Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is written creates a new definition, which is not just a breeder, not a commercial breeder,
• because a commercial breeder is breeder because a commercial breeder is already<01:51:14.719> defined
• So, we have pet vendors, we have commercial breeders, and we have residential breeders.
• residential breeder. Mhm. residential breeder. Mhm.
• We are uh not breeders or vendors. We are uh not breeders or retail<02:32:13.439> operations.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every breed registry under the American Kennel Club has a breeder code of ethics prohibiting breeders
• The only breeders willing to sell to pet stores are those unscrupulous breeders who reject their own
• The breeder failed.
• This bill would not stop bad breeders at all.
• Breeders, and there are too many breeders who are not regulated, and that's what causes the problem.

Bills: HB74, HB175, HB460, HB576, HB2271, HB2294, HB2874, HB3016, HB3133, HB3191, HB3458, HB3929, HB4063, HB4115, HB4394, HB74, HB175

Keywords: Puerto Verde, Port Authority, eminent domain, bonds, tax assessments, economic development, infrastructure, transportation, public welfare, child care, certifications, Texas Rising Star Program, grant program, disability inclusion, family income, affordability, economic impact, state study, cost analysis, government support

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, we have Lynn Boote with Ocala Horse Breeders and Horsemen. Ms.
• My almost 4,000 victories, including six Breeders' Cups, as well as the Preetness, Including six Breeders
• Up next, we have Tom Ventura with Ocala Breeders Sales Company.
• I'm the president of Ocala Breeders Sales Company.
• I'm vice president of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company.

Summary: The Commerce Committee held its first meeting, took roll, established a quorum, and heard opening remarks from the chair, vice chair, and ranking member emphasizing the committee’s broad scope and focus on Florida’s economy and daily-life issues. The committee then considered several bills, with members and staff noting the agenda included four bills and a PCS. The first measures dealt with insurance and consumer regulation. CS/HB 367 on home and service warranty associations was explained as allowing financial requirements to be met through one or more contractual liability policies and reducing certain filing requirements; an amendment adding requirements for liability insurance coverage was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. HB 655 on pet insurance and wellness programs created a regulatory framework for pet insurance and also passed favorably. HB 6015, which deleted the word “reusable” from the wine keg statute, had brief support testimony and passed favorably. The committee spent the most time on CS/HB 105, a strike-all PCS on thoroughbred permit holders and decoupling racing from gaming. The sponsor said the revised bill would decouple racing and gaming while adding protections for the thoroughbred industry, including a notice period before racing could stop, permit transferability, and changes to how breeders’ and owners’ funds are administered. Supporters argued the bill would preserve and strengthen the industry through clearer rules and more direct support, while opponents—horsemen, breeders, trainers, veterinarians, and related businesses—warned it would harm a major rural industry, threaten jobs, and favor casino interests. After extensive debate, the strike-all was adopted and the bill was reported favorably on a divided vote. Finally, HB 11 on municipal water and sewer utility rates was presented as correcting an unintended consequence in surcharge law for utilities owned by one municipality but located in another. Testimony focused on the fairness of the current surcharge structure and the impact on Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach. After debate about negotiation, parity, and local impacts, the bill passed favorably. The committee then adjourned after its first meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• who those breeders are.
• Sourcing from licensed breeders and disclosing who those breeders are.
• <00:07:36.560> Many<00:07:36.800> breeders breeder license numbers.
• Many breeders breeder license numbers.
• backyard breeder. Any followup? backyard breeder. Any followup?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These are not good breeders.
• If the supporters of this legislation are truly seeking to shut down bad breeders, breeders, then the
• This bill does not stop bad breeders.
• Additionally, looking at using USDA-permitted breeders.
• Now we have over 200 breeders in that program.

Bills: HB12, HB149, SB229, SB1361, SB1749, SB1897, SB2113, SB2566, SB2677, SB1652, SB2327, SB2344, SB2696, HB12, HB149

Keywords: artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, automobile sales, finance, retail seller, motor vehicle purchase, motor vehicle sales, pricing restrictions, third-party financing, education, funding, student assessment, accountability, standards, motor vehicle, financing

Transcript Highlights:

• Once we have that, we can then inform the breeder, the Once we have that, we can then inform the breeder
• It also shows 16 states that have released deer that are breeder deer from pins, game preserves, breeder
• It also shows 16 states that have released deer that are breeder deer from pins, game preserves, breeder
• There's been 16 other states that released breeder deer and, or breeder genetics for restoration of wildlife
• I don't own any breeder deer. I don't have any partnerships on breeder deer.

