Transcript Highlights:

• , the City Council of Charlottesville passed ...the City Council of Charlottesville passed a down-zoning
• Seeing none, the committee operates by motion. Move to report this fine bill. All right.

Committee: House Counties, Cities and Towns

Keywords: House Committee Room B, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ...no-fly zone for the general public.
• In operating expenses, there's a $7.7 million net increase, primarily to align operating expenses and
• Every parish operates differently.
• We're not purchasing the building, but that's going to be the operating cost to operate a 56-bed facility
• And then I just wanted to touch on, I know we're in operations, or we're talking about operations and

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee heard FY27 budget presentations for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, beginning with Public Safety Services. House Fiscal Division staff reviewed the department’s recommended budget of $645.9 million, including supplemental pay, State Police, Motor Vehicles, and the State Fire Marshal. Officials explained that the overall budget reflects a net decrease from FY26, driven largely by shifts in funding sources, removal of one-time statutory dedications, and adjustments tied to undercollections in fees and self-generated revenues. State Police was recommended at $459.7 million, OMV at $86.7 million, and the Fire Marshal at $41.1 million. Department leaders also described ongoing modernization efforts, staffing vacancies, and the use of efficiencies identified internally. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Burns and agency heads testified about State Police operations, including increased cadet graduations, improved Mardi Gras security, progress on APHIS and OMV modernization, and the new crime lab under construction. Members asked about undercollections, vacancies, the role of public tag agents, and whether the agency could expand counter-drone capabilities. Burns said the department has identified about $11 million in efficiencies, but warned that counter-drone work would require additional funding, citing a $4.5 million fiscal note for HB 940 and roughly $9 million more for a robust unit. OMV officials said staffing and retention remain difficult, but modernization should improve service and reduce lines; they also said the agency continues to rely on public tag agents and is working through reinstatement fee collection issues. The committee then reviewed the Department of Corrections FY27 budget, recommended at $902.3 million, with most funding from State General Fund and a large increase tied to higher incarceration costs, medical needs, overtime, and added capacity at Louisiana State Penitentiary. DOC officials said the department remains under pressure from vacancies, turnover, contraband, and medical costs, and that the budget includes funding to add 150 correctional officers at Angola and to house ICE detainees at Camp J. They also discussed criminal justice reinvestment savings, prison enterprises, and reentry programs funded through the Second Chance Act. Members asked about staffing, inmate deaths at Elaine Hunt, work-release pay, and whether the department is tracking the true long-term cost of incarceration. Officials said they are pursuing pay increases, recruitment, expanded training and reentry programs, and more data-driven workforce alignment, while acknowledging that many budget pressures remain unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I mentioned, I'm not the zoning person or a community development director; I'm the public works director
• As I mentioned, I'm not the zoning person or a community development director; I'm the public works director
• <00:10:45.639><c> the</c> multifam as I mentioned I'm not the multifam as I mentioned I'm not the zoning
• <c> or</c><00:10:46.800><c> a</c><00:10:46.959><c> community</c><00:10:47.440><c> development</c> zoning
• person or a community development zoning person or a community development director<00:10:49.720><c>

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• frameworks in which individuals who may be trespassing and for whom, you know, search and rescue operations
• frameworks in which individuals who may be trespassing and for whom, you know, search and rescue operations
• it</c><00:43:53.839><c> to</c><00:43:54.079><c> luxury</c><00:43:54.560><c> a</c><00:43:54.880><c> zone
• </c> water and delivers it to luxury a zone water and delivers it to luxury a zone gentleman<00:43:55.599
• And yet if they were to go to the emergency room or seek care, they would receive that.

