Transcript Highlights:

• very well written in the sense that it's very readable, and it provides the whole backstory of the research
• do all of the things on the slide, the two areas where Helen and I are most involved are policy research
• do all of the things on the slide, the two areas where Helen and I are most involved are policy research
• able to do its expected three end-to-end tests later on in the decade, and to conduct its robust research
• In my department, which is the research department for the planning department, we have... ...around

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Summary: The committee held a hearing on census preparation, focusing first on testimony from U.S. Census Bureau staff James Whitehorn and Andrea Grace Johnson. They described the Bureau’s decade-long geographic and redistricting programs, including the Boundary and Annexation Survey, School District Review Program, Participant Statistical Area Program, and Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA), along with the Block Boundary Suggestion Project and voting district collection. They emphasized that Massachusetts has been a strong partner in these efforts and explained how the Bureau is using updated street data, building footprints, machine learning, and change detection to improve address lists and track new housing. Whitehorn also reviewed the 2030 redistricting data program, the legal basis for it under PL 94-171, the role of state nonpartisan liaisons, and the expected timeline for data delivery. He noted that OMB’s revised race and ethnicity standards will merge those questions into one and add a Middle Eastern/North African category. Committee members asked about the new standards, state contacts, and how boundary updates are submitted, and the witnesses said they would provide the slide deck and contact information. Wendy Underhill and Helen Brewer of NCSL then testified about why census preparation matters for states, stressing its impact on data, federal funding, and political representation. They outlined optional steps states can take before 2030, including staying in touch with Census Bureau staff, identifying state and local personnel involved in census work, supporting local participation in Bureau programs, and creating complete count committees or commissions. They cited Massachusetts’s prior complete count committee and grantmaking efforts as an example and said such efforts can improve self-response and overall accuracy. They also noted that state legislatures can act as conveners and trusted messengers, and they discussed broader issues such as privacy protections, differential privacy, budget uncertainty, and the possibility of future litigation or a citizenship question. Secretary of State William Galvin then gave extended remarks on Massachusetts’s 2020 census experience and the need to prepare early for 2030. He said the state faced major challenges in 2020 from the pandemic, litigation, and rhetoric about citizenship, and that Massachusetts relied heavily on local records, university data, and community outreach to document residents, especially students and non-native-born populations. He argued that the state should strengthen local recordkeeping now through LUCA, annual resident lists, assessors’ and zoning records, and other local data sources, and he urged support for a proposed $500,000 appropriation for census-related grants and technical assistance. Galvin said better preparation is needed because housing patterns, population shifts, and local administrative capacity have changed since 2020, and he emphasized that the goal is to improve the completeness of the records the Census Bureau will use in 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• We continued to work on the research and expand the scale to see where else we can see this chemical,
• So, yeah, this is where more research is needed.
• I have started to research it myself, and there’s a bit more work to do there.
• Recent research by Jagai et al. and Beth Haley and Wendy Hygherbanez of Boston University has correlated
• During my AP Environmental Science class in high school, I conducted research on E. coli levels before