Bills: HB3270, HB3145, HB3056

Keywords: farmed cervidae, chronic wasting disease, genetic resistance, wildlife management, agriculture, wildlife tagging, hunting regulations, Cervidae family, feral swine, exotic wildlife, conservation, commercial hunting, raw milk, unpasteurized, farm sales, Oklahoma Milk and Milk Products Act, local producers, advertising

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from Texas A&M professor Chris Seaberry on chronic wasting disease (CWD) genetics in deer and elk. He argued that susceptibility to CWD is polygenic, that genomic prediction can identify more resistant animals with high accuracy, and that selecting for resistant breeding values plus the PRNP codon 96 S allele could reduce disease prevalence. He said his work has been used in USDA/APHIS programs, that some facilities have been cleaned up using these methods, and that concerns about inbreeding, increased shedding, or harm to hunting quality are overstated. Committee members questioned the science, the risk of releasing potentially infected animals, the financial incentives for breeders, and whether wildlife agencies were resisting the program for philosophical or institutional reasons. The witness and senators also discussed the Department of Wildlife’s role, the Attorney General’s opinion, and whether the state should act more quickly or wait for more data. The committee then took up House Bill 3270, which would shift rulemaking authority for the deer-release/CWD program from the Department of Wildlife to the Department of Agriculture after members said Wildlife had failed to promulgate rules for two years. The Department of Wildlife testified that it believed it had complied by collecting native deer samples and that it had been operating under a different understanding until the Attorney General’s March 5 opinion clarified the original law. After debate over agency inaction, the adequacy of the science, and the impact on deer breeders and hunters, the committee voted 3-9 against the bill, and HB 3270 failed. The committee also confirmed Jessica Wilcox to an executive nomination by a 12-0 vote. It then advanced House Bill 3145, which clarifies tagging rules for commercial hunts by making $10 tags apply only to male native wildlife and $0 tags apply to female, feral swine, and exotic wildlife; the bill passed 12-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3056, which would allow unpasteurized cow, goat, and sheep milk to be sold at feed stores and farmers markets with labeling; members questioned gallon limits and whether the bill included adequate warning language, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Purses and Breeders' Awards drive horse owners, breeders, and trainers to breed and race in the state
• My wife and I are also breeders and have been for the last 27 consecutive years.
• I'm the president of Ocala Breeders' Sales Company.
• The relationship between Florida's racetracks and breeders is delicate yet vital.
• The relationship between Florida's racetracks and breeders is delicate yet vital.

Summary: The committee first handled Senate confirmations, hearing two support waivers from the Florida Swimming Pool Association, and then voted to recommend confirmation of all appointees in a block vote. It then took up several bills, adopting amendments and reporting each measure favorably: CS/SB 462 on transportation, which included FDOT authority over speed limits, EV-related funding, MPO changes, workforce grants, and an I-4 widening report; SB 1574 on energy infrastructure investment, creating a PSC mechanism for renewable natural gas infrastructure cost recovery; SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, limiting local government energy-source restrictions; and SB 726 on swatting, adding liability for prosecution/investigation costs and restitution for injuries or property damage. The committee also approved CS/SB 496 on timeshare management and CS/SB 1076 on roof contracting, both with technical or clarifying amendments. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 408 on thoroughbred permit holders and decoupling live racing from gaming licenses at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Senator Burgess presented a strike-all amendment that would delay decoupling for seven years, with a three-year notice period and a four-year guarantee of racing and current purse/breeder award structures. The sponsor and supporters said the longer runway was intended to create room for negotiations and align Florida with other pari-mutuel operations. The committee heard extensive public testimony, overwhelmingly opposed, from horsemen, breeders, veterinarians, farm owners, sales companies, and related businesses who warned the bill would reduce racing, depress breeding, threaten tens of thousands of jobs, and harm a major agricultural industry. A few speakers, including representatives of the Miccosukee Tribe, opposed the bill as a casino expansion that would benefit out-of-state interests and undermine existing gaming arrangements. No final vote on SB 408 was taken in the portion provided, and the committee continued public testimony after a recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• Breeders have no idea what that deer will encounter or be exposed to, or where it resides.
• Breeders have no idea what that deer will encounter or be exposed to, or where it resides.
• Breeders have no idea what that deer will encounter or be exposed to, or where it resides.
• Breeders have no idea what that deer will encounter or be exposed to, or where it resides.
• Breeders have no idea what that deer will encounter or be exposed to, or where it resides.

