Video & Transcript : 'regulated waters' :
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FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-04-03 (12:30PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Faith Christian Academy is a ministry of Living Waters World Outreach Center.
- We can take an example of water and land conservation, which is a bipartisan issue that is supported
- Because of their hard work, we now have dedicated funding to protect our drinking water, restore the
- The body of water formerly known...
- Renaming this body of water the Gulf of America is not a matter of name.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for Deputy Will May of the Walton County Sheriff’s Department, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum established. The Rules and Ethics Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and CS for HB 947 was recommitted to the Judiciary Committee. The chamber then took up several special-order bills, mostly reviser and technical measures, including SB 36, SB 42, SB 40, and SB 38, all of which passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief explanations that they updated or cleaned up Florida statutes.
Members also passed HB 513 on electronic transmittal of court orders, requiring clerks to send certain petitions, notices, summonses, and orders within six hours, including Baker Act, Marchman Act, and risk protection orders. HB 615, on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices by email when both parties agree in writing, passed after adoption of a tenant-protection amendment offered by Rep. Gottlieb. HB 655 establishing a regulatory framework for pet insurance and wellness programs passed unanimously. HB 1145 on workforce education passed 100-4, expanding CAP grant eligibility to public charter schools for CTE startup/expansion and increasing minimum program offerings tied to a money-back guarantee program. HB 299 on elevator accessibility requirements passed unanimously, and HB 649 on autonomous practice by certified registered nurse anesthetists passed 77-30 after structured debate.
The most extensive debate centered on CS for HB 1205, which would significantly revise Florida’s citizen initiative process. The bill would require a $1 million bond after 25% of required signatures are collected, require petition handlers and circulators to be Florida residents and U.S. citizens, impose background checks and training for paid circulators, shorten petition turn-in deadlines to 10 days, increase penalties, add signature revocation notices, require more identifying information on petition forms, and create felony penalties for certain misconduct. Supporters argued the changes were needed to combat fraud and protect petition integrity; opponents said the bill would burden First Amendment activity and make ballot initiatives harder for ordinary Floridians to pursue. Multiple amendments sought to roll back or soften the bill’s requirements, protect personal information, restore longer deadlines, lower validation thresholds, and bar public funds from being used to advocate for or against amendments. Some amendments were adopted, but several key ones failed as debate continued.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
FIN-WAM Joint Info Briefing - Mon Jan 26, 2026 @ 1:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And the sensitivity on water and the conversation about water and our survival about water and all of
- If you look at our Sand Island water.
- </c> in waste water in waste water is<01:16:00.000><c> definitely</c><01:16:00.400><c> there,</c><01:
- </c> valleys with the water coming down. valleys with the water coming down.
- on potable water.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><02:21:23.439><c> investment</c> staking services regulated investment staking services regulated
- The committee report is adopted. and zoning regulations. and zoning regulations.
- </c><05:07:52.400><c> deadly</c> public safety and regulating deadly public safety and regulating deadly
- </c> our state is no regulation at all. our state is no regulation at all.
- ><c> are</c> claim that any rules or regulations are claim that any rules or regulations are an<05:08
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- It constitutes abuse to, and I'll quote directly from the language here, monitor or regulate financial
- And Senate Bill 1202, amending Section 45-105, A.R.S., relating to the Department of Water Resources.
- I'm generally very skeptical of water bills that pop up at the last minute with substantial amendments
- in the basin. ...for the developer, and it's a win for the aquifer that leaves the water in the basin
- When I introduced HB 2893 to examine the relationship between data center incentives, water security,
Summary:
The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, approved the journal, and welcomed several guests in the gallery, including a high school student and an advocate connected to the domestic violence bill HB 2995. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, first advancing HB 4155, HB 4156, and HB 4157, then HB 4164, HB 4165, and HB 4166, all with do-pass recommendations and no substantive amendments on those calendars. Later, the House also considered SB 1326, a victims’ rights measure, adopted a floor amendment, and reported it out as amended. The House corrected an earlier clerical error regarding HB 4155-4157 being referred to engrossing rather than third reading.