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing with testimony on a range of environmental bills. Early testimony focused on H. 1018, which would update management of the Commonwealth’s water resources and limit new conditions on historic water registrations. Water officials from Wellesley and the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission supported the bill, arguing that drought-related restrictions on registered withdrawals are difficult to administer, create customer confusion, and can undermine utility revenue needed for infrastructure upgrades. A Massachusetts Waterworks Association representative also backed the bill, saying registered systems have long operated within their allocations and should not have those withdrawals conditioned by regulation. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 1040, which would ban tire-derived materials on playgrounds and playing fields. The bill’s petitioner, environmental advocates, and an environmental chemist testified that crumb rubber and other tire-derived infill can release chemicals into soil and water and may pose risks to aquatic life and public health. Committee members asked about alternatives and costs; witnesses said natural grass and some organic infills are available, though more research is needed on some substitutes. Rep. Schwartz also testified on CSO-related bills, describing combined sewer overflows as a public health and environmental problem and saying the bills set deadlines but leave implementation methods to local and regional officials. Rep. Chacolo supported H. 909, a grant program for low-noise, low-emission landscape equipment, citing worker health, noise, and emissions concerns, and Sen. Cyr testified for bills addressing coastal and environmental acidification and nutrient pollution. The hearing also included extensive testimony on H. 4040, which would prevent discharge of radioactive materials from the Pilgrim decommissioning process. Speakers including a Sierra Club representative, a physician, and the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association opposed Holtec’s plan to dispose of radioactive wastewater through evaporation or discharge, citing public health, transparency, and economic risks to fisheries and coastal communities. Another large block of testimony addressed CSO legislation, especially H. 1046 and related bills for the MWRA service area. Environmental groups, residents, and river users described sewage overflows into the Charles, Mystic, and Alewife Brook, impacts on health and recreation, and the need for a timeline to eliminate or sharply reduce overflows. Industry representatives opposed the CSO and waste bills, arguing they would be costly, duplicative, and disruptive, while waste facility operators said they already use continuous emissions monitoring and comply with existing regulations. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research tells us that a child's brain develops rapidly from zero to five.
• Research has consistently shown that children placed with a familiar caregiver experience better outcomes
• Research has consistently shown that children placed with a familiar caregiver experiences better outcomes
• Mark Courtney, a distinguished researcher and senior advisor to the Transition Age Youth Research and
• Our research team, through that project, interviewed 700 young people starting when they were 17. ...

Summary: The committee heard several child welfare, food assistance, child care, and developmental services bills. AB 308 would require a statewide evaluation of regional center safety training and crisis-response services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; supporters said it would help reduce reliance on law enforcement and improve de-escalation and emergency preparedness. AB 1049 would remove sponsor deeming from the California Food Assistance Program, with supporters from food banks and legal aid arguing the rule creates confusion, chilling effects, and wrongful denials, while one member raised concerns about accountability and fraud. AB 1201 would narrow when a parent’s prior violent felony can bar reunification services, limiting the bypass to offenses involving a child or a child’s other parent/guardian; county and advocacy witnesses said the bill preserves judicial discretion and avoids automatic denials, though a member expressed concern about child safety in violent or criminal environments. AB 2379 would require family child care providers to be notified of constitutional rights and receive multilingual training regarding immigration enforcement; it drew broad support and no opposition. AB 2429 would make ACEs screening optional and reduce required classroom observations in the early childhood mental health consultation program, with supporters saying it would reduce administrative burdens and expand participation. AB 1755 would eliminate CalWORKs’ 100-hour monthly work penalty for two-parent families, and supporters said it would reduce poverty and administrative burden without changing income eligibility. AB 1981, presented later, would advance “true cost of care” child care rate reform, with providers describing the current reimbursement system as unsustainable. AB 2478 would create a streamlined kinship family approval pathway for foster care placements with relatives and other kin, and AB 1969 and AB 1996 would create statewide structures to coordinate cradle-to-career services and reduce child poverty, respectively; both were presented as data-driven, place-based efforts to align services and set measurable reduction goals. Most bills received strong support from county agencies, advocacy organizations, and service providers, with little or no opposition testimony. Members generally praised the goals of the measures but asked questions about implementation, accountability, and child safety in the reunification and benefits bills. The committee took roll calls on the bills it heard, and the votes shown in the transcript were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with several measures held on call after passing committee votes. AB 1049 was voted out 2-1, AB 1201 and AB 2379 were each voted out 3-0, AB 2429 and AB 1755 were voted out 2-0, and AB 2478, AB 1969, and AB 1996 were each voted out 2-0; the chair repeatedly noted that some bills would remain on call pending absent members. AB 1981 drew extensive support testimony from child care providers and allies, but the committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the transcript provided because no motion was available at that moment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research tells us that a child's brain develops rapidly from zero to five.
• Research has consistently shown that children placed with a familiar caregiver experience better outcomes
• Research has consistently shown that children placed with a familiar caregiver experiences better outcomes
• Mark Courtney, a distinguished researcher and senior advisor to the Transition Age Youth Research and
• Our research team, through that project, interviewed 700 young people starting when they were 17. ...

