Transcript Highlights:

• So for purposes of discussion, we will do a do not pass on Senate Bill 20, but a do pass in Senate Health
• By a vote of 6 to 3, you have a due pass recommendation. Thank you.
• Senator Pinto, there's a motion for a due pass from Senator Pinto.
• For purposes of discussion, I will do not pass on Senate Bill 14, but I do pass on the Senate Health
• So by vote of 10 to 0, you have a due pass recommendation.

Bills: SB20 , SB111 , SB211 , SB218 , SB14

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: prior authorization, pharmacy benefits manager, PBM, health insurer, prescription drugs, step therapy, formulary, auto-adjudication, electronic portal, appeals, medical necessity, serious mental illness, mental health, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, cancer, autoimmune disorder

Transcript Highlights:

• As it relates to high school graduation, there are two assessments that students must pass in order to
• If a student is able to pass geometry, for example, and for whatever reason was not able to pass algebra
• Before I pass it on to Senior Chancellor Burns, just a couple notes.
• Before I pass it on to senior Chancellor Burns, just a couple notes.
• What the pass rate is? Because that is a fairly new exam.

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education received a Department of Education presentation from Deputy Commissioner Juan Copa on Florida’s K-12 assessment system, including FAST progress monitoring, end-of-course exams, science, writing, alternate assessments, English language acquisition testing, and VPK progress monitoring. Copa reported year-over-year gains in ELA and mathematics, noted that end-of-course and science results also improved, and explained how assessment data are used for school grades, third-grade promotion, graduation requirements, and other accountability measures. He also reviewed the independent study required by SB 1048, which recommended keeping PM3 as the primary accountability measure, proceeding cautiously on further test-length reductions and remote testing expansion, and using PM1/PM2 only as supplemental evidence in limited cases. Committee members focused on whether the new system is improving student outcomes enough, what supports teachers and schools need to use the data effectively, and how Florida compares nationally. Chancellor Dr. Burns said the department is emphasizing implementation of the new standards, high-quality instructional materials, coaching, professional learning, collaboration, and school improvement support, and also pointed to resiliency education standards and mental health supports. Copa said Florida’s latest NAEP results remain mixed but still generally outperform the nation in some grades, while members pressed for more information on best practices, other states’ approaches, and how districts are using the data. Several members requested follow-up information, including the independent review report, breakdowns of PM1/PM2/PM3 results by grade and subgroup, details on VPK outcomes by provider type and full-day versus half-day programs, and data on use of the CLT versus SAT/ACT for graduation concordant scores. The committee also discussed third-grade retention outcomes, computer-based testing, district assessment calendars, and whether some districts still administer additional local testing. No votes were taken on legislation, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, yesterday in the House we passed the bill to get into the curriculum the opportunity to...
• Three have passed...
• Fifteen states have already passed similar bills and are seeing amazing results.
• And so they get the benefit of the debit fees, but we don't get it passed on to us.
• The IFPA in Illinois, somewhat of a unique law that was passed—were you involved in that?

