Transcript Highlights:

• In the Kevin S lawsuit, that's why they are named.
• This aligns with what Kevin S is asking for.
• The Kevin S report is child welfare was worse last year than the year before.
• Not that Kevin S, that's got a lot of stuff in it. This bill and I'm happy to expand this one too.
• This committee actually also should be getting the Kevin S reports.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:13.640><c> 1022</c><00:27:14.640><c> is</c><00:27:14.760><c> to</c> sher's recommendation on S
• SP 1022 is to sher's recommendation on S SP 1022 is to pass<00:27:15.120><c> with</c><00:27:15.320><c
• 38:23.200><c> then</c> starting<00:38:29.319><c> off</c><00:38:29.480><c> with</c><00:38:29.680><c> s<
• /c><00:38:30.480><c> 1015</c><00:38:31.480><c> labels</c><00:38:32.040><c> on</c> starting off with s
• c> SP</c><00:39:11.359><c> 1304</c><00:39:12.359><c> related</c><00:39:12.720><c> to</c> members on S

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The joint AEN-PSM hearing on February 7, 2025 focused primarily on three agriculture-related measures and one animal welfare bill, with additional discussion of pesticide drift monitoring, coffee labeling, and a gas-pump labeling bill. SB 762 would create an Agricultural Crimes Council and authorize agricultural crime investigators; testimony from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Law Enforcement, the Attorney General’s office, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, and several members of the public was generally supportive, with repeated calls for stronger enforcement, community involvement, and in some cases allowing investigators to be armed. Some testifiers also urged changes to the appointment process for council members, preferring neighborhood boards or local officials over gubernatorial appointments. The committee discussed combining related agricultural crime bills and noted concerns about investigator safety in remote areas. SB 763 would establish an agriculture enforcement program within the Department of Law Enforcement and a special fund. Testimony was strongly supportive from state agencies and farm groups, with speakers emphasizing the need for more effective response to agricultural theft, poaching, and related crimes. Several public testifiers linked the bill to broader community safety and asked for clearer funding, training, coordination, performance metrics, and technology use. The committee also heard SB 1022, which would prohibit leaving pets in dangerous conditions in vehicles and allow officers, firefighters, animal control, and in some cases private citizens to rescue animals; the Attorney General said existing cruelty statutes may already cover the conduct and suggested amendments, while HPD opposed the bill. Members asked about liability for rescuers and whether the proposal might affect property-crime enforcement. The committee also heard SB 1304 on pesticide drift monitoring funding, with the Department of Agriculture supporting the measure and explaining it was needed to complete a required project under an EPA-related agreement. A Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action representative raised concerns about the methodology of prior studies, and a public testifier described a recent odor incident near a roadway and school. SB 1015, requiring labels on gas dispensing equipment warning about fossil fuel impacts, drew support from the Department of Agriculture and the Public Utilities Commission but opposition from the Hawaii Energy Marketers Association. SB 500 on coffee labeling and regional origin was also heard, with the Department of Agriculture in support. In decision-making, the committees adopted recommendations to pass SB 762 with amendments, SB 763 with amendments, SB 1022 with technical amendments, SB 1304 with technical amendments, and SB 1015 as is; SB 500 was not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're here to talk about, and hope that you will support, H. 2812 and S. 1817.
• H. 2812 and S. 1817: The promise the Commonwealth makes is that if you serve the public and you serve
• I am speaking in favor of H. 2812 and S. 1817, again, to help our retirees by raising that COLA a very
• I support my colleagues here and their testimony because I support H. 2812 and S. 1817.
• I'm also speaking to H. 2812, as you know, and S. 1817.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting public employees, retirees, and public safety personnel. Early testimony focused on House Bill 2859, which would make Massachusetts Department of Correction industrial instructors permanent civil service employees after years of provisional status, and House Bill 2995, which would reduce the Boston Fire Cadet Program service requirement from two years to one year. Supporters of the Boston fire cadet bill argued it would improve equity, expand opportunities for Boston residents, and help diversify the Boston Fire Department; committee members asked about the current makeup of academy classes and the effect of a hybrid model, and the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association was described as neutral