Transcript Highlights:

• respectfully on a 30th day of June 27 and the 30th day of June 28 to amend and reenact portions of the Code
• , 2027 and the 30th day of June 2028 to amend and reenact portions of the Code and repeal portions of
• come to Amendment Number 11, a technical amendment relating to a data center electricity consumption tax
• Page 15 of the printed calendar, we come to Amendment 12, which relates to additional local sales tax

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. Members received introductions of Pastor Ralph S. Hodge of Second Baptist Church in Richmond and students from the 26th District and surrounding areas. The House also adopted House Resolution 2195 honoring Robert Stouffer, with a request that adjournment be in his memory. During personal privilege remarks, members spoke on Pride Month and LGBTQ+ rights, and another member delivered a lengthy floor speech opposing firearm restrictions and defending self-defense rights. The chamber then adopted memorial and commending resolutions in blocks, including additional commending resolutions added by the clerk. The main item of business was House Bill 30, the budget, on which the House considered the governor’s 14 amendments. Amendments 3, 4, and 5 were taken up together and adopted, followed by adoption of Amendment 1 on referendum costs, Amendment 2 on Atlantic research support, Amendment 6 expanding REGO utility credit to cooperatives, Amendment 7 clarifying law-enforcement facial covering restrictions, Amendment 8 creating a firefighter cancer screening grant program, Amendment 9 funding a digital services team, Amendment 10 relating to acquisition of Oak Hill Farm, Amendment 11 on data center electricity tax technical changes, Amendment 12 on local sales tax referendum timing, Amendment 13 on paid sick leave, and Amendment 14 on firearms in public areas and delayed enactment. Most amendments passed by substantial margins, with Amendment 8 adopted unanimously. The House completed work on the calendar and then agreed to a motion to stand in recess pursuant to House Resolution 2069.

Transcript Highlights:

• this is exactly why I was asking Senator Middleton, because we finally, at least came to when I was tax
• schools have limited liability to civil suits primarily relating to motor vehicle or tangible property taxes
• Line 19, failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect under section 2. 261.101 of the family code
• Thank you, Michelle Senator Menendez, you're referring to Section 261101 of the Family code.

Transcript Highlights:

• First item on the agenda is HB 263, relating to vehicle weight taxes.
• Tax Foundation of Hawaii with comments on Zoom, not here. Okay. Johnny may L.
• the vehicle weight tax for full-time the vehicle weight tax for full-time college<00:18:52.240><
• did want to note that potentially a tax did want to note that potentially a tax credit<00:53:05.440
• so that eventually when it's up to code so that eventually when it's up to code and<01:06:25.119

