Transcript Highlights:

• deed deed is a economic development or deed deed is a strong<00:52:09.559><c> partner</c><00:52:09.839
• Workforce boards go through detailed monitoring by DEED annually for each grant that we receive, among
• </c> demolition grant demolition grant program<01:12:15.600><c> so</c><01:12:15.920><c> to</c><01:12:
• um it's just a funding for deed um it's just a Redevelopment<01:17:07.280><c> grant</c><01:17:07.639
• </c><01:17:21.080><c> program</c> in the base for a larger grant program in the base for a larger grant

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been a very good relationship. $500,000 Grant on their own uh $500,000 Grant on their own uh collaborating
• We have certainly collaborated, you know, as I said, around special projects, around a grant.
• We just got a half a million dollar grant with West Oʻahu.
• </c> to do certain things through our grants to do certain things through our grants I<00:41:27.560><
• </c><01:47:07.719><c> on</c> we we're collaborators on grants on we we're collaborators on grants on

Transcript Highlights:

• So, today we ask for more than knowledge, grant wisdom. More than authority, grant humility.
• More than knowledge, grant wisdom.
• </c> ambition, grant a heart for the people. ambition, grant a heart for the people.
• </c><00:14:35.920><c> to</c><00:14:36.040><c> grant</c> determining whether a grant to grant determining
• </c> demographics of deed fraud victims. demographics of deed fraud victims.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 780, an act relating to recording of deeds, Representative Elliott. Lady from Davis: Mr.
• Under current law, a deed issued sales.
• </c><00:21:55.920><c> and</c> property has a commissioner's deed and property has a commissioner's deed
• </c> filing of the deed. filing of the deed.
• , there would have to be a of the deed, there would have to be a court<00:23:16.880><c> order.

Summary: The House convened with 98 members present, declared a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received Senate concurrence requests on Senate Bills 263, 281, and 324. The chamber then moved through second readings and committee reports on a range of measures, including education, agriculture, banking and insurance, judiciary, licensing, and task force resolutions. Among the reported bills were measures on KEES scholarships for non-certified schools, a residential safe room rebate program, dual credit scholarships, impeding a first responder, motor vehicles, tallow-based cosmetic products, animal health emergencies, mortgage loan income limits, deferred deposit fees, child protection, Attorney General operations, corrections operations, school leadership, school transportation, advanced mathematics coursework, and task forces on charitable gaming and early childhood education governance. The House passed House Bill 642, a Teachers' Retirement System housekeeping bill, after adopting House Committee Substitute 1. The sponsor said the bill updates survivor benefit documentation, raises the daily earnings limit for retired members returning to work from $170 to $200, removes an unused early-return provision, reinstates a pension waiver program, clarifies benefit tier calculations using an earlier participation date in another state system, and allows a parent member to manage payments for a disabled child without a court order. Members asked about substitute teaching limits, retirement penalties, budget impact, and a removed provision involving index funds; the sponsor said he would follow up on the day limits and stated he did not believe the bill would add to unfunded liability. The bill passed 96-0. The House also passed House Bill 780 on recording commissioner’s deeds, after adopting a floor amendment that removed fines and penalties. The bill allows a city to petition circuit court if a deed is not recorded within 30 business days, and the court may compel filing and award costs and attorney’s fees. Members discussed whether the bill effectively created a lawsuit-based enforcement mechanism rather than a fine, and supporters said it would help local governments identify responsible property owners and address code enforcement and public safety issues. The bill passed 96-0. House Bill 541, concerning peace officers, also passed after a committee substitute; the sponsor said it cleans up Kentucky Law Enforcement Council procedures, strengthens certification standards, clarifies revocation language, and reflects input from law enforcement groups. It passed 95-0. House Bill 195, the Kentucky Urban Youth Agriculture Initiative, passed after a committee substitute and floor amendment. The substitute added Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension alongside UK Cooperative Extension, and the floor amendment changed the pilot’s implementation date to January 1, 2027 and adjusted the program’s term timing. Supporters said the bill would expand urban agriculture education, connect youth to food systems and career pathways, and help students in urban counties learn practical agricultural skills; it passed 97-0. The House then took up House Bill 794 on financial exploitation, which expands protections to all adults age 65 and older, adds felony penalties for knowingly, wantonly, or recklessly exploiting those adults, allows the attorney general to seek extradition from another state, and requires investment advisers to complete three hours of continuing education on financial exploitation. Members cited real-world scam experiences and urged stronger penalties, but the bill passed 96-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:01:41.800><c> uh</c> community investment within DEED, uh community investment within DEED,
• ><c> uh</c><00:01:43.600><c> modeled</c><00:01:44.040><c> on</c> again relating to grants uh modeled
• ,</c><01:25:37.840><c> and,</c><01:25:38.680><c> um,</c> of Deed, and, um, of Deed, and, um, within<01
• </c> district that have applied for grants district that have applied for grants from<01:48:07.600><c
• </c><02:10:37.800><c> are</c> those reforms relating to grants are those reforms relating to grants are