on a separate age-related police bill. The committee also heard several proposals related to post-retirement earnings and civil service rules for police and fire retirees. Testimony supported bills including H. 2903 and H. 2966, which would loosen earnings limits for retired public safety workers returning to work, and related measures affecting civil service exemptions and professional services for retirement boards. Speakers argued the current limits are confusing, discourage experienced workers from filling needed municipal jobs, and can create safety issues on public works and construction sites. One witness from Worcester Police supported raising the police academy age limit from 32 to 39 to improve recruitment, especially in BIPOC communities, while Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata supported a separate bill to raise the Boston Police Academy age cap from 39 to 45. A substantial portion of the hearing was devoted to H. 2812 and S. 1817, which would increase the pension COLA base from $13,000 to $18,000 and freeze certain retiree health insurance contribution rates, with additional testimony about capping out-of-pocket health costs for some retirees. Educators and union representatives said the current COLA structure has eroded pension value and leaves retirees struggling with rising costs, while one witness described long delays and confusion in navigating retiree health coverage. The committee took no substantive votes on the bills during the hearing and adjourned after hearing all testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, these two decisions allowed corporations and other organizations such as 501(c)(6)s, or 501
• Organizations such as 501(c)(6)s or 501(c)(5)s and super PACs can spend unlimited amounts of money on
• But yes, the ruling does include 501(c)(5)s, also known as unions, and it would allow them.
• The infamous decision does allow 501(c)(5)s to unlimited spending as well, yes.
• I think we would include super PACs, 501(c)(5)s, corporations, and other nonprofits, yes.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and handled several procedural matters, including referral of AB 686 to Rules, approval of motions to advance Budget and Fiscal Review Committee measures and adopt authors’ amendments, and requests to move AB 28 and AB 2539 to the inactive file. The chamber also confirmed two gubernatorial appointments: Maggie Hallahan to the Bodina Waterways Commission and Kansasaki to the Building Standards Commission. On the floor, members took up two resolutions focused on public awareness and policy messaging. SCR 181 designated June 10 as Family Justice Center Day and highlighted the work of Family Justice Centers serving survivors of domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, and human trafficking; it passed 36-0. SR 112 declared June 14-20 as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Awareness Week to encourage awareness, family health-history sharing, and early screening; it also passed unanimously. SJR 18, a resolution opposing the Citizens United decision and calling for limits on corporate influence and dark money in elections, generated extended debate over campaign finance, transparency, unions, nonprofits, and corporate political spending before passing 28-8. The consent calendar was then adopted on a 35-0 vote. The session concluded with multiple adjournment-in-memory tributes, including Larry Mazzola, Sr., Steve Zaley, and James J. McClain, Sr., followed by announcements that the Senate would recess and reconvene on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, these two decisions allowed corporations and other organizations such as 501(c)(6)s, or 501
• Organizations such as 501(c)(6)s or 501(c)(5)s and super PACs can spend unlimited amounts of money on
• Citizens United decision, not just the Citizens United decision, but yes, the ruling does include 501(c)(5)s,
• The infamous decision does allow 501(c)(5)s to spend unlimited amounts as well, yes.
• I think we would include super PACs, 501(c)(5)s, corporations, and other nonprofits, yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proposition S recently passed in Dallas set a dangerous precedent by stripping the city's governmental
• Shortly after the passage of Proposition S, the Charter Amendment in Dallas that gave citizens the right
• We are the organization that put Proposition S on the November ballot that was passed and is now part
• Nearly 170,000 Dallas residents signed petitions to place Proposition S on the ballot.
• Third, Dallas is leading the nation with Prop S.

Bills: SB250 , SB375 , SB536 , SB845 , SB1633 , SB1944 , SB1957 , SB2081 , SB2137 , SB2262 , SB2299 , SB2419 , SB2452 , SB2522 , SB2549 , SB2594 , SB2605 , SB2631 , SB2639 , SB2675 , SB3029 , SJR60 , HB22 , HB1392 , HB2525 , HB22

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Message assigned Thomas S. Bode, Secretary of the Senate. First reading of Senate files.
• 06:13.039><c> Message</c><00:06:13.360><c> assigned</c><00:06:13.840><c> Thomas</c><00:06:14.240><c> S.
• Message assigned Thomas S. government. Message assigned Thomas S.