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on several measures. SB 2723, which would designate April 27 as State Sheriff’s Day, was supported by the Department of Law Enforcement and a long-serving sheriff, who described the historical roots of Hawaii’s sheriffs in the Kingdom of Hawaii and said the bill would recognize that legacy. HGA submitted written comments, and there was no opposition or vote taken on the measure during the excerpt. The committees then heard SB 17 on wildfire mitigation. The Public Utilities Commission, DLNR, the State Fire Council, OPSD, the Attorney General’s office, and Kamehameha Schools all testified, mostly in support of the bill’s intent but with suggested amendments. Several witnesses said the bill should better define the working group’s structure, staffing, and funding, and the Attorney General noted constitutional concerns about placing the group outside a principal department and pointed out possible overlap with Acts 302 and 303 from the prior year. Committee members questioned whether SB 17 duplicated earlier wildfire legislation, and witnesses generally said it did not directly conflict but overlapped with existing efforts. On SB 2358, which would require reimbursement for search-and-rescue costs when people leave trails and enter closed areas, the State Fire Council and the Hawaii SAR Alliance testified in opposition or caution, arguing that reimbursement could deter people from calling for help and that Hawaii’s SAR system still has structural and administrative gaps. A committee member asked whether other jurisdictions had used similar measures without discouraging rescues; the Fire Council said Kauai has a similar law but it has not resulted in invoices being sent. No action was taken in the excerpt. The final measure discussed was SB 2475 on Red Hill remediation funding and reimbursement from the Department of Defense. The Board of Water Supply, DLNR, and other testifiers supported the bill, emphasizing the need for long-term research, monitoring, and cleanup, while also noting the unique groundwater conditions and the importance of keeping the funds focused on Red Hill contamination response. Committee members asked about existing federal and state funding, whether the state had received any direct federal money, and what would happen if reimbursement is not obtained. DLNR said it was still working through the reimbursement mechanism and that some federal funding had gone to the Red Hill registry, but not directly to the state for this purpose.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they were tied in with divers, and they did nothing but stay in that 30-foot zone.
• So they were tied in with divers, and they did nothing but stay in that 30-foot zone and continuously
• push copper into that zone because we had such mixing challenges.
• the professionalism that you and your team have conducted themselves with throughout this entire operation

Summary: The committee first received an Idaho State Department of Agriculture update on quagga mussels, with Director Chanel T. Wall reviewing the history of Idaho’s response, the spread and ecological damage caused by mussels in the Great Lakes, and the state’s legislative and operational efforts since the species was first detected west of the 100th meridian in 2007. She described the 2024 and 2025 Mid-Snake treatment efforts using chelated copper, noting a more than 50% reduction in the impacted footprint in 2025 compared with 2024, while emphasizing that the goal remains eradication. Members asked about the treatment method, the difficulty of keeping copper in the deep-pool water column, fish mortality, the reproductive capacity of mussels, and whether other states are using Idaho’s approach; Wall said Idaho’s work is being watched closely, but few states have shown the political will to attempt similar eradication efforts. No votes were taken during this presentation. The committee then heard a budget overview for natural resources from Legislative Services budget analyst Janet Jessup. She summarized the agencies under the natural resources budget area, explained JFAC’s recent actions on a 3% rescission, an additional 1% rescission, and a 5% ongoing base reduction for fiscal year 2027, and noted that many agency enhancements remain pending. She highlighted that DEQ’s requested enhancements are tied to dedicated and federal funds, Fish and Game’s budget is entirely dedicated/federal, Lands has a fire suppression deficiency fund that can be drawn into the negative and later repaid by the legislature, and Water Resources has a recurring transfer request. Members asked about the fire deficiency fund’s limits and how it is funded, and Jessup explained that it is typically preloaded by legislative appropriation. Finally, Keith Bybee of Legislative Services gave a broader general fund and revenue outlook. He said the legislature’s adopted revenue forecast is higher than the governor’s, but the budget remains tight because of lower-than-expected cash balances and the effect of policy changes and rescissions. He noted that the current-year ending balance is small relative to the size of the budget, while the projected fiscal year 2027 ending balance improves under the legislature’s forecast. Committee members discussed uncertainty around future fire suppression costs, Medicaid, corrections, and school enrollment, and the meeting concluded with no further action beyond the informational presentations and prior JFAC budget decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Only UT Austin and UT systems administration are allowed to use the Puff to fund operations.
• I lived in a no excuse zone for over 3 decades, and that will be true here.
• But we're presently operating 40 year old aircraft.
• LIT operates a regional fire academy. LSCO does maritime training.
• And what it has done for, uh, the flagship emerging research universities.

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• A nurse in the emergency room can't go to work if their child care facility is closed, just like a lineman
• less likely to just pull up and leave, or if they're making decisions about where to expand their operations
• Our problem is that over... ...the years, the closest we've come to this is an enterprise zone program

Committee: House Economic Development

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• allowing the town to install a sign on Representative Gottlieb: wholly owned town property which is zoned
• I will note that it shows that has been filed to the Government Operations subcommittee.
• I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge just the horrifying images and details emerging because of what

Transcript Highlights:

• I was part of the team where they started to work on the land use plan and their zoning designations
• Narayan became Adobe's president and chief operating officer in 2005, and then its CEO in 2007.
• From devastating wildfires to daily emergencies, our California firefighters bravely answer 3 million
• goals are met, we must defend California's coasts from efforts to expand offshore oil leasing and operations
• We must defend California's coast from efforts to expand offshore oil leasing and operations, and I respectfully

