Transcript Highlights:

• I can only imagine how your jobs are, especially when we go out and we talk to the general public, and
• As you can imagine, if you're trying to put out seven different sets of guidelines a year, and some years
• As you can imagine, if you're trying to put out seven different sets of guidelines a year, and some years
• Imagine if you were at a retailer and the retailer decided to raise a candy bar's price from $4.25 just
• Imagine if you were at a retailer and the retailer decided to raise a candy bar's price from $4.25 just

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I don't believe However, I can imagine that there is always a balance of power.
• I would imagine those conversations are not going to stop in terms of what level of government should
• I think you know there's some folks find it very difficult to imagine the positives that could come out
• I would imagine that if someone is.
• I would imagine that the majority of schools will use their PE teachers or maybe even some coach to administer

Bills: SJR47 , SB1491 , SB1579 , SB1806 , SB1552 , SB483 , SB63 , SB137 , SB346 , SB514 , SB1344 , SB1360 , SB1380 , SB1437 , SB1189 , SB1217 , SB1221 , SB1262 , SB1272 , SB1325 , SB1339 , SB201

Keywords: voter ID, elections, constitutional amendment, Oklahoma, proof of identity, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, foster care, adoption assistance, transitioning youth, Department of Human Services, voluntary services, county home rule charter

Transcript Highlights:

• One is legislative council noted a major portion of your budget is travel, and I'm wondering—I imagine
• I'm wondering, I imagine a big part of that is sending people around the state to measure things and
• And I'm wondering, I imagine, big part of your budget is travel.
• And I'm wondering, I imagine a big part of that is sending people around the state to measure things
• So it's, in my imagination, it's not going to feel like it felt at MRCC, because that's really chaotic

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then received a DEQ base budget summary and agency overview. DEQ staff explained that the agency is largely federally and special funded, with major ongoing costs in salaries, operating expenses, grants, and continuing appropriations. Director Dave Glatt and accounting director Beth Jacobson highlighted core programs, the move to a new chemistry laboratory, the new state fuel inspection program, wastewater-related funding from HB 1577, and implementation of SB 2267 for on-site wastewater rules. They also noted the agency’s spending patterns, possible federal EPA cuts, and the likelihood of some fee adjustments or program changes if federal support declines. Members asked about DEQ’s travel, field offices, future staffing, and how the agency would respond to reduced federal regulation. DEQ said most staff are based in Bismarck, with field offices in Fargo, Sawyer, and Gwinner, and that travel is driven by inspections and spill response. Glatt said the agency would continue to rely on science and law, and that any future federal retrenchment could mean more state responsibility but likely not a wholesale increase in FTEs. The committee also discussed a feedlot enforcement case in the Minot area, with DEQ explaining its role in ensuring compliance, permitting, and animal-waste management standards. The Department of Health and Human Services then presented on FTE block grant reporting, TANF balances, child care transfers, and the Rural Health Transformation Program. Donna Ockland explained that no line-item transfers had occurred yet for the new rural health work, but about 33 positions were planned and some current staff time could be reimbursed through approved cost allocation. HHS also reviewed TANF’s frozen eligibility and block grant structure, the transfer of up to 30% of TANF funds to child care, and recent program changes that increased benefits and raised the income limit. Staff said the department is using TANF more strategically to support child care and other allowable uses, while still carrying over unused funds as many states do. Finally, Pat and HHS staff gave an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program, saying the first funding opportunity was being posted and that the state is on track to obligate the federal funds within the required timeline. They described priorities such as workforce retention, preceptor development, technical assistance for critical access hospitals, community wellness projects, and ambulance upgrades. Members asked about rural versus urban eligibility, immigrant recruitment, evaluation of year-two funding, and how the program would address varied local workforce needs. The meeting then shifted to an Office of Management and Budget update on the new State Hospital project, where Lindsay Ashley reported continued construction progress, updated cost information, and selected alternates, with photos and details showing work underway in multiple building sections.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you can imagine it this way, it's just an expedited service. So I'm just imagining ...simple.
• If you can imagine it this way, it's just an expedited service.
• So what I'm just imagining here, the CPS has a thousand cases on their desk, and you've got a zero- to
• You know, I can't imagine how in this situation how that would be true unless a police officer or someone

