Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, that's what we put in our projections.
• I will say that we think that projects.
• that's what we put in our projections. that's what we put in our projections.
• Does that, has that been taken into account for your long-term projections?
• We have made an adjustment in our projections for community engagement.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:36 Department for Medicaid Services 00:01:44, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met for an overview of the Department for Medicaid Services budget. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beal described Kentucky Medicaid enrollment at about 1.4 million members, including more than 600,000 children, and said the agency’s 2025 total budget was $20.6 billion. They reviewed enrollment trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 public health emergency, noting that redeterminations begun in 2023 reduced enrollment from its peak but that total membership remains above pre-COVID levels. They also explained the difference between the fee-for-service population, which includes long-term care and waiver members, and managed care members, and gave examples of the kinds of services and diagnoses seen in each group. A major focus was the governor’s recommended Medicaid budget and the department’s forecast process. Lee said the budget is split into benefits and administration, with benefits covering fee-for-service services, managed care capitation, transportation, and Medicare premiums, while administration covers contracts, personnel, operating costs, and IT-related advanced planning documents. She said the department uses a consensus forecasting group and actuary input, and that its forecasts have been within 1% of actual spending in recent years. The department also said the governor’s budget includes new waiver slots to address waiting lists, a 2% staff COLA, and a 10% phase-down on state-directed payments beginning in January 2028. Much of the discussion centered on House Resolution 1 and the funding needed to implement its Medicaid-related provisions, including community engagement requirements, six-month redeterminations, and future cost sharing. Lee said the department requested about $35 million in total funds for fiscal 2027, including about $8.2 million in general funds for system changes to the integrated eligibility system, claims processing, notices, and monitoring; and about $11 million in fiscal 2028 for ongoing maintenance, with about $1.6 million in general funds. She said the department expects to seek federal APD matching funds for the IT work. In response to questions, she explained that community engagement would apply to Medicaid expansion members, with qualifying activities including work, school, volunteering, or equivalent income, and that certain groups such as pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives, and some people with chronic disease or substance use disorder would be excluded. She said the department identified roughly 70,000 expansion members who could be subject to the requirement. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are about two billion dollars behind on keeping up with those earthen dam maintenance projects.
• During the ongoing drought, a couple of our rehabilitation projects experienced delays because we had
• Examples may include fluid reuse in residential areas for irrigation in lawns, not just simple solutions
• We believe that water conservation and water reuse represent the lowest cost, most effective approach
• was part of that too, during Katrina and the aftermath, we saw within just 48 hours a monumental project

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, the bill, if you divide up the state projects and local projects, obviously the non-state
• There are some P2 projects in the bill already. I'm going to put in some additional P2 projects.
• We have projects, and I think I have a list somewhere in here, dormant projects.
• So they've had, we're calling a dormant project, the projects that's been funded for over three years
• We have projects, and I think I have a list somewhere in here, dormant projects.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs met on May 19, 2026, established a quorum, approved the May 11 minutes, and then took up several House bills. House Bill 1039, presented by Rep. DeSotel, would add taxpayer protections in local sales tax audits by requiring clear notice that waiving prescription is voluntary, requiring a written request identifying records sought before an estimated assessment, and allowing mutual agreements to suspend interest and penalties during an audit. The committee had no opposition and reported the bill favorably. House Bill 799, handled by the State Fire Marshal’s office, would move boiler inspections into the Fire Marshal’s office and allow licensed industry inspectors to perform them, with the stated goal of improving efficiency because current staffing only covers about 20% of inspections; it was also reported favorably without objection. The committee then spent most of the meeting on House Bill 2, the capital outlay bill, with Chairman Bacala explaining that the House had worked with the Division of Administration and Facility Planning and Control to find about $50 million in savings through cash-flow adjustments, under-budget bids, over-appropriations, and bundled-project savings. He argued the bill has grown beyond a true five-year plan and that some prior funding is not transparent because money placed in projects in earlier years no longer appears in later versions of the bill. Division officials said the savings would help address deferred maintenance, especially in higher education, and that Priority 2 projects are used to absorb additional funds if more savings are found later in the year. Senator Luneau asked about dormant projects and the process for removing or reallocating funds from projects with no recent expenditures; officials said such removals must go through the Bond Commission and that they are considering ways to improve the process. Bacala then offered amendments to HB 2, saying they kept Priority 1 fully funded, added about $54 million in Priority 2 projects, and included a large Priority 5 list of member requests. The committee adopted the amendment set without objection and then reported HB 2 as amended favorably. The committee also reported House Bill 3 favorably; Bacala described it as a housekeeping measure that provides bonding capacity to move HB 2 forward. Finally, the committee granted staff authority to make technical changes to the reported bills and adjourned on Senator Lambert’s motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we need to be able to... ...fund this project and have the desal projects capable of getting state
• Project and Webb is constructed.
• Every project differs, and this particular project has too many unanswered questions to move forward
• We have to get these projects done.
• We know our projects. We're going to have big water projects coming online. We do the management.