Transcript Highlights:

• , who is here virtually. ...and Mary Oldenburg of the Hampshire Registry of Deeds, virtually.
• I'm Register of Deeds for Hampshire County. Thank you for having me today.
• I have been the Register of Deeds of Hampshire County since I was elected in 2012.
• By removing the requirement for mandated microfilm records of documents, the registries of deeds can
• utilize existing digital technology to make multiple Registries of Deeds can utilize existing digital

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Representative David Linsky supported HB 3383, which would designate the song “Roadrunner” as the official rock song of Massachusetts, describing its Boston roots and cultural significance. Representative Sean Garberle supported HB 3335 on public access to historical records, arguing that records from state institutions should be released after 75 years and that families and researchers should be able to identify people buried in unmarked graves at former state institutions. Representative Rodney Elliott and Lowell officials supported HB 4138, authorizing easements for a Lowell sewer separation project; they said the project is needed for Clean Water Act compliance, will reduce combined sewer overflows into the Merrimack River, and must proceed quickly to meet SRF and consent-decree timelines. Committee members asked about Article 97, the location and scope of the easement, environmental justice impacts, and minority/small business participation in construction. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate 2183 and its House companion, which would elevate the Massachusetts National Guard to a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the Governor. Senators Mike Moore and John Velis, along with the National Guard Association’s Matthew McKenna, argued the change would reduce bureaucracy, improve communication and readiness, and reflect the Guard’s broad domestic and military missions. Velis cited the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home tragedy as an example of a breakdown in communication, while committee members said they wanted more information, including input from the Governor’s office and Guard leadership, before acting. The committee noted the distinction between state-controlled and federalized Guard missions and said it would continue reviewing the issue. Senator Liz Miranda and a large panel of survivors, advocates, and Northeastern law students testified in support of S. 2174 and S. 2177, which would create an office and task force on unsolved homicides, allow families to petition for case review after three years, require written responses, and establish a tip line, database, and dedicated funding. Witnesses described long-standing lack of communication, low clearance rates, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Senator Becca Rausch also testified on S. 2210, extending public records law to the governor and Legislature, and S. 2207, creating stronger information-governance and records-retention standards; she said both would improve transparency and reduce waste. The transcript does not reflect any votes taken during the hearing, though chairs repeatedly indicated support for moving some bills favorably and said the committee would continue reviewing the National Guard proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> we</c><00:17:35.919><c> secured</c> Through a private grant, we secured Through a private grant,
• </c> enforcement peer support program grant enforcement peer support program grant program<00:17:42.880
• Um, this grant program is open now. The grant closes on June 15th.
• This grant program is open now. The grant closes on June 15th.
• So, that deed was filed.

Committee: Joint Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• restrictions from voluntary deed restrictions from eligible<00:35:20.240><c> buyers.
• </c> specifying the cost of the deed specifying the cost of the deed restriction.<00:40:18.560><c> Um
• </c> this bill is how we can help build deed this bill is how we can help build deed restricted<00:45
• </c><00:51:22.079><c> those</c> the proposed project by granting those the proposed project by granting
• Number two: clarify that the deed restriction applies on the initial sale of the units.

Bills: HB1721 , HB1714 , HB1718 , HB1732 , HB1740 , HB1777 , HB1842 , HB1919 , HB1701 , HB1923 , HB1741 , HB1734 , HB1739