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And so a professor at Tulane University has been doing a lot of that research.
• He then said he would like to share recent research coming out of Arkansas.
• He said that was observed and captured through a research study, and those research results were released
• Most of that funding is specific to research. Most of that funding is specific to research.
• Thus, limited answers and limited tools triggered the need for more research and more answers to those

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 706 by Representative Riser, which would set a more detailed process for commercial saltwater disposal wells, including site-specific modeling and pressure review. Riser and industry witnesses argued the bill would provide clearer, more predictable rules for operators who have faced long delays and changing requirements, while Department of Conservation and Energy officials said they are already developing guidance and that any pressure standard must remain site-specific to avoid fracturing confining layers, protecting drinking water, and staying within EPA primacy requirements. The department emphasized that geology varies widely across Louisiana and that a fixed pressure number in statute could be unsafe in some locations. Members also discussed the fiscal note, the need for additional staff, and whether the bill would tie the department’s hands or force approvals; witnesses said the bill’s modeling requirements were conservative, but opponents warned the statutory pressure ranges could conflict with site-specific safety determinations. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee voted on the bill and it failed on a 6-6 tie. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 4 by Representative McCormick, which would suspend Louisiana’s deer baiting ban for 18 months in areas affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD). McCormick and Hunter Nation representatives argued that baiting bans have not stopped CWD in other states, that deer feeders and food plots are part of hunting culture, and that Louisiana should rely on science and a more flexible approach. They cited Wisconsin as an example where CWD spread despite long-standing feed bans and said there has been no proven human transmission. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials said bait bans are one of the few tools available to reduce artificial congregation of deer and help limit disease spread, and they explained that the department is also working with a CWD task force and another proposal that would tie restrictions to a 1.5% prevalence threshold rather than an across-the-board suspension. The discussion ended with the department providing information on the impacts of both measures, but no final action on HCR 4 was recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are not abstract research funds; they really directly impacted students.
• There are several teacher pipeline programs that were unfunded, student stipends for applied research
• Patel made, which is: is there research? Are there models that are being looked at?
• Are there reference studies or research that are being utilized to make some of those decisions or to
• One of the federal research grants that was cut was a program called SNAP-Ed, which a lot of campuses

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the research analyst for the Committee on Land, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and the Committee on
• Chairman, members, Gray Garden, assistant research analyst for Natural Resources, Energy and Water, as
• Chair, members, Duncan Spillsbury, research analyst for the Appropriations Committee.
• We are doing some research. We will ask this question to them.
• We have done some research on that topic, which I have not been able to read that email.

Bills: HB2053 , HB2116 , HB2148

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that they all talk to doctors and others and actually did research, which I very much appreciate
• I've researched this as a general pediatrician.
• For example, Minnesota pioneered the first research and development credit in 1981.
• Upjohn Institute of Employment Research, one of the leading experts on incentives, ...and research, and
• And I think just the comments that I would give back to you for your future research and learning too

