Video & Transcript Research : 'advisory'
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MN
Transcript Highlights:
- our advisory councils are representative of our community programs and our partners.
- So as you can see in there, we talk about advisory councils.
- programs have um very active advisory programs have um very active advisory councils<00:04:15.920
- 04:17.000>
are councils and our advisory councils are councils and our advisory councils are representative - The advisory councils is how I got involved in my community.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I do have a question, though, about the advisory council: what do you see it looking like?
- So the advisory council does exist, right?
- <01:32:49.440>
bill keep the advisory Council in this bill keep the advisory Council in this - Van is one of the appointed individuals who are serving in the advisory council for the DCT.
- Van is one of the appointed individuals who are serving in the advisory council for the DCT.
Keywords:
mental health, emotional disturbance, terminology update, statutory cleanup, conforming amendments, children's mental health, serious mental illness, severe emotional disturbance, case management, residential treatment, outpatient services, crisis services, health plan coverage, antipsychotic drugs, medical assistance, Medicaid, foster care, juvenile court, school discipline, county board
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm a lawyer and I also serve on the Patient Compensation Fund Advisory Board.
- but instead follow the advisory board's recommendation? Mr. Chair, Senator, yes.
- And the advisory board is taking the actuaries' recommendation into account.
- But yes, the advisory board is there for a reason And we, they should be.
- In 2021, we created an advisory board. Some of the members are here.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Elections Committee Jun 17th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2020, San Bernardino County established Measure J, which created an advisory redistricting commission
- Furthermore, the members of the advisory commission are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, meaning
- I do believe that the San Bernardino County Advisory Redistricting Commission made a good-faith effort
- I also saw how an advisory commission appointed behind closed doors can struggle to be seen as unbiased
- I applaud the advisory commission for scheduling so many community hearings.
Summary:
The committee met on June 17, 2026, beginning without a quorum and initially proceeding as a subcommittee. Members heard several Senate bills, with testimony focused mainly on redistricting, Bay Area transit funding, and military/overseas voting access. The chair also announced committee membership changes and that SB 1369 had been pulled by the author. Written testimony was accepted through the committee portal, and public testimony was limited by the chair’s rules.
SB 1414 by Senator Reyes would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County. Supporters, including Inland Empire United, Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters, argued the bill would improve transparency and reduce political influence in map drawing. Opponents, including San Bernardino County and several local government/election groups, said the county’s existing advisory commission already provided substantial public input and raised concerns about cost. The bill was moved do pass as amended and re-referred to Local Government, with one no vote from Assembly Member Lackey; it was later taken off call and passed 6-1.
SB 830 by Senator Wiener made technical changes to the administration of the Bay Area regional transit sales tax measure authorized by SB 63, including uniform ballot naming and county-specific ballot arguments. Support came from labor, transit, business, and advocacy groups, who said the bill would help voters understand the measure and protect transit funding. Members emphasized the Bay Area’s transit funding crisis and the need for local action. The bill passed do pass as amended, 5-1, and was later recorded as out 6-0 on call. The committee also approved a consent calendar containing six bills.
SB 970 by Senator Cervantes addressed military and overseas voting after the federal discontinuation of the Department of Defense fax service used for ballot return. Supporters, including county election officials and local government organizations, said California needed a secure replacement to avoid disenfranchising service members and overseas voters. The Secretary of State’s office and Verified Voting raised security concerns and suggested a task force or more detailed standards, but the author and supporters argued the bill was urgent and should direct the Secretary of State to develop secure regulations. The bill passed do pass and was re-referred to Military and Veteran Affairs, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2020, San Bernardino County established Measure J, which created an advisory redistricting commission
- Furthermore, the members of the advisory commission are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, meaning
- I do believe that the San Bernardino County Advisory Redistricting Commission made a good-faith effort
- I also saw how an advisory commission appointed behind closed doors can struggle to be seen as unbiased
- I applaud the advisory commission for scheduling so many community hearings.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Economic and Workforce Development - Room 409, 31 March, 2026; 9:30 A.M.
Economic and Workforce Development
Transcript Highlights:
- And, you know, we're establishing Mississippi Advisory Council on Apprenticeship.
- And, you know, we're establishing Mississippi Advisory Council on Apprenticeship.