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on several bills focused on financial security, banking regulation, and payment-card fees. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg supported the Massachusetts baby bonds proposal (H. 48) and also endorsed bills on matched savings (H. 1158/S. 737) and retirement planning/Secure Choice (H. 1143/S. 722), arguing these measures would help address wealth inequality, build assets, and improve retirement readiness. Supporters of baby bonds included policy experts and health advocates from Children’s Health Watch and Boston Medical Center, who said early-life asset building could improve long-term economic and health outcomes for children in low-income families. AARP also urged passage of the retirement planning bill, citing the large share of private-sector workers without access to an employer retirement plan. Representative Donato testified for H. 1143, describing it as a voluntary retirement-savings opportunity for workers at small employers. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3933, concerning the Massachusetts Credit Union Share Insurance Corporation, from former Bank Commissioner Mike Hanson, who defended the state’s full deposit insurance system for credit unions and savings institutions as a longstanding consumer-protection model. The Massachusetts Bankers Association raised concerns about the bill’s technical provisions and broader credit union/bank competitive issues, while the Cooperative Credit Union Association supported related legislation allowing modest compensation for credit union directors (S. 821/H. 1338) and flexibility for state financial institutions to grow through partnerships (S. 723). Bankers opposed those credit union bills, arguing they would upset a level playing field and blur long-standing distinctions between banks and credit unions. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1259/S. 688, which would prohibit card interchange fees on the tax and gratuity portions of restaurant transactions. Restaurant owners and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association testified in favor, saying the fees are a significant and growing expense, especially as most customers now pay by card; they argued the bills would save restaurants money without affecting state revenue. Credit union, banking, and payments-industry representatives opposed the bills, saying interchange helps fund fraud protection and payment infrastructure, that the proposal would create compliance burdens and likely litigation, and that it would mainly affect Massachusetts-chartered institutions while national banks could be preempted. Committee members noted that a commission on payment-card fees is being established and said the issue would be studied further. The hearing also included support for a separate bill on virtual credit cards for dental providers, with dentists saying automatic virtual-card payments impose hidden processing fees and fraud risks.

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Natural Resources. Wilson, aye. Davies, aye.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations. Wilson, aye. Davies, aye.
• Yeah, for cities and for cities, the bill that was passed previously.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations. Wilson, aye. Davies, aye.
• I'm sorry, AB 605, the motion was due pass to the Committee on Natural Resources.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard a series of bills focused on transportation safety, climate resilience, wildlife connectivity, parking enforcement, and EV charging reliability. AB 605 would create a pilot program allowing certain hydrogen internal combustion cargo-handling equipment at ports; supporters said it could help ports stay competitive while reducing emissions, while South Coast AQMD raised concerns about possible nitrogen oxide emissions and limits on future regulation. The bill passed on an 11-0 vote to the Natural Resources Committee. AB 1132 would require Caltrans to incorporate community resilience indicators, including socioeconomic factors, into climate vulnerability assessments; supporters from Greenlining, AARP, and others said it would better protect seniors, people with disabilities, and transit users during heat waves and disasters, while some members questioned the cost during a tight budget year. It passed 9-0 to Appropriations, with some members not voting. AB 382 would lower school-zone speed limits to 20 mph and give local agencies more flexibility in how the limit is posted and enforced; supporters cited child pedestrian deaths and safety research, and the bill passed 11-0 to Appropriations. AB 902, as amended, would require transportation projects in wildlife connectivity areas to include wildlife passage features where feasible; supporters emphasized reduced collisions and habitat fragmentation, while the California Building Industry Association and COGs moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. It passed 9-1 to Local Government. AB 1014 would give Caltrans more discretion to lower speed limits on state highways based on local conditions rather than the 85th percentile rule; supporters said it would improve safety in rural and tourist areas, and the bill passed 13-0 to Appropriations. AB 1022 would end towing or booting vehicles solely for unpaid parking tickets, with supporters describing the practice as punitive and harmful to low-income drivers, while cities and parking groups argued it would weaken enforcement and create problems for out-of-state vehicles. The bill passed 9-3 to Appropriations. AB 1423 would require publicly funded EV chargers to meet reliability standards and allow enforcement of uptime requirements; supporters said taxpayers need functioning chargers, while charging-industry opponents objected to retroactive standards and possible conflicts with existing agreements. The bill passed 14-0 to Utilities and Energy. The committee also approved a consent calendar of five bills by voice vote and held roll calls open for additional members to add on.

Transcript Highlights:

• If it passes, the ERA becomes the 28th Amendment. We must pass this resolution.
• We must pass becomes the 28th Amendment. We must pass this<00:17:30.120><c> resolution.
• It was passed in 1975.
• We directed the passed in 1975.
• The motion passes. The joint resolution is passed.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, March 27, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that was passed maybe a dozen years ago. Taxes max out in year four.
• And that was passed maybe a dozen years ago, 12 years ago.
• away, and it goes to, or gets passed down as heirs property. ...they go to, or they get passed down
• Amendment number 1686 is available online, but has not been passed out.
• An amendment set is currently being passed out to you and is also available online.

