Transcript Highlights:

• </c> House File 4472. House File 4472.
• House File 4412 is in here.
• </c> concerns we've heard in House File 4202. concerns we've heard in House File 4202.
• , the three words 'opt out option.' say House DFL at the top. say House DFL at the top.
• </c> here, so it's not from the House DFL. here, so it's not from the House DFL.

Bills: HF3794 , HF4472 , HF4410 , HF4347 , HF4412 , HF4398 , HF4397 , HF4201 , HF4199 , HF4203 , HF3706 , HF4071 , HF4120 , HF4175 , HF4188

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The measures on our agenda today are House Bill 229, House Bill 860, and House Bill 1161.
• That said, we're going to start with House Bill 925, House Draft 3.
• We'll start with House Bill 925, House Draft 3, relating to the Arts, which establishes a Performing
• </c> House Bill 925, House Draft 3, relating to the Arts, establishes a Performing Arts Special Fund
• </c><00:16:02.040><c> Bill</c> testify on House Bill testify on House Bill 925<00:16:05.079><c> see</

Summary: The joint committees first heard House Bill 229, which would establish a statewide speed restriction for motor vehicles under certain circumstances. Testimony on the bill was limited and came in support from the City and County of Honolulu’s transportation services, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. No one testified in opposition, and there were no questions. The committees then took up House Bill 860, which would grant immunity from liability to the state or counties when they repair or maintain a street whose ownership or jurisdiction is disputed between them. The Department of Transportation and the Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted written testimony, and the Hawaii State Association of Counties, Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee, Hawaii County Council member Heather Kimble, and the Iolani Homestead Community Association for Justice testified in support. The Ho Association for Justice opposed the bill, arguing the immunity was too broad and that the issue had already been addressed by prior legislation. In discussion, members raised concerns about liability and asked whether a different approach, such as extending the 2017 law transferring Oahu roads in limbo to the counties, would be acceptable; county representatives said that path could be considered if immunity were removed. House Bill 1161, which would authorize counties to use a road usage charge mechanism similar to the state’s, drew support from the Department of Transportation, the Energy Office, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, several county and city offices, and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. Rental car companies and industry groups supported the concept but asked for amendments, including a flat fee instead of a per-mile charge, relief for plug-in hybrid vehicles, and a delayed implementation date. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii also supported relief for hybrids. Members questioned the rental car representatives about the flat-fee proposal, and they said a per-mile charge would be difficult to calculate and pass on to customers. At the end of the joint agenda, the committees deferred decision-making on HB 1161 to Tuesday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m., and the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee also deferred the three measures to that date and time. The Transportation and Culture and the Arts committee then began hearing House Bill 925, which would create a Performing Arts Special Fund, and House Bill 1378, which would establish a Performing Arts Grants Program and Special Fund and revise the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ responsibilities and funding sources. HB 925 received support from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and written support or comments from DBEDT, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, and others. HB 1378 drew extensive testimony and discussion focused on preserving arts funding while addressing concerns about the use of Works of Art Special Fund dollars for positions and programming. The Governor’s office said it supported the intent but had concerns; the Attorney General warned that the bill’s cap and transfer provisions were unclear and could affect the tax-exempt status of bond-funded dollars; and the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts opposed the measure, urging an audit, tracking of deposits, and a shift of positions and programs to general funds instead of changing the law. The chair explained that the bill was intended to protect arts funding while tightening the legal guardrails around bond-financed dollars and preserving federal support, and asked testimony to focus on new points as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> was just noted recently by our house was just noted recently by our house finance<00:33:08.039><
• Any questions on House Bill 1170?
• House Bill 442?
• Members, any other questions on House Bill 843? Members, any other questions on House Bill 843?
• House Bill 441?