- And, you know, we're establishing Mississippi Advisory Council on Apprenticeship.
- And, you know, we're establishing Mississippi Advisory Council on Apprenticeship.
- And, you know, we're establishing Mississippi Advisory Council on Apprenticeship.
Summary:
The committee considered the Lieutenant Governor’s appointment of Charles Tyler Norman to the board of MAG Core, formerly the Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation, to fill a vacancy for a term ending June 30, 2028. Members described the board’s role in prison-based workforce training and noted that most of its membership is made up of state officials, with only a few outside appointees. Norman said he has a long business background, has served on other state boards, and supports public service and workforce development, including prison work programs.
Several senators used the nomination to raise broader concerns about the effectiveness of prison workforce training and whether MAG Core should continue as a separate entity or be folded under Accelerate Mississippi. The chair said he was frustrated with workforce outcomes for incarcerated people, including the implementation of presumptive parole and the value of some training credentials, and stressed that any program should be profitable and not burden taxpayers. Norman agreed that workforce training should be practical and tied to real trades, said he has hired felons and believes in second chances, and said he would bring committee suggestions back to the board.
A senator asked about a 2008 derogatory incident in Norman’s background report; Norman acknowledged it as a college misdemeanor and said it was the only such issue. Another senator asked about the board’s composition and diversity, and staff said one remaining outside member is a governor’s appointee, later identified as Ronnie McNeil from the faith-based community. The committee then adopted a motion to report the nomination out with a do advise and consent recommendation, and Norman was reminded to keep his statement of economic interest current.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Status of Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- And although they're not commissioners, I believe that through an advisory board, they can, in fact,
- So we are looking to develop an advisory board, and later in the meeting, I'm going to ask Oswanda Hart
- So as we have talked about what this advisory board could be in very broad terms, we're looking for a
- But in terms of the advisory board, which is a great idea that the chair came up with, and that I am
- They can continue to be our strong ...partners as we move forward, and the advisory group will give us
Summary:
The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities held its quarterly meeting virtually and in person at the State House. The commission approved the March minutes and elected its officers by unanimous roll call vote: Denise Garlick as chair, Chris White as vice chair, Carl Richardson as treasurer, and Osmondahar as secretary. The meeting also welcomed several new commissioners, including Rep. Jay Livingstone, Rep. Vanna Howard, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Rep. John Marzi, and Leo Sarkisian, with brief introductions from the new legislative members.
A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the commission’s current work and the broader policy environment affecting people with disabilities. Commissioners and subcommittee leaders raised concerns about federal threats to Medicaid/MassHealth, Section 504 accessibility protections, DEI-related rollbacks, immigration policy impacts on the direct care workforce, and the loss of funding for youth employment and vocational rehabilitation programs. Members also discussed ableist language in public discourse and the need for stronger advocacy and communication in response to these developments.
Subcommittee reports highlighted recent activity on disability employment, workforce supports, and long-term services and supports/health equity. Presentations included veterans with disabilities, employment programming for young adults with disabilities, immigration and labor protections, MassHealth’s PCA working group, and a health equity roundtable. The commission also discussed future plans to create an advisory board, develop successor and mentoring planning, and launch regional “meeting the moment” listening sessions across the Commonwealth to strengthen outreach and leadership development. The meeting ended with an open invitation for commissioners to share urgent information with staff for broader distribution and a unanimous motion to adjourn.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Information Technology Oversight Committee (7-8-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- There used to be an advisory body within KCNA; that's another thing HB 314 did, it removed it.
- So if there was a board and an advisory body, that sort of weighs against thinking the board was also
- merely advisory, but looking again to the statute language that wasn't changed.
- be read as creating just an advisory be read as creating just an advisory board<00:04:43.040>
- when the language doesn't be advisory when the language doesn't support<00:08:27.120>
that.