Transcript Highlights:

• So these are isolated, special needs isolated, and I’ll say S&I for short going forward, and then small
• district, and then isolated— —or using S&I for transportation specifically.
• But you’ll see that total isolated and S&I spending was almost half a million more than total funding
• , meaning districts used some remaining fund balances, and that applies for the other S&I funds there
• top uses of each of these funds and again you'll see the top expenditures combined for isolated and S&

Summary: The committee first approved the March 9 and 10 minutes, then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program featuring three third-grade teachers from Poyen, Drew Central, and Cabot, along with Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long collaboration among 23 merit-pay recipients from across the state, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about teacher experience, how the fellowship information is shared locally, the role of merit pay, and how teachers are addressing third-grade reading and retention concerns under the ATLAS assessment system. The teachers emphasized early intervention, relationships with students, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and communication with families; they also described community supports such as churches, food backpacks, and local donations. Several members raised broader questions about poverty, trauma, social services, DHS involvement, and whether similar professional learning should be expanded to more teachers. Secretary Oliva said the fellowship is a small subset of a larger merit-pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is working to improve literacy supports, clarity, and alignment across grades. He also said ATLAS results are now available to schools and families much faster than in the past, often within 24 to 72 hours, and that the state is using the data to identify at-risk students earlier and support intervention before retention decisions are made. The committee then moved to the adequacy/resource allocation presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research. Staff explained that the report is part of the statutory adequacy review and focuses on state funding sources beyond foundation aid, including categorical and supplemental funds. They noted that districts and charters spent more than $7 billion in the 2025 school year, with roughly 49% from foundation funding and 51% from other sources over the last three years. The presentation outlined the four categorical funds—Alternative Learning Environment, English Learners, Enhanced Student Achievement, and Professional Development—describing their restricted uses, student-based funding formulas, and the ability of districts to transfer some money among categoricals while keeping it within allowable purposes. Staff said categorical funds account for about 4% of total spending, or less than $300 million, and reviewed superintendent feedback on whether those funds met district needs, with responses varying by category and district.

Transcript Highlights:

• S. 179, an act relating to the Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act.
• S. 212, an act relating to potable water supply and wastewater system connections.
• S. 227, an act relating to creating immigration protocols in Vermont schools.
• to the Uniform S. 179, an act relating to the Uniform Disclaimer<00:04:51.960><c> of</c><00:04:52.080
• </c><00:05:36.040><c> to</c><00:05:36.160><c> creating</c> S. 227, an act relating to creating S. 227

Transcript Highlights:

• Millions of Californians rely on Section 203's protections, but they are both inadequate and under threat
• S. Berman aye. S. Berman aye. S. Berman aye. S. Berman 1360. Aye. Berman aye. S. Berman aye. S.
• S. Berman 13169. Berman aye. SB 1418. Aye. Berman aye. And finally on S.J.R. 18. Berman aye.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up we have Rich Barbado testifying virtually on S. 2499. Rich, you here? I am, Senator.
• So members of the Senate and the House and other guests, I'm here to speak in support of S. 2499, which
• My bill, S. 2498, does three things.
• Next up: Jasmine Stewart, virtually, S. 2467. Ms. Stewart, are you here? Welcome.
• I’m here today in support of Senate Bill S. 2467 and House Bill H. 3871.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-26 session on recognitions, definitions, and designations related to veterans. Chairs John Velis and Joseph McGonagle opened the hybrid hearing with housekeeping rules and noted the committee’s reporting deadlines. The hearing focused on several bills honoring veterans and military-related service, including H. 3825 to include reserve components in flag half-staff recognition for service members killed in action, S. 2499 to place a State House marker honoring three Medal of Honor recipients from the war on terror, S. 2498 to add Merchant Marine recognition at veterans cemeteries and the State House and create a Massachusetts merchant mariner medal, and H. 2500/S. 2500 to have Massachusetts fly the Honor and Remember flag for Gold Star families and fallen service members. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 3871 and S. 2467, which would update the Commonwealth’s definition of “veteran.” Testimony came from the Office of Veterans Services, veterans organizations, Public Health Service and NOAA representatives, National Guard and Reserve veterans, and Gold Star advocates. Witnesses argued the current state definition is inconsistent with federal law and excludes some service members who should be recognized, especially members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, reservists, and some National Guard members. Supporters said the bills would improve fairness, consistency, and access to benefits and services, while several speakers emphasized that service in uniform should be honored regardless of branch. Some testimony also urged a broader moral recognition of all who raised their right hand, while others focused on aligning state law with federal definitions and closing gaps in eligibility. Committee members asked questions about the practical and fiscal effects of broadening the definition, including how the proposed language would interact with existing federal standards and state benefit programs. Witnesses explained that the bills would remove the current 180-day and 90-day active-service calculations and instead recognize certain active service and six-year reserve or Guard commitments, though some members noted that this could create a broader state standard than the federal one. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing, and the committee concluded after hearing from the final witness and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• 13:48.880><c> is</c><00:13:49.240><c> uh</c><00:13:49.399><c> Amendment</c><00:13:49.959><c> 642</c> s<
• 13:57.000><c> this</c><00:13:57.160><c> with</c><00:13:57.279><c> the</c><00:13:57.480><c> prime</c> s
• um did you share this with the prime s um did you share this with the prime sponsor<00:13:58.959><c>
• move</c><00:25:23.039><c> um</c><00:25:23.320><c> OS</c><00:25:24.360><c> 0691</c><00:25:25.399><c> s<
• all in favor say I uh on Amendment 691 s all in favor say I I<00:44:44.880><c> I</c><00:44:45.480><c>

