Transcript Highlights:

• whether the Board of Education should mitigate or referee the issue, and whether those terms are interchangeable
• The witness said, yes, those are interchangeable. >> Okay. >> [laughter] The member then said they wished

Bills: SB2613, SB2543, SB2398, SB2046, SB2800, SB2818, SB2973, SB2367, SB2907, SB3067, SB3053, SB2944, SB2074, SB2596

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2613, SD1, HD1, relating to public school land transfer. The Attorney General’s office and the Department of Education supported the bill’s technical cleanup of Act 307, but strongly opposed a new provision that would convey school parcels containing public and school library facilities to the Hawaii State Public Library System. They argued the added transfer language conflicted with Act 307’s purpose of consolidating school land for more efficient school operations, and said existing law already allows co-located library use through rights of entry, licenses, or other agreements. The library system supported the bill and said it was trying to resolve longstanding operational conflicts on shared school-campus libraries, especially where public access, construction, and campus safety issues arise. Members questioned whether the Board of Education should simply mediate the dispute, whether the bill was the right solution, and whether a formal memorandum of agreement might be a better approach than a land transfer. The library system described years of difficulty coordinating with DOE on projects and said it needed a clearer process to complete work and spend CIP funds. Discussion also touched on a Kauai parcel in the bill, identified as a tennis court, and whether resurfacing could be completed before any transfer. The Attorney General indicated that if the goal is to preserve library uses while keeping title with the state, DLNR or another documented arrangement may be more appropriate than transferring fee title to the library system. The committee then heard SB 2543 SD2 HD1, relating to state construction projects. DAGS supported the measure, and the Hawaii Ironworkers Stabilization Fund and Hawaii Building Construction Trade Council strongly supported it, saying the bill would help spot-check high-cost projects and reduce waste from overruns and delays. One testifier opposed the bill, arguing the proposed construction manager role was too limited and that DAGS needed more training, decentralized authority, and better internal decision-making rather than a new layer of oversight. Supporters said the bill was intended as a pilot program to address repeated cost overruns and improve accountability on state construction projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a variety of data interchanges that will be used for program integrity.
• We have a variety of data interchanges that will be used for program integrity.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know we have these terms and they're all used interchangeably: nonprofits, NGOs, non-governmental organizations
• I know we have these terms and they're all used interchangeably: nonprofits, NGOs, non-governmental organizations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• removes First, I find that the term Education Freedom Accounts and the term vouchers are used interchangeably
• We know that not all students have the same need, so they're not like windows; they're not interchangeable

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the definitions possibly could be interchangeable; however, I think they're a little more specific
• I think the definitions possibly could be interchangeable; however, I think they're a little more specific

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You go, wow, that one's right on an interchange.
• /c><02:04:12.400> right<02:04:12.639> on<02:04:12.800> an<02:04:12.960> interchange
• wow that one's right on an interchange wow that one's right on an interchange wow<02:04:14.000><

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and I'm curious why that specific chemical got included as if we're talking about interchangeable
• included as if we're<04:58:41.520> talking<04:58:41.680> about<04:58:41.840> interchangeable
• we're talking about interchangeable we're talking about interchangeable things<04:58:42.560>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 1281, which would establish standards and voluntary certification for agency-owned “facility comfort dogs” used by police and other public safety agencies. Representative Morton, the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to create a consistent statewide framework because different departments currently use different policies. He emphasized that the bill is meant to distinguish comfort dogs from service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs, and noted that a small amendment may be needed to make that distinction clearer. He also said the bill is timely under the ADA because comfort dogs fall outside service-animal protections, but still need training standards for public safety and consistency. Committee members questioned whether the bill was too detailed and whether the legislature should be setting rules on matters like training methods, diet, and breeding. Laura Barker of Hero Pups, who helped train New Hampshire’s first police comfort dog, supported the idea of a minimum standard but said the bill should be less prescriptive and should not interfere with therapy dogs or private handlers. She explained that comfort dogs vary in temperament and deployment needs, that raw diets raise zoonotic disease concerns, and that the program should remain voluntary and not cost the state money. Detective Michelle Jones of Portsmouth Police opposed the bill as written, saying the term “facility comfort dog” is confusing, the bill is overly restrictive, and some provisions go beyond what should be mandated by statute; she suggested a more flexible, guideline-based approach and noted that departments already have their own SOPs and can enforce them internally. Justin Brassen of the Manchester Police Department also testified, describing the history of comfort dog programs in New Hampshire and the work of a prior subcommittee formed through the governor’s commission on PTSD among first responders. He said there are currently no statewide standards and that the earlier study involved police, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, and NAMI New Hampshire, with the goal of creating a thoughtful work product. He agreed the bill needs work and answered questions about how departments handle training and public access. By the end of the hearing, members and witnesses discussed possible amendments, and one committee member suggested the bill may be better handled through interim study because of the amount of work still needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's a large interchange project.
• Um, there's a large interchange project.
• Um, there's a large interchange project.
• Um, there's a large interchange project.
• Um, there's a large interchange project.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the new language that is subsection E talks about—it interchanges references of verification