Bills: HB4568, HB5458, HB4543, HB2703, HB3728, HCR113, HCR126

Keywords: film industry, incentives, grants, Texas, moving image, economic development, production companies, content standards, HB 5458, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD, chronic wasting disease, CWD, cervids, deer, elk, moose, wildlife management, game animals, disease management

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to address solidifying how we define a qualified breeder and how all that's identified.
• and how all that's qualified breeder and how all that's identified<00:04:41.440> I<00:04:41.560
• <00:08:24.840> tours facilitating tours of our breeders tours facilitating tours of our breeders
• as they have um put in some breeders as they have um put in some good<00:15:42.040> ordinances
• that are operating qualified breeders that are operating and<00:29:00.360> that<00:29:00.519>

Keywords: Intro: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:31 Discussion of SB 122: 02:30 Roll Call Vote on SB 122: 26:47, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Agriculture Committee took up Senate Bill 122, a measure dealing with pet stores, breeders, and the scope of local regulation. The chair explained the bill was intended to balance private business rights with local control, and said he wanted to clarify definitions such as qualified breeder, local authority, and where fees and fines would go. He also said he would work on a floor amendment and noted concerns about whether the bill would allow localities to outright ban pet stores or instead only regulate them. The committee first adopted a committee substitute by motion and voice vote. Supporters of the bill, including representatives from Petland and an attorney who had worked on animal-related regulation in Ohio, argued that the bill would create statewide standards, protect responsible pet retailers from what they described as politically motivated local bans, and preserve consumer choice. They said local governments would still be able to inspect, require documentation, and enforce licensing, but not shut businesses down without due process. A senator from Campbell County asked whether the bill would interfere with strong local ordinances; supporters responded that the bill would set standards higher than USDA rules and still allow local regulation, while opposing local bans. Opposition came from the Kentucky League of Cities and representatives of Kentucky animal care and control agencies. KLC said local decisions should remain at the local level and noted that several cities and one county already had ordinances that could be affected; it also said the bill was opposed by its board and might overlap with pending litigation. Animal control representatives said the bill did not clearly define breeder verification or enforcement responsibility, could restrict local authority, and did not address animal care conditions or consumer transparency. After questions and debate, the committee voted on the bill; the roll call ended in a 5-5 tie, and Senate Bill 122 failed to pass out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• and statelicicensed commercial breeders and statelicicensed commercial breeders are<01:41:59.199
• plan to purchase pets from a breeder. plan to purchase pets from a breeder.
• <01:44:33.280> to and it holds uh commercial breeders to and it holds uh commercial breeders
• standards for breeders and shelters. standards for breeders and shelters.
• Those who buy from licensed breeders Those who buy from licensed breeders will<01:51:21.040>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I wanted to look at the big picture, purses and breeders awards, dry force owners, breeders and trainers
• The importance of purses and breeders awards.
• The relationship between Florida's racetracks and breeders is delicate yet vital.
• Just to. >> Quick follow up what I heard from other breeders as well.
• I'm the director sales for the Ocala breeders sales company located in Ocala.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, we didn't hear from the oat breeder or the barley breeder. That's true.
• But we didn't hear from the oat breeder or the barley breeder and all of those.
• We used to have two barley breeders. Now the department chair is the one barley breeder left.
• Good breeders don't come cheap, and we had an excellent wheat breeder, and we do have an excellent weed
• breeder there now again.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2023 for the Racing Commission. Members confirmed the bill’s existing items, including the internships program and copier replacement, and then adopted an amendment based on the worksheet that moved those items to one-time funding. The committee then passed SB 2023 as amended, with the only noted differences from the Senate version being the one-time treatment of the $20,000 internship item and the copier replacement. Next, the committee considered House Bill 2011 for the Highway Patrol. Representative Pyle explained a series of verbal amendments that shifted several one-time and ongoing expenses from the general fund to the electronic permit fee fund, including body armor, preliminary breath test devices, handgun replacement, emergency vehicle operations course resurfacing, and related items, while also removing the shooting range ventilation project because it could be completed with existing funds. The committee also added a section allowing carryover authority for federal grant dollars tied to the in-car router system. After adopting the amendments, the committee passed HB 2011 as amended. The committee then discussed Senate Bill 2014 for the Industrial Commission, focusing on a proposed amendment by Representative Fisher that would direct additional percentages of North Dakota Mill net income to wheat breeding programs at NDSU’s main experiment station and branch research centers. Members asked about current funding, the size of the proposed transfers, and how the money would be used, with Fisher arguing the funds would support breeding, disease resistance, and related research. Several members said they wanted more information on existing funding and program costs before advancing the idea, so the committee held the amendment for further review and took no final action on the bill during this discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Steve Cook with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association.
• In 2025, Florida breeders produced 82 open and graded stakes wins.
• I am the president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association. I am also...
• Zero revenue shares with owners, trainers, and breeders as exist under current law.
• I'm the president of Ocala Breeder Sales Company. We are an auction company.