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00:00
Kentucky Office of the Attorney General 00:01:18
LTS Kentucky Managed Technical Services LLC 00:13:41
Kentucky Wired Operations Company 00:34:20, 958, all
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from its May 21 and June 10 meetings, then heard testimony from the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General on the effect of HB 314 on the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA) board. The Attorney General’s representative said HB 314 changed KCNA’s structure and staffing, but did not alter the statutory duties of the board, which still include developing and implementing strategic plans, providing policy direction, monitoring results, and approving fiscal planning. He argued the board is not merely advisory, has operational and budget authority, and that actions taken outside board approval could be ultra vires and without effect. He also noted the board historically approved settlements and contracts, including matters involving Open Fiber, and said the removal of the executive director position reduced direct personnel control but did not eliminate the board’s broader oversight.
The committee then heard from representatives of Kentucky Managed Technical Services/LTS, who described a dispute over the Kentucky Wired network refresh and service-provider transition. They said the project agreement required a market test and acceptance of a proposal for both the network refresh and service-provider role, but that their proposals were rejected and the refresh work was later treated by the parties as a change order issue. They said some equipment worth about $3 million had been delivered, transferred, and paid for, while roughly $7 million in additional equipment was canceled by LTS but reportedly shipped to a KCNA warehouse and not paid for. They also said no refresh installation work has been performed, that they continue providing network maintenance to avoid service disruption, but believe the contract has expired and that there is no current agreement for ongoing service-provider work.
Committee members asked whether actions taken without board approval would be invalid, whether the board could alter or terminate contractor arrangements, whether the bond disclosures suggesting a successful contract extension were accurate, and what equipment had been purchased or remained in storage. LTS representatives said they would follow up with the committee on the financial delta between the contracted rate and the month-to-month billing they say has been in effect since the contract expired, and on an inventory of in-service equipment and end-of-life dates. They said they want a commercial resolution, but if no resolution is reached soon they may pursue the formal contractual dispute process, and identified September 1 as their stated target date for resolving the matter and completing the refresh.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session - part 2 May 12th, 2025
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Support for the rare disease advisory council comes to us from Representative Murphy, and we are adding
- One is the funding for the Rare Disease Advisory Council.
- I've been recently appointed to the Advisory Council, and my lead is the Chair for Labor.
- We are going to consider one of the underlying pieces of the Advisory Council.
- We appreciate the work of the Advisory Council.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate SessionReading and Referral of Bills Feb 24th, 2025
Texas Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 1043 by Sparks, relating to the composition of the advisory committee for metal recycling
- Senate Bill 1043 by Sparks relating the composition of the advisory Committee for metal recycling entities
- Senate Bill 1131 by Middleton, relating to an advisory committee to study suicide prevention and peer
- Senate Bill 11:31 by Middleton relating to an advisory committee to study suicide prevention and peer
- Senate Bill 1140 by Miles, relating to the establishment of the Texas Rare Disease Advisory Council,
Summary:
The Senate met briefly and referred a large number of first-reading bills and resolutions to standing committees. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including hemp regulation, dementia research funding, parental rights and public education, municipal library funding, tax and local government issues, criminal justice, health care, education, transportation, natural resources, and election law. Several constitutional resolutions were also referred, including proposals related to the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and a severance tax revenue fund.
Most of the transcript consists of the reading of bill captions and committee referrals, with no substantive debate or testimony recorded. The listed measures included proposals on school uniforms, charter schools, Medicaid fraud remedies, insurance practices, occupational licensing for people with criminal convictions, water and sewer utility cybersecurity, agricultural protections, public meeting broadcasting, and various local and state governance matters.
No votes were taken on the bills in this segment. The only formal action reflected was referral of the bills and resolutions to the appropriate committees, followed by adjournment of the Senate until the next scheduled meeting.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Texas Ethics Commission Jun 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, so this rule amendment coincides with an advisory opinion.
- Uh, we have 6 different advisory opinions discussed today.
- Uh, the next draft advisory opinion deals with whether certain communications to legislators and their
- The last two advisory opinions are revolving door questions.
- Our last draft advisory opinion addresses whether a former employee of a state regulatory agency who
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- >
not <00:21:29.440>policy, that it's advisory and not policy, that it's advisory and not - You mentioned the advisory committee.
- What exactly is advisory committee.
- No, no, I'm talking about the advisory committee, not the advisory committee of the committee.
- then bringing it up to the advisory then bringing it up to the advisory board. board. board.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Smith, submitted for consideration and confirmation to the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory
- G 609, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory
- Coin base economic development advisor Advisory council. Michelle for term takes part 6 3 20 29.