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 4198, which would require employers to use E-Verify to confirm new hires’ work authorization and impose escalating penalties for violations, including warnings, debarment from state contracts, loss of business licenses, and other sanctions. Counsel and senators raised extensive drafting concerns, including circular language, conflicts with existing record-retention provisions, unclear references to “seeks to employ,” possible application to babysitters, lawn care, and other casual or household arrangements, and uncertainty about how the bill would work for employers who never actually complete a hire. The bill sponsor defended the measure as a way to strengthen compliance with existing law, protect employers who use E-Verify in good faith, and deter illegal hiring. After debate, a motion to table the bill failed on a roll call vote, 6 in favor and 10 opposed, and the chair then announced the bill would be sent to a subcommittee to be cleaned up, with instructions to resolve the drafting conflicts and other ambiguities. The committee then turned to House Bill 4710, with an amendment, which would require a person to be registered with a political party or as an independent 210 days before filing a certificate of candidacy. Counsel explained that the change would lengthen the current 60-day requirement and would affect both party-switching and independent candidacies, making it harder for candidates to change affiliation shortly before an election. Senators asked about how the 210-day period would work relative to the primary and general election filing deadlines, and counsel clarified that it would be measured backward from the relevant filing dates. The discussion focused on the practical effect of the bill as a “sore loser” measure and on the timing rules for candidacy filings.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you'll hear us kind of interchange between new development, account one.

Bills: HB0078, HB0087, SF0070, SF0068, SF0017, SF0043

Keywords: forest health, grant program, state forester, wildfire prevention, environmental conservation, habitat improvement, water development, feasibility studies, appropriations, water management, rehabilitation, irrigation, public works, agricultural supply, municipal water, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, forestry management

Transcript Highlights:

• Statute has requirements for the placement of the sign and limitations on its proximity to the interchanges

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee convened after briefly waiting for a quorum, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and then moved through several agency rule items. The Department of Transportation’s outdoor advertising rule filing was approved after staff noted the department had addressed substantive comments, though the rules had been expired since 2021 and the agency said it had been operating under statute. Members asked about a denied digital sign proposal, and DOT said that decision was based on statute rather than the rule. The Department of Safety’s administrative license suspension item was postponed with a waiver so the agency could submit conditional approval materials and resolve issues between its forms and rules. The Board of Architects item was conditionally approved, with the condition that the board later approve updated incorporation-by-reference materials at its April 3 meeting or the matter would return as a preliminary objection. The Department of Agriculture’s expired rules prompted extended discussion. Staff and committee members questioned why the department was seeking to adopt rules that had been expired for many years and whether the statutes already provided enough authority to operate without them. Agriculture officials said they were working through a broader modernization effort, focusing on statutes that use mandatory language and updating outdated rules to match current practices, federal standards, and current products such as apples, cider, eggs, and other agricultural commodities. They said the rules before the committee were part of that effort and recommended approval, but members remained concerned about whether some rules were unnecessary. The committee ultimately granted a waiver and postponed the agriculture item for one month so staff could review the underlying statutes and determine whether rulemaking is actually required. Under other business, the committee took up an emergency Department of Safety rule to update DMV forms to reflect statutory fee changes enacted in the 2025 budget. DMV officials said the new fees were already in effect, but the corresponding forms still showed old amounts, causing confusion for customers and elected officials who were fielding complaints. They argued the forms needed immediate updating because the affected forms are widely used, and they said the department had already tried to treat the changes as editorial before being told full rulemaking was required. The department emphasized it was trying to follow the process while avoiding continued use of incorrect fee forms, and asked the committee to allow the emergency rule to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's basically a somewhat private interchange, but asking for a permit in a public setting where there