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And so when we track over the last 4 years, retention rates for rp and ADN and the S and P licensure
• The S and programs have a higher faculty vacancy rate.
• We started in the early 90's with our Saint Pete Campus and Tampa Bay area.
• I had the benefit of visiting the u N S led met Nexis lab in the simulation is incredible.
• Know, I heard numbers like in the 60's. Our turnover is not that hides 14%.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's **CARB**'s timeline?
• What’s **CARB**'s timeline? For conducting the community protection rulemaking per the code.
• **CARB**'s budget has already grown significantly without this broad authority.
• We'd also like to stand in support of **CARB**'s regulatory fee authority proposal.
• **LAO**'s recommendation to reject **CARB**'s regulatory fee proposal. Thank you. Good afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• Relation from ES&S. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir, for being here. Good afternoon, Mr.
• ES&S provides election technology and support. to 142 Texas counties.
• To answer questions about the ES&S hardware and software that's used in Texas counties.
• ES&S has been in business for more than 45 years.
• ES&S accepted responsibility. for that issue, and we immediately took corrective action.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• The message signed Thomas S. Bodn, Secretary of the Senate.
• 09:01.680><c> message</c><00:09:02.000><c> assigned</c><00:09:02.560><c> Thomas</c><00:09:02.880><c> S.
• The message assigned Thomas S. 2847. The message assigned Thomas S.

Transcript Highlights:

• And for Senate bills, Kyle Fields at K-Y-L-E-L-D-S at M-A-Senate.gov.
• She's online with us for S. 1053 and H. 1946, an act to implement the recommendations of the Special
• I am speaking in support of S. 1053, an act to implement the recommendations of the Special Commission
• All right, we'll move on to consideration of H-1968, S-1048, an act relative to access to a decedent's
• That will close testimony on H. 1624, as well as H. 1858 and S. 1113.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Summary: The committee opened with procedural guidance for a very large hearing, explaining testimony limits, written testimony procedures, and rules for maintaining order. Members then heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including proposals to define antisemitism using the IHRA definition, regulate facial recognition technology, restrict weaponized robotics and drone use, expand protections for journalists’ confidential sources, address access to decedents’ email accounts, and create or adjust rules around municipal enforcement and animal cruelty fines. Several sponsors and advocates asked for favorable reports, and committee members asked clarifying questions on implementation, costs, and how the bills would interact with existing law. On facial recognition, sponsors and advocates described the technology as a threat to privacy, due process, and civil liberties, and urged adoption of the Special Commission’s recommendations, including warrant requirements, notice to defendants, and limits on untargeted surveillance. Support came from legislators, the ACLU, CDT, EFF, and a UMass professor, while committee members asked about current state law and municipal bans. On robotics, Senator Moore and industry witnesses from MassRobotics, Boston Dynamics, and AUVSI supported a bill prohibiting weaponized robots and requiring warrants for certain law enforcement uses, describing it as a public-safety and trust-building measure. On the shield law bill, newspaper publishers, journalists, NEFAC, and the Reporters Committee argued Massachusetts needs statutory protection for confidential sources, citing costly subpoenas and chilling effects on reporting. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the right of publicity to cover image and voice, with SAG-AFTRA members supporting protections against AI-driven exploitation and some discussion about viral content and consent. Another bill would allow limited access to a decedent’s email accounts, with one witness describing a family’s inability to use a deceased relative’s email to notify friends. The committee then took testimony on psilocybin-related bills: supporters described medical and personal benefits and argued for narrow decriminalization or study, while an opponent warned of public-health risks, impaired driving, and youth exposure; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society supported limited, safety-based decriminalization. Finally, the committee heard strong support for a “safe reporting” bill for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with advocates saying immunity would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of arrest, and members raised questions about how the immunity would work in practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, we have Senate Bill S.545 on the calendar for notice in carrying an appropriation under
• We have on the calendar for action S.218, introduced on January 7, 2026.
• Listen to the second reading of the bill. >> S.218, an act relating to reducing chloride contamination
• &gt;&gt; S<00:13:38.399><c> 218</c><00:13:39.519><c> an</c><00:13:39.760><c> act</c><00:13:40.079><c>
• The ayes have it, and you have ordered third reading of S. 218.