Transcript Highlights:

• residential breeder residential breeder and<00:46:25.800> removing<00:46:26.520> these
• breeders, kennel clubs, among others. breeders, kennel clubs, among others.
• get a puppy from a residential breeder get a puppy from a residential breeder are<01:05:36.200><
• a a category called hobby breeders. a a category called hobby breeders.
• didn't we didn't have hobby breeders. didn't we didn't have hobby breeders.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• breeder genetics.
• All these breeder deer trace back to wild deer.
• There's been 16 other states that released breeder deer and/or breeder genetics for the restoration of
• I don't own any breeder deer. I don't have any partnerships on breeder deer.
• And I think your deer breeders are probably the ones concerned.

Bills: HB3270, HB3145, HB3056

Keywords: farmed cervidae, chronic wasting disease, genetic resistance, wildlife management, agriculture, wildlife tagging, hunting regulations, Cervidae family, feral swine, exotic wildlife, conservation, commercial hunting, raw milk, unpasteurized, farm sales, Oklahoma Milk and Milk Products Act, local producers, advertising, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One is to Tampa Bay Downs, and the other is to the Breeders Association.
• The breeders got money. We started a campaign.
• Guess what's the most important thing to breeders? Stability and certainty.
• The Legislature made a massive financial commitment to the breeders.
• to the breeders and and made a commitment to that.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard presentations on protecting minors from age-restricted products from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Attorney General’s office. DBPR described its Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco division’s licensing and enforcement work on alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and hemp sales, including inspections, undercover underage-purchase operations, arrests, and coordination with the Attorney General on hemp and nicotine enforcement. Members asked about trends in youth use, retailer training, use of underage decoys in investigations, and whether additional education or penalties could help reduce sales to minors. The Attorney General’s office then outlined the new nicotine dispensing device directory created under last year’s law, explaining the criteria for listing devices attractive to minors, the notice process for manufacturers and retailers, and enforcement consequences once listed devices become contraband. Members discussed online sales, product descriptions, notice to industry, and whether more outreach to parents, schools, and local partners could help. The committee then took up House Bill 105, which would decouple thoroughbred pari-mutuel permit holders from the requirement to conduct live racing in order to operate card rooms/slot gaming. The bill sponsor said the measure would align thoroughbred permits with other live-event permits and argued the industry is already declining and heavily subsidized, so the Legislature should not force a private business to keep an unprofitable line of business. An amendment by Rep. Yeager was adopted to remove live-racing requirements for thoroughbred permit holders who are card room licensees, broadening the bill’s effect to include Tampa Bay Downs as well as Gulfstream Park. Public testimony was sharply divided: supporters said decoupling would give tracks flexibility and not end racing, while opponents from the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry warned it would undermine live racing, breeding, jobs, farmland, and the broader equine economy. After debate, several members spoke in favor of the bill, emphasizing business flexibility, declining foal counts, and the view that the state should not require a private industry to maintain racing to keep gaming rights. Opponents argued the bill could damage a signature Florida industry and its economic impact. The committee then voted 10-6 to report HB 105 favorably, with several members voting no and some excused. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• provided for legitimate animal breeders provided for legitimate animal breeders and<01:44:59.040
• As a purebred breeder and cat owner, no cats of ours are allowed to free roam per breeder contract.
• As a purebred breeder and cat owner, no cats of ours are allowed to free roam per breeder contract.
• As a purebred breeder and cat owner, no cats of ours are allowed to free roam per breeder contract.
• <01:47:22.960> contract, breeder contract, breeder contract, um,<01:47:24.960> a<01:47:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1552, which would make the attorney general the interim chief election officer if that office becomes vacant until the Elections Commission appoints a replacement. The Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, saying it could create a conflict of interest if the attorney general were both the state’s lawyer and the chief elections officer in any related litigation. The League of Women Voters supported having some interim backup for the office, but said it was not necessarily advocating that the attorney general fill the role. Several other testifiers, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, opposed the bill, arguing the current law already provides for a prompt commission appointment and warning about partisan bias and concentration of power. Supporters, including Indivisible Hawaii, said an interim mechanism is needed to ensure election certification in a crisis. The chair also asked whether any statutory acting capacity already exists, and the attorney general said none was known. The committee then took up House Bill 2125, which would bar corporations operating under state law from engaging in election activity. The attorney general opposed the bill, citing Citizens United and arguing that corporations have First Amendment-protected political speech rights and that the bill would likely be unconstitutional. Indivisible Hawaii supported the measure, saying it would keep elections focused on the will of the people rather than corporate influence. Libertarian Party testimony was mixed: one witness supported the goal of reducing corruption but warned the bill could suppress organized dissent and sweep too broadly by treating many associations as corporations. The bill’s introducer asked whether the legislature could still enact it as a policy matter, but the attorney general maintained federal constitutional law would control. No vote was taken on either bill during the portion of the hearing provided. The committee also heard House Bill 2493 on wrongful imprisonment, which would set procedures and compensation for people whose convictions are reversed or vacated on grounds consistent with innocence and whose charges are dismissed. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation supported the bill’s intent but objected to language assigning it responsibility for helping released individuals secure housing, identification, health coverage, and other reentry needs, saying it no longer has jurisdiction after release and suggesting the courts or a community-based contractor handle that role. The Office of the Public Defender strongly supported the bill, emphasizing the harm of wrongful conviction and the need for compensation, case management, and medical coverage after release. No action or vote was reported on this measure in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Parrot breeders and specialty retailers are often small family-run businesses.
• And in this industry, not all rescues, not all pet stores, not all breeders are good places.
• This bill doesn't distinguish between these mills and ethical breeders.
• Breeders and owners have no negative effects on the wild parrot populations on this planet.
• Everything we know now breeders paid for, not sanctuaries. That requires selling some birds.