Summary: The committee met with limited attendance at first, then took up a series of water, agriculture, and rural affairs measures. HB 3898 would allow the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance for brackish water desalination projects in certain border counties and related nonprofit suppliers even if the projects are not in the state water plan. Supporters said it is needed to address severe water shortages in places like Webb County and to support future planning; opponents, including the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, argued it bypasses the regional and state water planning process. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 5339, which would create a higher-education grant program for regenerative agriculture research. A rancher testified that regenerative methods improved soil health, water retention, and farm viability, while a senator noted existing university research but said better coordination could help. Public testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. Members then heard HB 1523, a temporary prohibition on TCEQ issuing Austin a Class 5 injection well permit for an aquifer storage and recovery project in Bastrop and Lee counties until December 2027. Local officials from Bastrop supported the pause, citing unanswered questions about water treatment, recovery rates, and impacts on the aquifer, while Austin Water opposed the substitute, saying the project is central to its long-term water plan and that stakeholder talks were already underway. TCEQ explained its ASR permitting process and said public participation is possible but not always used in the current authorization process. The bill was left pending. HB 5659, concerning the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District and requiring majority city-council approval before certain water sales or interbasin transfers, drew testimony from district officials who said the change could interfere with existing contracts and district authority, but the chair emphasized the need for local buy-in and said the stakeholders had reached a workable compromise; testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1690, which would expand notice requirements for groundwater export permits so neighboring landowners and potentially affected aquifer areas are informed by certified mail and publication. The sponsor tied the bill to impacts from the Vista Ridge project, and no one testified against it; it was left pending. HB 3333 would prohibit TCEQ from issuing new wastewater discharge permits directly into the Devils River in Val Verde County. The sponsor and a conservation witness said the bill protects one of Texas’s most pristine rivers and reflects a local stakeholder agreement, while TCEQ said it can ensure water quality but acknowledged the river’s unique sensitivity; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HCR 108 urging continuation of the U.S.-Mexico tomato suspension agreement, with supporters warning of major Texas job and consumer-price impacts if it ends, and HCR 76 urging federal action on imported shrimp, citing public health and industry concerns; both were left pending. Additional measures heard and left pending included HB 4158 on compensation for Texana Groundwater Conservation District directors, HB 654 creating a dismissal path for certain first-time deer hunting violations after self-reporting and hunter education, HB 4530 requiring Texas Water Development Board review of groundwater rights placed in the Texas Water Trust, HB 2128 directing a study of rural versus urban firefighting and rescue disparities, and HB 278 requiring groundwater districts and management areas to track progress toward desired future conditions over shorter intervals. On HB 278, witnesses split over whether the bill’s interim tracking would improve accountability or create new triggers that could be used against local districts, but no final vote was taken and the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• have a certain amount of time where regulations and regulatory changes will not affect that building project
• But once a final... uh building project. Also when it comes uh building project.
• <01:25:43.679> Senate<01:25:44.080> Bill<01:25:44.400> 222 property for reuse
• Senate Bill 222 property for reuse.
• This groundbreaking project will deploy Last Energy's 5 megawatt PWR5 microreactor, a compact version

