Transcript Highlights:

• I now recognize Ranking Member Markey for his opening statement. Ranking Member.
• I ask unanimous consent that the witnesses full statements be included in the record.
• To end my statement with a cautionary observation based on testimony provided just last year by Administrator
• training that we provide is focused on helping people create and understand. and use their financial statements

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Keywords: SBA, 7A loan program, underwriting standards, loan defaults, Community Advantage Program, small business funding, testimony

Summary: The committee meeting focused on discussions regarding the SBA's 7A loan program and its implementation challenges. Members raised significant concerns about recent changes to the underwriting standards, which have been criticized for leading to an increase in loan defaults. Ranking members expressed a desire for a return to stronger guidelines to protect taxpayers and ensure the program remains a viable source for small businesses struggling to secure funding. Testimonies from community lenders highlighted their efforts to support underserved communities and stressed the importance of the Community Advantage Program.

Transcript Highlights:

• I now turn to my friend and colleague, the Vice Chair, for his opening statement.
• thank you thank you vice-chair I understand that Senator Smith you would like to make an opening statement
• Any other opening statements? With that, we will turn to our witnesses.
• about five minutes so that we have more opportunities for questions after you have given us your statement

Committee: Senate Indian Affairs Committee

Keywords: tribal sovereignty, healthcare, education, public safety, Economic Development, Tax Parity Act, PROTECT Act, trust obligations, bipartisan support, Indian Health Services

Summary: The committee meeting focused on crucial issues facing tribal nations, particularly emphasizing the federal government's trust and treaty obligations. The discussions highlighted ongoing challenges such as disparities in healthcare, education, and public safety within Native communities. Chair Murkowski underscored the importance of listening to Native leaders and aligning congressional efforts with community needs, advocating for legislative actions that support tribal sovereignty and economic development. Various initiatives, including the Tax Parity Act and the PROTECT Act, aimed at addressing jurisdictional and financial disparities, were discussed in detail. A call for bipartisan support to alleviate the funding shortages affecting Indian Health Services was made several times during the meeting. Testimonies from tribal leaders and representatives emphasized the dire need for legislative support to enhance infrastructure, healthcare access, and public safety initiatives in tribal communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• CCUS deployment, and I now recognize our Ranking Member, Whitehouse, for his opening statement.
• our committee, and I look forward to a productive discussion. who are welcome to give your opening statement
• Statement that the USED Act was signed in 2020.
• But we have a repeating theme here, and I mentioned it in my opening statement regarding the reliabilities

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• thinks they know all about agriculture, wants to be leading agriculture in this state, to make statements
• To make statements like this is just beyond the pale when he's never even scooped one.

Keywords: 913, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With reprimand, what happens is a statement comes out, but, being less formal, the individual does not
• </c><00:39:04.720><c> comes</c><00:39:05.040><c> out,</c> what happens is a statement comes out, what
• And this is a true statement.
• Those are statements made by an elected official who is a representative of his constituents and also
• <01:02:21.200><c> uh</c><01:02:21.359><c> powerful</c> statement that would be uh powerful statement

Committee: House Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Make the statement when you folks come up and in favor, you better understand the measure, okay?
• Make the statement when you folks come up and in favor, you better understand the measure, okay?
• Make the statement when you folks come up and in favor, you better understand the measure, okay?
• Make the statement when you folks come up and in favor, you better understand the measure, okay?
• when you folks come make the statement when you folks come up<00:05:11.600><c> and</c><00:05:12.160>