Bills: HB287 , HB340 , HB412 , HB440 , HB514 , HB515 , HB521 , HB543 , HB553 , HB570 , HB961

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: HB 287, Louisiana Tax Commission, ad valorem, property tax, property assessment, assessment fees, fee extension, sunset extension, public service property, utility property, insurance company property, financial institution property, tax administration, R.S. 47:1838, Act 296, reappraisal, ad valorem tax, valuation, Louisiana tax law, homestead exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• I move it to pass. Senator Lopez. I move it to pass.
• And they're victims of a failed system that did not intervene early.
• If I, if we pass a rule that says a utility has to meet these ETA standards.
• And I remember now you were not in the legislature when the ETA passed.
• But since we passed the ETA, electric prices have risen about 50%.

Bills: SM20 , SM9 , SJR6 , HB124

Committee: Senate House Rules & Order Of Business

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Summary: The committee first considered the appointment of Mary Patricia Roman to the State Investment Council. Senator Campos presented her as highly qualified, citing more than 34 years in global investing, leadership at J.P. Morgan, and prior service on the SIC investment committee. Roman described her experience with asset allocation, fiduciary responsibility, and the SIC’s vetting process. Senators asked about the council’s role in pension investments, staffing levels, and whether personal values could influence decisions. Roman said the SIC process is robust, heavily staff-driven, and insulated from individual value judgments. The committee reported broad support and voted 8-0 to advance her nomination to the full Senate. The committee then heard the reappointment of John F. Bingaman to the SIC. Senator Worth praised his leadership as SIC chair and his background in private equity, public service, and economics. Bingaman emphasized the growth of New Mexico’s sovereign wealth funds to more than $70 billion, the importance of staffing and asset allocation, and the SIC’s role as a fiduciary for New Mexicans. Senators asked about protecting the funds in a weaker market and about the Blackstone/PNM matter; Bingaman declined to comment on the memorial because he had not read it. The committee voted 9-0 to send his reappointment to the full Senate. The committee next took up Senate Memorial 20, calling for a statewide youth violence summit. Senator Lopez and an expert from the Council of State Governments said New Mexico lacks a cohesive statewide infrastructure for youth violence prevention and intervention, limited data collection, and enough evidence-based services. Supporters from the ACLU, behavioral health organizations, youth-serving nonprofits, and youth advocates backed the memorial as a way to center lived experience, community engagement, and research-based solutions. Some members raised concerns that victims’ families were not explicitly included in the planning group, but the memorial passed on a 6-3 vote. Finally, the committee debated Senate Memorial 9, which asked the Legislative Finance Committee to study whether New Mexico should invest in equity stakes in PNM and New Mexico Gas Company and requested that the PRC pause consideration of the private-equity acquisitions while the study was completed. Supporters argued the state should examine whether utility ownership value could remain in New Mexico, protect ratepayers, and diversify revenue, while opponents from PNM, Blackstone’s representatives, chambers of commerce, and utility advocates said the proposal would duplicate the PRC’s review, create uncertainty, and risk higher rates and delayed investment. The committee adopted an amendment removing references to the PRC, but the memorial then failed on a 4-4 tie after a motion for due pass as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2005, the Legislature passed House Bill 7, which authorized workers' compensation health care networks
• If the carrier fails to act during the window...
• Last session, this bill passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives.
• As a practical matter in this case, if this bill passes with Section 2...
• I understand the bill passed unanimously last session.