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of it is updating the response plans or personnel that were outdated or interchanged.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee opened with remarks about moving JLAC to a more frequent monthly schedule and spending more time on each audit. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney of the Auditor General’s office for 32 years of service, with several members praising her work and her role in school safety and other audits. The meeting then turned to the JLAC-directed Arizona School Safety Special Audit on interoperable communication systems, with the Auditor General’s office presenting the December 2025 report. The audit found that the state had allocated nearly $26 million to interoperable communication efforts, but implementation varied widely. Auditors said all 14 law enforcement agencies used the money for interoperable systems, yet four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required expenditure reports. The report also found procurement problems: nine of 14 agencies did not follow procurement requirements or lacked documentation, many contracts lacked accountability provisions, and some agencies had not planned for ongoing costs. The audit estimated ongoing annual costs for an average rural county could range from about $16,000 to $382,000, and recommended that agencies document costs, follow procurement rules, monitor vendors, and plan for future funding. It also recommended the legislature clarify whether non-public schools may participate and revisit statutory system requirements that were vague or inconsistently interpreted. Members questioned the Auditor General about vendor licensing, whether systems could be built in-house, why some functions were not configured, and whether the systems were truly usable in emergencies. The presentation explained that some systems met requirements only in part, that Mutualink had a per-user licensing model affecting access to secure text and file sharing, and that some schools were unwilling or unable to install apps or keep devices logged in. The committee also discussed the difference between the separate school safety grant program administered by ADE and this interoperability fund, and several members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and weak documentation. In the final portion of the presentation, auditors said only two of eight observed systems demonstrated all five critical emergency functions, while four agency systems could not be tested because they were reportedly not functioning. The committee then began hearing responses from county sheriffs, starting with the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association president, who emphasized county commitment to school safety and noted that some counties had implemented systems across multiple districts, including tribal and rural schools. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• let me just say something of these two words, transparency and openness, that often are used interchangeably

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee and Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing at Stanford on the intersection of artificial intelligence, copyright, transparency, and California’s creative economy. Chairs and members emphasized that the hearing was not on a specific bill and no vote would be taken. Opening remarks framed the issue as balancing protection for artists and other rights holders with the need to keep AI innovation and related economic activity thriving in California, while noting that federal action is unlikely and that state policy may influence national standards. The first panel featured Professor Pamela Samuelson and Stanford researcher Rishi Bommasani. Samuelson reviewed the current copyright litigation landscape, including dozens of lawsuits over AI training, and explained the fair use framework, the Google Books precedent, and the uncertainty around newer theories such as market dilution. She said states can likely regulate transparency, deepfakes, privacy, and safety, but warned that some proposals may be preempted by federal copyright law. Bommasani described widespread opacity around training data among major California AI companies, discussed AB 2013 and the EU AI Act as transparency models, and identified gaps in disclosure design, enforcement, and whether transparency alone can address copyright and IP concerns. Members asked about open-source models, opt-outs, machine unlearning, user data, and state options for protecting creators. The second panel included SAG-AFTRA board member Jason George, Animation Guild president Danny Lynn, and OpenAI copyright counsel Mark Gray. George and Lynn argued that AI training on performers’ and artists’ work without consent or compensation threatens jobs, bargaining power, and reputations, and they supported stronger transparency and licensing requirements so creators can identify when their work is used. Gray said AI is already being used as a productivity tool and highlighted partnerships between AI companies and publishers, record labels, and studios, while arguing that specific harmful uses such as deepfakes should be regulated directly rather than restricting general-purpose AI development. Committee members discussed labeling and watermarking of AI-generated content, transparency around model use, and whether state law should require more detailed disclosure of training data; no formal action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• enable efficient shutdown of rail cars between their five loading and unloading locations and the interchange

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:20 Road Projects 46:30 Approval of Minutes 46:50 Railroads 57:26 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum, so it could not approve the minutes. The chair announced an Eastern Kentucky University health forum later that day and then proceeded with testimony on alternative delivery methods for road projects. Jason Sawala of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Chad Laroo of the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors were sworn in and introduced themselves. Sawala explained KYTC’s use of alternative delivery tools, including design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CMGC), and public-private partnerships (P3s). He said the cabinet’s goal is to deliver the best value to taxpayers in terms of quality, cost, and time, and emphasized that alternative delivery is most useful on projects with special circumstances such as innovation needs, specialized technology, complex constructibility, schedule pressure, or early contractor input. He cited the cabinet’s wrong-way driving prevention project as an example where design-build helped evaluate technologies and coordinate with stakeholders such as EMS and first responders. He also outlined the main tradeoffs: alternative delivery can improve collaboration and sometimes accelerate schedules, but it also brings risks related to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, changing scope, and the need for dedicated staff and compressed decision-making. He stressed that these methods are not a cure-all and are not appropriate for every project, while noting that traditional design-bid-build remains effective for most of KYTC’s work. Representative Branscum responded favorably, saying early contractor involvement is valuable and consistent with his experience in the vertical construction world. No votes or formal actions were taken because the committee lacked a quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• So between our charters and our traditional public schools, because we use that term interchangeably

