Transcript Highlights:

• I know it switches to a marginal uh system.
• I know it switches<00:17:40.559><c> to</c><00:17:40.720><c> a</c><00:17:40.880><c> marginal</c><00:17
• </c><00:17:42.799><c> Um</c><00:17:43.120><c> but</c> switches to a marginal uh system.
• Um but switches to a marginal uh system.

Bills: HB1719 , HB1742 , HB1737 , HB2049 , HB1725 , HB1726 , HB1738 , HB1799 , HB1700

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: housing crisis, manufactured homes, factory-built housing, zoning, relocatable housing units, farm employee housing, agriculture, Hawaii Revised Statutes, agricultural districts, land use, regulation, renewable energy, community development, housing, affordable housing, real estate, state regulation, building codes, construction, permitting

Summary: The joint public hearing covered several housing-related bills and one building-code measure. HB 1719 would make manufactured homes a permitted use by right on residentially zoned lots in the urban district, HB 1742 would authorize self-contained relocatable housing units with restrictions, and HB 1737 would clarify that a farm dwelling in an agricultural district may include an accessory employee housing structure. Testimony on these bills was overwhelmingly supportive from groups including Hawaii Realtors, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Housing Hawaii’s Future, the Modular Building Institute, the Hawaii Farmers Union, and others, with a few agencies offering comments. No one testified in opposition on HB 1719 or HB 1742, while HB 1737 drew one opposition and one comment in addition to broad support. No votes were taken during the hearing segment provided. A major portion of the hearing focused on HB 2049, which restructures the conveyance tax into a marginal-rate system and changes how the revenue is allocated, including funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the rental housing revolving fund, while also affecting the legacy land conservation fund. Supporters, including DHHL, Hawaii Appleseed, Aahu Youth Action Board, Hawaii YIMBY, and others, argued the bill would help Native Hawaiian housing and, for most transactions, function as a tax cut. Opponents, including NAP Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Hawaii Land Trust, Mhai Land Trust, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, objected to using conveyance tax as a revenue-generating tool and raised concerns about higher upfront costs and reduced funding for other housing uses. Committee members and staff discussed the bill’s revenue estimates, the reduced percentage but higher cap for the land conservation fund, the effect on rental housing funding, and the bill’s cost-of-living adjustment language; staff said a line-by-line comparison of the current and proposed tax structure would be provided before decision-making. The hearing also took up HB 1725, which would extend the state building code adoption cycle from two years to six years, apply the IRC to triplexes and fourplexes, allow counties to adopt more or less stringent amendments, and appropriate funds for code adoption work. Most testimony supported the bill, with advocates saying the current process is unmanageable, too resource-intensive, and creates confusion because state and county codes can diverge; supporters said a longer cycle would improve clarity and allow more focused review. The International Code Council and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers opposed the measure, warning that delaying adoption could have negative consequences and urging the committee to let an existing statewide code-adoption strategy proceed first. Members asked about sequencing, county implementation, and whether the longer cycle would create catch-up problems, but no action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• measure because it ends this practice by shifting existing projects and requiring new projects to switch
• ... ...it ends this practice by shifting existing projects and requiring new projects to switch to an
• measure because it ends this practice by shifting existing projects and requiring new projects to switch
• it ends this practice by shifting existing projects and requiring new projects to switch to an excise

Bills: HB1316 , HB2401 , HB2557 , HB2720 , HB1073 , HB2685 , HB2640 , HB2403

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access

Transcript Highlights:

• requirements of school attendance, we, you know, for the most of our children, that usually is the light switches
• c><01:16:37.600><c> the</c><01:16:37.760><c> the</c><01:16:38.159><c> light</c><01:16:38.480><c> switches
• </c><01:16:39.040><c> and</c><01:16:39.280><c> the</c> you know, the the light switches and the you know
• , the the light switches and the the<01:16:39.760><c> parents</c><01:16:40.080><c> are</c><01:16:40.320