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard testimony on several bills, with much of the discussion focused on Enterprise Zones and related economic development measures. On SB 125, the committee heard support from DBEDT, the Department of Taxation, the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, and the Farmers Union. Members questioned how the bill would affect job-creation requirements and learned that existing companies and new companies are treated differently under the program, with existing companies generally subject to a 15% annual employment increase and new companies to a 10% increase, while the bill would extend the program period from seven to nine years. DBEDT also said the program has been effective, citing 1,162 jobs created or maintained at a cost of about $1.2 million, and noted that agriculture, manufacturing, and wholesaling are the main sectors involved. The committee then took up SB 729, also relating to Enterprise Zones, which would expand eligibility to better accommodate local manufacturers and value-added businesses that sell directly to retail rather than only wholesale. Testifiers from the Holua Collaborative and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying it would help small manufacturers and agricultural producers add value and adapt to internet-era sales patterns. A committee discussion clarified that the bill would add value-added processing as an allowable activity within the zones, and DBEDT explained that the current rules were written for a wholesale-dominated market. The Attorney General’s office also testified, raising a supremacy clause concern and recommending language changes to avoid conflict with federal law. On SB 129, relating to labeling requirements for fish, the Attorney General and the Department of Agriculture both raised concerns about federal preemption and enforcement. The AG explained that federal law governs fish labeling but includes an exception for processed fish, and recommended narrowing the bill to processed fish and defining that term to fit the federal carve-out. The Hawaii Longline Association supported the bill but suggested excluding canned tuna while including products such as poke, sashimi, and sushi. The Department of Agriculture said it does not currently enforce this kind of labeling requirement and would need to determine whether another agency should handle enforcement. The committee also heard SB 581, which would establish an aerospace and aeronautics development program within DBEDT. Testimony was generally supportive, but members pressed for a fiscal estimate, and the bill’s sponsor said a prior version of the office had operated on about $400,000 annually with a small staff. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a statement of fact, and that is the basis with which we believe this case might not apply.
• We have a statement of fact, and that is the basis with which we believe this case might not apply.
• It is not an accurate statement to say that all of our 28 colleges have capacity.
• The question was made, or the statement was said, that they are taking... 90 students.
• I also want to make a statement that this isn't because I don't believe in immigration.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then read an amended joint proclamation expanding the special session call to include financial penalties for government officials, criminal penalties for offenses committed by illegal aliens, and programs and appropriations to support law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. No committee reports, governor’s messages, or House messages were on the desk before the chamber moved to the special order calendar. The main item was Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2B, the immigration bill, along with a late-filed strike-all amendment by Senator Gruters. Gruters said the amendment aligned terminology with federal law, increased penalties for crimes by unauthorized aliens, added transnational crime organizations to gang definitions, required stronger participation in the federal 287(g) program, created financial penalties for noncompliance, offered a $1,000 bonus for officers assisting ICE in large operations, directed more information-sharing with federal agencies, and barred DHSMV from issuing licenses or IDs to unauthorized aliens. He framed the bill as supporting President Trump’s immigration agenda and focusing on criminal illegal aliens rather than street-level enforcement. A long question-and-answer period followed, with Senators Polsky, Pizzo, Smith, Jones, Roscoe, Berman, and others pressing the sponsor on scope, legality, costs, and implementation. Questions focused on whether the bill would require participation beyond jails and detention centers, whether schools or churches could be affected, liability and immunity for local agencies, the size and purpose of the proposed appropriations, and the impact on undocumented students receiving in-state tuition waivers. Gruters and Senator Fine said the 287(g) provisions were intended to apply to jails and detention facilities, that green-card holders and lawful residents would not be affected, and that the tuition waiver repeal would end discounted tuition for students in the country illegally while not affecting their ability to attend. Fine also defended the mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses committed by illegal immigrants, acknowledging it would likely be challenged in court but arguing the bill was designed to test and advance the policy. No final vote or other action on the bill is reflected in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a statement of fact, and that is the basis with which we believe this case might not apply.
• It is not an accurate statement to say that all of our 28 colleges have capacity.
• The question was made, or the statement was said, that they are taking... 90 students.
• The question was made, or the statement was said, that they are taking spots away from Americans.
• I also want to make a statement that this isn't because I don't believe in immigration.