Committee: House S/C on Workforce

Summary: The subcommittee heard testimony on a broad agenda of workforce, labor, and workers’ compensation bills. HB 4676 would require political subdivision workers’ compensation networks to follow the same notice, access, and complaint rules as certified TDI networks; supporters said public employees and first responders deserve equal access to care, while municipal risk pool representatives opposed added regulation and said existing 504 networks already perform well. HB 4479 would create a rural workforce development grant program at TWC to support college-and-career readiness and local workforce alignment, and HB 3844 would define “opportunity youth” in state law to improve data, coordination, and access to services for disconnected young Texans; both drew strong support from rural, education, and chamber witnesses. HB 5545 would clarify federal tax treatment for wage-replacement benefits in non-subscriber injury benefit plans, with proponents calling it a win for employers and injured workers. HB 5118 would direct TWC and DIR to study AI and automated employment decision tools in hiring, including bias and oversight concerns. HB 1667 would move existing PTSD workers’ compensation language into a broader Labor Code chapter so more first responders, including state and campus officers, could qualify for benefits; supporters called it a technical fix to extend coverage more evenly across agencies. The committee also heard several first-responder and workers’ compensation bills. HB 2369 would speed up claims handling for injured first responders by allowing a single medical evaluation, giving carriers 60 days to accept or deny a claim, and letting workers seek treatment while disputes proceed; law enforcement supporters said it would help injured officers return to work faster, while opponents warned it would revive extent-of-injury waiver problems and increase litigation. HB 4483 would reclassify certain workers’ compensation maintenance taxes as surcharges to reduce retaliatory taxes imposed by other states on Texas-domiciled carriers, and HB 875, as revised by committee substitute, would create a small-project exception to municipal workers’ compensation and bonding requirements for certain low-value construction contracts in small cities; both were presented as cost-saving measures for Texas employers and local governments. HB 4415 would extend anti-retaliation protections for workers’ compensation claimants from first responders to all public employees and expressly waive sovereign immunity for those claims, with supporters describing it as closing a loophole that leaves public workers without the same remedy available in the private sector. The committee also took testimony on HB 5400, which would expand remedies for sexual harassment victims by removing the requirement to first file an administrative charge, extending the filing deadline from 300 days to two years, clarifying retaliation, and eliminating current damages caps. Supporters, including employment lawyers and a parent of a victim, said the current deadlines and caps prevent many survivors from obtaining counsel or full relief, especially younger workers and those in small workplaces or franchises. Across the agenda, witnesses repeatedly emphasized access to care, fair treatment for injured workers, rural workforce development, and stronger protections for vulnerable employees. After each bill was laid out and testimony heard, the chair generally closed the public hearing and left the bill pending; no final votes were taken, and the subcommittee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And I think these bills, if you pass And I think these bills, if you pass them,<00:10:46.880><c>
• </c> whether or not there ought to be passed whether or not there ought to be passed a<00:25:14.240><
• </c><02:35:26.479><c> The</c> can pass this. We absolutely should. The can pass this.
• </c> have passed this bill, but you didn't. have passed this bill, but you didn't.
• </c> get it passed. get it passed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, I'd like to pass it on to my witnesses. Yes. Can you hear me? Can you hear me okay?
• Motion is do pass to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Wahab... Please call the roll.
• Motion is due pass to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Wahab. Aye. Aye. Archuleta? Aye.
• Motion is due pass to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Current vote 6 to 0. Which one?
• Motion is due pass as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee, current vote 6 to 0.