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:08 Agency Updates: 00:01:27 Truancy: 00:01:43, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council met on October 8, 2025, approved the minutes from the August 29 meeting, and then focused its agenda on truancy and chronic absenteeism. Chad Butler, director of pupil personnel for Meade County and president of the Kentucky Department of Pupil Personnel directors, said chronic absenteeism remains a major problem statewide, citing recent Kentucky rates around 28% to 30% and noting that schools are trying to identify best practices to get students back in class. He said causes appear to include post-COVID social-emotional distress and confusion about when students should stay home, and he described a local effort to use a Healthy Kids Clinic model to keep some students in school when possible. In response to questions, he said chronic absenteeism has only been tracked seriously in the last two to three years and that House Bill 611 appears to have increased the number of youth entering the court system for habitual truancy; AOC said it would provide county-by-county data and outcomes later in the meeting. The council then heard from John Tyson of Alabama, a former Mobile district attorney, who described the Helping Families Initiative as a school-community partnership designed to address truancy and related behavior issues without arrest. Tyson said Alabama defines chronic absence as missing 10% of the school year and emphasized that the program is preventive rather than punitive, using warning letters, family engagement, assessments, individualized intervention plans, and referrals to community services. He said the program has operated since 2003, now includes 20 district attorneys and 44 school systems, and served more than 95,000 students, 73,000 families, and 162,000 parents in the most recent year. Tyson reported that in Mobile County the program was associated with a 3.15% attendance improvement in 2023-24 and a 4% reduction in the issue in 2024-25, along with a 50% reduction in truancy and 58% reduction in chronic absenteeism, and he said the program produced a large return on investment. Tyson also stressed that student absenteeism wastes tax dollars and that better attendance improves educational outcomes and community safety. He described the program’s use of a case-management database, real-time data tracking, and more than 1,000 referral agencies, and said the model is intended to be replicated statewide. He closed with examples of students whose attendance and family circumstances required coordinated support rather than punishment, including a teen mother and a disruptive child, to illustrate his view that schools, courts, and social services should work together to address underlying needs and keep children in school.

Transcript Highlights:

• Switch. What is the game of chair? Musical chairs. Yeah.
• We're going to switch to the English learner statewide system of support.
• In terms of the Prop. 2 capital outlay projects, there was a switch in the projects, as we saw in the
• Can we have the rationale as to the switch in projects and for those requested by the California Community

Summary: The committee heard the May Revision presentation for the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, with public comment focused heavily on K-12 priorities such as universal school meals, kitchen infrastructure, food service and custodial support, youth leadership grants, Special Olympics funding, English learner support, universal pre-K, literacy investments, and concerns about community college funding shifts. Speakers also urged support for expanded learning, teacher recruitment and training, and maintaining or increasing funding for community colleges and student support programs. Finance and the LAO then reviewed the Proposition 98 outlook. Finance said the May Revision lowers the 2025-26 Prop. 98 guarantee to $114.6 billion, about $4.3 billion below January, due mainly to lower revenue estimates, with smaller effects from attendance and property tax changes. The administration also described rebenching for universal transitional kindergarten and a one-time rebench tied to Los Angeles fire-related property tax losses, along with changes to the Public School System Stabilization Account, deferrals, and updated COLA assumptions. The LAO said the budget relies too much on deferrals and one-time funds, creates a structural shortfall, and should instead align ongoing spending with the guarantee and preserve a reserve buffer. Members questioned the TK rebench and the shift of funding from community colleges to K-12, asking why it was being applied retroactively and how colleges would be held harmless. Finance said the changes align funding with where TK costs are being incurred and that reappropriation funding and other adjustments would offset impacts on community colleges. The LAO argued the historical split formula is outdated and should be abandoned in favor of budgeting around current priorities rather than fixed percentages. Members also raised concerns about draining the rainy day reserve and using deferrals, while the LAO said preserving reserves would better protect against future volatility. The committee then moved to specific K-12 and education proposals. Finance outlined May Revision changes including state operations adjustments for the Department of Education, technical trailer bill changes, a $100 million student teacher stipend program administered by Kern County, and updates to the charter school facility grant program. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed increases for expanded learning, literacy coaches, and the student teacher stipend as currently structured, while supporting the minimum grant increase for expanded learning. Members expressed support for teacher recruitment efforts but questioned whether one-time funding can sustain ongoing programs and whether the student teacher stipend should be targeted to shortage areas or low-income communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then as you get about halfway up that hill, it switches to 55.
• c><00:14:33.680><c> that</c><00:14:33.839><c> hill,</c><00:14:34.079><c> it</c><00:14:34.240><c> switches
• </c> about halfway up that hill, it switches about halfway up that hill, it switches to<00:14:35.079>

