Transcript Highlights:

• One of my roles is to administer a federal grant program through the EPA called Thriving Communities
• administer a Federal grant program<00:43:58.200> through<00:43:58.400> the<00:43:58.520> EPA
• <00:43:58.960> called<00:43:59.200> thriving program through the EPA called thriving
• program through the EPA called thriving communities<00:44:00.200> to<00:44:00.480> advance

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered three measures on the 1 p.m. agenda. SB 817, relating to out-of-state offices, drew support from DBEDT and several community groups, with questions focused on the requested funding, staffing level, whether the office would expand broadly, and whether the Philippines was being singled out. SB 1578, relating to international affairs, received support from DBEDT and the Attorney General, with the chair noting the bill was intended to help DBEDT analyze Hawaii’s international partnerships and plan next steps. SB 1639, establishing Hawaii Beach Day, had limited testimony and was moved along without substantive debate. SB 582, relating to DBEDT, was also heard with support from state agencies and a few individuals, and was described as a vehicle for organizational and funding changes affecting the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, including moving some positions and programming to general funds and narrowing the works-of-art special fund's uses. The committees then took up recommendations. All three measures were advanced with amendments: SB 817 was amended to include technical changes and a defective effective date of July 1, 2025; SB 1578 was amended to address the Attorney General’s concerns, make the commission subject to Senate confirmation, and add technical changes and a defective date; and SB 582 was amended to incorporate provisions from SB 1577, clarify SFCA authority over performing arts, shift SFCA positions and programming to general funds, restrict the works-of-art special fund, and add a defective date. Each committee voted to adopt the chair’s recommendations, with no reservations or no votes noted in the Transportation and Culture and the Arts committee and only Senator Dela Cruz voting no on SB 817 there; in the Economic Development and Tourism committee, SB 817 passed with Senator Kim in reservation and Senator Awa voting no, while SB 1578 and SB 582 passed with Senator Awa voting no. The later 10:00 a.m. agenda hearing focused on SB 1589, relating to the stadium development special fund, and SB 1629, relating to taxation. On SB 1589, the Attorney General asked for clarification of section 3, particularly the proviso about remaining monies lapsing to the general fund if the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District is terminated before completion; the interim stadium manager explained the bill would allow spending of $49.5 million already in the special fund for consultant, construction management, quality assurance, and contingency costs. On SB 1629, testimony was sharply divided: supporters, including film industry and business representatives, said the measure would support local film production, restore prior GET treatment, and help attract studio development; opponents argued the bill was vague, overly favorable to a specific project, and lacked oversight and accountability. The hearing ended with extensive questioning about whether the bill was effectively tailored to a particular studio project and how it related to other film tax credit measures, but no final committee action on SB 1589 or SB 1629 was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• EPA in 2023. ...of greenhouse gas emissions as assessed by the U.S. EPA in 2023.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then moved through guest introductions, including students and fellows from California Lutheran University, UC Merced’s CAPE program, the Maddy Institute, and Madera High School’s Madtown Robotics Team 1323, which was recognized for multiple robotics world championships. The chamber also adopted an adjournment in memory and took up the daily file. Several bills and resolutions were considered and passed, including AB 1390 on school board compensation thresholds, AB 1338 on air district cost recovery for fence-line air monitoring, AB 648 on community college housing, AB 1207 on cap-and-trade price ceilings, ACR 66 recognizing