Bills: SJR59, SCR30, SCR46, SB31, SB127, SB324, SB401, SB407, SB467, SB482, SB506, SB529, SB584, SB619, SB636, SB646, SB647, SB659, SB715, SB732, SB735, SB771, SB784, SB800, SB801, SB816, SB1013, SB1026, SB1049, SB1055, SB1065, SB1137, SB1169, SB1181, SB1383, SB1395, SB1410, SB1433, SB1524, SB1531, SB1568, SB1640, SB1666, SB1681, SB1718, SB1754, SB1757, SB1972, SB1980, SB2004, SB2007, SB2041, SB2046, SB2050, SB2075, SB2076, SB2154, SB2173, SB2206, SB2225, SB2253, SB2268, SB2306, SB2308, SB2314, SB2322, SB2330, SB2351, SB2366, SB2371, SB2392, SB2398, SB2476, SB2533, SB2540, SB2544, SB2589, SB2610, SB2623, SB2660, SB2662, SB2693, SB2707, SB2717, SB2722, SB2742, SB2753, SB2779, SB2807, SB2843, SB2844, SB2858, SB2877, SB2880, SB2885, SB2920, SB2938, SB2986, HJR4, HCR35, SJR3, SJR18, SB5, SB260, SB1786, SB914, SB963, SB1197, SB1415, SB1437, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR84, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR46, SCR48, SCR19, SCR30, SCR3, SB2023, SB1433, SB2322, SB2877, SB407, SB1718, SB1395, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1026, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB619, SB1122, SB732, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB529, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB2253, SB584, SB1085, SB2314, SB2046, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB1137, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB517, SB1200, SB1410, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB1757, SB2050, SB2458, SB2201, SB1055, SB2660, SB2662, SB1065, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB647, SB1721, SB2268, SB2366, SB1013, SB2797, SB2371, SB2383, SB646, SB1169, SB1754, SB2779, SB2004, SB2119, SB2448, SB1777, SB1283, SB2392, SB2076, SB2786, SB2876, SB2284, SB2225, SB1540, SB2920, SB2929, SB1972, SB2540, SB2742, SB2595, SB2217, SB715, SB2330, SB1383, SB500, SB1640, SB2001, SB2080, SB2722, SB506, SB2514, SB2623, SB2753, SB2398, SB1241, SB2927, SB2173, SB2538, SB898, SB467, SB1449, SB2529, SB1531, SB2846, SB2476, SB986, SB1181, SB2075, SB2154, SB2864, SB31, SB2880, SB1359, SB2386, SB771, SB2844, SB2550, SB1351, SB1423, SB1931, SB2245, SB2589, SB2707, SB2807, SB2351, SB410, SB659, SB816, SB2776, SB2693, SB2580, SB1980, SB1886, SB1234, SB739, SB482, SB456, SB127, SB1666, SB2843, SB2801, SB800, SB2055, SB784, SB2986, SB735, SB1012, SB324, SB2926, SB2938, SB2007, SB2138, SB1242, SB2615, SB1049, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB1568, SB2841, SB2885, SB3016, SB2858, SB2610, SB2139, SB1856, SB2035, SB2308, SB2306, SB2041, SB1528, SB1681, SB1141, SB2401, SB2530, SB2375, SB547, SB1266, SB1373, SB1467, SB2069, SB2269, SB2480, SB2544, SB672, SB904, SB2695, SB2891, SB2422, SB2543, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB457, SB2357, HJR4, HB135, HB 1109, HCR35, HCR64, SB2721, SB243, SB1285, SB2568, SB1959, SB1442, SB1454, SB2520, SB2541, SB1708, SB1237, SB1844, SB1586, SB1, SB260, SB31, SB467, SB482, SB647, SB732, SB816, SB1055, SB1137, SB1169, SB2004, SB2253, SB2268, SB2314, SB2351, SB2371, SB2623, SB2722, SB2779, SB2920, HJR4, SB407, SB1395, SB1433, SB1718, SB2322, SB2877, SB619, SB646, SB1026, SB2742, SB2880, SR443, SR449, SR456, SR460, SR465, SCR46, SB260, SB3062, HJR8, HJR31, HJR72, HJR99, HJR133, HB29, HB33, HB50, HB 107, HB 116, HB 125, HB140, HB141, HB155, HB171, HB227, HB255, HB363, HB368, HB491, HB609, HB630, HB745, HB767, HB913, HB917, HB 1135, HB 1188, HB 1238, HB 1242, HB 1261, HB1318, HB1404, HB1495, HB1507, HB1606, HB1708, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2002, HB2003, HB2198, HB2355, HB2358, HB2415, HB2457, HB2495, HB2546, HB2637, HB2763, HB2765, HB2798, HB2818, HB3228, HB3307, HB4116, HCR29, SB1410, SB3062, HJR8, HJR31, HJR72, HJR99, HJR133, HB29, HB33, HB50, HB 107, HB 116, HB 125, HB140, HB141, HB155, HB171, HB227, HB255, HB363, HB368, HB491, HB609, HB630, HB745, HB767, HB913, HB917, HB 1135, HB 1188, HB 1238, HB 1242, HB 1261, HB1318, HB1404, HB1495, HB1507, HB1606, HB1708, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2002, HB2003, HB2198, HB2355, HB2358, HB2415, HB2457, HB2495, HB2546, HB2637, HB2763, HB2765, HB2798, HB2818, HB3228, HB3307, HB4116, HCR29, SB1410