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1250 by Hinojosa of Hidalgo, relating to the definition of a project financing backup system
• and Commerce. [00:12:55] Senate Bill 1250 by Hinojosa of Hidalgo, relating to the definition of a project
• provide credits against impact fees to builders and developers for certain water conservation and reuse
• projects, to Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs.
• Senate Bill 1261 by Perry, relating to the financing of water supply projects included in the state water

Summary: The Senate met briefly to receive first-reading referrals of a large number of bills, resolutions, and joint resolutions. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public education, health care, criminal justice, business regulation, transportation, water and natural resources, local government, taxation, elections, and public information. Many of the filings were by Senators Hughes, Perry, Alvarado, Creighton, Hancock, Parker, Zaffirini, Blanco, and others, and included proposals on school safety, health records and billing, election procedures, water planning, housing and rent issues, energy and environmental regulation, and criminal penalties. The chamber also read several concurrent and joint resolutions, including measures designating state symbols and local honors, a proposed constitutional amendment related to gaming by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, a proposal concerning special-session subjects, and resolutions on fiscal restraints and retirement obligations. No debate, testimony, or substantive action on the merits of the measures occurred in this portion of the transcript; the items were simply read and referred to committees. At the close of the proceedings, the Senate adjourned pursuant to a previously adopted motion and announced it would reconvene at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• So aren't all environmental projects, or even if a city decides to do an environmental project, isn't
• These are not projections.
• They aren't necessarily appropriate nor necessary for local projects or residential subdivision projects
• They aren't necessarily appropriate nor necessary for local projects or residential subdivision projects
• They aren't necessarily appropriate nor necessary for local projects or residential subdivision projects

Bills: S0558, S1294, S1468, S1474, S1682, S1628

Keywords: stormwater systems, environmental standards, municipal infrastructure, engineering certifications, local compliance, Florida Department of Transportation, biosolids, agronomic rate, land application, environmental protection, Florida statutes, nutrient management, recordkeeping, farming, compost products, wastewater treatment, environment, sewage disposal, pollution control, reporting requirements

Summary: The committee took up several environmental bills, beginning with SB 1682 on local administration of vessel restrictions. Senator Trumbull said the bill would give cities and counties tools to address abandoned, derelict, and long-term anchored vessels while following state standards and FWC guidance. Members from affected areas spoke in support, citing recurring derelict vessel problems and the difficulty and cost of removal once vessels sink. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1468 on advanced wastewater treatment, which would require DEP to compile a detailed statewide report on wastewater treatment plants, including construction age, treatment levels, contaminant data, spill history, flood risk, and receiving waterbody impairment information. Florida Rural Water Association testified that any move to require advanced treatment for all plants over one MGD could create major financial burdens without dedicated funding. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 1294 on biosolids management, with a strike-all amendment adopted. Senator Bradley said the revised bill would require bulk Class AA biosolids fertilizer and compost products to be land applied only at agronomic rates and, absent a bona fide sale, only at permitted DEP-approved sites, with a transition date moved to July 1, 2028. Supporters said it would protect water quality and legitimate fertilizer and compost markets, while rural utilities asked for funding and flexibility. The committee reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee took up CS/SB 1628 on net zero policies by governmental entities. Senator Avila said the bill would prohibit local governments and other governmental entities from adopting or funding net zero policies, imposing related fees or taxes, or operating cap-and-trade or carbon trading programs. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying the definition of carbon dioxide. The bill drew extensive debate: supporters argued it would protect residents and businesses from higher costs and preserve predictability, while opponents said it would block local climate and clean-energy policies, including electric buses, energy-efficiency measures, and climate resilience planning. After public testimony on both sides, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 1474 on biosolids management, which Senator Gates said would require biosolids and septage to be treated at the highest practical level when wastewater treatment facilities are reasonably accessible and would bar Class B land application within 50 miles of a permitted wastewater facility. An amendment applying the statutory definition of septage was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 558 on stormwater system standards. Senator Burgess said it would create statewide standards for municipal and county stormwater systems using FDOT guidelines and third-party inspections, with an amendment making technical changes and broadening who may perform inspections. Supporters said uniform standards could improve safety and reduce failures, while contractors, engineers, and industry groups warned it could raise costs, delay projects, and preempt stronger local standards. The bill remained under discussion as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• needles and knowing that if a pilot program like this... assisted, that those needles have not been reused
• and reused and reused.
• We show you registered as Daniel Woodward, excuse me, representing the Texas Civil Rights Project, testifying
• My name is Daniel Woodward, and I'm a policy attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project.