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard a 10 a.m. agenda covering a range of transportation, liability, harbor, and bicycle-related bills. Testimony was mixed on several measures: HB 263, which would exempt full-time college students from vehicle weight tax, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and others; HB 135, authorizing general obligation bonds to purchase property on the North Shore of Oʻahu, had support; HB 860, granting immunity to the state or county for repairs on roads with disputed jurisdiction, drew support from DOT, DLNR, and the City and County of Honolulu but opposition from the Hawaii Association for Justice; and HB 996, which would abolish joint and several liability for government entities in highway-related civil actions, also drew strong opposition from the Hawaii Association for Justice and support from the Attorney General’s office and DOT. The committee also heard HB 1167, an emergency appropriation for motor carrier enforcement, and HB 1259, which would remove the need for an engineering study before reducing speed limits within 10 mph of the current limit; both had support from DOT and related groups. HB 1156 and HB 960, both related to harbor financing and capital advancement contracts, were supported by DOT, with DOT explaining that higher bond and contract ceilings were needed because project costs have increased since the limits were set decades ago. HB 142, exempting certain nonprofit community-based transportation providers from motor carrier regulation, and HB 914, creating a water carrier inflationary cost index mechanism and allowing PUC exemptions, also received support from multiple stakeholders, with the Consumer Advocacy Division noting that the inflationary adjustment issue was already active in a rate case. The committee also took testimony on several electric bicycle and micromobility bills. HB 486 would restrict where electric bicycles may operate, prohibit unsafe operation and removal of speed-limiting devices, and fund a safety education campaign; it drew opposition from the Hawaii Bicycling League and several individuals, with one supporter. HB 435 would redefine and classify electric bicycles, raise the minimum operating age, and add registration and use rules; it was supported by DOT and the Hawaii Bicycling League, with one individual opposing. HB 958 would regulate motorized bicycles and electric micromobility devices, require helmets for minors, and fund a coordinated education campaign; it drew support from the City and County of Honolulu, Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, and the Hawaii Bicycling League, but opposition from Moped Doctors and others, who argued the bill could harm the moped industry and that more study was needed. After testimony, the committee recessed and then reconvened for decision-making. In decision-making, the committee deferred HB 263 and HB 996. It passed HB 135, HB 860, HB 1167, HB 1259, HB 1156, and HB 960 with amendments, generally adopting HD1 versions, making technical changes, and setting effective dates to July 1, 3000 for the amended measures. The chair explained that HB 263 was deferred because a blanket tax exemption for one class could create inequities and a tax credit might be a better approach. HB 996 was deferred because the chair said the state’s long-standing policy of ensuring safe roads and maintaining accountability for highway design and maintenance remained important. For HB 960, the chair said the current contract caps were too low for modern harbor projects and that higher limits would improve flexibility and efficiency. The committee also noted Representative Cochran was excused for the remaining votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• offers new tax subsidies to big oil. offers new tax subsidies to big oil.
• deduction and lower tax rates, making the 2017 tax cuts permanent.
• No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security.
• code.
• This clean extension of the AC tax code.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in district court, and there's a myriad of traffic crimes that fall under the traffic enforcement code
• <00:36:59.119> And um the traffic um enforcement code.
• And um the traffic um enforcement code.
• In testimony offered by the Tax In testimony offered by the Tax Foundation<00:38:32.640> of
• to pay for uh cancer cigarette tax to pay for uh cancer research<01:38:11.639> center,<01:38:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2792, property tax. Ways and means. HB 2802, ballot measure.
• HB 2491, business income, corporate tax. HB 2572, one-state student.
• HB 2394, property tax residential; Ways and Means.
• HB 2543, federal tax credit authorization scholarship; Education.
• HB 2696, tax credit health reimbursement arranged; Ways and Means.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to go the route of being eligible for protected information, we need to think about where else in code
• So you have Megan Gordon; we have tax department filing.
• She's reviewing all the tax bills to see if there's anything that needs to be brought to the attention
• Is it code? Is it in the ether somewhere? Mr.
• Because if, by chance, there's something about school lunches or a property tax fix or a blah, blah,

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first discussed security and member contact procedures, with several members emphasizing the need for formal security training at the start of each session and clearer procedures for knowing where legislators are staying during session for welfare checks and emergency contact. Members also raised concerns about the disclosure of home addresses in other public records and forms, and Legislative Council was asked to prepare a background memo on possible training, best practices, and related legislative or rule changes. The committee then took up a bill draft to reduce the number of paper copies of state publications sent to the State Library from eight to two. Legislative Council explained the cost savings and the move toward digital distribution, but the State Librarian testified that the library still needs paper copies for circulation, archives, and depository libraries, and requested a minimum of three copies. After discussion, the committee amended the draft to require three copies instead of two and passed the motion. The committee also approved a related House and Senate Rules amendment reducing the number of bound journals distributed, and a separate rule change removing the requirement that legislators’ home addresses be printed in the rule book and allowing a lower print run based on request and need. The committee next reviewed data on bill pre-filing and legislative workload. After hearing testimony that agency bills tend to arrive in a late-year rush and that staff workload is especially heavy around organizational session and the holidays, the committee voted to move the agency pre-filing deadline to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It also amended the deadline for constitutional amendments and study resolutions, moving them earlier so they would occur before crossover, and adjusted the reporting deadline accordingly. Members discussed whether these changes should be handled in special session or organizational session, and staff explained that the agency deadline change could be made effective for the next regular session through a permanent rules change. Finally, the committee reviewed proposed special session rules. Staff explained that the special session would use joint appropriations and joint policy committees, with expedited bill processing, limited bill introduction routes, and remote participation allowed for members and public testimony with approval. The committee also resolved a House appropriations membership issue by keeping the House side at 23 members and giving the House majority leader authority to appoint a replacement for the vacant seat, while increasing the Senate dollar threshold to match the House. Members then discussed the upcoming rural health special session process, including how the interim rural health group would differ from the actual special session committees, the timing of committee work and the governor’s address, and whether remote participation would be permitted in the special session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to point out that next week we're going to be voting on a tax package.
• That includes a gun sale tax holiday.
• advocating for the purchase of more guns and ammunition in this state by saying, hey, you don't need a tax
• She said the code word would pair with a uniquely generated phone number to discreetly notify police
• As you are aware, state attorneys use Criminal Punishment Code score sheets to assign points for each