- GM 16 submitting for consideration and confirmation of the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory
- next up, GM 16 submitting for consideration confirmation of community based economic development advisory
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard several governor’s nominations for advisory and regulatory boards. The first group included William Smith, Michelle Ige, and Kayana Neman for the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory Council; Leland Park and Cynthia Hobson for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board; and Nicole Kacal for the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation board. DBEDT and related witnesses testified in support of all nominees, and each nominee described experience in small business, finance, community engagement, or technology. Much of the discussion focused on strengthening Hawaiʻi’s economy through small business support, financial literacy, and better access to capital and grants.
Committee members questioned nominees about priorities for Hawaiʻi Island and the state more broadly. Topics included agricultural infrastructure, value-added food production, shared processing facilities and commercial kitchens, workforce housing, and ways government and nonprofits can partner to help small businesses navigate permitting, licensing, and grant processes. Several nominees emphasized community impact, measurable outcomes, and practical regulatory reform. Nicole Kacal also discussed diversifying the economy beyond tourism, expanding technology and AI opportunities, and creating locally governed training and research pathways so workers can adapt to changing jobs.
At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to recommend advice and consent for all nominees. The nominations for GM 608, GM 609, GM 612, and GM 613 were adopted by voice vote, with Senators Kim and Fevella excused. The committee then voted separately on GM 794 for Nicole Kacal, and that recommendation was also adopted. The hearing concluded with adjournment.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (Part II) Feb 26th, 2025
Health & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- The first recommendation regarding the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee membership is that where it
- The other thing is we want to consider expanding the scope of the advisory committee, basically to...
- Regarding the advisory committee, we're working really hard to ensure there's no conflict of interest
- I think, you know, if we look back in history throughout the FDA and other advisory committees, there
- We commend the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee's charge to study the role ultra-processed foods have
Keywords:
attorney ad litem, indigent parents, parent-child relationship, legal representation, Texas Family Code, court procedures, nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health, 1185, senate, all
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- We are also appreciative of the changes including for the advisory council to traffic safety.
- <00:55:43.680>
That advisory council on traffic safety. - That advisory council on traffic safety.
- appropriation um for the advisory appropriation um for the advisory council.<00:55:53.359>
Um - the items which the uh uh advisory the items which the uh uh advisory council<01:06:36.880>
on
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Resources, Recreation and Development (02/05/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- River Management Advisory Committee, or RMAC, and the local river management advisory committees, or
- Our comments, while advisory, are generally welcomed and incorporated into the proposed projects.
- River Management Advisory Committee, or RMAC, and the local river management advisory committees, or
- the rivers management advisory the rivers management advisory committee<03:23:45.479>
so < - rmac rivers management advisory rmac rivers management advisory committee<03:24:23.920>
feels
Summary:
The committee first discussed scheduling and notice for upcoming executive sessions on a larger slate of bills, including plans to take up eight bills in the morning and possibly the last three bills in the afternoon, with caucus time provided if needed. The chair emphasized advance notice, publication, and flexibility if more bills are added later. The hearing then opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and proceeded to HB 568, a bill allowing local planning boards to request water supply studies for subdivisions to ensure water adequacy as housing density increases.
Representative Kat McGee, the prime sponsor, said HB 568 was developed after constituent concerns about private wells being affected by nearby development. She described the bill as narrowly tailored, non-mandatory, and intended to preserve local control while clarifying that planning boards may request studies under local regulations. She noted bipartisan support, an exclusion for community water systems and larger groundwater withdrawals regulated elsewhere, and said the bill would help prevent water shortages and related problems for new and existing homes. Questions from members focused on whether the bill should specify that it applies to subdivisions of four or more lots, since that language had been in an earlier version.
Testimony on HB 568 was mixed. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors opposed the bill, arguing it lacked a definition of “water supply study,” could lead to expensive hydrology studies, and might raise housing costs; he suggested more work with DES or a study committee. DES administrator Brandon Kernin said the department had worked from a 2010 groundwater commission report, that such problems arise only intermittently in certain areas, and that the bill would make explicit local authority to adopt such ordinances. He also said DES data and homeowner surveys can help identify problem areas and that more robust wells could be considered in the long term. The committee noted 10 online submissions in favor and 3 opposed, plus blue-sheet testimony of 2 in favor and 1 neutral, and then closed the hearing on HB 568.