Bills: HB1320, HB2012, HB2293, HB2655, HB3174, HB4108, HB4661, HB4799, HB5534, HB5580

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• I think in the design of it, a lot of it came from councils of government, in other words, projects that
• potable water reuse program, which would allow some of this water to be captured, harnessed, and reused
• While each individual project may seem to have a small impact, on a large scale, these strategies can
• Virdell knows this; if they're protected, they can serve as essentially flood mitigation projects because
• So, during the ongoing drought, a couple of our rehabilitation projects experienced delays because we

Bills: HB48, HB 66, HB 68, HB71, HB75, HB164, HB171, HB254, SB 3, SB 18, HB123, HB149, HB117

Keywords: HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:18:31.400> that power um an example of a project that power um an example of a project
• fund the project?
• Please fund these projects.
• Please fund these projects.
• Please fund these projects.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Capital Investment held its first meeting of the 2025 session with members and staff introducing themselves and describing their priorities. Senators from both parties repeatedly emphasized the goal of passing a strong bipartisan bonding bill this year, with several members noting that local projects were delayed after no bonding bill passed the previous year. Chair Housley also said the committee would not meet later that week and previewed an upcoming presentation from MMB on federal funds. The committee then heard a presentation from MMB’s Leah Corey and Anna Ming on Minnesota’s federal funding efforts. Corey explained that MMB’s federal funds team coordinates state efforts to maximize funding from IIJA, IRA, CHIPS, and related federal programs. She said Minnesota has secured about $12.3 billion in federal funding so far, including roughly $3 billion more since the last presentation, supporting about 1,800 projects statewide. Most of the funding is going to transportation, roads, and bridges, with other major areas including clean energy and weatherization. She also highlighted an interactive public dashboard showing projects by region and noted that much of the data reflects funds flowing through the state enterprise. Corey also discussed state match programs that helped unlock federal dollars, including the IIJA discretionary match fund, the State Competitiveness Fund, and the Forward Fund. She said $180 million in state match has unlocked about $1 billion in federal investment through the IIJA discretionary match fund, nearly $17 million in state investment has unlocked nearly $90 million in federal funding through the State Competitiveness Fund, and $124 million for the Forward Fund has unlocked nearly $1 billion in federal and private investment. Members asked whether more state dollars could have brought in more federal funds; Corey said she was not sure, but noted the IIJA match fund is expected to run out in the coming months. The presentation also focused on direct pay tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, which allow tax-exempt entities such as governments, nonprofits, school districts, and tribal nations to receive payments for eligible clean energy projects after they are completed. Corey said the state is building awareness and technical assistance around direct pay, including educational sessions and a tax expert resource. She also described Minnesota’s Green Bank, the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, which is beginning to issue loans for projects such as community energy, nonprofit geothermal systems, and solar-plus-battery installations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we reuse water, we need to make sure that it makes some sense, that there's a demand for it, and
• doesn't go far enough um before we reuse doesn't go far enough um before we reuse water<01:31:30.880
• This does not imply that we will endorse all commercial projects that come out of it, but we need to
• that come out of it, commercial projects that come out of it, but<02:01:44.159> we<02:01:44.400
• We are contemplating embarking on a major new fossil fuel project when the world's scientists and the