Keywords: education funding, Texas State Technical College System, capital projects, infrastructure, higher education, Birding Capital, Matagorda County, wildlife, conservation, Texas Legislature, Texas beef, cattle industry, agricultural heritage, Texas strip steak, economic growth, SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment

Transcript Highlights:

• surveying of both staff and young people. people at the onset and really the results were pretty interchangeable

Bills: HB31, HB3360

Keywords: juvenile justice, community supervision, felony offenses, treatment of children, juvenile facilities, chemical dispensing device, solitary confinement, rehabilitation, criminal proceedings, delinquency, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• mined out of the salt covered and then had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fix the interchange

Transcript Highlights:

• a bill for an act relating to transportation, modifying an appropriation for construction of an interchange

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• universities, arts organizations, government buildings, homeless shelters, philanthropies, the highway interchanges
• universities, arts organizations, government buildings, homeless shelters, philanthropies, the highway interchanges

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, then approved the prior day’s Journal and moved into motions, resolutions, and budget-related business. Senator Gianaris called up Senate Print 5898A for reconsideration; the Senate voted 59 ayes to restore the bill to the third reading calendar. Several amendments were also received on third-reading bills, and the Finance Committee was called into session while the chamber proceeded with resolutions. The Senate adopted Resolution J.2106 recognizing Second Chance Month and the mental health impacts of incarceration, with Senator Brisport speaking in support and a guest from the community recognized in the chamber. The body also adopted Resolution J.1492 designating May 27, 2026, as Taiwan Heritage Day, with remarks from Senators Sepúlveda, Stavisky, and Liu highlighting Taiwanese contributions to New York and expressing support for Taiwan amid current geopolitical tensions. The Finance Committee then reported several budget bills, including Senate Prints 9003D, 9004D, 9007C, and 9009C, which were moved to third reading. The remainder of the session focused on the supplemental and controversial budget calendars, especially tax and spending provisions. Senators debated the “Protecting Our Wallets” energy rebate, with supporters describing it as a one-time check for eligible taxpayers and critics arguing it was too small and not tied directly to utility bills; the chamber accepted the message of necessity and laid the bills aside. Members also debated extensions and changes to tax provisions affecting corporations, alternative fuel exemptions, Broadway and theatrical production tax credits, charitable deductions for certain 501(c)(3)s, nicotine pouch taxes, a new New York City pied-à-terre tax, and a standardbred horse-racing testing fee. Several senators criticized the budget as raising costs or favoring certain industries, while supporters defended the measures as revenue-raising, affordability, or public-health policies. No final votes on the controversial budget bills are shown in the excerpt beyond procedural rulings, adoption of the resolution calendar, and acceptance of committee reports.