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its fourth meeting, held October 27-28 in Santa Fe, with Representative Duncan moving approval and no opposition. The chair then introduced a panel on the cost of providing medical care in New Mexico, focusing on physician shortages, rising practice costs, and access problems, especially in southern New Mexico and Las Cruces. Panelists included family physicians, a pediatrician, a cardiologist/electrophysiologist, and a community health center medical director, who described their backgrounds and practices before turning to the policy discussion. The doctors argued that New Mexico is losing physicians because of three main pressures: medical malpractice exposure, gross receipts tax on medical services, and low Medicaid reimbursement. They said malpractice premiums are much higher than in neighboring states, punitive damages and venue shopping increase risk, and the patient compensation fund and attorney fee structure create additional costs. They also described administrative burdens from insurance billing and referrals, the high debt and long training period for physicians, and the effect of corporate medicine and private equity on practice decisions. One panelist emphasized the economic impact of each physician on jobs and local spending, while another noted that shortages force patients into emergency rooms and delay specialty care. The panel presented a list of proposed solutions: reform punitive damages, limit venue shopping and stacking, restore lifetime medical payments from the patient compensation fund, enact apology protections, cap attorney fees, continue Medicaid funding improvements, and eliminate gross receipts tax on medical and dental services. Committee members generally agreed the presentation was thorough and useful, but several noted that some proposals fall outside this committee’s jurisdiction and would likely need to move through other committees, especially judiciary and tax. Some members supported drafting legislation or working on separate bills, while others urged caution, requested more input from hospitals and economists, and raised concerns about local government revenue impacts from GRT changes. The chair concluded by encouraging members to continue discussions offline and noted that the tax-related issue would be taken up further in the next day’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, UNM's Bureau of Business and Economic Research (Bieber) forecast has New Mexico unemployment
• Chair, Representative Garrett, I would love to dig into some research for you.
• Previous LFC research has found that students who enrolled in state-funded pre-kindergarten had better
• Peer-reviewed studies and prior LFC research indicate that teacher education level matters when it comes
• And Policy Research and Quality Initiatives, Dr. Haley Hines.

Transcript Highlights:

• Based on input from House research, we also took the opportunity to reorganize the statutes to make them
• The folks that I really want to call out are House Research Ben Johnson and DFL Research Zach Minors.
• I'd like to thank Colby Sullivan for his House research and all of the great things he does for us.
• Justin Brill, our researcher. Allie Winter, my CA.
• Our partisan researchers, John Beeler and Will Golding.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm economic research administrator. We support this measure with some comments.
• I'm economic<00:15:12.720><c> research</c><00:15:13.560><c> administrator.
• </c><00:15:14.560><c> We</c><00:15:15.120><c> u</c> economic research administrator.
• We u economic research administrator.
• Eugene Tian, economic research administrator with DBED.

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions focused on economic development, tourism, technology, and related policy issues. Testimony generally came from state agencies and industry groups, with DBED, HTDC, and others mostly supporting measures that would create working groups, promote advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, encourage a Michelin Guide for Hawaii restaurants, support Taiwan’s international participation, and explore import substitution. One measure on a tourism and gaming working group drew strong opposition from the prosecutor’s office, which argued it would signal support for gambling and could worsen social harms, while other witnesses supported it as a way to gather data before any policy decisions. The committee also heard support for relocating the Pearl City Post Office to improve traffic and safety, and for a resolution to focus HTDC on advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. Several items were amended before action. The committee agreed to amend the tourism and gaming working group resolution to narrow and clarify its purpose, and to amend the Taiwan resolution to add the president of the Republic of China as a recipient. The import-substitution resolution was also amended to add a definition, include language about avoiding new import dependencies such as LNG, and direct state and utility purchasing power toward substituting imports. A resolution on HCR 211/HR 203 was rewritten to address lowering fire insurance rates and mitigating fire risk in Puna lava zones, but decision-making on that item was deferred to a later hearing so the new language could be posted publicly. The committee voted to adopt several measures, including HCR 57/HCR 152, HCR 156/HR 151, HCR 19/HR 115, and HCR 33/HR 32, with some passed as amended and others passed as is. HCR 192 was adopted with amendments despite reservations from some members, and HCR 209/HR 2011 was adopted with amendments. The committee also recessed for decision-making during the hearing and later adjourned after completing action on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our research indicates that it could be up to $9 million since then.
• Our research indicates that it could be up to $9 million since then.
• Our research indicates that it could be up to $9 million since then.
• </c> that it was $3.5 Million our Research that it was $3.5 Million our Research indicates<00:21:34.760
• I did some research, and it was brought to my attention from a gentleman, I think in Eastern Kentucky