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered three measures. SB 1602 would appropriate funds to DLNR for monitoring wells for the Koho aquifer system; DLNR and HHFDC supported it, and written testimony from several organizations and individuals was also in support. Members asked whether monitoring wells are a statewide function rather than a county function, and staff confirmed they are done statewide. The second bill was an administration measure clarifying that criminal water pollution enforcement remains with the Department of Health rather than DLNR. The Attorney General’s office said it was a cleanup clarification and that DOH has stronger enforcement powers and better testing capability; DOH and DLNR supported it, and there was no opposition noted. The final and most heavily debated measure was SB 1074 on environmental impact statements. The bill would let previously authorized or permitted commercial activities continue for up to one year while an agency determines whether environmental review applies after a challenge, and would allow permit renewals during that review. DLNR said it stood on written comments and suggested aligning the bill with similar House language. Supporters, including several ocean tourism and Maui business representatives, argued the bill would provide certainty and keep families and small operators working while environmental review is completed, especially in the wake of the Lahaina fires and ongoing business losses. Some supporters said the measure should be narrowed with a sunset or limited to recently renewed permits. Opponents, including the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, and other environmental advocates, argued the bill was overly broad and could weaken HEPA/NEPA-style environmental review, especially for fisheries and other commercial activities. They said the bill could be used as a “Trojan horse” to avoid review and that DLNR could resolve the underlying disputes more quickly through settlement or existing exemption processes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since these products are not designed or approved to be reused by other patients, they are simply discarded
• bottles of ear drops or eye drops, barely even touched medications that cannot and will not even be reused
• On behalf of California Black Women's Health Project and Sisters Aging with Grace and Elegance, we proudly

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a long agenda of licensing, health care, and workforce bills. Measures discussed included AB 957, which would prohibit tobacco sales in licensed pharmacies; AB 447, which would allow patients to take home certain unopened medications started in emergency rooms; AB 427, joining the Social Work Licensure Compact; AB 667, allowing interpreters for certain licensing exams; AB 742, prioritizing descendants of slaves in licensing review; AB 873, changing infection-control training timing for dental assistants; AB 360, requiring a report on menopause education for physicians; and AB 1175, modernizing CPA licensure requirements and mobility. Testimony generally emphasized public health, access to care, workforce shortages, language access, and economic opportunity, while opposition or concerns focused on implementation, worker protections, compact authority, and constitutional issues in AB 742. Several bills drew broad support from sponsors, professional associations, and advocacy groups. AB 957 was backed by cancer and pharmacy advocates and pharmacists who said pharmacies should not sell tobacco; AB 447 was supported by emergency medicine and hospital representatives as a way to reduce waste and help patients leave with needed medication; AB 427 drew support from social work and mental health groups but concerns from AFSCME about standards and displacement; AB 667 was supported by immigrant-rights and community groups, with questions about whether translated exams would be preferable to interpreters; AB 360 received extensive support from women’s health advocates and medical groups, and opposition from CMA and ACOG was removed after amendments; and AB 1175 was supported by the Board of Accountancy and CPA groups as a way to expand the pipeline and improve mobility. The committee took votes after quorum was established. AB 360, AB 427, AB 447, AB 667, AB 873, AB 1175, and AB 742 were all approved and sent to their next committees, with AB 742 going to Judiciary and AB 1175 to Appropriations. AB 957 was initially held on call, then later passed after additional votes were recorded. The consent calendar bills AB 375, AB 1107, and AB 1496 were also approved. Most measures passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with some members not voting on certain items during the roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• More clarity on the specifics of the project, the proposed mitigation for the project, etc.
• This project is no different.
• It's a $20 billion project.
• That inflation extends to every project. It's not specific to this project.
• The project is undemocratic.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Lujan, an act relating to animals, creating the Animal Welfare Program to provide funding for projects
• Resources Department, and the Office of the State Engineer to enter into contracts and award grants for projects
• that reduce the state's reliance on freshwater resources or expand water reuse opportunities.