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and received messages from the Governor and Senate on bills signed, enrolled, and transmitted. Several committee reports were read, including bills and resolutions advanced to second or third reading, and House Resolution 28 and multiple appropriations and policy bills were introduced and referred. The House also recessed and later resumed business, continuing with messages and committee reports before moving into floor action on selected bills. A major floor debate centered on House Bill 725, which would have allowed cities to join the Idaho State Health Insurance Pool. Supporters argued it would give cities access to a larger, more stable risk pool, lower premiums, and reduce property tax pressure, while opponents warned it could create adverse selection, raise costs for state employees, and expand state administrative burdens. After extended debate, the House rejected HB 725 by a vote of 30-40 and held it at the Chief Clerk’s office. The House then passed House Bill 660, a measure requiring local law enforcement to collect and report twice-yearly counts of arrested individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States. Supporters said it was a limited reporting requirement aimed at understanding costs to taxpayers, while opponents raised concerns about unclear procedures, added burdens on law enforcement, and questionable fiscal assumptions. The bill passed 40-30 and was transmitted to the Senate. The House also took up several budget enhancement bills under suspended rules. House Bills 905, 906, 907, 908, and 909 all passed, covering enhancements for the State Board of Education, community colleges, career technical education, the Military Division, and the Secretary of State. Debate on these bills focused on whether the additions were true restorations or budget growth, the use of one-time funds and federal grants, and concerns about higher education priorities and fiscal restraint.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you can imagine it this way, it's just an expedited service.
• So I'm just imagining If you can imagine it this way, it's just an expedited service.
• So what I'm imagining here is CPS has a thousand cases on their desk, and you've got a zero- to one-year-old
• You know, I can't imagine how in this situation how that would be true unless a police officer or someone

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• time where everyone from the city council, you know, coordinating all those schedules, as you can imagine
• they've just asked for a couple more days so they don't have to incur the challenges and, I would imagine
• challenges<00:44:39.200><c> and</c><00:44:39.520><c> I</c><00:44:39.920><c> would</c><00:44:40.000><c> imagine
• </c><00:44:40.400><c> the</c> challenges and I would imagine the challenges and I would imagine the expense

Committee: Senate Elections

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I imagine this depends on the contract term.
• I imagine this powers on a contract term.
• It's hard to imagine that the same metric would somehow magically produce new development under this
• It's hard to imagine that the pricing metric in approximately 30 years.
• It's hard to imagine that the same metric would somehow magically produce new development under this

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held an oversight hearing with leaders from the CPUC, Public Advocates Office, CAISO, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Energy Commission. Chair Petrie-Norris framed the hearing around high utility bills, wildfire risk, grid reliability, clean energy buildout, and the state’s long-term decarbonization goals, and also noted it was CPUC President Alice Reynolds’ final week at the commission. Each agency gave an update on its role: the CPUC described efforts to reduce rate increases while maintaining reliability and clean energy procurement; the Public Advocates Office focused on affordability and the need to control underlying utility costs; CAISO discussed transmission planning, market operations, and the upcoming extended day-ahead market; Energy Safety reviewed wildfire mitigation oversight and inspections; and the Energy Commission highlighted clean energy growth, EV adoption, storage, efficiency, and gasoline price monitoring. A major theme was affordability versus the costs of the clean energy transition. Reynolds said the CPUC has lowered utility revenue requests, reduced utility returns, adopted a base services charge, and reworked net metering, while also continuing to manage wildfire-related costs and support resource adequacy and demand flexibility. Sarazawa argued that recent rate decreases may not be durable because billions of dollars in wildfire and other utility costs are still pending or unbilled, and she urged tighter use of general rate cases, lower-cost financing, program reform, and more equitable rate design. Members pressed the agencies on whether state policy is sufficiently accounting for labor, local economic development, and the cost impacts of transmission and procurement decisions, especially where out-of-state resources are being considered. CAISO and the Energy Commission emphasized that the state’s planning and market reforms are helping lower costs and improve reliability. CAISO said the Western Energy Imbalance Market has produced billions in benefits, the extended day-ahead market is on track to launch, and transmission planning is being aligned with long-term resource needs while reducing queue delays. The Energy Commission said California is now getting roughly two-thirds of its power from clean sources, has added massive amounts of storage and renewables, and is seeing strong EV and charger growth that can help spread fixed grid costs. Energy Safety reported thousands of inspections, hundreds of notices of non-performance, and a decline in reportable ignitions, while noting that major fires show more work is needed. Members also raised concerns about the SB 100 report delay, memo and balancing accounts, the future of battery storage, and whether decarbonization zone pilots will affect residential and commercial customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that's where the flea and tick, because no one's going to—I can't imagine someone makes a
• As you can imagine, catastrophic outcomes result in these situations where we do not have the information
• Madam Chairwoman, Senator Epstein, as you can imagine, like any practicing dental practice, we do get
• Madam Chairwoman, Senator Epstein, as you can imagine, like any practicing dental practice, we do get
• I imagine because the cities probably came down here and said, you know, duped some legislators or whatever

