:54.160><c> there'sc><00:16:55.000><c> ac><00:16:55.120><c> typec><00:16:55.560><c> of

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee began with resolutions HCR 93 and HR 85, which ask the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, in collaboration with the Department of the Attorney General, to form a working group and report on ways to strengthen protections for survivors of image-based sexual abuse. The Attorney General’s office said it could support the effort as legal counsel to the commission but preferred not to be an active working-group member, and suggested the Legislative Reference Bureau could instead conduct a nationwide study for stakeholders. The Commission on the Status of Women supported the resolutions but urged broader scope to include prevention and intervention, expanded stakeholder membership, keeping the Attorney General involved, and adjusting the report deadline. Testimony in support also came from the Emoa Alliance, which emphasized the prevalence and harms of image-based abuse and the need for stronger protections. Members asked questions about current criminal and civil remedies, reporting barriers, and whether the commission could administer the effort without the Attorney General; no votes were taken on the resolutions during the excerpted discussion. The committee then heard HCR 113 and HR 106, supporting the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group’s request for more resources and a timeline extension to fiscal year 2026-2027. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs testified in support, saying Native Hawaiian culture, traditional knowledge, and cultural expressions are increasingly being commercialized and exploited without adequate protection, and that the working group needs more time, resources, and community consultation to complete its work. The committee noted six supporters and no opposition or comments. The hearing also covered HCR 193 and HR 183, which would establish a court security and Department of Law Enforcement capacity working group to address staffing shortages and the use of private security at state courts. The Judiciary supported the intent, asked that the working group supplement rather than replace its budget request, and proposed allowing the chair to add members with relevant experience. In response to questions, Judiciary said it has requested $3.25 million for armed private security, which it said would cover about 18 contracted individuals, though with significant company overhead. The committee then moved through several bills: SB 2667, which restricts certain commercial vehicles and trailers from the far-left lane on multi-lane roads, received support from the Department of Transportation; SB 2851, which allows deaf vehicle owners to register a deafness designation for law enforcement access, drew testimony in support; SB 2521, which updates emergency vehicle rules and exempts EMS personnel from CDL requirements, received testimony from Honolulu Emergency Services; and SB 2466, which would make the Chief Elections Officer terminable only for cause, drew support from the League of Women Voters and opposition from Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, who argued the change could reduce accountability and create election disruptions if litigation over termination occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><01:26:51.640><c> ofc><01:26:51.720><c> ac><01:26:51.800><c> lotc><01:26:52.040><c> ofc>
• <c> werec><01:27:46.000><c> umc><01:27:46.440><c> Ic><01:27:46.600><c> Ic><01:27:46.680><c> don't
• ><c> uhc><01:27:51.200><c> inc><01:27:51.320><c> thec><01:27:51.440><c> EFAc><01:27:51.760><c
• 28:24.000><c> typec> anywhere from being into a skill type anywhere from being into a skill type educational
• ><c> Soc><01:29:47.320><c> herec><01:29:47.560><c> hec><01:29:47.720><c> isc><01:29:47.960><c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Freedom Account Oversight Committee met on March 27 and approved the agenda, adding a request for clarification on how the Children’s Scholarship Fund separates applications for the EFA program and the education tax credit program. The committee also approved minutes from December 30, 2025, and March 27, 2026, with a request that the March minutes include a link to the live stream. Members discussed the status of pending Legislative Budget Assistant audit reports on EFA and special education, noting the reports were still not released and would likely come later in the summer after review by the Department of Education and the Children’s Scholarship Fund. A major topic was the EFA program’s administrative fee, which statute allows up to 10% of deposits. Children’s Scholarship Fund representatives said current administrative costs were under 8%, that staffing had been reduced through the ScholarVia platform, and that any unused amount is reconciled and returned to students at year’s end. Members asked for historical administrative-cost data and a written explanation of how the withholding and reconciliation process works. The committee also reviewed the distinction between the EFA and education tax credit funding streams and was told the two programs use separate applications and separate funds, though both use the same platform. The committee spent substantial time on assessment and accountability. Department of Education staff explained that EFA students may satisfy annual assessment requirements through a portfolio, a norm-referenced test, or the statewide assessment; only about 10 EFA students took the statewide assessment, while most used portfolios or standardized tests such as the California Achievement Test and NWEA. Staff described how statewide assessment data are kept separate by student identifier and can be aggregated for EFA reporting, and members asked for breakdowns by grade, test type, and school district. The department also discussed linking assessments through Lexiles and Quantiles and said it could provide a list of commonly used formative assessments in New Hampshire districts. The committee additionally discussed a possible PSAT addition to the state contract and the costs of the statewide assessment program. Another major issue was special education eligibility and services within the EFA program. Members questioned the rule allowing a medical certification of disability from a licensed professional anywhere in the United States as an alternative to an IEP-based determination. Department staff said the current system allows either pathway, that about 1,000 EFA students are identified as special education students, and that the program does not track growth or service alignment on an individual basis. Members expressed concern that the medical-certification route may be too broad and asked for data on the disability categories used. The committee also discussed career and technical education access for EFA students, noting that Senate Bill 491 would provide guidance and that House Bill 1817 would address access and funding issues, but that current law still allows EFA funds to be used to pay CTE costs. The meeting ended with a request for future agenda items and a decision to leave the next meeting date open until fall, pending further information from the LBA audit process.