The House then took up a long series of final passage votes on Senate bills. SB 2174, SB 2611, SB 1011, SB 1012, SB 1016, SB 1018, SB 1038, SB 1039, SB 1040, SB 1053, SB 1055, SB 1057, SB 1060, SB 1061, SB 1068, SB 1069, SB 1075, SB 1100, SB 1113 on reconsideration, SB 1160, and SB 1170 all passed. SB 2873, SB 1004, SB 1009, SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1049, SB 1093, and SB 1143 failed. SB 2995, the emergency family-law/domestic-violence bill known as the Alec and Lydia Act, passed with the required two-thirds vote after extensive debate; supporters said it would better protect children and clarify judicial standards, while opponents argued its definitions were overly broad and could harm families. SB 1018 on foreign laws also drew extended debate over Sharia law, with supporters framing it as a defense of American values and opponents calling it unnecessary and discriminatory.
Several votes included explanations focused on policy concerns. SB 1004 on sex-offender registration and monitoring drew debate over whether electronic monitoring is effective. SB 1040 on voter registration transparency prompted arguments over public access to voter rolls versus privacy and security. SB 1118 on municipal zoning and historical homes was debated as a property-rights and local-control issue, with supporters saying it could help preserve affordable housing and opponents warning it would override local decisions. The House also adopted motions to reconsider prior actions on SB 1043 and SB 1100, and it requested the Senate return SB 1552 for reconsideration. The session ended with the House still processing additional Committee of the Whole business, including HB 4158, HB 4159, HB 4160, HB 4161, HB 4162, and HB 4163, with HB 4162 and HB 4163 receiving floor amendments and do-pass recommendations.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Indian Affairs Jul 17th, 2025
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- But the other thing about it is that the water that we're getting is mined water.
- We're watering our golf course with affluent water from the sewer treatment plant.
- They need water.
- And if we move water, it doesn't freeze. Moving water doesn't freeze.
- There'll be water tanks.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Senate Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, February 25, 2026
Minerals, Business & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- . regulations. regulations.
- Now, um, it requires regulation.
- </c><00:25:51.039><c> financial</c> we're highly regulated financial we're highly regulated financial
- We're already regulated at the state level. We are also regulated at the federal level.
- </c> are also regulated at the federal level. are also regulated at the federal level.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- With all we behold the work of your hands, we give thanks for the Everglades and the living waters, for
- This is a very important bill to our firefighters and also to our water supplies and to all of us as
- Finally, the bill directs the Office of Insurance Regulation, DCF, and CBCs to analyze five years of
- It is a human rights ordinance, a regulation that says, for example, because there are municipalities
- And just for a clarification, OIR has the full authority to regulate surplus lines, correct?
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and memorial remarks, including a moment of silence for service members killed in the conflict in Iran. The chamber then moved to special orders and took up a series of bills, with many measures passing unanimously after brief explanations and, in several cases, substitution of House companions. Early bills included CS/CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate education, which drew extensive supportive debate about the civic value of debate programs and passed 37-0, and SB 1072 on an anti-Semitism task force, which was amended to clarify that criticism of Israel is not prohibited and then passed 37-0.
The Senate also approved CS/CS/SB 1230/HB 1019 on PFAS chemicals and firefighting foam, with discussion focused on phasing out AFFF, testing requirements, exceptions for federal aviation and military uses, and support for firefighters and water quality; the bill passed 37-0. Other measures passed without opposition included SB 1706 on the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, SB 186 on student health and safety and seizure response training, SB 598 on funeral and cemetery services, SB 990/HB 883 on protected cell captive insurance companies, SB 554 on nonprofit corporations, SB 560 on child welfare and foster care medication procedures, SB 684/HB 961 on electronic signatures for salvage titles, and SB 778/HB 569 on forensic client services. Two bills, SB 432 on intoxicating substances and SB 928 on dangerous crimes, were temporarily postponed.