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Bachman Hall and heard testimony on several UH-related bills. HB 542 would expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide unmet-need scholarships at four-year UH campuses. UH system officials, the UH Student Caucus, and a Honolulu Community College student testified in support, emphasizing college affordability, student retention, and workforce needs. Committee members asked about current program data, eligibility, transfer patterns, and cost; UH said it had data available, noted about 10% of current Hawaiʻi Promise students transfer to four-year campuses, and estimated the full expansion would cost about $12 million. UH also suggested a possible alternative of focusing on transfer opportunities from two-year to four-year campuses. The committee then heard HB 840, which concerns athletics appropriations for UH. UH Mānoa and UH Hilo supported the bill. UH officials said the funding would help cover recurring athletics operating costs, women’s sports travel and recruiting, Austin Awards, and a new nutrition fueling station, while Hilo said the money would help with travel, per diem, and conference-related costs. Members asked about the history of the athletics funding, the difference between Austin Awards and special talent waivers, NIL planning, and whether the appropriation should be restored to the base budget. UH explained that a $4 million athletics appropriation was originally made in 2018 or 2019, later removed from the base, and has been reappropriated annually since then. Finally, the committee heard HB 842, which would fund three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions at UH Mānoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. UH supported the bill, and Academic Labor United and a high school student testified in favor, citing student stress, overwork, and the need for more counseling access. In questions, members discussed the current counselor-to-student ratio, recruitment challenges in a tight labor market, and strategies for hiring, including looking at candidates on soft-money grants who may be seeking stable employment. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• segregated housing.
• They're still segregated housing.
• I had to bargain with a condo project to put a reentry housing area in next to the housing project.
• housing units.
• And I have to say that they have an House of Correction, and that's Dedham House of Correction.

Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will be in order. The chair lays before the House a communication from the Senate.
• Pursuant to clause 12 of rule one, the House declares the House in recess until 2 p.m.
• The House declares the House in recess until 2 p.m. The House will be in order.
• </c> The House will be in order.
• </c> the House for one minute. the House for one minute.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am policy advisor for this committee for the House Majority.
• I'm a senior policy advisor for the House Democratic Caucus.
• Madam Vice Chair, please move House Bill 2162. Mr.
• House Bill 2162.
• Madam Vice Chair, please move House Bill 2791. Mr.

Bills: HB2155 , HB2156 , HB2162 , HB2762 , HB2791

Committees: House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs , House House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee of Reference

Keywords: Arizona Beef Council, agriculture, market development, beef products, terminating council, livestock, compensation, funding, ranching, game and fish commission, wildlife, appointment, commission membership, Arizona Revised Statutes, food labeling, cultivated cells, cell-cultured products, consumer information, food safety, cell-cultured protein

Transcript Highlights:

• The report further cites rising housing costs and a decline in housing support due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Housing programs across Texas differ from all other housing options because, in addition to providing
• It's only available to people in campus housing.
• Texas housing departments provide students with stable housing in the Texas summer heat and the freezing
• Student housing, I mean family housing on campus was very limited and it's very expensive, and so this

Bills: HB2476 , HB2893 , HB4848 , HB5062 , SB37 , SB60 , HB2860 , HB4930 , SB646 , SB 37

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• the will of the voter in the Minnesota House of Representatives in this last election.
• </c> Illinois uh he went to the state house Illinois uh he went to the state house to<00:03:38.200><c
• and they expect us to govern as a tied House.
• It is not, because the House is not organized.
• The House PAC case, there was a court ruling.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for my house. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• The ayes have it, and the Senate concurs in the House amendment.
• The Senate being in order, paper from the House. The Senate comes to order. Paper from the House.
• An act amending the town charter of the town of Plymouth, House Number 4501.
• House Number 4501. The bill has been read a third time.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair lays it out: House Bill 21.
• Does anyone wish to testify on or against House Bill 2407?
• Chair lays out House Bill 3425.
• If not, the testimony on House Bill 3425 is open.
• Does anyone wish to testify on or against House Bill 3425?

Bills: HB2407 , HB3425

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• E-24-18 and House Bill 24-51.
• We will now consider House Bill 2418 and 2451.
• Before you is engrossed second substitute House Bill 2418.
• And growth second substitute House Bill 2451 concerns local.
• I think we took two changes in the House.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: House Bill 4033. You are recognized to present the bill.
• Chair: Please show House Bill 4033 has been reported favorably.
• Chair: Show Chair: House Bill 7007 has been reported favorably.
• Chair: Please show House Bill 7003 has been reported favorably.
• Representative Gentry, you're recognized to explain House Bill 7011.