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the reading of an amended joint proclamation expanding the Legislature’s immigration agenda. The proclamation added items calling for financial penalties for government officials, enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed by illegal aliens, and programs and appropriations to support law enforcement in enforcing federal immigration law. The chamber then took up the special order calendar, beginning with Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2B, the immigration bill. Most of the meeting was devoted to debate and questions on the strike-all amendment to SB 2B. Sponsor Senator Gruters described the bill as a broad immigration enforcement package aligned with President Trump’s agenda. He said it would require greater cooperation with federal immigration authorities, strengthen participation in the 287(g) program, create a chief immigration officer and council, authorize financial penalties for noncompliance, provide bonuses for officers assisting ICE, and direct information-sharing with federal agencies. He also said the bill would bar DHSMV from issuing licenses or ID cards to unauthorized aliens and would end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Polsky, Pizzo, Smith, Jones, Berman, Osgood, and others questioned the scope of the bill, whether it would affect schools, churches, cities, nonprofits, and green-card holders, and how the 287(g) provisions would work in practice. Gruters repeatedly said the operational focus was on jails and detention facilities, not street-level enforcement. A major point of controversy was the bill’s proposed mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of certain capital offenses. Senator Fine said the covered crimes were the most serious capital felonies, including murder, child sexual battery, destructive-device offenses causing death, and certain trafficking offenses, and argued the provision was intended to withstand constitutional challenge. Senator Pizzo raised Eighth Amendment concerns and questioned whether the bill could mandate death sentences. The tuition waiver provisions also drew extended debate: Fine said the state would save about $41 million by ending discounted tuition for undocumented students, while Democrats argued the savings would not return to general revenue and that the policy would harm students who are already enrolled. Fine and Gruters said green-card holders would not be affected and that the bill targeted only students in the country illegally. The discussion also covered appropriations and implementation. Senator Smith asked about the bill’s large funding levels, and Fine broke down the spending as including $375 million for the chief immigration officer, $100 million in grants to local law enforcement, $29 million for the new Office of State Immigration Enforcement, and $10 million for an unauthorized-alien transport program. Gruters said the funds would reimburse local governments and help address staffing shortages, while critics questioned the lack of benchmarks and the fiscal impact. No final vote or disposition on the bill appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a statement, Madam Chair, for some other things I'm saying. I think you riled somebody up.
• Is that a fair statement to say due to sulfate levels? Would you say that that's a fair comment?
• Chair Hauck, Representative Frelich, that's not a statement that I made.
• You know, sometimes we get caught up in anecdotal statements and we get stuck with things that we're
• And I guess I would encourage language in a statement to be drafted.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Summary: The committee met for its third interim meeting, approved the prior meeting minutes, and heard a series of statutory reports from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Water Resources. Chair Hauck noted that Legislative Management had denied the committee’s earlier request for a fertilizer capacity study, and that the committee would also revisit the proposed Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger later in the day. Commissioner Doug Goring reported on several agriculture topics, including uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, irrigation expansion potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and usage in North Dakota. He emphasized that fertilizer supply depends heavily on natural gas and water, that most nitrogen fertilizer is imported, and that large-scale fertilizer plants require very large capital investments. Members discussed fertilizer storage, natural gas pipeline capacity, water availability, and the role of state infrastructure in supporting value-added agriculture. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the tool was created under 2017 legislation to help evaluate projects expected to cost $1 million or more, and that the department is proposing adjustments to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and changing hydrologic data. He said the changes would remain focused on direct, demonstrable costs and benefits, not indirect impacts, and would be implemented through guidance and operating procedures rather than statutory changes. Committee members and water users discussed whether the revisions would better reflect real-world conditions, including deferred maintenance, changing rainfall patterns, and downstream effects. A representative from the Water Resource District Association said the group was working with DWR and hoped to review test scenarios before the June meeting. The committee then received a detailed presentation on Devils Lake, its outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. State Engineer John Paskowski reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow constraints, and the purpose of the Tolna Coulee structure in limiting head cutting and preventing uncontrolled downstream releases. Members questioned whether the structure was effectively a dam, whether the lake would naturally overflow without it, the last time the outlets ran, and whether water quality in Devils Lake has improved over time. Paskowski said the outlets last operated in August 2025, that sulfate levels still limit operations, and that the lake has freshened somewhat but not enough to eliminate water-quality concerns. The discussion also touched on whether water from flooded areas or closed-basin systems could be reused for irrigation, and on the broader implications of wet cycles, inundated land, and drainage management across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when we left 9 and 1/2 hours later, we had a completely different problem statement.
• And when we left 9 and 1/2 hours later, we had a completely different problem statement.”
• And when we left 9 and 1/2 hours later, we had a completely different problem statement.”
• The witness continued, “That matter to identify what a core problem statement is and then what are all
• And when we left 9 and 1/2 hours later, we had a completely different problem statement.

