Video & Transcript Research : 'electronics recycling'
Page 31 of 300
NH
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Joint Senate and House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue (3-3-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- Is there any process of looking at and going through that debris and separating them out for recycling
- Is there any process of looking at and going through that debris and separating them out for recycling
- Is there any process of looking at and going through that debris and separating them out for recycling
- Is there any process of looking at and going through that debris and separating them out for recycling
- of the white along with the recycling of the white goods<00:32:31.880>
so <00:32:32.120>that
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00:00
Senate Roll Call 00:00:00
House Roll Call 00:00:10
Discussion of Recent Disaster 00:01:18
House Adjourned 00:42:28
SB 218 Discussion 00:43:00
SB 218 Vote 00:46:46
SB 186 Discussion 00:47:22:00, 958, all
Summary:
The concurrent House-Senate meeting opened with a roll call and then received a briefing from Kentucky Emergency Management and the Transportation Cabinet on the February storms and flooding. Officials described the event as ongoing and statewide in scope, beginning in western counties and then heavily affecting Eastern Kentucky, including major impacts in Perry, Letcher, Clay, Bell, Martin, Pike, and other counties. They reported widespread power and water outages, nearly 600 people initially sheltered, more than 1,500 water rescues, over 250 National Guard members activated, and substantial mutual aid from other states and FEMA. They also said 73 counties had declared emergencies, 23 fatalities had been confirmed at that point, and individual assistance had already distributed $5.5 million to residents after the federal declaration was signed.
The administration emphasized that recovery needs were still being assessed but were already significant. Kentucky Emergency Management said public assistance estimates were about $58 million and rising, with about 2,005 homes and 272 businesses inspected so far. Debris removal was identified as a major issue, and officials said they had requested Category A federal assistance for debris in four counties while continuing to seek more as assessments continued. They also noted that disaster recovery centers were opening and that teams were going door to door in affected areas. On transportation, KYTC reported 39 counties affected, a peak of 355 road closures reduced to 49, 18 damaged bridges, 94 bridges with debris on them, and 579 roadway damages, while continuing to clear roads and move supplies such as water, food, blankets, and heaters.
Secretary Hicks then asked lawmakers to consider additional funding mechanisms. He said the current $50 million emergency cap in the budget was likely to be exhausted, with $21.5 million already allocated, and proposed either lifting the cap or creating a new “safe fund” for this disaster, similar to prior funds used after the western Kentucky tornadoes and the 2022 eastern Kentucky floods. He said the state could redirect about $25 million from an unused western Kentucky economic development allocation and about $20 million from an eastern Kentucky transportation allocation, for a total of $45 million, to help with this response. Members and officials also discussed debris disposal, with the Pike County landfill expansion identified as a possible site to receive some of the debris and reduce costs. Representative Fugate thanked the agencies for their response and described severe local impacts, including water outages, road slides, damaged water treatment plants, and heavy debris in homes and driveways.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Expanding Nuclear Energy in Minnesota – Senator Nick Frentz Mar 10th, 2025
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- There's innovations in the way we recycle nuclear waste.
- them there's Innovations in the<00:07:54.800>
way <00:07:54.960>we <00:07:55.159>recycle - ><00:07:55.639>
nuclear <00:07:56.080>waste <00:07:56.440>there's the way we recycle - nuclear waste there's the way we recycle nuclear waste there's Innovations<00:07:57.479>
in <00
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
HOU, HOU DEFER, HOU Public Hearings 02-03-2026
Transcript Highlights:
- loan is subordinate, except bond volume cap mortgage debt made available to the bond volume cap recycling
- loan is subordinate, except bond volume cap mortgage debt made available to the bond volume cap recycling
- made available to the bond<00:21:07.280>
volume <00:21:07.679>cap <00:21:08.080>recycling - <00:21:08.640>
program bond volume cap recycling program bond volume cap recycling program
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Housing heard and then took action on a series of housing-related bills concerning HHFDC, HPHA, inclusionary zoning, nonprofit housing trusts, housing project exemptions, the rental housing revolving fund, and a new for-sale housing program. Testimony was generally supportive from HHFDC and HPHA, with additional support from groups such as Hawaii YIMBY, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Holo Collaborative, the Kobayashi Group, and others. On SB 2424, the Kobayashi Group argued the bill would help open housing to a broader pool of local households, including buyers slightly above income limits who still cannot afford market-rate housing. On SB 2342, the chair asked HHFDC for final figures on rental housing revolving fund appropriations since 2016 and was told the amount was about $1.1 billion, including conveyance tax revenue.
In decision-making, the committee recommended passage of SB 2189 with amendments, noting concerns about transparency and accountability in HHFDC’s loan-award process; SB 2190 with amendments; SB 2234 with amendments; SB 2177 with amendments; SB 2194 unamended; SB 2342 with amendments; SB 2060 with amendments; and SB 2070 with amendments. The committee deferred SB 2195 and SB 2196 after testimony comments, and deferred SB 2063 because the chair said SB 2060 would be used instead as the vehicle for mixed-income subaccount changes. SB 2424 was discussed in hearing but then deferred in decision-making pending legal advice on issues including owner-occupancy, county income restrictions, buyback rules, and county council approval. The committee also heard testimony on SB 2062 and its proposed SD1, but deferred that measure because the relevant changes had already been incorporated into SB 2060 SD1.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- audience, if you're testifying on for or against a bill today, please make sure you filled out the electronic
- industrialization. water conservation, often creating the latest advancements in water reuse and recycling
Keywords:
coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Jun 22nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- easily distinguish compostable plastics from conventional plastics, reduce contamination in both recycling
- Without action, compostable plastics risk contaminating recycling streams and disrupting operations rather
- It has to also maintain quality through distribution and meet the requirements of SB 54 via recyclability
- Recyclability is also not practical in many applications.