Summary: The Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then heard several bills. SB 1668, dealing with funeral and disposition timelines and related requirements for unborn children and minors, drew emotional testimony from funeral industry representatives and a parent about burdensome deadlines and problems obtaining signatures from an ex-partner; it also drew opposition over language referencing abortion clinics and reproductive freedom. The committee adopted a due-pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine prescription limits, was amended to shorten non-antimicrobial prescriptions to 30 days and allow antimicrobial prescriptions for up to 14 days without an in-person exam; veterinarians and industry representatives were neutral with caution or supportive, while opponents warned about overprescribing and inadequate diagnosis. The amended bill passed 4-3. The committee then passed SB 1235, joining the emergency services personnel licensure interstate compact, on a 7-0 vote, with the sponsor describing it as a reciprocity measure for EMTs and paramedics. SB 1446, which changes dialysis social worker documentation from monthly to quarterly to match federal and most state practice, also passed unanimously after support from DaVita. SB 1515, an Industrial Commission cleanup bill that renames positions, removes obsolete private employment office oversight language, and shifts publication of fee schedules online, was amended and passed 7-0. SB 1678, concerning documentation and oversight in health care institutions and group homes for vulnerable adults, was amended to remove a patient-form requirement and instead require DHS investigation when EMS personnel complain that a DNR was not provided; providers moved to neutral or support after the amendment, and the bill passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1747, which would require social media platforms to terminate accounts for minors under 14 and certain 14- and 15-year-olds without parental consent and impose age-verification and harmful-content restrictions. Opponents from NetChoice, TechNet, and Meta raised privacy, security, and constitutional concerns and argued for app-store-based parental controls instead, while a parents’ advocate supported the bill as a starting point for child safety. The transcript ends during that hearing without a final committee action on SB 1747.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would imagine whatever study that Parker has done, hopefully in the next few months, would be beneficial
• It's hard for me to imagine any system saying we'd like to do away with our system.
• hard</c><00:31:00.960><c> for</c><00:31:01.120><c> me</c><00:31:01.279><c> to</c><00:31:01.440><c> imagine
• It's hard for me to imagine with one.
• It's hard for me to imagine any<00:31:02.240><c> system</c><00:31:02.640><c> saying</c><00:31:03.120>

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as you all can imagine, there's a lot of costs when it comes to our facilities in terms of just maintenance
• So, as you all can imagine, there's a lot of costs when it comes to our facilities in terms of just maintenance
• So, uh as you all can imagine,<00:33:35.519><c> there's</c><00:33:35.760><c> a</c><00:33:35.919><c> lot
• 33:36.000><c> of</c><00:33:36.080><c> costs</c><00:33:36.320><c> when</c><00:33:36.559><c> it</c> imagine
• , there's a lot of costs when it imagine, there's a lot of costs when it comes<00:33:36.799><c> to</c