Bills: HB0150

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: Wyoming business council, economic development, task force, evaluation, policy reform, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is probably in I I think your statement is probably in line<00:12:44.120><c> with</c><00:12:44.399><
• Budgets are statements of our values, and that includes tax expenditures.
• We also agree with Senator Hauschild's statements about Minnesota exceptionalism.
• We also agree with Senator Hauschild's statements about Minnesota exceptionalism.
• We also agree with Senator Hauschild's statements about Minnesota exceptionalism.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for employment it it it has a statement for employment it says<00:30:53.519><c> yes</c><00:30:53.640
• </c><00:30:55.519><c> for</c><00:30:56.360><c> uh</c> says yes or no it has a statement for uh says yes
• I understand the concerns that they want specifically oral statements from the judges as to why they're
• </c><00:31:48.519><c> from</c> want specifically orally statements from want specifically orally statements
• earlier um of those the uh statements earlier um of those people<01:10:09.520><c> in</c><01:10:09.719

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 114, which would create a presidential preference primary for the 2028 election. The Office of Elections said the bill would cost about $4.1 million. Supporters, including the Hawaii Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters, favored moving the process to a state-run primary, while several opponents, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and multiple individual testifiers, argued it would be too expensive, would shift control away from the parties, and would replace volunteer-run caucuses with a mail-in system. Committee members questioned the chief election officer about election timing, certification, and how a primary might be scheduled with other elections. Testimony was recorded as 11 in support, 41 opposed, and 3 comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 725, which would require judges to make findings about a defendant’s ability to afford bail. Judiciary and Attorney General witnesses asked that the bill be deferred or amended, saying the Judicial Council is already reviewing pretrial bail reform and that the bill’s language could create practical problems for police, sheriffs, and courts. Supporters, including the Correctional System Oversight Commission, the public defender, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the ACLU of Hawaii, and disability rights advocates, said cash bail disproportionately harms low-income defendants, increases pretrial detention costs, and should require clearer findings and records. Opponents included the Hawaii County prosecuting attorney. Members questioned how bail is initially set, what records exist, and whether the bill would change current practice; Judiciary witnesses said initial bail decisions are often made by police or judges and later reviewed on the record, while supporters argued the bill would strengthen front-end due process. The ACLU said it supported the bill with amendments, including clearer standards for ability to pay and written findings. The committee also began hearing SB 733, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a continuous legislative session. Early testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates arguing that the current 60-day session limits public participation, makes it hard for working people to testify, and prevents lawmakers from collaborating effectively. Supporters said a year-round model could improve transparency, reduce duplicate bills, and better accommodate neighbor island legislators. The excerpt ends during the opening testimony on SB 733, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• example, state agencies may review information such as a potential grantee's audits, financial statements
• , and federal and state tax statements, and federal and state tax forms. forms. forms.
• Chairman, I just would like to make a<00:57:57.280><c> statement.
• This report presents a statement.
• So, we're looking at the board-certified financial statements to back that up.

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you want to make a statement?
• Do you want to make a statement?
• Do you want to make a statement?
• Do you want to make a statement?
• Do you want to make a statement?

Keywords: 00:00:00 Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:10 Discussion of 25RS HB 414 00:44:26 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 414 00:50:25 Discussion of 25RS SB 27 00:53:44 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 27 00:55:49 Discussion of 25RS SB 93 00:57:57 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 93 00:59:29 Discussion of 25RS SB 132 01:37:39 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 132 01:40:55 Discussion of 25RS SB 153 01:42:05 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 153 01:43:46 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee met with a quorum and took up House Bill 414 with a committee substitute. The bill, described by sponsors and supporters as a continuation of prior maternal-health legislation, was framed as a clarification of medical standards and an effort to improve care for women and families facing complicated pregnancies. Representative Tate, Representative Nemes, Adair Wushar of Kentucky Right to Life, and Dr. Jeff Goldberg of ACOG Kentucky all testified in support, saying the substitute was developed collaboratively to reduce confusion in the law and help physicians provide evidence-based care without fear of criminal penalties. Supporters said the committee substitute was intended to define what is not an abortion under Kentucky law and to spell out medical treatments for conditions such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, sepsis, hemorrhage, preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, and fetal demise. Dr. Goldberg said current statutes contain significant ambiguity and have created unintended barriers to treating pregnancy complications, including emergency situations, and he gave examples of patients who were delayed or harmed because physicians were uncertain about what the law allowed. Representative Nemes said the measure was the result of unusual cooperation among groups that do not usually agree and described it as a first step toward fixing a discrete problem. Representative Wilner raised concerns that the language could effectively require a patient to be in severe distress before treatment is clearly permitted and that it was too prescriptive about how physicians should manage miscarriages. In response, Dr. Goldberg and the sponsors said the substitute was not perfect, was meant as a short-term solution, and was designed to give doctors more confidence in providing routine, medically necessary care for pregnancy complications. The transcript indicates the committee substitute was adopted, but no final vote on the bill itself is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• </c><02:05:09.599><c> the</c> it says in the purpose statement the it says in the purpose statement the