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those costs would be so great that business would immediately choose to switch to a safe alternative.
• immediately great that business would immediately choose<00:51:37.599><c> to</c><00:51:37.839><c> switch
• </c> choose to switch to a safe alternative. choose to switch to a safe alternative.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to switch. Mr.
• 07.920><c> proceed</c><00:43:08.880><c> we're</c><00:43:09.079><c> going</c><00:43:09.160><c> to</c> switch
• 16.680><c> members</c><00:43:16.960><c> of</c><00:43:17.079><c> the</c><00:43:17.240><c> committee</c> switch
• Mr chair members of the committee switch Mr chair members of the committee thank<00:43:17.920><c> you

Bills: HF1380 , HF1166 , HF487 , HF1553 , HF1472 , HF258 , HF1911

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: psychiatric treatment, human services, mental health funding, per diem rate, Clay County, disability services, assistive technology, remote support, advocacy, training programs, HF487, Wellness in the Woods, Minnesota human services, grant funding, general fund appropriation, peer support, substance use recovery, addiction recovery, reentry services, reentry after incarceration

Transcript Highlights:

• You kind of talked about it, you know, turning the switch off. Is it in fact that easy?
• I mean, is there a notification switch that these companies can just turn off, or is it more complicated
• You kind of talked about it, you know, turning the switch off. Is it in fact that easy?
• I mean, is there a notification switch that these companies can just turn off, or is it more complicated

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me switch questions here.
• to go back to school so let me<01:16:03.840><c> let</c><01:16:03.920><c> me</c><01:16:04.040><c> switch
• questions</c><01:16:04.679><c> here</c><01:16:04.880><c> so</c><01:16:05.440><c> the</c> me let me switch
• questions here so the me let me switch questions here so the attorney<01:16:06.159><c> the</c><01:16

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard SB 1231, which would repeal the Parentage Uniform Act of 1973 and update Hawaii’s parentage laws, including parts of the Uniform Parentage Act of 2017. Supporters said the current statutes are outdated and do not adequately address assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and modern family formation. The Attorney General’s office supported the bill with technical amendments, including conforming changes to the Probate Code and child support provisions, and several testifiers urged passage as a needed modernization of the law. A major point of disagreement was Part 10, which concerns donor anonymity. Some supporters, including members of the task force, the Uniform Law Commission, fertility and family law practitioners, and LGBTQ+ advocates, backed the bill as written or said it should move forward even if Part 10 is removed. Others, including donor-conceived adults, parents, and advocacy groups, opposed Part 10 and urged the committee to adopt the 2024 version of Article 9 or delete Part 10 entirely, arguing that anonymous donation harms donor-conceived people’s access to genetic, medical, and identity information and that anonymity is not realistic in the DNA-testing era. One task force member and attorney said she supported the bill but preferred removing Part 10 if necessary to pass the rest. The hearing included extensive public testimony both in support and opposition, with many individuals describing personal experiences with adoption, IVF, surrogacy, and donor conception. No committee vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2017, the federal government switched to a deferred prosecution model for prosecuting white collar
• services in recent years. pay in 2017 the federal government pay in 2017 the federal government switched
• a</c><01:06:52.279><c> deferred</c><01:06:53.160><c> prosecution</c><01:06:54.039><c> model</c> switched
• to a deferred prosecution model switched to a deferred prosecution model for<01:06:54.760><c> prosecuting