Transcript Highlights:

• So even if somebody in a high-theft crime ring takes that car, they can then resell it or have it reused
• But the implementation might be a little more... then resell it or have it reused for whatever it is.

Bills: HB351

Keywords: vehicle security circumvention device, car theft, auto theft, key fob hacking, relay attack, key programming device, car key emulator, vehicle immobilizer bypass, automotive security, locksmith, motor vehicle dealer, repossessor, law enforcement, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Delaware Title 21, criminal offense, misdemeanor

Summary: The Senate Corrections and Public Safety Committee met in hybrid format but did not have a quorum, so it held approval of the May 13 and June 10 minutes. The committee heard House Bill 351, sponsored by Senator Brown, which would update Delaware law on vehicle security circumvention devices. The bill would criminalize the manufacture, sale, transfer, or possession of devices used to bypass keyless entry and push-to-start vehicle security systems, while exempting certified users such as locksmiths, mechanics, dealerships, repossession agents, and law enforcement. Senator Brown said the measure is intended to address modern vehicle theft methods and increase penalties for first and repeat offenses. Testimony in support came from Howard Handler of the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Sergeant Mike Ripple of the Delaware State Police. Handler said Delaware has seen more than 1,600 vehicle thefts in 2025 and that organized theft rings increasingly use key programming and relay devices, often in under a minute. Ripple said the devices are easily purchased online, are being used in Delaware and nearby states, and have contributed to a sharp rise in auto thefts, especially involving certain makes such as Jeeps, Hondas, and Toyotas. Committee members asked about enforcement, online sales restrictions, and whether similar laws in other states have been effective; witnesses said the technology is new and that comparable laws have been enacted in states such as New Jersey and Michigan, though no effectiveness data was available. During public comment, Robert Overmiller spoke in favor of the bill, saying criminals will always find ways to exploit new technology. Several committee members indicated support for the measure, but no vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think there's a good government policy in encouraging people to see if they can't reuse clothing
• ... ...there's a good government policy in encouraging people to see if they can't reuse clothing through

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee on HB 1428 met to discuss amendments affecting sales tax treatment of clothing sold by nonprofit thrift stores. Members explained that the original bill focused on used clothing, but the language was changed in appropriations to “all clothing” after concerns were raised that the term “used clothing” was too vague under North Dakota’s sales tax code and could create compliance problems with the streamlined sales and use tax agreement. Testimony and discussion focused on practical issues such as distinguishing new from used clothing, whether items with tags donated by retailers would qualify, the burden on volunteer-run nonprofits to determine taxability, and whether the change would put nonprofit stores in competition with for-profit retailers and consignment shops. Several members supported the policy goal of encouraging reuse and reducing landfill waste, while others argued the broader exemption would be unfair to taxable businesses and could invite more nonprofits to seek similar treatment. Senators emphasized that staying in compliance with the streamlined agreement was necessary to avoid jeopardizing reciprocal agreements with other states, while House members noted the original used-clothing concept had support in both chambers. No final compromise was reached, and the committee adjourned to be rescheduled.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE HAVE A BENEFICIAL REUSE. THEY ARE NATURAL PRODUCTS.
• DOWNSTREAM AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THERE ARE ALWAYS SUBCONTRACTORS AND SUB SUBCONTRACTORS ON PROJECTS
• THEIR OWN TERMS AND ESTABLISHES A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FRAMEWORK THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS
• PUBLIC PROJECTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN PRIVATE AND PRIVATE ARE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.
• THERE ARE NO PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTICAL TO EACH OTHER.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the meantime, Prop 4 dollars intended for water reuse, recycling, wildfire mitigation, long-duration
• Humanity, Self-Help Enterprises, and many others are prohibited during the entitlement phase of a project
• AB 1439, Garcia, development project investments, do pass as amended to require a study to determine
• the cost of prohibiting investments in development projects not adhering to labor standard protections
• Do pass as amended to retain the existing rate adjustment for affordable housing projects, out with the