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Kupec, any closing statements?
• No, I just uh you closing statements?
• </c> statements? U, no. Thank you, Mr. Chair. statements? U, no. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• </c><01:47:41.040><c> you'd</c> have any, uh, final statements you'd have any, uh, final statements you'd
• Well, thank you, any closing statements?

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:29:51.840><c> that</c><00:29:51.960><c> its</c> school must submit a statement that its school
• </c> that you stated this and my my statement that you stated this and my my statement Remains<00:42:
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.
• Think about what message adults are sending to all of our kids with that statement.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• He said if you had an OCA, it's not a statement about the current OCA. to a gunfight right you've got
• Now, I'm not trying to make a statement about climate change.
• Now, I'm not trying to make a statement about climate change.
• </c> was incorrect in the previous statements was incorrect in the previous statements is<00:39:22.319
• However, the issue enumerates in this statement are the ones we see to be the most pressing.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 610, which would fold the Office of the Consumer Advocate into the Department of Energy rather than fully eliminate consumer advocacy functions. The prime sponsor argued the current office is small, funded by a special assessment on ratepayers, and duplicative of DOE work. He said moving the function to DOE would streamline energy policy review, reduce bureaucracy, and better focus the larger agency on lowering residential energy costs. He also disputed claims that the Consumer Advocate is independent, saying the office is appointed through a political process similar to DOE leadership. Committee members and the sponsor discussed whether the bill would actually relocate existing positions or replace them, and whether the Department of Energy would absorb the cost of the transferred staff. The sponsor said the fiscal note shows roughly a million-dollar reduction in both revenue assessment and spending, and that the bill would effectively reduce the office from five positions to three. He also defended his cost estimates for energy-code-related housing impacts and said the Consumer Advocate has sometimes supported policies he считает increase costs, such as energy-efficiency measures and building code changes. He argued the office should focus more on energy supply and generation, including natural gas and nuclear, rather than efficiency alone. Representative Wendy Thomas testified in opposition, saying the Consumer Advocate is an important, fair, and impartial voice for ratepayers and warning that the bill was fiscally irresponsible because the incumbent could still be owed salary and benefits if the office were repealed. She also said the bill’s drafting was confusing and that the Consumer Advocate’s role is to push back on utilities on behalf of consumers. Other members raised questions about whether the DOE would simply inherit the same political appointment structure and whether the bill would meaningfully lower bills. No vote was taken in the excerpt; the chair indicated additional testimony would follow, and the Department of Energy was present to answer questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because he was unable to travel from San Diego as a witness, he shared the following statement to read
• Vanessa Lugo, on behalf of the California Bankers Association, echoing the previous statement and removing
• The University of California has eliminated diversity statements in faculty hiring, and more than $300
• And this is something that is not just... ...a statement of values.
• , or implicitly... ...of their workplace rights by making bail threats, chilling statements, or implicit

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2874, an act amending sections 16-9-334 and 16-9-37, relating to campaign committee termination statements
• 2874, an act amending sections 16-9-334 and 16-9-37, relating to campaign committee termination statements
• House Bill 2874, relating to campaign committee termination statements and contributions, is amended
• But to the people, I read this statement because I want them to know how this body tramples on their
• But to the people, I read this statement because I want them to know how this body tramples on their

Keywords: 1182, all