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just wanted to clarify if there was any other reason behind the switch to that, not utilizing the
• other reasons clarify if there was any other reasons behind<01:14:56.520><c> the</c><01:14:56.719><c> switch
• > to</c><01:14:57.400><c> that</c><01:14:57.679><c> speal</c><01:14:58.199><c> not</c> behind the switch
• to that speal not behind the switch to that speal not utilizing<01:14:59.120><c> the</c><01:14:59.280

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, switching gears and looking at workforce housing, the bill makes SFA responsible for all public
• jurisdiction<01:23:48.159><c> um</c><01:23:49.199><c> also</c><01:23:50.199><c> um</c><01:23:50.440><c> Switching
• </c><01:23:50.840><c> gears</c> jurisdiction um also um Switching gears jurisdiction um also um Switching

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Education heard several Department of Education-related bills and received extensive testimony on school meals and veteran diplomas. HB 628 would restore authority for the Department of Education to issue high school diplomas to veterans whose schooling was interrupted by World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. The superintendent testified in support, explaining the authority had sunset in 2020 and describing the measure as a way to recognize veterans. No opposition or questions were raised, and the bill was left without further action in the excerpt. The committee also heard HB 1074 and HB 110, both supported by the Department of Education and the School Facilities Authority. HB 1074 was described as a cleanup measure to clarify land-related language and make the statute more consistent across state agencies and DOE. HB 110 concerned benchmarking and the farm-to-school/local food effort; DOE and several supporters, including county councils, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and the Hawaii Farmers Union, said the bill would help align metrics and support the 30% local food goal by 2030. Members questioned DOE about progress, and DOE said it was working on menus, procurement, and coordination with distributors and farmers. A Farm to School representative said the current bottleneck was poor communication with farmers and the need to bring them into planning earlier; DOE said it was still figuring out the process and that island-based procurement and separate RFPs were being explored. HB 328, relating to school meals and local resource food and plant-based options, drew the most testimony. DOE testified with comments, and the Attorney General’s office suggested revisions to clarify that the bill would apply to both DOE and charter schools, to separate public and private funds if donations or grants are accepted, and to add standards if nonprofit or private entities receive public money. Supporters included HSTA, the Hawaii Public Health Institute/Farm to School Network, Climate Protection Hawaii, the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and numerous individuals and organizations. Supporters emphasized healthier school meals, student-requested plant-based options, support for local farms, and the 30% by 2030 goal. Some testimony urged more local purchasing and raised concerns about decentralization, while DOE said it was considering island-based procurement and separate contracts to better support local producers. No votes were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• let's look at the total tax that these companies pay, and then let's assume that when we would make a switch
• c><00:38:24.359><c> a</c> assume that uh when we would make a assume that uh when we would make a switch
• 25.800><c> that</c><00:38:25.960><c> total</c><00:38:26.359><c> tax</c><00:38:26.640><c> would</c> switch
• that that total tax would switch that that total tax would magically<00:38:27.560><c> be</c><00:38:27.720

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to, let me switch over to. Mr. Rice, Mr.
• A float switch is basically a real simple switch that goes up and down, has two. and I think that that's
• So I want to switch to San Antonio, if I may.
• I just want to switch gears real quick. own it right now. It's preventative.
• We have things called airbags. switch there is has an input, a decision, and an output.

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And some have actually switched over to be full-time employees once they come.
• And some have actually switched over to be full-time employees once they come.
• And some have actually switched over to be full-time employees once they come.
• And some have actually switched over to be full-time employees once they come.
• </c> weeks um and some have actually switched weeks um and some have actually switched over<00:49:47.839