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The House Housing Committee met on February 4 and heard testimony on several housing measures, beginning with HB1721, which clarifies insurance, indemnification, and certificate-of-occupancy requirements for expedited permits. Testimony on HB1721 was uniformly supportive from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Grassroot Institute, and individual testifiers, who said the bill would fix insurance issues for design professionals and encourage more participation in the expedited-permit program. No opposition was heard and no questions were raised. The committee then heard HB1714, which would raise salary caps for the executive director and deputy executive director positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and allow more autonomy in personnel matters, including employment contracts. HHFDC supported the bill, saying greater flexibility is needed to recruit and retain staff and that current pay ceilings are not the main issue because the agency lacks operating funds to reach them. The Department of Human Resources Development offered comments and raised concerns about autonomous personnel authority and employment contracts, saying state personnel matters are governed by existing statutes and collective bargaining rules; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority also offered comments, and one board member and one individual opposed the measure. Members questioned whether performance-based pay or existing incentive policies could address retention instead of statutory salary changes. The committee also heard HB1718, which would make permanent county authority to facilitate mixed-use developments and issue county bonds for low- and moderate-income housing projects. Support came from OPSD, HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management, and Housing Hawaii’s Future, all emphasizing that permanent authority is needed to finance long-term mixed-use and transit-oriented projects. A member asked whether the sunset provision would make bonding impractical, and the city representative agreed that temporary authority would make financing difficult because development takes time. Later, the committee took up HB1732, establishing the Kamina Homes program to fund counties’ purchase of voluntary deed restrictions from eligible buyers. The Department of Taxation and several groups, including HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Holomua Collaborative, and others testified, with most supporting the bill as a way to help local families remain in Hawaii and age in place. Holomua said a recent survey found 75% of 3,200 working families were considering moving, and argued the bill could preserve housing for local residents. Members asked about the bill’s 8% cap on deed-restriction cost and why the program focuses on residency rather than resale restrictions; the bill’s proponents said the cap allows flexibility for county negotiations and that the measure is aimed at workforce preservation rather than land-trust-style appreciation limits. Finally, the committee heard HB1740, which would modify a prior HHFDC housing pathway by reducing the qualified-resident requirement from 100% to 80% and allowing more flexibility for long-term rental instead of owner occupancy. HHFDC and Holomua Collaborative supported the change, saying the earlier 100% requirement had produced no developments or applicants and that the revised standard would make projects more feasible while still preserving housing for local residents. The committee did not take final votes on these measures during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• restrictions where the restriction is written into the deed, I don't think that this supersedes it.
• those deed restrictions in place.
• Why are we, why are we imposing a fee and giving a grant?
• It is a competitive grant program.
• We have a, um, a one-year grant cycle where we, we publish the request for proposals.

Bills: HB294 , HB405 , HB519 , HB294

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: food production, property owners' association, home gardening, cottage food, urban agriculture, livestock, community standards, renewable energy, ethanol, biodiesel, incentives, agriculture, grants, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, energy efficiency, tax exemption, residential properties

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, I would pray that You would grant those who make up this body godly wisdom and guidance.
• Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 4625, relating to quit claim deeds.
• Senators Helton and Deeds move to amend the committee amendment on page 13, section 11.
• Engrossed House Bill 4626, relating to the establishment of a grant program to fund the United States
• Engrossed House Bill 4626, relating to the establishment of a grant program to fund the United States

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> public that uses the registry of deeds public that uses the registry of deeds offices<04:37:55.520
• </c> New Hampshire registry of deeds New Hampshire registry of deeds Association<04:38:37.639><c> um<
• </c> Amendment on the transfer on death deed Amendment on the transfer on death deed statute<04:38:44.639
• </c><04:38:55.840><c> Association</c> Hampshire registry of deeds Association Hampshire registry of deeds
• For us, we have a superintendent affiliate, registered deeds. We meet as 10 superintendents.

Summary: The committee first dealt with scheduling and housekeeping, including a plan to take a hard break at 2:00 p.m. for an early bill, hold a brief executive session, and then continue with the remaining afternoon bills. The chair also noted the next likely meeting date would be March 12, when the committee expected to take up the remaining bills before crossover deadlines. The main substantive item was House Bill 142, which would recognize the Honor and Remember flag for Gold Star families and related remembrance purposes. Prime sponsor Rep. Michael Moffett described the bill as a bipartisan measure revised to address earlier concerns, arguing that the flag honors fallen service members, can be personalized with names, and complements rather than detracts from the American flag. He said many other states have already adopted it and suggested the committee could amend details such as the number of days and locations for display. He also raised practical issues about flag dimensions and whether the bill should use "shall" or "may" for display requirements. Testimony was divided. Janine Nutter opposed the bill, saying she supports Gold Star families but objected because the flag resembles the Viet Cong flag and because she believes the American flag should remain the sole symbol representing servicemembers. Kevin Grady, representing the State Veterans Advisory Committee under RSA 115:8, also opposed the bill, saying the committee believes the American flag is the only symbol needed, while still praising the work of Honor and Remember in creating personalized flags for families. Committee members asked questions about where the flag would be flown, whether the State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen is already displaying it, and how the bill’s language would interact with cemetery policies and committee discretion. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The private school side of this, my recollection is this is the scholarship-granting side of things,
• Can be initiated as long as notice is given to that successor in that transfer-on-death deed, and the
• So transfer-on-death deeds are intended to allow property to pass outside of probate, avoid court.
• What they do is they name a successor in that transfer-on-death deed, which is fully revocable.
• So when you say existing actions, like existing lawsuits or existing transfer-on-death deeds?