Summary: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee met initially without quorum and operated as a subcommittee before later obtaining quorum and taking formal votes. The committee first heard SB 1002 by Senator Nilo, which would extend existing telehealth access for eligible out-of-state physicians treating patients with immediately life-threatening diagnoses to continue care after those patients go into remission. Supporters, including a cancer survivor, argued the bill preserves continuity of care for patients who still need specialist monitoring, while the Medical Board of California and the California Medical Association opposed it, citing licensure, consumer protection, and enforcement concerns. Senator Caballero spoke in support, emphasizing access to care, especially for rural patients. The bill was ultimately moved out of committee on a 6-0 vote and later confirmed out on a 9-0 vote after quorum was established. The committee then heard SB 1311, which updates the Dental Practice Act so unlicensed dental assistants can satisfy infection control training requirements either through an approved course or the Dental Assisting National Board infection control exam. The author and the California Dental Association supported the bill as a workforce and access measure, but the California Academy of General Dentistry raised concerns that the exam lacks a hands-on coursework requirement and should not substitute for in-person training unless amended. The committee accepted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 to Senate Appropriations, later confirming it out on a 9-0 vote. Finally, SB 1416 was heard, a bill reducing from 30 days to 21 days the time a physician or dentist has to refund duplicate payments to consumers. The author described it as a modest affordability measure to return patient funds more quickly, and the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons supported it as reasonable given current financial pressures. With no opposition, the bill passed 6-0 to Senate Appropriations and was later confirmed out on a 9-0 vote. The committee also approved consent calendar items SB 1263, SB 1148, SB 1376, and SB 1391.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was recommended by the State Fire Marshal, given our systems were failing.
• We do not want to invest in a fire alarm system in a building that has a failing roof and then have the
• failing roof affect the fire alarm system.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• another way to get it done because that would help these people stay on their feet and not end up failing
• Their feet and not end up failing real quick. Yeah, I agree with Nina.
• So I, you know, it's not only a fail-safe but it's also, I think, necessary for the population we have

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota has passed it. A number...
• Minnesota has passed it.
• I've had patients pass away.
• Move out to pass? Wait, hold on. Oh, sorry. Okay, 130. I got a motion ought to pass.
• I'm opposed to passing this.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion is do pass to Appropriations. Kalra? Aye. Bauer-Kahan? Aye. Massedo? Barcahan? Ryan?
• Motion is do pass. Kalra? Aye. Kalra? Mascito. Bahrahan. Connolly? Aye. Dixon? Aye. Dixon?
• Motions due pass as amended. Calra? Aye. Callra. I. Macedo. Aye. Mascito. Aye. Mascito. I.
• Due pass as amended. Calra? Aye. Calra, aye. Macedo? Aye. Macedo, aye. Bauer-Kahan? Brian?
• Motion do pass as amended. Calra? This is AB 2305, Calra. Motion do pass as amended. Calra? Aye.