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: Division 3 opened a work session focused on direct care agencies, with the chair saying the day would center on the Veterans Home and other state hospitals and homes. Members first discussed the upcoming Finance Committee process, including how many bills would be assigned to Division 3, whether they would appear on the House calendar, and how much time would be allowed for each bill. The chair said the division would likely spend about an hour on each bill, then return for a second day of review before making recommendations. Staff later identified three bills expected on the calendar: House Bills 704, 751, and 54. Members also raised a question about the use of educational trust fund money in the budget, but that issue was deferred. The main presentation came from Kim McKay, commandant of the New Hampshire Veterans Home, who described the facility as a long-term care intermediate facility serving eligible veterans. She said the home is licensed for 250 beds, budgeted for 225 veterans, and currently has 135 residents with four more scheduled to arrive. McKay highlighted improvements over the last two years, including a reduction in the admission wait list from more than a year to about three to six months, the creation of an LNA training program, energy-saving and Wi-Fi upgrades, and a new electronic learning management system that will provide mandatory training and continuing education units for staff. She said the home’s long-term goal is to return to a 225-bed census, but staffing remains the biggest hurdle. Members asked about admissions, wait times, staffing, vacancies, and the home’s use of contract nurses. McKay explained that the wait time is measured from the initial application date, not from a completed packet, and that staff now help families gather records and paperwork more quickly. She said the home averages about 45 deaths per year, residents stay about 2.5 years on average, and the vacancy rate is around 35 percent, though some positions are intentionally held open until census grows. She attributed staffing shortages largely to retention problems, citing higher private-sector pay, bonuses, and more flexible hours, and said the home has a handful of contract nurses, mainly on second shift. On finances, she said pharmacy services are contracted, the VA reimburses some medication costs based on disability, and the home is pursuing federal changes to cover high-cost medications and catastrophic disability cases. The discussion also covered the home’s off-book donation account, which is overseen by the state and transferred into the state system when funds are spent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Voting is not just our constitutional right; it is the glue that holds our communities together, the fuel
• Voting is not just our constitutional right; it is the glue that holds our communities together, the fuel
• Voting is not just our constitutional right; it is the glue that holds our communities together, the fuel
• Voting is not just our constitutional right; it is the glue that holds our communities together, the fuel
• Voting is not just our constitutional right; it is the glue that holds our communities together, the fuel

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we could keep a list of outstanding questions we have about things such as what is the impact of switching
• </c> switching from the ADMA to the ADMR? switching from the ADMA to the ADMR?
• In other words, the whole team met, said no, and then switches to an EFA that they may qualify for the
• </c><02:32:32.960><c> to</c><02:32:33.120><c> an</c><02:32:33.280><c> EFA</c> nope and then switches
• to an EFA nope and then switches to an EFA that<02:32:36.399><c> that</c><02:32:36.720><c> they</c><02

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were low on fuel.
• We</c><00:22:24.080><c> were</c><00:22:24.240><c> low</c><00:22:24.480><c> on</c><00:22:24.640><c> fuel
• We were low on fuel. with freezing rain. We were low on fuel.

Committee: Joint Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That advocacy, combined with my experience in rural Minnesota, has fueled my interest in how policy can
• c><00:36:05.720><c> has</c> experience in rural Minnesota, has experience in rural Minnesota, has fueled
• 36:07.000><c> in</c><00:36:07.120><c> how</c><00:36:07.240><c> policy</c><00:36:07.840><c> can</c> fueled
• my interest in how policy can fueled my interest in how policy can better<00:36:08.320><c> support</

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They helped us put the MV in front of the front so we'd clean our fuel.
• So our fuel is even cleaner. And now we're going to work at the back end with the ash.
• They helped us put the MV in front of the front so we'd clean our fuel.
• So our fuel is even cleaner. And now we're going to work at the back end with the ash.

Bills: HF4680 , HF4047 , HF4590 , HF3757 , HF3569 , HF4507 , HF4426 , HF4927 , HF4788 , HF4757 , HF4747 , HF3561 , HF4014 , HF4013 , HF4689 , HF4766 , HF4589

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: wastewater treatment, improvements, capital investment, Greenfield, bonds, water treatment, infrastructure, municipal funding, state bonds, public utilities, HF4590, Tamarack, municipal infrastructure, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, Public Facilities Authority, sewer system, collection system, street reconstruction, local infrastructure