Bills: HB3329 , HR1039 , HR1040 , HB3413 , HB3414 , HB3415 , HB3416 , HB3417 , HB3418 , HB3419 , HB3420 , HB3706 , HB3711 , HB4139 , HB1268 , HB3660 , HJR1023 , HB3298 , HB3056 , HJR1084 , HB3934 , HB3919 , HB4118 , HB4119 , HB3791 , HB4260 , HB4178 , HB4215 , HB4324 , HB3270 , HB4352 , HB4305 , HB2955 , HB3315 , HB3066 , HB1245 , HB4125 , HB3075 , HB3129 , HB3239 , HB4153 , HB3265 , HB4491 , SB680 , HB4263 , HB4268 , HB1675 , HB3885 , HB2984 , HB3697 , HB2959 , HB3671 , HB3852 , HB2933 , HB3057 , HB3802 , HB4294 , HB4285 , HB3708 , HB3979 , HB3977 , HB3986 , HB3985 , HB3588 , HB3742 , HB3845 , HJR1070 , HB3590 , HB3595 , HB3391 , HB3183 , HB3764 , HB3765 , HB1002 , HB4434 , HJR1086 , HB4060 , HB3881 , HB3500 , HB4408 , HB3648 , HB3127 , HB3606

Summary: The House convened after lunch, established a quorum, and then took up a long series of measures. Early debate centered on H.J.R. 1084, which would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to reaffirm that courts must follow the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions and not recognize or enforce religious codes that conflict with them. The author said it was meant as a safeguard against unconstitutional courtroom practices; several members questioned its practical effect and constitutional basis. The resolution passed the House 70-19. The chamber then passed a number of bills on workforce, public safety, tax, and administrative issues, including HB 3934 on dental hygienist workforce gaps, HB 3919 allowing county commissioners to adjust fair board membership to reach quorum, HB 4118 creating a family caregiver tax credit, HB 4119 requiring a bond in certain real-property title disputes, HB 426 on workers’ compensation for first responders suffering heart attack or stroke after strenuous shifts, HB 4178 on sales tax exemptions for municipal-beneficiary public trusts, HB 4215 to aid small post-production companies, HB 4324 allowing district attorneys to adjust sentences after initial sentencing with an amendment clarifying jury verdicts are unaffected, HB 3270 cleanup language for farmed cervidae/chronic wasting disease law, HB 4352 adopting the Uniform Mortgage Modification Act, HB 4305 clarifying ad valorem assessment of low-income housing tax credit properties, HB 2955 modernizing captive insurance law, HB 3315 creating a 90-hour degree program, HB 3066 reestablishing and funding a behavioral health workforce program, HB 1245 changing retirement coverage for certain DHS law enforcement officers, HB 4125 restoring firearm rights for certain nonviolent felons after five years with expungement or pardon, HB 3075 creating a penny-rounding rule for public-sector cash transactions, HB 3129 creating a process for university security fees, HB 3239 modernizing the Veterinary Practice Act, HB 4153 reinstating prior driver-licensing rules tied to an eighth-grade reading test with a hardship exception, HB 3265 defining mental health specialists for police pension disability cases, HB 4491 allowing school districts to opt in to extracurricular participation by charter, virtual charter, and homeschool students, SB 680 creating a tobacco tax incentive for lower-risk products, HB 4263 aligning retirement options for CareerTech employees, and HB 4268 creating the Teacher Effectiveness and Excellence Act with a compensation pilot and National Board stipend. Most measures passed with little or no debate, though several drew extended questioning, especially the school extracurricular bill, the driver’s-license literacy bill, and the tobacco tax measure. Emergency clauses were adopted on several bills, including HB 3934, HB 3270, HB 3315, HB 3066, HB 3075, HB 3129, HB 4153, and HB 4268.

Transcript Highlights:

• EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program, which will expand state grant and loan programming for
• The DNR manages one hundred sixty-five million dollars in grants annually over 50 grant programs.
• program, including the Community Grants Program. the Community Grants Program.
• appropriations as well as other grant programs. pass-through grant appropriations as well as other grant
• We tried to get at that with a small community grants or small grants program in the LCCMR.