A major portion of the meeting was devoted to SB 1134 on official actions of local governments and DEI-related activities. The sponsor argued the bill would prevent counties and municipalities from funding or promoting DEI efforts he described as discriminatory or indoctrinating, while opponents offered amendments to narrow the bill to spending only, add an intent requirement for penalties, and preserve local proclamations and observances. Those amendments were debated at length but were not adopted. The sponsor then continued explaining the bill’s exceptions, including references to holidays, heritage sites, and the Pulse Memorial, and the chamber was still in debate on the underlying measure when the transcript ended.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Health and Public Affairs Feb 17th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We adhere to all of the rules and regulations and work very closely with our tribal partners.
- We adhere to all of the rules and regulations and work very closely with our tribal partners.
- Who knows where we'll be watered down in the next year?
- Is this through RLD, Regulation and Licensing Department, division?
Summary:
The Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee heard several measures focused on health and child welfare. House Bill 65 would codify and fund CYFD’s foster care plus short-term stabilization pilot for children in state custody with behavioral health needs, using clinical experts and specialized foster parent training to reduce office stays, hotel placements, and multiple placements. CYFD and child welfare advocates supported the bill, while senators raised concerns about cultural competency, ICWA/IFPA compliance, LGBTQ youth placement, and the need to spell out protections in statute. The bill passed 9-0 to the next committee.
The committee then considered House Bill 13 and House Bill 14, joining the occupational therapy compact and the dentist/dental hygienist compact. Both bills drew support from health agencies, chambers of commerce, and professional groups as workforce tools to improve licensure portability and recruitment. Members, however, were uneasy about late-arriving amendments, venue provisions, commission authority, and how much control New Mexico would retain over compact rules and enforcement. After debate, HB 13 advanced 6-3 and HB 14 advanced 7-3, both to Judiciary.
House Bill 256, which would require school emergency response plans to include cardiac emergencies during athletic activities, received support from the American Heart Association and nursing advocates, who cited survival benefits from rapid AED use and CPR. Questions centered on travel across state lines, private and religious schools, homeschool athletics, and enforcement, but the bill passed 10-0. House Bill 66, which updates the health care professional loan repayment program to increase physician awards and broaden recruitment incentives, was backed by provider groups and business organizations; dentists noted concerns about equity, but the bill passed 5-0.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
October 8, 2025 - 10:30 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- Our jurisdiction includes health facility, regulation, commercial health insurance coverage.
- Regulation is Division of Health and Life.
- If you have a tax for this above 6% first triggers a whole host of federal regulations and requirements
- Met from from the water being enrolled in the Medicaid program.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- seen the risks when these medications are left in medicine cabinets: accidental misuse, addiction, water
- It's really just a cleanup bill that was requested. by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- By striking the words "and fitness" from the section of the Occupations Code that regulates dietitians
- the FDA – shockingly – has not approved new UV blocking filters since 1996 due to their lengthy regulations
Committee:
House Public Health
Keywords:
SB 670, investigational sun protection products, sun protection, sunscreen, FDA approval, clinical trial, phase one trial, patient access, informed consent, physician prescription, Texas Health and Safety Code, Texas Medical Board, compassionate use, experimental treatment, medical freedom, patient autonomy, healthcare regulation, dietitian, dietitians, licensed dietitian
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- agents, paid HOA fees and fines, returned mail, disconnected landowner hotline, vandalism, and broken water
- informed that it was, in fact, correct that the Interstate Commerce Clause preempted any sort of regulation
- Court of Appeals that has affirmed that states are not preempted from establishing state safety regulations
- Using the Commerce Clause on both arguments is the basis by which we cannot regulate it.