The committee immediately opened HB 582, a bill on safety requirements for operation of personal watercraft. Representative Darby, the sponsor, said the bill responds to the speed and maneuverability of modern personal watercraft, which he described as more like motorcycles on water than traditional boats, and cited a fatal accident on Lake Monomonac as an example of the risks. He said the bill is not intended to restrict ordinary recreation or wake surfing, but to update safety standards for a newer class of larger, quieter three-person PWCs. The hearing began with Darby’s presentation, and no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Service (10-15-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank you very much, Senator, and thank both of you guys for serving on the advisory committee all these
- Thank you very much, Senator, and thank both of you guys for serving on the advisory committee all these
- the advisory committee all these years. the advisory committee all these years.
- <00:14:00.800>
program when the formal uh advisory program when the formal uh advisory program - legislation established an advisory legislation established an advisory committee<00:53:10.240><
Summary:
The meeting opened with roll call, approval of the September 17 minutes, and an introduction of Sarah Rome to the committee. The chair also noted that the committee would stay on schedule and then moved to presentations. Representative Amy Neighbors and Taylor Williams of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association presented a refiled “pharmacy parity” proposal, formerly House Bill 3, to require Medicaid reimbursement for pharmacist clinical services already authorized under current scope of practice. They said the bill would not expand Medicaid or pharmacist scope, but would align Medicaid with commercial insurance, improve access and outcomes, and likely save money; they cited a Cabinet report under Senate Joint Resolution 26, which found similar laws in other states were producing savings or trending toward savings and would require only modest administrative updates. No member questions were raised after that presentation.
The committee then heard an update on the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program from Senator Stephen Meredith, Dr. Whitney Jones, Melissa Carrier, and Representative Neighbors. They described the program’s goals of increasing screening, reducing deaths through earlier detection, and preventing cancers by finding polyps, saying it has produced substantial savings and improved outcomes. Speakers emphasized Kentucky’s high colorectal cancer burden, especially in younger adults, and said the program helps uninsured and underinsured Kentuckians access stool-based screening and follow-up colonoscopies through a network of partners including the Department for Public Health, Kentucky Cancer Link, and university cancer programs. They requested an increase in funding from $500,000 to $1.25 million annually, or $2.5 million over the biennium, to expand services, fill geographic gaps, and support education and navigation.
Members asked whether the colon cancer screening was already covered by Medicaid, and the presenters replied that Medicaid does cover it, but the program serves people who are not on Medicaid or who fall into a separate eligibility category based on income and insurance status. A member also clarified the requested funding increase. The committee then moved on to the next agenda item, an update from the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, where board member Sal Santoro and CHNK Behavioral Health leaders began a presentation describing the organization’s broader behavioral health work and its request, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concludes or any action is taken.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- ,<00:57:05.599>
but recommending that it be an advisory, but recommending that it be an advisory - I think if we create a community advisory council and we have a composition of community members plus
- I think if we create a community advisory council and we have a composition of community members plus
- not on the board they're on an advisory not on the board they're on an advisory council<01:51:18.480
- board to the the process as a advisory board to the master<01:53:10.239>
planning.
Bills:
HB1817, HB2056, HB2616, HB1718, HB1842, HB1740, HB1919, HB1616, HB1774, HB1984, HB1603, HB2171
Keywords:
fishing regulation, ʻamaʻama, striped mullet, bag limit, overfishing, Hawaii fisheries, funding, appropriations, Honolulu, housing, construction, grant-in-aid, community development, Banyan Drive, Hawaii community development authority, cultural revitalization, special fund, public safety, economic development, affordable housing
Summary:
The committee heard HB 1817, which would create a daily bag limit for amaa/ama fish to protect Hawaii’s fisheries. DLNR said the biggest stressor on amaa populations is diversion of freshwater flows that cut off food sources for juvenile fish, and suggested that place-by-place rulemaking with fishers and stakeholders would be the most effective approach. A teacher and several Waialua Elementary students testified in strong support, describing research on declining catch data, cultural importance, and the need to preserve the fish for future generations. Other supporters said the fish is being outcompeted by invasive species and cited historical declines, including testimony that bag limits in Hilo Bay have helped increase populations.