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with a Native American prayer/song and a moment of silence for former staff member Eric Washington, then proceeded through a series of procedural motions, guest introductions, and floor ceremonies. Members also recognized Assemblymember Ward’s birthday and welcomed several guests, including family members, business and community leaders, firefighters, and students. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the Native American Day ceremony and adoption of ACR 208 by Assemblymember Ramos, which recognized California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. Multiple caucus leaders spoke in support, emphasizing Native history, sovereignty, cultural preservation, missing and murdered Indigenous people, and the need to tell California’s history honestly. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 61 coauthors were added, followed by a ceremonial honoring of tribal elders and leaders. The Assembly also adopted several other resolutions and concurred in Senate amendments on multiple bills. These included ACR 126 designating the Captain Vida Anderson Memorial Highway, AB 1651 requiring disclosure of AI use in bar exam development, AB 2789 on mediation, AJR 27 urging federal disaster aid for Eaton and Palisades fire victims, and AB 2134 protecting local officials taking parental leave. Later, ACR 213 designated September 2026 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, HR 102 recognized Filipino American History Month, and ACR 230 proclaimed California Firefighter Appreciation Month and California Firefighters Memorial Day; all were adopted with broad support and many coauthors. The Senate file also began with SCR 136 on coastal protection and SJR 12 opposing offshore drilling, with debate reflecting strong environmental opposition and a dissenting view that the resolution was too absolute and could raise energy costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really embedded into the very fabric of our society, operating on large-scale societal systems,
• Many live...” “...adjacent to freeways, industrial zones, or contaminated water sources.
• We were able to confirm that there were eight enforcement operations.
• We call upon you to continue to shed a spotlight on the illegal ways that this administration is operating
• Some of the emerging key themes that we’ve learned in conversation with communities include access to

Summary: The Select Committee on Hate, Racism, and Xenophobia met to examine the scope of hate activity in California and hear from state agencies, commissions, and community organizations. The chair opened by framing hate as a persistent crisis affecting many protected groups, and Assembly Member Gonzalez briefly joined the committee. The first panel included the California Department of Justice and the California Commission on the State of Hate, both of which presented recent data and policy recommendations. The Department of Justice reported that in 2024 California saw 2,023 reported hate crime events, 2,568 hate crime offenses, and 2,491 victims, with anti-Black bias remaining the most common category, followed by anti-Jewish and anti-Latino bias. DOJ also said referrals for prosecution increased, and it described its hate-crimes guidance, rapid response protocol, and multilingual resources. The Commission on the State of Hate said hate is undercounted in law enforcement data and cited a survey suggesting about 2.6 million Californians experienced at least one hate act in a year, including more than half a million potentially criminal incidents. It recommended permanent data infrastructure, mandatory law enforcement training, and continued funding for community-based prevention and victim support. The committee then heard testimony from representatives of the NAACP, LULAC, Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, CHIRLA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, CARE, Equality California, and the Racial Equity Commission. Witnesses described systemic racism, anti-immigrant enforcement, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian bias, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, often linking these harms to political rhetoric, social media, and federal actions. They urged the Legislature to fund programs such as California vs. Hate, Stop the Hate, nonprofit security grants, language access, school and mental health supports, and legal assistance, while also protecting civil rights, due process, and free speech. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing, but members indicated they would request additional recommendations and continue the discussion in future hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in Ewa. uh the internal removal operations of uh the internal removal operations of ice<00:34:
• there we are seeing a massive operations there we are seeing a massive shift<00:36:13.280><c> in</c>
• One good way of doing that is enhancing the Enterprise Zone Program, and there are a number of really
• I represent UHJ Lounge operating company, which was my company here.
• It starts at 10:00 at night, so for another 10 months we operated with no business.