Bills:
HB341 , HB791 , HB1564 , HB1695 , HB1722 , HB1729 , HB1772 , HB2003 , HB2954 , HB2989 , HB3084 , HB3134 , HB3135 , HB3309 , HB3611 , HB3679 , HB3727 , HB3832
Committee:
House Transportation
Keywords:
affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
Senate - Tax, Business and Transportation Mar 20th, 2025
Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- we've been putting it into these permanent funds, our severance fund, our tobacco trust funds, and our water
- with tenure planning horizons to prepare the grid for low growth aligned with other state laws and regulations
- This fixes a problem caused by the fact existing energy efficiency laws and regulations were designed
- except for one that is requiring utilities to submit electrical distribution plans to the Public regulation
Committee:
Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services Mar 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- HAVE YOU LOOKED AT STATUTE RELATED TO THE REGULATION OF PRACTITIONERS OR PROVIDERS NOT JUST PRACTITIONERS
- OR PERHAPS SOME OTHER REMEDIES INVOLVING THE REGULATION, INVOLVING PERHAPS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT
- IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WE MIGHT TIGHTEN UP THOSE REGULATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE THAT YOU ARE TALKING
- SHE COULD NOT DRINK WATER, SHE COULD NOT EAT SOMETHING AND THE FACT THAT SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE SEEN UNTIL
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Bill 3 relates to the establishment of an education savings account program to be administered and regulated
- Members, House Bill 3 creates an Educational Savings Account Program to be administered and regulated
- different things and basically being in a laboratory and the things that work well in this slightly less regulated
- I couldn't see your butt in the water. I apologize. You know I apologize. Yes, ma'am.
Committee:
House Public Education
Keywords:
education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine combating the opioid epidemic. Feb 26th, 2025 at 02:30 pm
Aging (Special) Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Allowing... states to regulate their methadone treatment without undue federal restriction could lead
- care must be strengthened by levying civil penalties for parity violations and incentivizing state regulators
- We don't want to have bureaucracy getting in the way or... you know, regulations in that specific way
- We don't want patrol cars and fire trucks and water trucks. treatment plants because as big pharma who
Committee:
Senate Aging (Special) Committee
Keywords:
opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion
Summary:
The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, January 15, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- So the water supply we should be building in California is impeded because the water has to be shipped
- So the water supply we should be building in California is impeded because the water has to be shipped
- </c> food security livelihood support Water food security livelihood support Water Sanitation<06:54:09.718
- water water supply<07:02:00.520><c> but</c><07:02:01.240><c> that</c><07:02:01.558><c> should</c><07
- </c> have good faith debates about water have good faith debates about water policy<07:10:03.760><c>
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance (01/23/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:41:56.280><c> and</c><00:41:56.599><c> sewer</c> public water and sewer public water and sewer
- </c> way I represent lore Bartlet water way I represent lore Bartlet water Precinct<00:44:52.960><c>
- 55.359><c> and</c> Precinct North Conway water Precinct and Precinct North Conway water Precinct and
- ><c> drinking</c><00:50:43.359><c> water</c><00:50:44.200><c> so</c> Protection of that drinking water
- </c> waters we're also helping with the water waters we're also helping with the water management<01:
Summary:
The Finance Committee held a hearing on several bills and announced at the outset that no votes would be taken because the measures would go to divisions later. The first major bill, HB 197, would require the state to pay 7.5% of political subdivision employer pension contributions for teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Representative Mike Edgar, the prime sponsor, argued the state had repeatedly reduced and then eliminated its promised share of retirement costs, shifting the burden to municipalities and property taxpayers. He said the bill would partially restore that commitment and provide relief to local governments, businesses, and taxpayers.
Several witnesses testified in support of HB 197, including Representative John Cluder, Bradford selectman Marlene Fryer, the New Hampshire Municipal Association’s Margaret Burns, and Epping representative Mark Fone. Supporters said the bill would help with property tax pressure, school budgets, and municipal hiring, and they emphasized that much of the retirement cost reflects unfunded liability decisions made at the state level rather than by local governments. Committee members questioned whether the bill would change local incentives to control costs and how it would affect hiring and compensation. Burns said the state contribution would function as property tax relief because it offsets existing municipal expenses, and she noted the state is already on a long-term schedule to pay down the retirement system’s unfunded liability.