Skin Cancer Awareness Month, AB 49 on keeping ICE out of public schools, AB 317 on a CEQA exemption for certain single-family homes, AB 527 on geothermal exploratory wells, AB 665 on the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation ombudsman report, AB 940 creating quantum innovation zones, AB 1021 on workforce housing for education agencies, AB 1112 on property tax apportionment in Rancho Mirage, AB 1318 on nonprofit eligibility for public funding, and AB 1470 on using student housing loan funds for affordable housing in downtowns and commercial districts. Most measures passed with broad support; AB 49 and AB 1318 were urgency bills and passed with the required higher vote threshold. The floor also adopted H.R. 40, declaring May 25 as Rosenda’s Day to honor a teen killed by a drunk driver, and H.R. 42, recognizing May as Behavioral Health Awareness Month. Both drew extensive personal testimony from members about mental health, suicide, substance use, and the need to reduce stigma and expand access to care. Additional health-related bills passed, including AB 408 creating a physician health and wellness program, AB 546 requiring coverage for HEPA purifiers for certain enrollees after wildfire disasters, AB 967 expediting licenses for out-of-state physicians, and AB 968 expanding pharmacist authority to provide non-hormonal contraception. The Assembly also debated AB 1056 on phasing out gill net fishing and AB 1376 on limiting juvenile probation terms, with supporters framing both as conservation or rehabilitation measures and opponents warning about economic harm or public safety concerns. Both bills ultimately passed. Throughout the session, members repeatedly emphasized public safety, education, housing, climate, health care access, and support for immigrant and youth communities, with recorded roll-call votes and voice votes taken on each measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><01:02:54.400> Wyoming,<01:02:55.280> for<01:02:55.440> our Cyrus Western at EPA
• Troy Lake is an expert diesel mechanic who was taking EPA-mandated diesel devices and altering them so
• degrees or lower, fire trucks, ambulances, and school buses that run on diesel would not work with this EPA-mandated
• Cyrus Western at EPA face interior.
• Cyrus Western at EPA Mountains<01:03:48.559> and<01:03:48.720> Plains<01:03:49.520>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is also paid for by a fee increase that is also required by the federal EPA.
• And this is also paid for by a fee increase that is also required by the federal EPA.
• And this is also paid for by a fee increase that is also required by the federal EPA.
• And this is also paid for by a fee increase that is also required by the federal EPA.
• And this is also paid for by a fee increase that is also required by the federal EPA.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe that Minnesota would be better off to align its reporting with the EPA reporting rules.
• well number four has been identified as having PFOA, one of the worst PFOA concentrations that exceeds EPA
• concentration pfoa one of the worst pfoa concentration that<01:41:31.159> exceeds<01:41:31.560> EPA
• <01:41:32.000> maximum<01:41:32.400> contaminant that exceeds EPA maximum contaminant
• that exceeds EPA maximum contaminant level<01:41:33.679> the<01:41:33.800> current<01:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The EPA has basically concluded that all landfills eventually leak into the environment.
• research<00:39:21.079> uh<00:39:21.240> that<00:39:21.680> uh<00:39:21.800> EPA
• <00:39:22.200> has<00:39:22.400> basically research uh that uh EPA has basically research
• uh that uh EPA has basically concluded<00:39:23.760> that<00:39:23.920> all<00:39:24.079
• EPA, for the first time in a long time, adopted some national primary drinking water standards, or MCLs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:58:58.159> the<03:58:58.279> person's of the of the um EPA the person's of the
• of the um EPA the person's running<03:58:58.800> for<03:58:58.920> the<03:58:59.040>
• Secretary<03:58:59.399> of<03:58:59.479> EPA<03:59:00.120> as<03:59:00.279>
• well running for the Secretary of EPA as well running for the Secretary of EPA as well as<03:
• The federal, uh, approach, if you're talking about EPA funds and funding, um, which, as I said, we do