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 14 January, 2026: 3:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can imagine what that figure is.
• So, one comment about the cooperative school districts: I would imagine in the case of a tie, they might
• I would imagine<00:34:03.760><c> in</c><00:34:04.080><c> the</c><00:34:04.240><c> case</c><00:34:04.399
• 34:04.559><c> a</c><00:34:04.720><c> tie,</c><00:34:05.039><c> they</c><00:34:05.279><c> might</c> imagine
• in the case of a tie, they might imagine in the case of a tie, they might even<00:34:05.760><c> call

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session to consider HB 314, which would prohibit the use of federal, state, or local funds for lobbying activities. Representative Turkot offered a replace-all amendment intended to be a compromise measure focused on transparency and local control. He explained that the amendment narrows the bill to registered lobbyists, clarifies that public officials and employees who are not required to register as lobbyists are not restricted from testifying, and adds a process allowing municipalities to opt in to lobbying-related spending if approved locally and disclosed in annual reports. He also said the amendment was designed to address confusion he believes has been caused by misinformation about the bill’s effect on municipalities and associations. Committee members raised repeated concerns about how the amendment would apply to school districts, cooperative districts, counties, and other associations beyond the New Hampshire Municipal Association. Turkot and others said the language in RSA 15 and the added references to RSA 318-A were intended to cover lobbying entities generally, while the NHMA section was included because it is separately addressed in statute. Several members questioned whether the amendment’s intent was clear enough without explicit references to schools and counties, and whether the committee should have held a public hearing on the substantially revised language. Supporters argued the amendment was clear, that school districts and municipalities are distinct legal entities, and that cooperative districts could handle the issue through their existing annual-report and voting processes. The discussion also covered how local approval would work, including whether the proposal would require an opt-in vote and how county budgets would reflect lobbying-related dues or expenses. Members noted that in cooperative districts and county settings, approval would likely be handled through existing budget or annual report procedures, with majority vote rules applying where relevant. No final vote on the amendment or bill is reflected in the transcript excerpt, but the committee spent most of the session debating the scope, clarity, and transparency requirements of the proposed changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can imagine systems like that that could arise if we did a little bit of research into the subject
• You can imagine systems like that that could arise if we did a little bit of research into the subject
• In my imagination, if I'm dreaming up a study, a PhD student...
• So you can imagine those trucks on the road, if we're talking about liquid biosolids or if we're talking
• There's a lot of trash on the ground on the left, and you can imagine when the rain comes, it's going

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The meeting focused on the use of biosolids on farm and ranch land, with testimony from Oklahoma State University experts, a conservation official, and an engineering representative about the benefits, risks, and regulatory implications. Dr. Lusk described OSU’s long history of soil fertility research and said biosolids can provide nutrients and organic matter, but also may carry contaminants such as PFAS, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and pathogens. He emphasized that many questions remain unanswered, especially about contaminant uptake into soil, crops, livestock, and humans, and said existing EPA and Oklahoma DEQ regulations address some treatment and application standards but may not fully cover PFAS. Dr. Arnell expanded on nutrient management, explaining that biosolids can function similarly to manure as a fertilizer source, especially for nitrogen and phosphorus, but should be tested, incorporated into soil, and applied under permit conditions to reduce runoff and other losses. He said PFAS testing methods are not yet standardized and that more research is needed to determine sampling protocols, movement in soil, and long-term effects. Committee members asked whether farmers and ranchers should be notified of risks, whether PFAS is currently tested, how many counties use biosolids, and what research would be needed for a dissertation-level study. The witnesses generally agreed that landowners should be informed of known risks and uncertainties, but said the science is still developing. Dr. Arnell said a unified testing method is needed before reliable PFAS monitoring can be done, and suggested that a multi-year study would be required to understand soil movement, crop uptake, and livestock impacts. Greg Scott of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission framed the issue as a waste-management problem, noting that human waste streams contain contaminants and that soil type affects how pollutants move; he said sandy soils pose greater movement risks than clay soils and that current best practice is incorporation, careful timing, and avoiding steep or sensitive sites. He also said PFAS are widespread and not naturally occurring in the way some other compounds are, and that liability and cleanup costs are major concerns. Mary Elizabeth Mock of Garver Engineering focused on the practical and financial consequences of a possible moratorium on land application, saying most of Oklahoma’s biosolids are currently land applied and would otherwise have to go to landfills. She warned that many landfills are nearing capacity, tipping fees could rise sharply, and cities such as Tulsa and Norman could face large increases in disposal costs, which would ultimately be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers. She also said septic system maintenance costs could rise if land application options shrink, potentially leading to deferred maintenance and system failures. Mock urged a tiered, data-driven approach to PFAS regulation and said advanced treatment technologies may help in the future, but they are still emerging and expensive. No votes were taken; the session consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the program was originally designed, I think the federal government imagined that 50% of a project
• So, if you can imagine, and we do about 3,000 on the 9% side, in 2024 we financed a total of 18,235 units
• And so you can imagine with the 25% test now, this could be as much as 30,000 units a year instead of
• I want you to imagine with me for a second a delightful place called Turner Terrace, which is a prototypical
• I think that's well within the power of the state to imagine in this committee, I would suggest also