Bills: HF1587 , HF2293 , HF2218 , HF1208 , HF1482

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondarily, there's been third-party audits in the grant for grant recipients.
• DEED does a fantastic job at actually looking at grants, so if the Department of Health is following
• DEED does a fantastic job at actually looking at grants, so if the Department of Health is following
• DEED does a fantastic job at actually looking at grants, so if the Department of Health is following
• DEED does a fantastic job at actually looking at grants, so if the Department of Health is following

Bills: HF25 , HF4

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> notice by virtue of recording of a deed notice by virtue of recording of a deed of<00:26:42.080>
• Granted, I do understand.
• Granted, I do understand.
• Granted, I do understand.
• Granted, I do understand.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:21:21.240><c> whenever</c> interpretation of all deeds, whenever interpretation of all deeds
• </c> assignment statute that requires a deed assignment statute that requires a deed to<00:21:30.840>
• Deeds no to be sealed and witnessed.
• </c> municipalities to submit a grant municipalities to submit a grant application<01:50:26.680><c> to
• Grant or grant agreement executed by the Agency of Human Services or its departments shall require a

Transcript Highlights:

• saying a high risk, that they pose a substantial risk of not performing duties required under the grant
• </c><00:05:41.720><c> those</c><00:05:41.960><c> particular</c> that those grant those particular that
• um agreement and the and the grant um agreement and the and the commissioner<00:05:57.480><c> is</c>
• The constant work they perform on a daily basis can be taken for granted and go unrecognized.
• </c><00:41:04.600><c> and</c> daily basis can be taken for granted and daily basis can be taken for granted

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, we have a grant through DEED, which we are providing custom training for Phillips and Mayo
• </c><00:47:33.920><c> through</c><00:47:34.160><c> deed</c> currently we have a a grant through deed
• currently we have a a grant through deed which<00:47:35.920><c> uh</c><00:47:36.079><c> we</c><00:47:
• </c> that uh got grants from DE? that uh got grants from DE? &gt;&gt; Yeah. &gt;&gt; Yeah.
• But right now grants for training. Okay.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• , welcome what is new, and recommit to the Zoroastrian path of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds
• Words and good deeds.
• The bill before you creates a grant program to support aviation support units.
• The grant provides financial assistance... A grant program to support aviation support units.
• The grant provides financial assistance for aviation support units and wildland fire suppression.

Summary: The committee heard six bills on January 27, 2026. Senate Bill 6084 would clarify the prohibition on voting more than once in an election, in response to a court ruling that interpreted “election” narrowly; the sponsor and Secretary of State’s office said the bill is meant to ensure a person votes only once in Washington or in one state and another on the same election date. Testimony was brief and supportive, and the hearing was closed with many people signed in pro and con but not testifying. Senate Bill 6044 would recognize Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas as a legislatively recognized day, and Senate Bill 5950 would add several non-legal holidays, including Sikh, Baha’i, Jewish, and Buddhist observances. Sponsors and supporters described the bills as a way to acknowledge minority faith traditions, promote inclusion, and help communities feel seen; testimony came from Jewish, Sikh, multi-faith, Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Buddhist representatives. The committee recorded substantial support for both measures, with no opposition testimony, and closed both hearings. Senate Bill 6046 would establish the Washington Division of Civil Air Patrol within the Military Department to better coordinate volunteer aviation support for disasters, search and rescue, cybersecurity, and other missions. The sponsor, Military Department, Civil Air Patrol, and veterans’ representatives said it would improve command and control and help the state use Civil Air Patrol more efficiently at no added cost. Senate Bill 5763 would create a grant program for local law enforcement aviation support units and expand wildfire-related aviation support to sheriff’s offices; sheriffs and police chiefs strongly supported it as a way to sustain helicopter-based search and rescue and disaster response, while DNR raised concerns about wildfire aviation standards, liability, and possible bill drafting issues. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5784, which would require agencies to collect and report more detailed demographic data under updated federal standards; the sponsor said better disaggregation is needed for accountability and to identify disparities, and the Office of Equity supported the policy while noting fiscal and privacy concerns and the need for possible amendments. The meeting ended after the final hearing, with no votes taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was the correction that deed requested.
• This was the correction that deed deed deed requested.<00:03:29.599><c> The</c><00:03:29.840><c> next
• and uh allows increased project grant and uh allows increased project costs<00:03:54.879><c> for</c>
• .<00:04:48.639><c> On</c><00:04:48.960><c> page</c> grants.
• On page grants.