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DIFFERENCE IN SECTION 5 IS AND IT CLARIFIES THE WASTE CREDIT FOR ELIGIBILITY PURPOSES CORRECTED IN PREVIOUS EPA

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CANCER, VIRUSES, BLOOD BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IT ALSO CARRIES 150 HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS 16 OF WHICH ARE EPA

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on line one: 'The Department of Education shall notify every public school in NH how to access the EPA
• <05:25:54.920> tools<05:25:55.240> for<05:25:55.400> school's access the EPA
• tools for school's access the EPA tools for school's program<05:25:56.240> and<05:25:56.360><
• EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools action kit that's referenced on page two is online; you can
• EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools action kit that's referenced on page two is online; you can

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and noted weather-related absences and a large number of new bills. The chair said a subcommittee would be formed to review three cell phone bills, and a full committee work session on bullying would be scheduled for the week after next. The committee then began a hearing on House Bill 121, which would create local special education advisory councils in school districts. Representative Glenn Cordelli, the sponsor, said the councils would be parent-driven, with parents of children with disabilities advising districts on education, safety, program development, evaluation, planning, policies, and communication with administrators. He said the bill would require at least quarterly meetings with district administration, an annual parent workshop, and a year-end report to the school board. He also cited federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on parent advisory councils and said the goal was to improve collaboration between parents and schools. Members raised questions about the use of “shall,” how councils would be formed in districts without PTAs/PTOs, whether the councils could function in very small districts, privacy concerns about parents disclosing their children’s disabilities, whether the councils should include guardians or educational professionals, and whether the councils would have any direct tie to the state advisory council. The sponsor said the requirement was intended to make the councils mandatory, that local districts could organize them organically if needed, that participation would be voluntary, that parents would not be required to disclose private information, and that the councils would remain advisory rather than determinative. He also said costs should be minimal. Testimony then began from Nicole Sheath, a pediatric occupational therapist and parent of four children with disabilities, who described her experience balancing advocacy, school collaboration, and the demands of her children’s therapies and education.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our $1.1 million EPA grant, supported by our interdisciplinary team, conducted community-based research
• improve the health and well-being of citizens of the Commonwealth and the U.S., has been derailed by EPA
• That program was to EPA, and EPA's program was cut.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So EPA had come in in the early '80s and went around to six different old uranium mines and said, we've
• So EPA had come in in the early 80s and went around to six different old uranium mines and said, we've
• Commission, it's really more about coordination among themselves, coordination with the NRC and the EPA

Summary: The committee met to review advanced nuclear energy issues in North Dakota, beginning with approval of the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon presented an overview of the advanced reactor landscape, distinguishing light-water SMRs, advanced Gen 4 reactors, and microreactors. The presentation emphasized that light-water SMRs are the most near-term deployable and use familiar low-enriched uranium fuel, while many Gen 4 designs may require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALU), which is not yet supported by a mature U.S. supply chain. Nucleon also noted that advanced reactors are being developed primarily for industrial heat applications, while microreactors are niche, higher-cost systems for remote or mission-critical uses. Committee members asked about fuel availability, safety, recycling, and whether large reactors such as AP-1000s were evaluated; the presenter said fuel development is proceeding in parallel but remains a bottleneck, and that siting and grid capacity often make SMRs more practical than gigawatt-scale plants in North Dakota. Representatives from the National Association of State Energy Officials described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, regional coordination, grants, tax incentives, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and pilot programs. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and said states are focusing on multi-state coordination, demand aggregation, regulatory coordination, waste management, workforce readiness, and community engagement. They also discussed affordability tools such as construction work in progress (CWIP), financing incentives, and consumer protections, citing examples from Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, Tennessee, and others. In response to questions, they explained that pilot programs often involve site-readiness and feasibility studies, and that the federal Nuclear Innovation Campus process is moving forward with multiple submissions while broader waste and recycling policy may require congressional action. The Public Service Commission said it would likely have a major role in any North Dakota nuclear project through certificate-of-public-convenience-and-necessity review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted gaps in current law for small reactors, co-located facilities, NRC coordination, and long-term site stewardship. The commissioner said the commission has no authority over a private, self-contained reactor not connected to the grid. The Department of Environmental Quality explained that the state regulates radioactive materials under its agreement-state authority, but NRC retains primacy over fission reactors; DEQ would likely assist with emergency planning and could have a larger role if fusion reactors emerge. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, requiring a dedicated radiological emergency preparedness program, training, drills, public outreach, and likely additional funding and staffing, with industry expected to bear much of the cost. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota’s water laws and prior-appropriation system are adequate for nuclear siting, that the Missouri River is the best likely source, and that no statutory or budget changes are currently needed from a water perspective. The committee recessed for lunch after these agency presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• These two herbicides have been proven over and over again, not only by our country's EPA but by over
• But I would bring your attention again to the EPA, which in 2020, stated that atrazine and in 2022 glyphosate
• According to the EPA, pesticide exposure can lead to both acute and chronic health problems ranging from