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability held its first hearing of 2025 to examine California’s housing finance system, with opening remarks emphasizing the state’s severe housing shortage, high costs, and the need for practical recommendations to the Legislature and Governor. Co-chairs described the committee as an educational and problem-solving forum focused on financing housing production, first-time homeownership, mixed-income developments, and affordability across the income spectrum. Witnesses from state agencies and the development sector were invited to explain how housing is financed and where the system is breaking down. Panelists from the California Housing Partnership, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the Tax Credit Allocation Committee/State Treasurer’s Office, CalHFA, and Related outlined the “capital stack” used to finance affordable housing, stressing that projects typically rely on multiple public and private sources, including federal and state low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, state subsidies, local funds, and rental income. Speakers noted that affordable housing rents generally cannot support full project costs without public subsidy, and that recent federal changes—especially the expansion of the 4% and 9% tax credit programs and the reduction of the bond financing threshold for 4% credits—should allow California to finance substantially more units. CalHFA also described its homeownership programs, including My Home, Dream For All, and disaster-related mortgage assistance, as well as its multifamily lending and bond issuance programs. Several witnesses and committee members emphasized that the system remains too complex, too slow, and underfunded. They pointed to the need for more state funding, a housing bond, a permanent funding source, and better coordination among agencies, while also citing recent streamlining efforts such as AB 434’s SuperNOFA, AB 519’s one-stop-shop working group, and the planned California Housing and Homeless Agency reorganization. Members raised concerns about equity, access, missing-middle housing, gender and racial disparities, and whether current programs adequately serve extremely low-income households and those at risk of homelessness. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing; the discussion ended with committee members and witnesses agreeing that both funding and administrative reform are needed to increase production and improve affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I guess I'm just trying to imagine a world in which families and residents are navigating complex
• And I guess I'm just trying to imagine a world in which families and residents are navigating complex
• And I guess I'm just<00:15:38.720><c> trying</c><00:15:38.880><c> to</c><00:15:38.959><c> imagine</c>
• <00:15:39.279><c> a</c><00:15:39.519><c> world</c><00:15:39.760><c> which,</c> just trying to imagine
• a world which, just trying to imagine a world which, you<00:15:40.399><c> know,</c><00:15:40.560><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm sure that it's not hard to imagine that this is something that if you were to do these injections
• And I'm sure that it's not hard to imagine that this is something that if you were to do these injections
• it's<00:27:13.440><c> not</c><00:27:13.679><c> hard</c><00:27:13.919><c> to</c><00:27:14.159><c> imagine
• </c><00:27:14.960><c> that</c><00:27:15.679><c> this</c><00:27:16.000><c> is</c> it's not hard to imagine
• that this is it's not hard to imagine that this is something<00:27:16.720><c> that</c><00:27:17.279>