Bills: H5432, H5433, S3093, H5363, H5137, H5247

Keywords: Newbury, rodenticides, second generation anticoagulant rodenticides, SGARs, pesticides, pest control, wildlife protection, environmental regulation, local bylaw, municipal authority, private property, rodent control, anticoagulant poison, public health, Massachusetts local option, Wellfleet, fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, nutrient pollution

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on late-file bills, with testimony focused first on multiple home rule petitions seeking local authority to restrict anticoagulant rodenticides in towns including Andover, Topsfield, North Andover, Williamstown, Georgetown, Lexington, and others. Municipal officials, residents, wildlife advocates, and conservation groups described documented harm to hawks, owls, foxes, turtles, pets, and other wildlife, and argued that towns should be able to regulate these poisons locally. Several speakers said their towns had already voted to support restrictions and were using integrated pest management and other alternatives. Committee members noted that statewide rodenticide legislation had already advanced out of committee in both chambers and that the environmental bond bill was in conference committee, but no votes were taken during the hearing itself. The committee then heard testimony on H. 5137, a bill to prohibit the retail sale of parrots. Supporters, including animal welfare groups, veterinarians, rescue operators, and advocates, said parrots are often sourced from large breeding facilities with poor conditions, that many birds are surrendered because they are difficult long-term pets, and that rescues are overwhelmed. They argued the bill would encourage adoption, reduce demand for commercial breeding and trafficking, and improve bird welfare and public health. Opponents, including breeders, pet retailers, aviculture representatives, and rescue operators, said the bill would harm small businesses, reduce consumer access and transparency, and push sales to unregulated markets without improving welfare. Several speakers said the bill should instead focus on stronger standards and enforcement rather than banning sales. A separate bill, S. 310, designating the Marion Stoddard River Walk, was also briefly discussed in testimony supporting Marion Stoddard’s environmental work. The hearing ended after the committee finished taking testimony and adjourned; no roll-call votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before the licensed game breeder statute we have today, a chronic... breeder statute we have today, a
• Uh, the Alabama Deer Breeders. Okay. And so when Alabama Deer Breeders. Okay.
• Um, what happened between the breeders Um, what happened between the breeders and conservation was when
• I had no idea we had breeders, and those... ...had breeders, and those deer that are bred are also available
• And do you have any idea how many breeders there are in... ...any idea how many breeders there are in

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• after the cat breeders there's no cat<01:36:57.639> breeders<01:36:58.040> that<01:36:
• Myself am a cat breeder, and we are regulated by the worldwide cat breeders association, and that is
• cat population um many of the Breeders cat population um many of the Breeders and<01:42:15.719><
• are out there how many hobby breeders are out there how many hobby breeders<01:44:20.280> how
• CFA breeders.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.