After closing the hearing on HB 197, the committee opened a hearing on HB 97, introduced by Representative Tom Buco. He said the bill would continue funding for delayed and deferred wastewater projects and help municipalities finance expensive wastewater infrastructure, which he tied to housing development and local debt planning. No action or votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee Jun 29th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- get permission from the 1,000 kids' parents to be able to take a picture of them frolicking in the water
- That means it's not regulators making case-by-case judgment calls.
- It's a highly regulated aspect where they can't actually do it in those countries, and it's been very
- Let's get, you know, I'm going to this concert, come hell or high water.
- It puts in place the oversight and regulations to make sure that AI tools maximize the benefits equitably
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard several bills focused on privacy, AI, surveillance, and consumer protections. AB 302 would bar schools from excluding students from extracurricular activities because they do not use social media and would require schools to use at least one non-addictive means of contacting students and parents; it drew support from Common Sense Media and no opposition. AB 1705, the Reclaim Act, would require websites hosting non-consensual pornography to verify consent before upload; district attorneys and the Commission on the Status of Women supported it, while TechNet and CCIA opposed or raised concerns. AB 2007 would separate parental consent for a child’s image/likeness from general program enrollment forms in youth programs; educators supported it, while local government and parks groups raised implementation and penalty concerns. AB 2212 would update higher education sexual harassment definitions to include tech-facilitated harassment such as cyberbullying, doxing, and nudification-related abuse; students and advocacy groups strongly supported it, with no opposition. AB 1837 would extend transit agencies’ authority to use camera enforcement in bus-only lanes and at transit stops, with privacy retention limits and human review; transit agencies supported it, while some senators expressed concern about automated enforcement and surveillance, and the bill was placed on call after a split vote. AB 2392 would create an intersegmental higher education working group on generative AI training and procurement standards; it passed 5-0 after amendments removed prerequisites tying AI deployment to completion of the report. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Later, AB 1798 would prohibit life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information in underwriting; supporters argued it protects privacy and encourages testing, while insurers opposed the bill as undermining risk-based underwriting, and it advanced on a 3-0 vote on call. Finally, AB 1883 would restrict workplace use of emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance tools; labor and privacy advocates supported it, employers and local agencies raised safety and litigation concerns, and it passed 3-0 to Labor after narrowing amendments.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/28/2026 - House Transportation & Infrastructure
Transcript Highlights:
- House Bill 2317 prohibits a local authority from enacting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that
- Chair, I'm seeing that it would not allow cities to regulate, so they could not permit this, correct?
- We self-regulate ourselves, and we actually welcome law enforcement to a lot of our events.
- So they should be regulated just like our festivals that are organized for eight years on Grand Avenue
- What is the—do you have any statistics on the amount of accidents on the water?
Summary:
The committee heard a presentation from Nucor Corporation on its Arizona operations, including the Kingman steel facility, recycling-based electric arc furnace production, workforce development, safety improvements, veteran hiring, and recent investments. Nucor emphasized that its Arizona materials support local infrastructure and manufacturing jobs, and members asked about scrap sources, annual tonnage recycled, average pay, safety practices, and future expansion. No formal action was taken on the presentation.
The committee then considered HB 2574, which would require ADOT to hold off on enforcing a civil traffic judgment while an appeal is pending if a stay is granted. The sponsor and a witness argued the bill would close a due-process gap by preventing penalties from taking effect before appeals are resolved. The committee voted 7-0 to give HB 2574 a due pass recommendation. HB 2057, which lowers the fee for Arizona Centennial special plates on fleet vehicles and directs the fee split to administration and the Centennial Plate Fund, also passed 7-0 after discussion about possibly expanding the discount to other specialty plates.