Summary: The committee heard and voted on a long agenda of criminal justice, public safety, victims’ rights, and related bills. SB 984 on aggravating factors in capital cases was reported favorably after debate over its focus on religious, school, and government gatherings; the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed expanding the death penalty, while supporters said it was about accountability rather than deterrence. CS for SB 1140 creating a Hillsborough County substance abuse pilot program for offenders, CS for SB 1180 broadening child sexual image protections, CS for SB 10 compensating Sidney Holmes for a wrongful conviction, CS for SB 500 creating a Spectrum Alert system for missing children with autism, and SB 1054 on tampering with electronic monitoring devices all passed favorably, with the substance abuse bill drawing supportive testimony about treatment and recovery and the Holmes bill receiving emotional support from Holmes himself. The committee also approved SB 1072 on expedited DNA testing grants, CS for SB 240 on domestic and dating violence victims, CS for SB 494 creating a statewide animal abuse database, and CS for SB 1422 on unmanned aircraft over critical infrastructure and weaponized drones. SB 240 drew extensive testimony from advocates describing a feasibility study for a discreet emergency alert system and the need to align domestic and dating violence protections; SB 494 drew strong support from animal welfare groups and county officials who described local registries and the link between animal abuse and violence toward people, while members discussed whether the bill should also bar known abusers from adopting animals. SB 1422 passed after questions about “reasonable force” against drones and concerns about firearms use, with the sponsor saying the bill was meant to protect privacy and property rights. Additional measures reported favorably included SB 1268 updating Department of Law Enforcement statutes and increasing reimbursement for retired police dogs, CS for SB 1344 revising juvenile status-offender procedures, CS for SB 1252 creating a feasibility study for a statewide pawn data database, CS for SB 1386 increasing penalties for assault and battery on utility workers, CS for SB 1084 strengthening sexual cyber harassment laws for intimate and digitally forged images, CS for SB 1654 revising sex offender/predator registration and reporting rules, CS for SB 1650 expanding the vexatious litigant law, and CS for SB 1652 creating a public records exemption for stricken court filings. The final and most heavily debated bill, CS for SB 1284 on wrongful death of an unborn child, drew extensive testimony from supporters who framed it as recognizing unborn life and opponents who warned it could be used to harass abortion patients, providers, and supporters and could increase malpractice exposure; the sponsor said the bill would allow parents to recover damages while protecting mothers and lawful medical care. The transcript ends before the roll call on SB 1284 is completed, but the committee had already reported the other measures favorably by recorded votes, generally along party lines with broad support from members present.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meanwhile, the corporation operating the facility keeps receiving a tax benefit.
• Of course, we have the ability to regulate them and tax them.
• Code Section 1326 is if you remain in the country illegally, you have committed a crime.
• I rise to present AB 1675, the No Tax Breaks for ICE Contractors Act.
• Getting the code right matters. Getting these definitions matters.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > and towns where I look at their code and towns where I look at their code and help<00:32:37.120
• ,<00:44:38.079> updating volunteer, updating our codes, updating volunteer, updating our codes
• own town, we have spent significant tax own town, we have spent significant tax dollars<01:09:32.080
• these roads to be kept to a certain code these roads to be kept to a certain code if<01:28:50.239
• They are, as the HUD code on manufactured housing is getting so close to BOA codes, it's hard to determine

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the well the the state procurement code. the well the the state procurement code.
• I've said this in my written testimony, uh, maybe tax credits, uh, feedings that they can receive per
• So they'll have a freestanding tax credit with the same benefits.
• <01:34:24.159> incentives the tax incentives the tax incentives out<01:34:26.080> of
• credit with the have freestanding uh tax credit with the same<01:34:35.040> benefits.