Committee members asked DLNR about traditional and cultural gathering rights, whether the bill’s bag limit would apply to native Hawaiian practices, and whether the limit was 10 per day or per season. DLNR said constitutional Hawaiian practices are protected, but also noted that if the bag limit is set in statute it would limit the department’s flexibility to tailor rules by area. Members also asked about other conservation efforts, and DLNR said fish pond revitalization and amaa production are underway statewide. One member raised concern that a statewide statutory limit might not fit conditions on every island, and DLNR said it has authority to adopt area-specific rules through rulemaking, though that process can take months to more than a year.
The committee then moved to HP 206, an appropriations measure for the City and County of Honolulu involving school land transfers, and HP 266B relating to Banyan Drive. On HP 206, the county said the request is a one-time item and estimated costs were about $3.25 million, with the city and county already spending more than $350,000 on the transfers. On HP 266B, HCDA said it is conducting a master planning effort for Banyan Drive and plans a community visioning exercise this summer. Testimony from the Banyan Drive redevelopment agency emphasized the need for more flexible land-tenure rules, while OHA supported the bill with amendments to include cultural specialists and lineal descendants in the redevelopment process and to protect ceded lands. No votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
EEP-TOU Joint Public Hearing - Thu Feb 12, 2026 @ 9:30 AM HST
Energy & Environmental Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- process of the Greenfield Advisory process of the Greenfield Advisory Council<00:17:40.960>
are - Granting decisions in the advisement of a highly skilled advisory council ensures that the investments
- Granting decisions in the advisement of a highly skilled advisory council ensures that the investments
- Granting decisions in the advisement of a highly skilled advisory council ensures that the investments
- at the top right before the advisory at the top right before the advisory council<00:34:56.000><
Bills:
HB1617
Keywords:
carbon emissions, tax credit, fossil fuel, agriculture, food security, environmental tax, greenhouse gas, 910, house, all
Summary:
The committees heard testimony on HB 1949, which would create a public dashboard for the green fee to improve transparency and accountability. Testimony from the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and many community and conservation groups was generally supportive, with several speakers urging that the governor’s project recommendations remain largely intact and that community-driven projects continue to guide spending. One amendment was suggested to place the dashboard at the Department of Budget and Finance for fiscal expertise, while other testimony favored keeping it with the commission. Members asked about procurement, ETS involvement, recurring hosting costs, and whether the dashboard could be funded from green fee revenues; the commission said it could work with ETS and that green fee funds could reasonably be used. The committees then voted to pass HB 1949 with amendments.
The committees also heard HB 2618, which would require the governor to submit a separate bill for amounts tied to any increase in the transient accommodations tax and, in later discussion, was expanded into a broader restructuring of future green fee allocations. Testimony from the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, and others supported the bill and emphasized the value of more predictable, dedicated funding for conservation and climate-related work. During decision-making, the chair described amendments creating several special funds under DLNR, including a watershed biodiversity and wildfire risk reduction fund, an aquatic resources conservation fund, a coastal restoration fund, a cesspool conversion revolving loan fund, and a green fee special fund for remaining revenues, with recommended amounts discussed for some of the funds. The committees voted to pass HB 2618 with amendments.
The hearing then moved to HB 1644, a consumer protection measure for residential solar sales that would require compliance with consumer protection laws, licensing or contractor affiliation for sellers, and a standardized disclosure form. Testimony in support came from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and several solar companies and individuals. Supporters said the bill would address complaints about third-party sales practices and improve disclosure, especially around financing. The committee then began hearing HB 2243, which would require electric utilities to provide public, electronic customer bill impact analyses and annual reports to the Public Utilities Commission; the Division of Consumer Advocacy and the PUC offered comments supporting the measure’s intent.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The first, as far as the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee membership, we would recommend where it states
- Um, the other thing is we wanna, um, consider expanding the scope of the advisory committee basically
- I'm also a member of the School Health Advisory Council, the SHAC, which makes recommendations to the
- We commend the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee's charge to study the role ultra-processed foods have
- The work contemplated for the Texas Nutrition Advocacy, I'm sorry, Advisory Committee.