Transcript Highlights:

• the House on this.
• Thanks for this opportunity to give testimony in favor of House Bill 106, House... Thank you.
• Shout-out to State House News.
• There is a difference between public housing and federally funded housing.
• There is a difference between public housing and federally funded housing.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on a large docket of technology, internet, cybersecurity, broadband, and media bills. Early testimony focused on community media funding legislation, with lawmakers and local access advocates arguing that as cable subscriptions decline and streaming grows, revenue tied to cable franchises no longer supports community television and PEG programming. Supporters said community media remains a key source of local news, government meeting coverage, and civic transparency as newspapers disappear or consolidate. A related bill on cable contract oversight also drew support, with testimony that the Department of Telecommunications and Cable is backlogged and should more actively review municipal-provider agreements and report its workload to the committee. Another major topic was a proposal to create a Massachusetts Innovation Fund for state IT modernization. The Alliance for Digital Innovation backed the bill, saying agencies need flexible upfront capital to replace outdated systems and improve cybersecurity, and pointing to the federal Technology Modernization Fund as a model. The witness noted that funding for the state program still needs to be identified. The committee also heard strong support for a bill requiring free broadband in public housing, with Rep. Emmela Goodwin and MAPC describing internet access as essential for jobs, school, telehealth, and civic participation. They said the digital divide in Massachusetts is driven largely by affordability rather than infrastructure, though questions were raised about costs, wiring, and whether all housing sites already have broadband access available at the curb. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on bills to limit addictive social media feeds for minors. Supporters, including lawmakers, parents, teens, and advocacy groups, argued that algorithmic feeds contribute to addiction, anxiety, body image problems, and other harms, and said the bills would restrict surveillance-based curation and overnight notifications while leaving search and followed accounts available. Opponents, including FIRE, CCIA, and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, argued the bills would require invasive age verification, threaten privacy and cybersecurity, burden adults’ anonymity, and likely face First Amendment challenges. They also warned the measures could disadvantage smaller businesses and may be unconstitutional based on recent court rulings in other states. The committee also heard support for blockchain-related bills creating a commission, a pilot program, and consumer education efforts, with testimony that Massachusetts has the talent but needs a coordinated state strategy. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> houses and 13 recovery Kentucky centers. houses and 13 recovery Kentucky centers.
• </c> individuals admitted to halfway houses individuals admitted to halfway houses and<00:02:05.200><
• </c><00:02:11.039><c> is</c><00:02:11.440><c> 1,041</c> halfway houses is 1,041 halfway houses is 1,041
• 00:03:27.280><c> bit</c><00:03:27.440><c> more</c> Kentucky houses are a bit more Kentucky houses are
• </c> and so they're sent to a halfway house and so they're sent to a halfway house and<00:10:45.279><

Summary: The Public Safety and Judiciary Committee met without a quorum, so approval of the January 3, January 20, and February 3 minutes was postponed. The committee then heard an update from the Department of Corrections on halfway house and Recovery Kentucky funding and operations. Deputy Commissioner Hillary Daily said DOC contracts for up to 1,752 halfway house beds and 780 Recovery Kentucky beds, with 16 halfway houses and 13 Recovery Kentucky centers statewide. She reported 6,329 admissions in fiscal year 2025, average daily populations of 1,041 in halfway houses and 494 in Recovery Kentucky, and explained that Recovery Kentucky placements are more restrictive, generally excluding violent and sex offenders, while halfway houses serve probationers, parolees, and sex offenders who need treatment. She also described programming such as MRT, parenting, adult basic education, and trauma-focused services, and said some facilities offer supervised visitation. Daily said no new funding request was included in the current budget, though DOC has sought rate increases in prior cycles. Community Transitional Services director Barbara Stum also testified in support of halfway houses as re-entry and substance abuse treatment centers. She said CTS primarily serves men coming out of prison or returning to prison who need treatment, and that halfway houses provide security, accountability, treatment, employment support, and help with home placement. Stum said the state moved substance abuse treatment into the community in 2010 to avoid sending people back to prison for treatment, and argued halfway houses are the least expensive form of incarceration. She cited daily rates of $33.61 for CTS beds and DOC figures of $37.33 to $44.33 per day, compared with higher prison and jail costs, and said reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation since the last increase in 2019. She said staffing and supplies are the main pressure points, with counselor pay below market rates, and noted two counselor vacancies. A former resident, Michael Bird, testified that CTS helped him recover and re-enter the community successfully. The committee also received an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on implementation of the video arraignment/video conferencing system. AOC officials Zach Ramsey and Charles Buyers said the system is now fully implemented in all courtrooms and is used for video arraignments and other Zoom-based court proceedings. Buyers described the pandemic-era transition from older, inconsistent equipment to improvised laptop/webcam setups, then to a more integrated vendor-supported system with touchscreen controls and a judicial support specialist position for training and operation. He said 324 courtrooms are already up to the current standard, with 128 remaining on an older bundle, and that there are no technical barriers to continued use. AOC said it is seeking $3.8 million in recurring annual funding to keep the systems upgraded and current, and plans to upgrade 46 systems in fiscal year 2026 across 15 counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh and House File 100 licensing.
• Uh, next bill on the agenda is<00:43:22.079><c> House</c><00:43:22.319><c> File</c> is House File is
• SV Beckl, House Fiscal.
• HF2443-DE1 are the House bill as HF2443-DE1 are the House bill as proposed<00:46:40.319><c> today.
• </c> license that is being created in house license that is being created in house file<00:48:43.200>