Bills: HB1621, HB1880, HB1831

Keywords: pesticides, environmental impact, agriculture, 1,3-dichloropropene, chlorpyrifos, land management, wastewater compliance, state funding, survey issues, 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees on Agriculture and Food Systems and Energy and Environmental Protection heard three bills. HB 1621 would create a conservation, agriculture, and soil health incentive program under the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, with annual reporting and funding. Testimony was broadly supportive from the Climate Commission, University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii Farmers Union, White Alliance for Progressive Action, and the Farm Bureau, and the bill was described as a way to advance soil health and support producers. HB 1880 would prohibit, beginning in 2027, the use of pesticides containing 1,3-dichloropropene (such as Telone). The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity offered written comments, Hawaii Farmers Union supported the ban citing drift and health concerns, and the Farm Bureau opposed it, arguing growers need such tools; the bill also drew discussion about crop rotation and other pest-management practices. HB 1831 would authorize funding to address survey deficiencies and wastewater compliance issues on certain non-agricultural parklands; the Attorney General’s Office warned the bill as written may violate the U.S. Constitution’s contract clause and suggested revisions, while the department and Farm Bureau supported the measure’s intent. The committees later took up decision-making and voted to pass all three measures with amendments, with the effective dates changed to July 1, 3000 and HB 1831 amended to reflect the Attorney General’s suggested changes. The Agriculture and Food Systems committee then heard HB 1572, which would establish a four-year restorative aquaculture development program to streamline permitting, expand infrastructure and workforce capacity, create pilot sites, and convene an advisory council. The Attorney General noted a technical issue about whether council members would be compensated, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Farmers Union all expressed support for streamlining aquaculture and promoting restorative aquaculture. Members asked about the bill’s focus on restorative aquaculture, and the department said the program would give the area dedicated resources and a framework. The committee also heard HB 219, which would temporarily reestablish the coffee berry borer pesticide subsidy program and manager position; the department, Waimea Coffee Association, Farm Bureau, and Farmers Union supported it. HB 2139 would fund University of Hawaiʻi research on treatment methods for the Queensland longhorn beetle. Testimony from DLNR, the invasive species council, university researchers, farmers, and the Farm Bureau emphasized the beetle’s spread and damage to trees and crops, and described nematode biocontrol as promising but labor-intensive and in need of more research and scaling. Members asked whether the funding was for research rather than a position, whether the current nematode approach is sufficient for large orchards, and whether other controls are being explored; the response was that the bill funds testing and that more work is needed, including local production of nematodes if the method proves effective.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what we're paying the tax for. That's what the taxes are paid for.
• It's a tax, and it is a surtax. You know, it's really what it's called.
• So it's collected by tax and revenue sort of collection on premiums.
• But the tax is applied on the marketplace.
• But the tax is applied on the marketplace.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code.
• tax liability.
• There's a lot of unjust application of our tax code, loopholes, and other areas that could have provided
• On the MCO tax, I just want to point out that that's not a new tax; that is an existing tax that we are
• on tax credits.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Edmonds: The Homebuyer Workforce Tax Credit.
• The credit applies under corporate income tax or insurance premium tax.
• It provides a number of things related to tax exemptions for users of aerospace properties in sales tax
• Or do they also get a tax break if they are operating privately?
• Seeing none, you are recognized to present the amendment bar code 518919. Rep.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, in the early 1920s there was a federal movement to, uh, create a code of ethics for judges to
• That started in 1920 when the ABA, I think 1923, when the ABA enacted a code of conduct.
• So the Minnesota Supreme Court has promulgated the Code of Judicial Conduct.
• Code sets out the purpose of um judicial Code sets out the purpose of um judicial discipline<00:08:23.080
• If there's a concern that the judge violated the code, there are different levels of discipline.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Judiciary and Civil Law Committee met to hear an informational presentation from the Board of Judicial Standards. After brief member and staff introductions and a review of committee rules, the board’s executive secretary, Sarah Bas, and Mary Pat Maher explained the board’s history, mission, and operations. They described the board as an independent state agency that handles complaints about judicial misconduct and disability, issues advisory opinions, and educates judges on ethics. The presentation covered the board’s composition, complaint intake and screening process, and the levels of discipline available, ranging from summary dismissal and letters of caution to private admonitions, deferred disposition agreements, public reprimands, and formal complaints that can lead to Supreme Court review. Members asked about the board’s budget, public access to discipline records, confidentiality of complaints, and how the board balances accountability with protecting public confidence in the judiciary. The board said public discipline is posted on its website, while private admonitions, deferred dispositions, dismissals, and letters of caution remain confidential. It also said judges generally are told who complained so they can respond, though the board can withhold the source for good cause. Questions also focused on whether attorneys are underreporting misconduct, how many complaints are nuisance complaints, and whether the online complaint system changed the types of complaints received; the board said nuisance complaints make up more than half, the complaint types have not changed much, and it does not have data comparing complaint sources to outcomes. No votes or formal committee actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we do allow tax impact on articles.
• <00:06:20.319> on school part of your property tax on school part of your property tax on
• 70 I want to say it's 73% of the tax 70 I want to say it's 73% of the tax bill.<00:06:26.720>
• <00:07:52.400> See taxes. Thank you. Further questions? See taxes. Thank you.
• So I the scanner has to code them.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also builds in the on that sales tax.
• They're going to get a minimum of 5% of those sales taxes.
• So, it just provides that taxes.
• other um statutes in the criminal code. other um statutes in the criminal code.
• The Senate will stand recessed until 2 p.m. severance tax exemption.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:43:19.200> credit in the lowincome housing tax credit in the lowincome housing tax credit
• Section four, the State Housing Tax Credit, 3.23 to 3.24.
• Section four, the State Housing Tax Credit, 3.23 to 3.24.
• Section four, the State Housing Tax Credit, 3.23 to 3.24.
• Section four, the State Housing Tax Credit, 3.23 to 3.24.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Next measure is SP 2347 relating to the residential landlord tenant code.
• SP 2347 relates to the residential landlord tenant code.
• electioneering, which has been established by federal law and upheld in federal courts because of the tax
• 11:20.160> themselves<00:11:20.800> of<00:11:21.120> lucrative<00:11:21.680> tax
• uh avail themselves of lucrative tax uh avail themselves of lucrative tax benefits<00:11:22.480>