Transcript Highlights:

• captivec><00:38:02.560><c> allc><00:38:02.800><c> differentc><00:38:03.079><c> typesc><00:38
• c><00:53:59.400><c> atc><00:53:59.559><c> thec><00:53:59.839><c> typec><00:54:00.040><c> of
• c> you you look at the type of you you look at the type of positions<00:54:02.000><c> umc><00:54:02.359
• ><c> thosec><00:54:06.240><c> typec><00:54:06.400><c> ofc><00:54:06.640><c> positionsc><00:54
• :07.119><c> soc><00:54:07.319><c> they'rec> with those type of positions so they're with those type

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection heard the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs present its biennium budget request for fiscal years 2025 to 2027. Director Nainoa Ando said the department’s requests were primarily special-fund ceiling increases to meet operational needs. Major items included an additional $12 million to complete the King Kamehameha V Post Office building roof project after hidden deterioration and water intrusion were discovered, plus funding related to fringe benefits and central services assessments. The department also outlined requests for a new medical compact implementation cost, an auditor position, an engineer position, and a captive insurance IT modernization project. A significant portion of the discussion focused on the Office of Consumer Protection’s landlord-tenant call line and public service access. Senators raised concerns that callers often reach voicemail, are told to leave a message, and sometimes are referred to look up the law themselves. DCCA said the Oʻahu line is staffed by one full-time employee backed by two to three investigators, with one investigator each on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, and that calls are tracked in a case management system. The department said it plans to add one more Oʻahu staff position through a transfer from another division and that a new call-center/web system with time tracking is expected to go live in the summer. Members also discussed a possible bill related to Pearson VUE nursing certification testing, with one senator describing the burden on neighbor-island nursing graduates who must travel to Honolulu for a one-hour test. The senator said she intended to introduce legislation after receiving no response to repeated outreach. DCCA did not take action on that proposal during the hearing. For the PUC-related requests, the department explained a one-time $1 million request for outside consulting tied to Maui wildfire-related filings, including wildfire safety mitigation and hazard mitigation plans, and a separate $900,000 request through the Consumer Advocacy Division to hire consultants for review and analysis. The committee also discussed a captive insurance IT modernization request, which DCCA said would replace manual and spreadsheet-based processes with a cloud-based system to better handle filings, payments, and workflow; no vote or final action was taken on the budget items during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:04:01.879><c> Ic><00:04:01.959><c> thinkc><00:04:02.120><c> thatc><00:04:02.560><c> my<
• c><00:04:08.560><c> outdoorsc><00:04:09.120><c> andc><00:04:09.280><c> justc><00:04:09.439><c>
• :18.840><c> thec><00:04:19.079><c> forestsc><00:04:20.079><c> umc><00:04:20.359><c> thatc><00
• ><c> itc><00:05:06.479><c> isc><00:05:06.639><c> func><00:05:06.840><c> toc><00:05:07.000><c>
• c> typec><00:05:20.919><c> ofc><00:05:21.080><c> partisanshipc><00:05:21.800><c> althoughc> Beyond