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment met with a quorum and first considered Senate Bill 3, relating to student athletes and NIL. Senator Max Wise said the bill would modernize Kentucky’s NIL framework so universities remain competitive and student-athletes can benefit, noting the state’s earlier NIL law and the need to act before a pending national settlement. Several members supported the bill but expressed concern that NIL has changed college athletics and could eventually affect high school sports. The committee reported Senate Bill 3 favorably. The committee then took up Senate Bill 15, relating to minimum wage exceptions for minor league baseball players. Senator Amanda Bledsoe and MLB representative Josh Allen explained that the bill would align Kentucky law with the players’ collective bargaining agreement, treating the players as salaried rather than hourly workers and addressing overtime issues. Members discussed the minimum weekly salaries at Single-A and Triple-A, along with housing, meals, and health benefits under the agreement. The committee adopted a committee substitute, passed a title amendment, and reported Senate Bill 15 favorably. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 103, which concerns the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and services for people with disabilities. Senator Danny Carroll and provider advocates said the bill would add regulatory oversight, require reporting to the legislature and governor, and give preference to in-state services when available, while preserving access to out-of-state services when needed. Testimony focused on Kentucky’s low employment ranking for people with disabilities, unused federal funds, provider funding concerns, and an OVR order of selection that would limit services to the most severe cases. The committee adopted a committee substitute and reported Senate Bill 103 favorably after supportive comments from members about the program’s impact on employment and quality of life.

Transcript Highlights:

• A few years ago, researching this project, I heard and learned that the career of being a veterinarian
• And we collaborate with them in a variety of research capacities.
• in<00:24:18.440><c> a</c><00:24:18.720><c> variety</c><00:24:19.080><c> of</c><00:24:19.200><c> research
• </c><00:24:19.640><c> capacities</c><00:24:20.159><c> last</c> in a variety of research capacities last
• in a variety of research capacities last year<00:24:21.120><c> um</c><00:24:21.480><c> we</c><00:24:

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just curious if one of our researchers can tell me: at the time, I think we did not get through the
• can tell me at if one of our researchers can tell me at the<00:34:48.320><c> time</c><00:34:48.679><
• </c><00:35:38.480><c> our</c> years ago but does do any of our years ago but does do any of our researchers
• <00:35:39.240><c> have</c><00:35:39.400><c> that</c> researchers have that researchers have that information
• I'm not familiar necessarily, but I can check into that and work with research to find a more concise

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• We use research and evidence to drive the services that we're delivering.
• education was important to us, not just because of my background as an educator, but because of the research
• So we use that research and that study from FSU to really ground our strategy on where we were going
• think that is a significant game changer for us in being able to realize what we go back to: the research
• Our employment specialists really lend to evidence-based research. I know Dr.