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on January 22, 2026, for its regular order hearing and suspense-file hearing. In regular order, the committee approved consent-calendar bills AB 683, AB 763, AB 1126, and AB 1278 on unanimous due-pass motions, and AB 34 and AB 442 on a second unanimous due-pass motion. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, including AB 35, which would create an APA exemption for Proposition 4-funded programs to speed implementation of water, wildfire, energy-storage, and grid-support projects; AB 748, establishing pre-approved housing programs for local agencies; AB 939, allowing immediate transfer of certain affordable homeownership units to qualified nonprofit housing organizations; AB 643, adding a narrow organic-waste-derived agricultural fertilizer product to SB 1383 procurement options; and AB 96, removing the high school diploma requirement for certified Medi-Cal peer support specialists. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with sponsors and coalition representatives emphasizing reduced delays, lower costs, and improved housing, environmental, or behavioral-health outcomes. The Department of Finance offered general budget comments but no bill-specific positions. The committee voted the bills out, with AB 643 and AB 96 receiving no recorded opposition in the transcript and AB 939 passing with some members noting support and interest in coauthoring. The committee also received a presentation-only discussion of AB 1091, a proposal to authorize eight-letter specialty license plates, which the author said could generate revenue for rural programs such as the Williamson Act; the bill was not acted on at that time. After public comment, the committee moved to the suspense-file hearing on 53 bills. Using a substituted motion for due-pass and due-pass-with-amendments items, the committee held some bills and advanced many others, often with amendments that narrowed scope, deleted provisions, or required reports or studies. Bills held in committee included AB 405, AB 298, AB 333, AB 296, AB 1091, AB 1241, and AB 577, among others. The committee reported moving 43 bills to the Assembly floor, with several on A roll calls and others on B roll calls or with amendments, and noted that amendment language would be posted later online.

Transcript Highlights:

• to allow There's also policy in there to allow for<00:02:44.800> adaptive<00:02:45.360> reuse
• /c><00:02:46.160> of<00:02:46.400> buildings<00:02:47.120> using for adaptive reuse
• um of buildings using for adaptive reuse um of buildings using housing<00:02:47.840> infrastructure
• Minnesota, what we hear time and again is that the math doesn't math to do the workforce housing projects
• that are so workforce housing projects that are so necessary.<00:27:33.919> And<00:27:34.080>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Group, the Alia project.
• Group, the Alia project.
• project, a 99E leasehold project that is part of Act 97, and then a supportive housing project.
• project, a 99E leasehold project that is part of Act 97, and then a supportive housing project.
• project, a 99E leasehold project that is part of Act 97, and then a supportive housing project.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the Water and Land, Hawaiian Affairs, and Housing committees on January 29, 2025 focused on SB 534, with the chairs outlining hearing procedures, public testimony limits, and plans to allow extended presentations from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) before moving to other testifiers. The hearing was presented as a public, transparent discussion of OHA’s plans for Kakaʻako Makai, with committee members noting that decision-making would follow if time permitted. OHA testified in strong support of SB 534. The chair of OHA’s Board of Trustees said the bill was a novel proposal for the legislature and emphasized that OHA was bringing together a broad coalition of partners and stakeholders, including representatives from construction, hospitality, education, law enforcement, civil service, and schools, as well as longtime community advocates who have opposed development in Kakaʻako Makai. OHA’s presentation reviewed the history of the area, the creation and role of HCDA, prior master plans, the 2012 land conveyance to OHA, and the argument that OHA has not been able to realize the full economic value of the lands because desired entitlements were not secured. OHA linked the bill to its constitutional mission to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians and argued that the state’s housing crisis makes additional development, including residential use, especially important. A major theme of the testimony was housing. OHA argued that Hawaiʻi faces severe affordability pressures, out-migration, and workforce shortages, and said that residential development in Kakaʻako Makai would help address those needs while also supporting the value of the trust lands. The presentation described HCDA’s authority over zoning and development in Kakaʻako, the existing reserved housing requirements, and the need for a master plan that could move forward if SB 534 becomes law. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the discussion remained in the presentation and testimony phase.