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• uh testing examiners, our lab personnel uh those<00:26:50.920><c> typec> those type those type of<
• <00:36:28.480><c> typec><00:36:28.720><c> things.
• c> those type things. those type things.
• c><00:37:56.560><c> toc><00:37:56.680><c> seec><00:37:56.960><c> ac><00:37:57.040><c> typec
• anyc><00:47:29.080><c> typec><00:47:29.520><c> ofc><00:47:29.760><c> publicc><00:47:30.280><c

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:08:00.800><c> youc><00:08:00.960><c> knowc><00:08:01.120><c> whatc><00:08:01.440><c> types
• c><00:08:01.759><c> ofc> really about you know what types of really about you know what types of
• goc><00:13:33.360><c> toc><00:13:33.519><c> thesec><00:13:33.760><c> typesc><00:13:34.000><c>
• :37.599><c> typesc><00:51:37.760><c> ofc><00:51:37.839><c> things.
• c> projectc><01:20:10.880><c> thatc> funded this this type of a project that funded this this type

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :07.840><c> samec><00:08:08.120><c> typec><00:08:08.319><c> ofc><00:08:08.479><c> thingsc><00
• :08:09.440><c> uhc><00:08:09.599><c> thisc> those same type of things uh this those same type of
• > typec><00:43:42.119><c> ofc><00:43:42.240><c> shapec> circle or some other type of shape circle
• <00:53:56.200><c> typec><00:53:56.440><c> typec><00:53:56.680><c> ofc><00:53:57.040><c> ofc><
• 00:53:57.359><c> umc><00:53:57.920><c> programsc><00:53:58.280><c> atc> other uh type type of of

Bills: HF1379, HF1596, HF2260, HF1429

Keywords: nonopioid directive, opioid refusal, opioid-free care, pain management, health care directive, advance directive, patient autonomy, informed consent, substance use disorder, opioid epidemic, prescriber immunity, provider liability, emergency medical services, EMS, health record, Minnesota Department of Health, health care agent, medical power of attorney, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota government data practices

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:30:43.840><c> Whenc><00:30:44.080><c> thisc><00:30:44.320><c> typec> instantly kill a child
• c><00:42:30.079><c> knowc> type of protection.
• /c><00:42:59.599><c> thatc><00:42:59.839><c> typec><00:43:00.000><c> ofc> schools and our students
• try to take<00:58:52.720><c> thosec><00:58:53.040><c> typesc><00:58:53.280><c> ofc><00:58:53.440
• ><c> thingsc><00:58:53.599><c> intoc> take those types of things into take those types of things

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3668, authored by Chair Beerman, which would create a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Beerman and several supporters framed gun violence as a public health crisis, arguing the office would improve research, coordination, data collection, and evidence-based prevention. Supporters cited firearm deaths among children and adults, the trauma experienced by survivors and families, and Minnesota’s need for a centralized structure to guide policy and prevention efforts. Testifying in support were representatives of the Minnesota Medical Association, Protect Minnesota, a parent affected by the Annunciation school shooting, family physicians, an OB-GYN, and a pediatric emergency physician. They described gun violence as a daily clinical and community reality, pointed to rising firearm deaths and injuries, and said Minnesota should apply the same public health approach used for motor vehicle safety, tobacco, and other crises. Several witnesses emphasized the impact on children, suicide prevention, maternal health, and the need for Minnesota-specific research and coordinated responses. Opposition came from the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which argued the bill would create a taxpayer-funded bureaucracy that could be used to advance gun control policy and treat lawful firearm ownership as a public health problem. The group said the state should focus instead on enforcement, prosecution, and victim services. Vice Chair Nidau offered an A2 amendment to move the office from the Department of Health to the Department of Public Safety, citing data-sharing and accountability, but withdrew it after discussion with Chair Beerman. The hearing ended with additional member discussion, including concerns about existing violence-prevention spending and whether school safety investments would be a better use of funds; no final vote was taken in the portion provided.