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I can say this, but I can't imagine just being informed with what's written by the manufacturer
• I can't imagine getting results when you're at your parents' wedding or something like that.
• Imagine if this happened to your doctor.
• One does not have to think too hard to imagine scenarios where opting out of job duties could pose extreme
• As I said before, you don't have to imagine too hard to think about scenarios where That could absolutely

Bills: SB95 , SB268 , SB493 , SB619 , SB660 , SB922 , SB984 , SB1098 , SB1188 , SB1307 , SB1332 , SB1822

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: immunization, written informed consent, civil liability, health care provider, vaccine compensation, administrative penalty, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, pharmacy benefit manager, PBM, gag clause, prescription drug pricing, out-of-pocket cost, cash price, pharmacist, pharmacy, prescription drug benefit

Transcript Highlights:

• If you can imagine the worst of the worst, that's what we're talking about in layman's terms.
• They are fleeing anything that you can ever imagine.
• As a mother, I can't imagine the trauma of my child being ripped from their classroom in school and carted
• As a teacher, I can't imagine the trauma my other students would experience, seeing this happening to
• Imagine your child coming home to you and asking what happened to their friend.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, quorum call, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rules and Ethics Committee special order report for February 13, 2025 was adopted, setting the day’s special order calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up immigration-related special order items, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C, which urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. Members debated federal immigration policy and state cooperation with DHS, and the memorial passed 85-27. The House next considered Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses related to unlawful entry and reentry into Florida and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, including Supremacy Clause, due process, and Eighth Amendment concerns, and several speakers argued it would create separate classes of people and invite litigation. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow or expand exemptions, including protections for Venezuelans on TPS, certain Haitian TPS and humanitarian parole recipients, undocumented people brought to Florida as children working in critical professions, and a proposal to delay action pending court rulings; all of those amendments were rejected. The bill passed 85-29. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 2C, which would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establish a local law enforcement immigration grant program and advisory council, repeal the undocumented-student fee waiver, and appropriate more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as supporting cooperation with federal immigration agencies and ending the in-state tuition incentive for undocumented students. Early questioning focused on the impact on “dreamers” and whether the bill would effectively raise their tuition costs; the sponsor said it removed the incentive of in-state tuition but did not bar attendance. The transcript cuts off during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the two things that, really, when I tried to imagine how this would roll out, I couldn't imagine
• when I really are the two like really when I really tried<00:13:24.560><c> to</c><00:13:24.760><c> imagine
• > this</c><00:13:25.480><c> would</c><00:13:25.639><c> roll</c><00:13:25.839><c> out</c> tried to imagine
• how this would roll out tried to imagine how this would roll out those<00:13:26.120><c> are</c><00:13

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused. The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided. In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• game. um all of them help us as you and game. um all of them help us as you can<00:13:55.680><c> imagine
• 13:56.720><c> of</c><00:13:56.800><c> show</c><00:13:56.959><c> up</c><00:13:57.199><c> in</c> can imagine
• animals sort of show up in can imagine animals sort of show up in those<00:13:57.600><c> spaces</c><
• </c><00:41:06.800><c> the</c><00:41:07.119><c> qualifying</c> so as you can imagine the qualifying so
• as you can imagine the qualifying patients<00:41:08.079><c> are</c><00:41:08.480><c> typically</c><00