Bills: SB3326, SB2911

Keywords: renewable energy, energy storage, cost reduction, public utilities commission, Hawaii energy policies, intoxicating liquor, direct shipment, breweries, distilleries, Hawaii, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard SB 3001 on artificial intelligence in a joint Commerce and Consumer Protection/Labor and Technology hearing. Testimony included support from the Department of Education and Google, comments from the Office of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General’s office, and late opposition from Agentic LLC. The Attorney General raised constitutional and vagueness concerns and suggested clarifying amendments, while Google said the bill’s risk-based approach and proposed amendments could help establish industry-wide safety standards for minors. The committees recessed and then voted to pass SB 3001 with amendments, adopting DCCA/OCP recommendations on data minimization for minors and UDAP clarity, the Attorney General’s proposed clarifications and deletions, and Google’s nonconflicting amendments; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. The vote passed unanimously among members present, with some members excused. The Commerce and Consumer Protection committee then took up several previously heard measures in decision-making. SB 2045 on combat sports passed with amendments reflecting DCCA and boxing commission recommendations, including clarifying the on-site medical professional requirement, reporting duties, promoter payment, removal of the combat sports registry and ambulance requirement, and other technical changes; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. SP 2347 on the residential landlord-tenant code passed with amendments striking landlord requirements so OCP could work on a multilingual tenant-rights notice, and SP 2495 on consumer protection passed with amendments requiring OCP to publish an annual report on potential code violations. SB 2777 on insurance was deferred to February 17, 2026 for further decision-making. At a later CPN decision-making agenda, SB 2471 and SB 2829, both relating to the powers of artificial persons, passed with amendments clarifying the preamble, removing language about foreign artificial persons, and making other consistency and non-substantive changes; both effective dates were moved to January 1, 2027. SP 2033 on renewable energy also passed with amendments clarifying the definition of grid-ready homes, cost-sharing provisions, applicability to interconnecting customers, and safety/certification compliance, with the effective date deferred to July 1, 2050. In each case, the committee voted to adopt the recommendations without objections from members present. The committees also heard SB 3000 on insurance, which would authorize the Attorney General to bring civil actions to recover costs and losses tied to climate-attributable harm and future climate risk, including costs incurred by state insurance-related entities. The Insurance Division and Attorney General’s office offered comments seeking clarification and warning about redundancy, implementation issues, possible representation of private insurers, and concurrent litigation concerns. Supporters, including the Center for Climate Integrity, a resident testifier, Sierra Club, and Green America, argued the bill would help shift insurance costs to fossil fuel companies responsible for climate harms and address rising premiums and nonrenewals in Hawaii. Opponents, including the American Petroleum Institute, argued the bill singled out one industry, raised constitutional concerns, and should be deferred because related climate litigation is already pending. The transcript ends with the committee continuing testimony and discussion on SB 3000 and then moving into SB 3326 on energy, where the consumer advocate and Hawaiian Electric opposed the bill’s proposed separation of generation from transmission and distribution, while the PUC stood on written testimony, Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported it, and Life of the Land raised concerns about assumptions and the need for more substance.

Transcript Highlights:

• As requested, we will go to the strike all amendment, Bar Code 208403.
• We will go to the strike all amendment, Bar Code 208403.
• There was a provision in the original bill that allowed for tax abatement up to 100% of the assessed