Summary: The Assembly Judiciary Committee heard several bills focused largely on legal ethics, access to justice, public notice, water-rights notice, and protections for vulnerable people. AB 2305 would bar corporate investors such as private equity and hedge funds from directing or influencing litigation decisions; it was supported by the Consumer Attorneys of California and others, with the Civil Justice Association of California supporting if amended to add disclosure requirements. AB 2039 would tighten discipline for attorney misconduct, protect whistleblowers inside law firms, and restrict certain client-loan arrangements; it drew support from consumer attorneys and a support-if-amended position from CJA. AB 2109 would require the State Bar to adopt the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ Universal Bar Exam after the troubled February 2025 California bar exam; members discussed the need for broader review and possible reciprocity, but supported moving the bill forward. The committee also advanced AB 2115, which would issue a formal legislative apology to California Native peoples for the state’s role in historic violence and dispossession, with strong support from tribal leaders and Native organizations. Members spoke at length about the need for acknowledgment, healing, and a Capitol plaque memorializing the apology. AB 2179 would expand electronic filing and remote appearance options to workplace violence restraining orders, aligning them with other protective order procedures; it received support from local governments, prosecutors, labor groups, and advocacy organizations. AB 2534 would allow restraining orders based on forced marriage or attempts to compel marriage, and the committee heard powerful testimony from a survivor and support from family violence advocates. Two other measures addressed notice and transparency. AB 2323 would modernize public notice by keeping print publication as the legal standard while requiring online availability, with supporters emphasizing access, archival value, and the role of community newspapers; a special districts group opposed unless amended. AB 2125 would require courts in water-rights adjudications to consider proof of notice and receipts before proceeding, prompted by testimony from Ventura County farmers who said they lost water allocations without adequate notice. The committee approved the bills it heard, including several on consent, and later took roll-call votes to move the measures forward, generally sending them to Appropriations or to the floor as noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you could pass out the call. Madam Chair, I can walk through the changes.
• So for purposes of discussion, we will do a do not pass on Senate Bill 20, but a do pass in Senate Health
• We will do a do not pass on Senate Bill 20, but a do pass in Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee
• If an insurer fails to use or accept If an insurer fails to use or accept the uniform prior authorization
• Senator Pinto, there's a motion for a do pass from Senator Pinto.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 20, a prior-authorization and step-therapy measure, on a committee substitute that had already incorporated many stakeholder changes. The sponsor and agency witnesses described revisions to definitions of chronic health condition and serious mental illness, shorter prior-authorization periods, and limits on reporting requirements. Supporters, including a nurse practitioner and disability advocates, said the bill would reduce barriers to needed medications and urged broader protections for chronic and behavioral health conditions. Health insurance and pharmacy benefit management representatives remained opposed, arguing prior authorization is an important patient-safety tool and objecting to the bill’s limits on its use. Senator Hickey offered two amendments: one to conform electronic prior-authorization response times to existing law by changing seven days to three, and one to restore the prior-authorization period from 12 months to three years. The first amendment was accepted; the second passed on a 5-4 vote. The committee then approved the amended substitute 6-3. The committee next heard Senate Bill 111, which would expand the confidentiality of personal information held by the Motor Vehicle Division to include sex, gender identity, national origin, and immigration status. Tax and Revenue officials explained that the bill would not change what documents MVD collects, but would limit disclosure of sensitive information contained in scanned records unless a statutory exception applies. Members asked about what appears on licenses, what is stored in MVD’s system, and whether law enforcement access would change; officials said criminal law enforcement exceptions would remain in place and that the bill mainly affects public disclosure requests. The committee voted 8-1 to give the bill a do-pass recommendation. Senate Bill 218, funding a Los Alamos Emergency Operations Center, was presented as a regional disaster-response and training facility for northern New Mexico. Los Alamos County witnesses said the project would support emergency management training and coordination across the region and requested $5 million. Several senators questioned whether the county had explored bonding, intergovernmental agreements, or regional cost-sharing, and raised concerns about Los Alamos’s debt capacity and whether the project was truly regional. Supporters said the county has a long capital backlog and that the center would serve communities from Santa Fe north. The committee ultimately voted 9-1 to advance the bill. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 14, a major health professional loan-repayment proposal. Senator Hickey described it as an effort to recruit and retain physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals by increasing repayment amounts, prioritizing physicians and doctors of osteopathic medicine for 50% of the fund, and allowing service commitments with some flexibility, including part-time work. Supporters from medical, nursing, and behavioral health groups said the bill would help address workforce shortages and make New Mexico more competitive. Committee members asked about the inclusion of physician assistants, the 90-day start requirement, anti-donation concerns, tax treatment, tribal and IHS providers, and whether the 50% physician set-aside would leave enough for other professions. After discussion, the committee voted 10-0 to send the bill forward with a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• moves that House Bill 391 be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass
• I'm really hoping that this time the bill will pass.
• I respectfully ask you to pass House Bill 1633 out of committee onto the House floor. Thank you.
• The 88th legislature passed House Bill 3059.
• I hope you will get the bill passed. I am happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Bills: HB29 , HB685 , HB1633 , HB1689 , HB1690 , HB1918 , HB2010 , HB2500 , HB2608 , HB2626 , HB29

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair's recommendation is to pass unamended. Chair and vice chair both vote aye.
• </c><00:27:19.039><c> Members,</c><00:27:19.440><c> any</c> to pass it as is.
• Members, any to pass it as is. Members, any discussion? discussion? discussion?
• Chair's recommendation is to pass<00:29:00.080><c> un</c><00:29:00.320><c> amended.
• Chair and vice chair pass un amended.