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Technology met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures. On SB 9, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation testified in support, and there were no questions or objections. On SB 148, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments, and a member of the public testified in support of combining boxing and MMA oversight into a single combat sports commission, with amendments to preserve safety standards and separate or distinct treatment for the two sports. Committee discussion focused on whether proposed requirements were primarily safety-related or cost-related, how to handle smaller events, and whether a one-year implementation delay was necessary; the department said many safety provisions already exist in the MMA program, that it was open to continued discussion on costs, and that it needed time to combine rules and appoint new commissioners. The chair suggested possible amendments to account for event size and to reduce burdens on smaller events. The committee then heard SB 816, which drew extensive testimony on providing legal representation for immigrants in immigration proceedings. Supporters included the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, ACU Hawaii, the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic, the Legal Clinic, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Pride at Work Hawaii, and others. Supporters argued that immigration cases can be as serious as criminal cases, that counsel is essential for due process, and that representation improves outcomes; several also emphasized the economic importance of immigrants to Hawaii. One supporter noted a suggested amendment to include training for attorneys and partners doing deportation defense and asylum work. Opposition came from a Navy veteran who argued the bill would use state resources for a federal issue, create inequities, and impose fiscal burdens. The chair noted 69 testimonies in support and 44 in opposition, and later an additional supporter brought the total to 70 in support. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided. The committee also heard SB 125, with the Department of Economic Development, the Agreed Business Development Corporation, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association in support, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii offering technical comments about complicated nested definitions in the bill. Testimony on SB 125 focused on updating the Enterprise Zone Program so local manufacturers selling directly to retail could qualify, along with value-added products and certain health-related sectors. Finally, on SB 732, the State of Hawaii Creative Industries testified with comments, raising concerns about county permit-fee waivers, implementation timing, and the bill’s lack of a carry-forward provision for the film tax credit. The witness said uncertainty in the credit was already causing productions to delay coming to Hawaii and urged stability to support the industry and local workers. The committee then moved on to additional testimony on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Zoning permits for new homes that comply with the city's ability to put into place zoning rules should
• Our current zoning restrictions not.
• Mano and many other market, not zoning.
• If nothing in this bill impacts zoning.
• It does not bill does nothing on zoning.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• situation response, including response to medical emergencies.
• Emergency situation response, including response to medical emergencies, and security officer training
• , that the operation would not be able to move forward.
• Those can continue to operate.
• , and whether the program and its operators meet state and local zoning and land use requirements.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And swipe fees are one of the highest operating expenses.
• figured out you can't just let these dominant network companies, which play the role of fee-fixing, operate
• Okay, but the state of California would be paying whatever service fees the cost of operating this.
• That no control zone covers millions of Californians using digital assets for spending and saving.
• AB 1052 sets a clear path so assets don't vanish in legal gray zones, and rightful owners or the state

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sure, Madam Chair, I'm interested in knowing what kind of a difference in cost, in operational costs
• Proposed caps are based on an estimated future 20-year operating period, and fees are caps of similar
• And yes, we've really had the opportunity to work with farmers expanding operations across the state
• This is a borderline emergency situation, particularly for those in the community. And Mr.
• Does it rise in zones? Is that how it does it, or how does it spread?

Bills: SB47 , SB110 , SB122 , SB143 , SB168

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: food recovery, composting, waste management, solid waste surcharge, organic waste reduction, environment, grants, advisory group, bosque management, Rio Grande, environmental protection, water resources, fiscal appropriation, drinking water, well owners, water testing, water treatment, public health, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• A density bonus is a zoning tool that allows developers to build more housing units or taller buildings
• That remaining savings will still ultimately matter, particularly for nonprofit builders operating on
• Costs, both operating and development, are increasing and hurting production in Spokane.
• Southport has never had a project fall out of affordability in its 30 years of operation.
• I think we operate our policy goals based on principles of direct cash.

Bills: HB1717 , HB1859

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: affordable housing, sales tax, housing programs, tax incentives, economic development, religious organizations, development, housing opportunities, land use, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A density bonus is a zoning tool that allows developers to build more housing units or taller buildings
• That remaining savings will still ultimately matter, particularly for nonprofit builders operating on
• Costs, both operating and development, are increasing and hurting production in Spokane.
• Southport has never had a project fall out of affordability in its 30 years of operation.
• I think we operate our policy goals based on principles of direct cash.