Transcript Highlights:

• > 158</c><00:19:37.640><c> relating</c><00:19:38.039><c> to</c><00:19:38.320><c> public</c> measure s
• sp1 158 relating to public measure s sp1 158 relating to public banking<00:19:39.640><c> this</c><00:
• <00:27:31.679><c> the</c><00:27:31.840><c> protections</c><00:27:32.279><c> of</c><00:27:32.480><c> s<
• /c> really need the protections of s really need the protections of s sp332<00:27:34.240><c> uh</c><00
• SP 142 relating to Insurance s SP 142 relating to Insurance recommendation<00:38:32.520><c> is</c><00

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee held its first hearing of the 2025 session and reviewed several measures. SB 102 would restrict third-party restaurant reservation services from listing or selling reservations without a written agreement from the restaurant; the Attorney General recommended amendments to strengthen the bill against First Amendment and Contracts Clause challenges, and the Hawaii Restaurant Association strongly supported it, saying restaurants should control who represents them. The committee also heard SB 137 on electric utility mergers and acquisitions, with support from Ulupono Initiative and IBW Local 1260. Supporters said the bill would preserve state policy protections, including renewable energy and rate-making goals, and protect workers; IBW also suggested amendments, including a severability clause. The committee discussed a possible alternative approach from the PUC involving solicitation of bids from non-investor-owned utilities, and Ulupono said it would consider that idea but was concerned about preserving time for co-op formation. Members then heard SB 142, which would require insurers paying claims by check to send them by certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt. The Insurance Division stood on its written testimony, while the Hawaiian Insurers Council, State Farm, NAMIC, and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association opposed the bill. A senator questioned whether the measure was too prescriptive and could create problems for claimants displaced by disasters; the response was that insurers and claimants usually remain in contact and that other payment methods may already be available depending on the carrier. SB 157 would ban algorithmic price setting in Hawaii’s rental market and require a public education program; the committee noted written testimony in support and comment, but no oral testimony was taken before moving on. SB 158 would create a state-owned bank implementation board within DCCA; DCCA’s financial institutions division, the Budget and Finance Department, and the Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments, while the Hawaii Bankers Association opposed and the Hawaii Credit Union League commented. The committee also heard SB 318, which would require DCCA to adopt privacy rules for direct-to-consumer genetic testing and specify whether genetic information may be used for investigative genetic genealogy. The Office of Consumer Protection and Andrew Crossland opposed the bill, saying federal law and existing state protections already cover much of the area and that rulemaking would be a better way to address it; members raised concerns about federal changes and the need for state protections, but OCP said the bill was not the best approach. SB 332 would prohibit bundling foreclosed homes at public sale and delay finality of sales; L. Strong and written testimony supported it, citing Lahaina’s post-fire foreclosure risks and warning of investors profiting from the disaster. The final measure, SB 525, would require written notice and consent before mortuaries, cemeteries, or pre-need funeral authorities sell or recycle precious metals recovered after cremation. DCCA’s consumer protection and licensing divisions offered comments, while the Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association opposed the bill, saying it was surprised by the measure and was unaware of current consumer problems in the industry.

Transcript Highlights:

• The message is signed Thomas S.
• The message assigned<00:12:31.120><c> Thomas</c><00:12:31.440><c> S.
• ><00:12:31.760><c> Bodn,</c><00:12:32.480><c> Secretary</c><00:12:33.040><c> of</c> assigned Thomas S.
• Bodn, Secretary of assigned Thomas S. Bodn, Secretary of the<00:12:33.360><c> Senate.