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard SB 657 SD1 HD1, which would appropriate funds for SOEST at UH Manoa to establish and operate a Center for Climate Resilient Development. Testimony was strongly in support from UH researchers, DLNR, and several other organizations. Supporters said the center’s modeling and data are already used by state and county agencies for sea level rise, shoreline setback, flood, and infrastructure planning, and that local funding is increasingly important because federal climate research funding is uncertain. Members discussed how the work might be framed to avoid federal political pushback, and witnesses said the research can be described in terms of infrastructure protection, public safety, and cost savings. They also confirmed the funding would primarily support salaries for climate modelers and would help backfill federal cuts. The committee recommended and adopted passage of the bill unamended. Members also discussed the practical value of the center’s work, including Kauai’s sea level rise constraint district, future rainfall and flooding modeling, and the need for more granular data than current FEMA maps provide. Additional support was noted from the State Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, the Ulu Pono Initiative, Surfrider Foundation, Hawaii Region Climate Protectors, Hawaii Coalition Earth, and the Climate Change and Health Working Group. The committee then voted to pass SB 657 SD1 HD1 as recommended. The committee later took up SB 1252 SD2, a bill requiring the Board of Regents to establish a specialized training program for health care providers on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and appropriating funds. The chair explained that the HD1 version incorporated suggestions from the John A. Burns School of Medicine, added a preamble recognizing existing programs and the need for coordination, and left a blank appropriation and FTE count in the bill while including the amounts in the committee report. With no discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 1252 SD2 with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the program, which was passed in 2021 and implemented in 2022, is across the state.
• And this was not intentional, but I will close out with another Ben Franklin quote: 'Failing to prepare
• is preparing to fail.'
• Then when you're running, you can say, I've completed the background check and have passed it...
• all ranks who work for them have passed.

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we do, then we should pass this bill and give them the option.
• And the reason I passed out these materials is there’s much more.
• If passed, the legislation would do three things.
• If passed, the legislation would do three things.
• We have passed this several times on the Senate side.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several labor-related bills, especially proposals to give legislative employees the right to organize and collectively bargain, close a prevailing wage loophole for off-site prefabrication work, and strengthen enforcement against wage theft. Committee chairs opened the hearing by explaining the hybrid format and asking witnesses to keep testimony brief. Multiple legislators testified in support of the legislative staff union bill, saying staff deserve the same bargaining rights as other public employees and that unionization would improve pay, benefits, retention, and workplace dignity. Witnesses also discussed how the bill would likely be structured, with separate House and Senate bargaining arrangements or locals, and emphasized that it would only create the option to unionize, not require it. A second major topic was the prevailing wage bill addressing off-site fabrication and prefabrication in construction. Union leaders, contractors, and workers described how more work is being shifted from job sites into shops, especially in sheet metal, HVAC, electrical, and pipefitting work, and argued that the law should treat that work the same as on-site construction when it is part of a public project. They said the current loophole lets some contractors underbid by paying lower wages off-site, while responsible contractors already pay prevailing wages in their shops. Supporters argued the bill would protect workers, preserve apprenticeship and training standards, improve safety and quality, and make enforcement easier through certified payroll and clearer definitions. The committee also heard testimony on wage theft legislation. Representative Dan Donahue, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, AFL-CIO representatives, and carpenters’ union witnesses described wage theft, misclassification, labor brokers, and tax fraud as widespread problems that hurt workers, honest contractors, and public revenues. They supported giving the Attorney General stronger enforcement tools, adding contractor accountability up the subcontracting chain, and protecting workers from retaliation and from delays that can cause claims to expire. A separate witness supported a bill to extend the statute of limitations for Wage Act cases while AG investigations are pending, and another supported changes to help hospital workers enforce timely payment rights. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Freeman, you're free to tell us why we should pass this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• And so, in 2003, the legislature passed a law that would codify Atkins.
• The staff can pass that out.
• as having a passing intellectual disability in this moment.
• All of those efforts failed and he was ultimately apprehended. DNA was positive for Mr.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Keywords: 974, senate, all