Bills: HF1646 , HF2443

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This time to speak in opposition to House Bill 516. My name is Jean Hinchide.
• House Bill 516 is not a clean-up bill. It is a scrub-difference-away bill.
• House Bill 516 is not a clean-up bill. It is a scrub-difference-away bill.
• I'm speaking against House Bill 516.
• Committee, we have House Bill 516 before us for possible action.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2104 House Bill 2104 deals with local aviation resources for wildfire response.
• Are there any questions for staff on House Bill 2104?
• That completes our testimony on House Bill 2104.
• House Bill 2348 is DNR request legislation.
• I can see it from my house.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held public hearings on three bills. HB 2104 would make permanent the Aviation Assurance Funding Program, which lets DNR provide aerial wildfire response resources to local fire departments during initial attack. The prime sponsor, Rep. Tom Dent, said the program helps small rural districts avoid costly state mobilization and keeps fires small; DNR and local fire officials testified in strong support, citing rapid response times, major property protection, and even a rescue of a trapped civilian. No opposition testimony was heard, and the sign-in record showed 215 pro and one con. HB 2348, a DNR request bill, would streamline timber and land sale procedures by allowing more online notice, changing where sales may be held, permitting re-offering of no-bid sales, and clarifying appraisal and fair-market-value standards for certain land transfers. DNR said the bill would improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden, while the American Forest Resource Council and Washington Forest Protection Association supported it as a modernization measure that preserves fiduciary protections for trust lands. Committee members asked about the scope of the trust-land language and potential savings; the sign-in record showed 43 pro and one con. HB 2454 would raise the surface mine reclamation threshold from three acres to seven acres of disturbed area, reducing the number of small gravel and aggregate operations subject to DNR permitting. Rep. Andrew Engel argued the change would help small rural producers compete against larger corporations and lower burdens on local material suppliers. DNR opposed the bill, saying acreage alone does not determine environmental risk and that the permit process provides important review, technical assistance, and reclamation planning; the agency said it was open to discussing alternative approaches. A remote industry witness supported the bill, saying it would help small sources remain viable while county regulation would still apply. The sign-in record showed 143 pro and three con. After the hearings, the committee adjourned without taking votes on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you could please get ready to present your bill, which is House File 173.
• bill, House File 9, then a Norris bill, House File 385.
• bill, House File 9, then a Norris bill, House File 385.
• I urge the committee to support House File 173. Thank you.
• I urge the committee to support House File 173. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to move House File 2 before the committee.
• I believe that House File 2 addresses these issues.
• All right, and with that, House File 3 will be laid over for future date.
• All right, and with that, House File 3 will be laid over for future date.
• </c> for the notes house file two I had house for the notes house file two I had house file<00:15:26.279

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 3900 as >> Third reading. House File 3900 as amended. >> Third reading.
• </c><00:13:22.320><c> File</c> you to please vote yes on House File you to please vote yes on House File
• </c> of House File 3900. of House File 3900.
• It's support this uh House File 3900.
• </c><00:35:36.320><c> File</c> recommend a green vote on House File recommend a green vote on House File