Bills: SB835, SB3070, SB22, SJR59, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB973, SB974, SB865, SB506, SB781, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB505, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB3073, SB2920, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB2460, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB2595, SB857, SB37, SB8, SB10, SB227, SB261, SB12, SB15, SJR27, SB552, SB835, SB3070, SB22, SJR59, SB25, SB57, SB127, SB293, SB441, SB3059, SB512, SB241, SB1718, SB140, SB2055, SB2075, SB2018, SB1534, SB1567, SB785, SB1233, SB1580, SB1663, SB413, SB447, SB519, SB467, SB1579, SB1191, SB1021, SB1838, SB2807, SB2835, SB546, SB2121, SB2167, SB2035, SB2024, SB1032, SB1049, SB1266, SB1400, SB1302, SB401, SB1596, SB1281, SB1242, SB1343, SB310, SB1346, SB2753, SB2703, SB2221, SB1719, SB2177, SB800, SB790, SB748, SB571, SB1957, SB1923, SB1896, SB1760, SB1335, SB2368, SB2477, SB2587, SB2972, SB2986, SB2965, SB1563, SB1467, SB1164, SB1137, SB614, SB705, SB961, SB918, SB955, SB869, SB850, SB863, SB1610, SB1055, SB2206, SB457, SB2337, SB1362, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB973, SB974, SB865, SB506, SB781, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB505, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB3073, SB2920, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB2460, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB2595, SB857, SCR9, HB5560, HB762, HB 107, HB 114, HB300, HB138, HB4386, HB2495, HB581, HB3348, HB5323

Keywords: sexual abuse, nondisclosure agreements, confidentiality agreements, public policy, victim rights, lottery, bingo, regulation, Texas Lottery Commission, Department of Licensing and Regulation, criminal offenses, state administration, audits, transfers, Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation

Transcript Highlights:

• According to the EPA, just allowing this wood waste to rot offers greenhouse gases that are 25 times
• And this was the old EPA, not the EPA under the current administration, in case people are questioning

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 10% credit if you are required to purchase certain pollution control devices to comply with either EPA

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• EPA, fails and the ice goes out for the 30 active participants who use it daily, this is truly a regional
• refrigerant, which has been phased out by<00:07:11.199> the<00:07:11.360> US<00:07:11.680> EPA
• > that<00:07:13.280> plant<00:07:13.680> fails<00:07:14.479> and by the US EPA
• If that plant fails and by the US EPA.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had pretty extensive conversations with EPA about eligibility requirements for the clean water
• 00.000> extensive<00:21:00.400> conversations<00:21:00.880> with<00:21:01.120> EPA
• pretty extensive conversations with EPA pretty extensive conversations with EPA about<00:21:01.840

Bills: SF0069, SF0070, SF0016, HB0078, HJ0002, HB0085, HB0086

Keywords: wastewater, stormwater, infrastructure, environmental quality, public data, data collection, funding, study, water development, irrigation, public works, agricultural supply, municipal water, grazing lands, subleasing, non-owned livestock, state lands, rental fees, agricultural policy, land management

Transcript Highlights:

• She asks how compliance would be regulated, noting that the EPA says they rely upon local government
• compliance be generators how would compliance be regulated<00:26:08.039> the<00:26:08.200> EPA
• states<00:26:09.120> that<00:26:09.320> they<00:26:09.520> rely regulated the EPA
• states that they rely regulated the EPA states that they rely upon<00:26:10.120> the<00:26:10.279

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I assume the EPA will still exist to take it away, but it is an unacceptable risk at this point to not
• leads if we come out of compliance<06:22:36.478> with<06:22:36.600> an<06:22:36.798> EPA
• <06:22:37.280> mandate<06:22:37.760> for compliance with an EPA mandate for compliance
• with an EPA mandate for emissions<06:22:38.520> testing<06:22:39.520> we<06:22:39.638>
• c> still<06:22:51.320> exist<06:22:51.600> to<06:22:51.718> take assum the EPA

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• science-based sampling and testing standards for smoke-damaged homes nationwide by requiring the Cal EPA
• that coalition together, and that coalition is broad, working with and adding and looking through with EPA

Keywords: 987, senate, all