Summary: The Justice Budget Committee heard detailed presentations from the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections on staffing, services, and budget needs. DJJ Secretary Hall emphasized that the agency’s main public safety strategy is education, along with prevention and recidivism reduction. He described major staffing improvements after pay increases for probation, detention, residential care, and prevention workers, and outlined DJJ’s mental health, aftercare, and education continuum, including the Florida Scholars Academy and Florida Youth College. He said the new statewide education model is showing early gains in progress monitoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, while also noting ongoing operational issues such as IT connectivity, rural staffing gaps, and the need for geographic pay adjustments for teachers. He also discussed detention center replacement plans in Hillsborough, Broward, and Palm Beach, and said DJJ would transition the Broward JAC to a security contractor after the sheriff’s office pulls sworn officers from the site. Members asked about campus performance differences, teacher pay, detention education quality, and concerns about the rollout and leadership of the Scholars Academy. Hall said some campuses face rural access and infrastructure problems, but the blended learning model provides continuity when internet or staffing issues arise. He defended the superintendent’s qualifications and said early problems with inappropriate online content were addressed. Representative Porras raised concerns about educational quality and the superintendent’s past disciplinary history, while Representative Barrera urged more mentorship and fatherhood-focused programming in juvenile facilities. DOC Secretary Dixon said the prison system is under pressure from rising inmate populations, staffing shortages, and overtime costs. He argued that the system needs funded posts for every functioning housing unit, noting that the department has added housing units without enough staff and now relies heavily on overtime, mobile officer deployments, and shift conversions to keep facilities operating safely. He highlighted that many officers are new, that outside-hospital transports have risen sharply, and that mental health units require additional staffing. DOC’s mental health chief described a large and growing treatment system with outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and court-ordered services, saying about a quarter of the prison population has a diagnosed mental illness. Community corrections staff described treatment programs, employment specialists, mobile probation and reentry units, and a new mental health first aid training initiative. Reentry staff reported expanded substance abuse, education, CTE, chaplaincy, and digital learning programs, including Edovo and a forthcoming Work Bay platform. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to note, this proposal's fiscal effect mostly operates, or entirely operates, through the research
• This proposal sends a deeply troubling message to the large research-intensive employers who account
• This proposal sends a deeply troubling message to the large research-intensive employers who account
• Turner Center has done some research on this, and they surveyed 41 jurisdictions across the state, of
• One, keep in mind that these fees are grounded in evidence-based research and nexus studies.

Summary: The committee opened with the State Controller’s Office May Revision requests, including funding for Fiscal book-of-record stabilization, a Broadcom IDMS licensing adjustment, the California State Payroll System, ACFR reporting automation, and $3 million for unclaimed property outreach. Testimony emphasized progress on Fiscal becoming the state’s accounting book of record in July, faster ACFR publication, and the move to electronic unclaimed property claims. Members asked about the size of the unclaimed property fund and how quickly money is transferred to the General Fund; the Controller’s office said about $15 billion is held, with most excess transferred regularly, and the LAO noted the fund is the General Fund’s fourth-largest revenue source. No concerns were raised by Finance or the LAO, and the item was closed after no public comment. The committee then heard the administration’s proposal to tax prewritten digital software and software-as-a-service, with Finance saying it would modernize sales tax treatment and raise an estimated $450 million General Fund and $560 million local revenue in 2026-27. The LAO supported modernizing the tax but suggested broader digital goods coverage and a business-use exemption; industry and taxpayer groups opposed the proposal, warning of higher costs for consumers and businesses. Members also heard CDTFA’s administrative request tied to the proposal, plus a separate CDTFA budget reduction reflecting lower operational needs; that reduction was presented as a savings item and drew positive reactions. Next, the committee considered federal conformity for “Trump accounts,” which would align California tax treatment with federal rules for tax-deferred children’s accounts and avoid tracking burdens for families. The LAO recommended approval, and the item drew no opposition. The committee also heard a proposal to cut the first-year $800 annual business tax to $400 for LLCs, LPs, and LLPs; Finance argued it would lower startup costs and encourage new business formation, while the LAO said the benefit was not well targeted and could subsidize entities that would form anyway. Members discussed the policy tradeoff, and public commenters split between support for small business relief and concern about revenue loss. The final major revenue item was a permanent business tax credit limitation, capping credits at the greater of $5 million per corporation or 50% of pre-credit liability, while excluding the low-income housing tax credit and personal income tax credits. Finance said it would raise significant revenue from large profitable corporations, and the LAO said it was a reasonable option but noted it would mainly affect the R&D credit and could have future implications for programs like California Competes. Public testimony was sharply divided, with business groups opposing the cap and anti-poverty advocates supporting it as a way to recapture revenue. The committee also heard FTB’s CalFile realignment request, which would return most of the direct-file-related resources to the General Fund while retaining a smaller staff to improve CalFile, and the California Arts Council’s request to reauthorize the Keep Arts in Schools voluntary contribution fund, which members and advocates supported despite relatively modest annual donations. The hearing continued with GoBiz proposals on civic media funding, CA RISE reappropriation, and a semiconductor facility reversion, with the LAO supporting the latter two and members raising questions about the civic media program’s scope, outreach, and inclusion of broadcast and ethnic media.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:33:54.640><c> of</c> um kind of um kind of pieces<00:33:57.000><c> of</c><00:33:57.120><c> research
• that were shared on pieces of research that were shared on uh<00:33:59.080><c> a</c><00:33:59.160><c
• </c> training bringing research-aligned training bringing research-aligned practices<00:48:25.359><c>
• Research by the Annie E.
• Research by the Annie E.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It invests in the research and analysis to scale this across the state.
• to invests in the research and analysis to scale<00:17:06.240><c> this</c><00:17:06.400><c> across</
• Last year, AgriGrowth convened leaders across the farm, food, logistics, supply, and research sectors
• Last year, AgriGrowth convened leaders across the farm, food, logistics, supply, and research sectors
• of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris. guy knows the stuff.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• Institute did a Fire Safety Research Institute did a following<00:35:56.280><c> the</c><00:35:56.440
• research they provided the<00:36:03.119><c> state</c><00:36:03.680><c> with</c><00:36:04.280><c> u</
• I need to research that and get back to you, but I'm happy to do that. Not a problem.
• now I I need to I need I'll need to now I I need to I need I'll need to research<01:01:01.520><c> that
• that and get back to you but research that and get back to you but I'm<01:01:02.880><c> happy</c><01