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on April 17 and approved the prior meeting minutes, then set its next meeting for May 29 at 9:30 a.m. Members also discussed a New Futures effort to collect questions about Medicaid changes and post answers as an FAQ, with a preference that the FAQ live on New Futures’ website rather than the state website. The commissioner’s office said it would coordinate responses and that the issue is still evolving. The main presentation was an HHS update focused on the state public health laboratory and its work during Public Health Lab Week. Officials reviewed the lab’s history, its biosafety functions, and its role in disease prevention, food safety, preparedness, and response. They highlighted mosquito surveillance for eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus, noting that the lab tested more than a quarter million mosquitoes last year and that mosquito testing helps provide early warning for local public health decisions. They also discussed rabies testing, saying New Hampshire’s lab is the only one in the state that performs it, that rabies is fatal once symptoms begin, and that the work is preventable through early prophylaxis. Members asked about federal funding cuts, water testing, and whether CDC changes to rabies testing would affect New Hampshire. The department said it had been affected by an $80 million federal clawback but was managing through other funds and staff reassignments; for the water lab, temporary staff had been hired to continue swimming-area testing. Officials said the state remains able to handle rabies testing and that federal changes would mainly affect areas without similar services. They also answered questions on Jamestown Canyon virus, saying New Hampshire had one human case in 2025 and three in 2024, compared with zero West Nile cases in 2025 and one in 2024, and that weather and protective measures influence mosquito-borne disease levels. Additional questions covered biosafety levels, cyanobacteria coordination with the Department of Environmental Services, and the Brown Building flood mitigation, which was described as about halfway complete with a hoped-for reopening of the west side by June.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would imagine that we do. Um, I can't sit here and say that we do with certainty.
• Um, but I would imagine that we do, since frequently we do note the section of the code that the callers
• I I would imagine<01:07:55.080><c> that</c><01:07:55.280><c> we</c><01:07:55.440><c> do.
• Um I can't sit here imagine that we do.
• Um Um Um but<01:08:01.920><c> I</c><01:08:02.000><c> would</c><01:08:02.160><c> imagine</c><01:08:02.520

Bills: SB2607 , SB2031 , SB2043 , SB2623 , SB2876 , SB2396 , SB2964 , SB2089

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: landscape architecture, licensure, educational requirements, examination, professional standards, consumer protection, junk fees, live-event tickets, short-term lodging, transparency, pricing disclosure, deceptive practices, insurance, captives, regulations, policyholders, SB2623, Hawaii pharmacy law, Board of Pharmacy, registered pharmacy technician

Summary: The committee first heard HCR 168 and HR 158, which would create a temporary working group to study utility capacity, coastline infrastructure lifespan, and the costs of needed expansions. Public Utilities Commission staff said the commission was not the right entity to direct all of the work because it lacks authority over many affected agencies. Members discussed whether the study should be limited to a coastal area or broadened to the whole island, and in decision-making the committee amended the measure to focus on the County of Honolulu, correct references to the Public Utilities Commission, and revise the working group membership to include the PUC chair, legislative designees, and directors or designees from DLNR, DOT, HIEMA, and DCCA Consumer Advocacy. The committee then passed both resolutions with amendments; the vote was adopted unanimously, with some members excused. The committee next considered HCR 145 and HR 137, which would convene a working group on climate change impacts on insurance availability and affordability. The Insurance Division stood on its written comments, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission supported the intent, and the Attorney General opposed the measure, warning that a working group could create discoverable materials that might complicate the state’s climate litigation and noting a technical ambiguity in the reference to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund administrator. After questions about discovery and the lawsuit, the committee amended the resolutions to replace the administrator reference with the chair of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund Board of Directors, remove the Attorney General as convener while keeping the office as a member, and have the working group share findings and recommendations with the House CPC and Senate CPN committees instead of issuing a report. The committee passed the measures with amendments, with Rep. Martin voting with reservations. In the later agenda, the committee heard SB 2607, SD 1 on landscape architect licensure. The Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects supported the bill, explaining it modernizes licensure requirements to align with national standards and clarifies the profession’s design-focused role. The bill was discussed as distinguishing landscape architecture from groundskeeping and from civil engineering drainage work. No opposition was heard. The committee also heard SB 2031, SD 2 on consumer protection and price transparency for live ticket events and short-term lodging. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill, saying it largely mirrors an FTC rule requiring all-in pricing and would give the state enforcement authority and remedies. The Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill as drafted and sought a limited exemption for credit card issuers relying on third-party hotel information, while the Hawaii Hotel Alliance supported the measure but asked for language deeming compliance with the federal rule sufficient for short-term lodging. Committee members questioned whether those proposed exemptions would conflict with federal law or weaken state enforcement, and the discussion focused on preemption, liability, and the value of state remedies such as restitution.