Summary: House Finance heard testimony on two affordable housing bills. House Bill 1859 would expand an existing density bonus for housing on religious organization property by lowering the affordability threshold from 100% to at least 50% affordable units, requiring local policies to implement the bonus upon request, and creating a new state and local sales and use tax exemption for qualifying projects with at least 50% affordable units maintained for 10 years. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help projects on church-owned land pencil out amid high construction and financing costs, while a county association raised concern that the bill would create an unfunded mandate for local planning departments. Several witnesses also asked that homeownership projects be explicitly included, and staff confirmed the exemption would be administered through an exemption certificate. The committee then moved to House Bill 1717, which would authorize cities and counties to create a local sales and use tax remittance program for affordable housing developments. Staff said the remittance would cover 100% of local taxes paid after project completion, with a 50% affordable housing threshold and 40-year affordability requirement, and the sponsor and local government and housing advocates supported it as a flexible tool to reduce development costs. Testifiers generally backed both bills, with some asking for more flexibility on income targeting and clarification on county-city interactions under HB 1717. No votes were taken; both public hearings were closed and the committee adjourned after a separate work session on the Working Families Tax Credit, where advocates urged broader eligibility, higher benefit amounts, and easier access, and a California researcher described data-linking methods used to improve tax credit take-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not the time to stop the emergency and call medical control.
• We know how to handle these emergencies.
• Well, you know, we just have the bill to evaluate the emergency rooms and the emergency room care, and
• rooms and the emergency room care and that's the I mean that's what this is The emergency room care—and
• SB 1070 showed us what would happen to preventive and emergent care.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee began with a presentation from the Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter and Dr. Anna Burke of Barrow Neurological Institute on the growing impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia in Arizona, the need for earlier diagnosis, better provider education, caregiver support, and continued research funding. They described current gaps in training and access to specialists, but also highlighted new therapies, lifestyle interventions, and Arizona-based research efforts. Members expressed support and optimism, but no action was taken on the presentation. The committee then heard HB 2202, which appropriates $300,000 from the general fund over fiscal years 2027 through 2029 for a dementia care tele-mentoring grant program through the Department of Health Services. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association, a dementia specialist, and a patient advocate, said the program would help primary care providers diagnose dementia earlier and improve care. The bill was passed out of committee on an 11-0 vote. Next, the committee took up HB 2251, the midwifery bill, which would authorize certain licensed midwives to dispense and administer specified medications and devices, require liability insurance disclosure and annual reporting, and create a Midwifery Advisory Committee. A committee amendment removed some medications and renamed the bill the Jordan and MacTerry Act. ACOG and the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association opposed the bill as drafted, citing concerns about oversight, peer review, and the medication list, while licensed midwives and other supporters argued the bill would improve safety, transparency, and alignment with national standards. The bill was held for further stakeholder work, with members indicating more amendments were likely. The committee then heard HB 2252, which would allow certified nurse midwives, certified professional midwives, or licensed midwives to accompany a patient in a ground ambulance during an out-of-hospital birth if approved by medical direction. Supporters described cases where continued midwife involvement during transport helped newborns and mothers, while firefighters and EMS representatives opposed the bill as written, saying it created ambiguity about command and scene control and could raise safety concerns. The chair said the bill would be held for further stakeholder meetings and possible language changes. After a recess, the committee reconvened for presentations on federal Medicaid and rural health funding impacts, beginning with JLBC’s overview of H.R. 1’s Medicaid provisions and the rural health transformation grant program.

Transcript Highlights:

• My next question is: Why was this urgency election necessary when no genuine emergency exists?
• The governor has not declared a state of emergency.
• This is an emergency situation. So, democracy requires an emergency response.
• But it was said by the vice chair of the committee that there is no emergency.”
• So the emergency is here. It’s a 10-clock, 10-alarm fire.

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on August 19, 2025, to consider ACA 8, SB 280, and an informational hearing on AB 604. The meeting began with several failed motions to adjourn, to read public comments into the record, and to recess so members could review the roughly 16,000 public comments submitted through the committee portal. The chair emphasized the hearing’s expedited format, transparency measures, and rules limiting witness testimony, and noted a letter from Speaker Rivas authorizing Assemblymember Berman to present ACA 8. ACA 8, described by supporters as the “Election Rigging Response Act,” would place before voters a temporary congressional redistricting plan tied to AB 604 and triggered only if another state, especially Texas, adopts a partisan mid-decade redistricting. Supporters, including Assemblymember Berman, labor groups, CTA, Planned Parenthood affiliates, SEIU, and other allied organizations, argued the measure was a response to partisan gerrymandering elsewhere and a defense of democracy, with voters having the final say in a November 4, 2025 special election. Opponents, including current and former redistricting commissioners, good-government groups, business and taxpayer organizations, and many members of the public, argued the proposal undermines California’s independent redistricting model, was rushed without adequate public review, could cost roughly $200 million or more, and would invite litigation and partisan manipulation. The committee also debated a proposed amendment that would bar legislators who voted for ACA 8 from later running for Congress in districts adopted under the measure. After extended procedural disputes, the committee voted to lay the amendment on the table. The hearing then continued with extensive public testimony, overwhelmingly divided between strong support and strong opposition, but the transcript provided does not show a final committee vote on ACA 8 or SB 280 before the excerpt ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• maybe hire consultants, maybe dig a little deeper than just adding a new ordinance or code to their zoning
• When the city council gets together, the planning and zoning committee, do they designate those areas
• Gets together, the Planning and Zoning Committee, do they designate those areas as multifamily currently
• This bill also reduces exclusionary zoning practices, expands attainable housing options, and preserves
• This bill also reduces, or this bill also reduces, exclusionary zoning practices, expands attainable

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Keywords: 989, all