Summary: The joint hearing of the House Committees on Tourism and Water and Land was held on March 20, 2025, on SB 1396 SD3 HD1, which would raise transient accommodations tax revenues beginning in 2027, impose a $20 per-night tax on stays booked through loyalty or rewards points, and dedicate funds to DLNR for natural resource protection, management, and restoration. The Office of the Governor, DLNR, DBEDT, the Hawaii State Energy Office, Tax Department, Hawaiian Home Lands, HI-EMA, the Climate Advisory Team, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HCDA, the Hawaii Ocean Legislative Task Force, Resource Legacy Fund, KUA, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority all testified in support or with comments, generally emphasizing the need for dedicated funding for environmental stewardship, resilience, wildfire and climate preparedness, and community-based projects. Several supporters cited polling showing broad visitor willingness to pay additional fees to protect Hawaiʻi’s resources, and DLNR and the Attorney General noted the bill aligns with broader state land-management and fire-safety priorities. Opposition came from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi and the Maui Chamber of Commerce, which argued the bill unnecessarily raises the TAT, places more burden on visitors and visitor-dependent businesses, and could harm Maui’s still-recovering economy. The Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaiʻi initially marked opposition but then said it had misunderstood the bill’s relationship to another measure and asked to resend testimony. Expedia Group did not oppose the TAT increase itself but raised operational concerns about the new tax on loyalty-point redemptions, calling it novel and difficult to administer. The American Hotel Lodging Association and Hawaiʻi Hotel Alliance were listed as having no comments present. Testifiers also suggested amendments, including dedicating the revenues to a special fund, ensuring community grants, and clarifying administrative provisions. One testifier urged the bill be used to fund hurricane shelters and stronger building standards, while another emphasized that the measure should support people and disaster resilience as well as environmental protection. During questions, members asked for the polling methodology and for a breakdown of current TAT allocations; staff indicated they could share the survey memo and began identifying existing statutory remittances. No vote or final committee action was taken during the excerpted portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> advancing life-saving biomed research advancing life-saving biomed research and<02:45:54.800><c>
• We will increase funding for the National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research by $415 million.
• The package also makes investments in biomedical research and small business development.
• Investments in this bill are directed to where they matter most, into life-saving biomedical research
• The National Institutes of Health would freeze funding for new research grants, including research on