HB 2109, which raises penalties for repeat distracted-driving violations and adds an enhanced penalty when such conduct causes a motorcycle crash, drew extensive testimony and discussion. Supporters argued stronger fines are needed to change behavior and improve road safety, while members raised concerns that the bill lacked an education component and discussed possible committee-of-the-whole amendments. The committee voted 7-0 to pass the bill. HB 2317, which would bar local governments from prohibiting cruising, generated significant testimony both for and against; supporters framed cruising as a cultural practice tied to lowriding, while opponents described neighborhood congestion, blocked access, trash, and public-safety problems. The chair held HB 2317 so the sponsor and stakeholders could work on amendments. The committee also heard HB 2003, which would lower the minimum age for an instruction permit to 15 and extend permit validity and supervised-driving time for teen drivers; the sponsor argued the changes would improve safety by increasing supervised practice, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on that bill.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
WAL-PBS Joint Public Hearing - Tue Mar 31, 2026 @ 10:00 AM HST
Water & Land
Transcript Highlights:
- We are the Committee on Water and Land.
- :41:17.600><c> help</c><00:41:17.760><c> protect</c> water, reduce runoff and help protect water, reduce
- </c> use in your nursery is your water use in your nursery is your water source.<00:42:35.360><c> So<
- </c> body for the East Maui Water Authority. body for the East Maui Water Authority.
- </c><01:21:05.280><c> delivery</c> and maintaining the EMI water delivery and maintaining the EMI water
Bills:
HCR13 , HCR61 , HCR136 , HCR185 , HCR155 , HCR68 , HCR174 , HCR178 , HCR179 , HCR91 , HCR103 , HCR115 , HCR199 , HR15 , HR128 , HR175 , HR147 , HR62 , HR164 , HR168 , HR169 , HR83 , HR95 , HR107 , HR189
Committee:
House Water & Land
Keywords:
coral reefs, sunscreen, environmental education, student stewardship, marine conservation, reforestation, Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, native forests, climate resilience, sustainable practices, economic opportunity, biodiversity, wildland-urban interface, WUI, wildfire mitigation, wildfire safety, Maui County, County of Maui, Kauai
Summary:
The Committee on Water and Land met on March 31, 2026, and heard testimony on several resolutions. HCR 13/HR 50, which asks DLNR to work with DOE and the Public Charter School Commission on a student coral stewardship program, drew comments from DLNR, which said it stood on written testimony and had proposed amendments, and from supporters in the room. HCR 61, urging investment in reforestation policies, workforce, nursery capacity, and related support for public and private lands, received strong support from DLNR and multiple testifiers, including members of a reforestation policy hui, a resident, and others who emphasized watershed protection, flood and fire resilience, and the need to upgrade nursery infrastructure and staffing. Committee members asked questions about nursery modernization, staffing, island-specific needs, and whether reforestation could reduce wildfire impacts; the DLNR witness said all islands need investment, with especially large opportunities on Hawaiʻi Island, and that healthier forests improve resilience though they cannot eliminate climate-related risks.
The committee then heard HCR 136/HR 128 on wildland-urban interface safety standards for Maui plantation towns, but no one testified. It also heard HCR 185/HR 175, which urges denial of permits for ICE detention-related warehouses; Chris Coffey of Immua Alliance testified in support, saying migrant survivors of exploitation are harmed when ICE detains people and that Hawaii would not be the first place to take such action, citing examples from other states and cities. In questioning, members explored whether a local facility would keep people closer to families and services or instead increase local detention; Coffey said detention generally cuts off access to services and can intensify fear, and that a local facility could incentivize more detention and make survivors less likely to come forward.
Finally, the committee heard HCR 155/HR 147 supporting the Hawaii Water Safety Coalition’s Hawaii Water Safety Act. Testifiers included Allison Shapera, who described the statewide water safety plan, Hawaii’s high drowning rate, the economic and human costs of drownings, and her personal loss of her daughter in a preventable drowning; Kirsten Hermstead and Kalani Vierra of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association said the plan’s recommendations need legislative recognition to help with implementation and grant funding; and Jessamine Town Horner testified by Zoom as a co-founder and bereaved family advocate. The transcript provided does not show any votes or final committee actions on the measures discussed.