- In frozen meal trays, for example, there is no existing recyclable option that provides the performance
Summary:
The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation.
The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- Increasing opportunities for groundwater recharge permits, capture of high storm flows, and recycled
- It's always great to have every electron you have access to, but at the same time, the Western markets
- the same time, the Western markets are expanding, and there is more opportunity for us to bring electrons
- done during the time was making sure we had Diablo Canyon as a backstop to make sure we had those electrons
- in the system, the curtailments reduce, and as the market becomes more efficient, we don't waste electrons
Summary:
The committee first handled several governor’s appointments not required to appear, approving Anthony Surich to lead the California Housing Finance Agency, Craig Snelling to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, Nicholas Mueller to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission, and the referral of bills to committees, each by 4-0 votes. It then heard testimony on the appointment of Jereen DiDamo to the State Water Resources Control Board. DiDamo highlighted priorities including water-use efficiency, SGMA implementation, groundwater recharge, ecosystem restoration, and expanding safe drinking water access, noting the number of Californians without safe drinking water had fallen from 1.6 million to 800,000 since 2019. Senators focused heavily on the safe drinking water program, consolidation of failing systems, funding, domestic wells, SGMA, and the Bay-Delta plan. Supporters praised her practical, collaborative approach and work on drinking water; opponents from environmental and tribal groups argued the board had favored agricultural and urban interests and had not acted quickly enough to protect the Delta and fisheries. The committee ultimately voted 4-0 to advance the appointment to the full Senate.
After a brief recess, the committee took up the appointment of Siva Gunda to the California Energy Commission. Gunda said California is managing three major transitions at once—decarbonizing the grid, electrifying transportation and buildings, and winding down petroleum and natural gas—and emphasized planning, transparency, and coordination across agencies and the West. Senators questioned him about Kern Energy and the impact of refinery compliance burdens, the state’s transportation fuels plan, Diablo Canyon, fuel imports, and affordability. Gunda said the Energy Commission has supported exemptions or potential exemptions for small refineries, that current planning assumes Diablo Canyon retires in 2030 without creating reliability problems if new resources continue to come online, and that most new capacity has been storage and solar. He also said California still imports a significant share of crude and refined products, with costs affected by global markets and shipping. The committee approved his appointment 4-0 to move to the full Senate.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- correct for tier three on the completion bonus side those do have to be attributed to the grid, electrons
- dietitians are for the committee on public health sb 65 250 by West ruling the requiring use of electronically
- facilities are for the committee on state affairs SB 827 by Parker early not an election of using an electronic
- Electronic devices and software applications by public schools for the Committee on Public Education.
- our authorized possession of copper or brass to the sale of the copper brass material to medical recycling
Bills:
HB14, HJR31, HB43, HB18, HB 106, HB36, HB26, HB149, HB 121, HB206, HB136, HB3114, HB2733, HB1732, HB3700, HB467, HB 1130, HB1846, HB1442, HB 1147, HB2176, HB2701, HB805, HB2890, HB 1154, HB1644, HB2118, HB1718, HB2488, HB2596, HB1971, HB2468, HB484, HB2578, HB3204, HB 1041, HB307, HB685, HB1710, HB538, HB2525, HB3125, HB2027, HB2894, HB3077, HB3684, HJR99, HB1399, HJR5, HB1330, HB2110, HJR2, HJR6, HB1587, HB14, HJR31, HB43, HB18, HB 106, HB36, HB26, HB149, HB 121, HB206, HB136, HB3114, HB2733, HB1732, HB3700, HB467, HB 1130, HB1846, HB1442, HB 1147, HB2176, HB2701, HB805, HB2890, HB 1154, HB1644, HB2118, HB1718, HB2488, HB2596, HB1971, HB2468, HB484, HB2578, HB3204, HB 1041, HB307, HB685, HB1710, HB538, HB2525, HB3125, HB2027, HB2894, HB3077, HB3684
Keywords:
nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, farm products, tax exemption, ad valorem taxation, agriculture, Texas Constitution, livestock, producer, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Mar 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- What if it was recycled trash that was, I don't know, melted?
- Is that included if it's been recycled, or are we just...
- Madam Speaker and gentlemen, this legislation does not require wind turbines to be recycled.
- or a storage battery recycling project, as I understand those batteries can be...
- I think they literally cannot be recycled, I'm pretty sure.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (04/15/2025)
Energy and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:10:40.880>
I Connecticut to recycle mattresses. I Connecticut to recycle mattresses. - As part of the solid waste working group, we are working on recycling mattresses.
- We do have a bill that has come to the Senate for paint recycling.
- We do have a bill that has come to the Senate for paint recycling.
- household hazardous waste uh, recycling household hazardous waste uh, recycling facilities,<00:28
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Ways and Means Committee amends bill to reduce improper disposal of infectious waste 5/5/26
Transcript Highlights:
- knows how many times because I send him a text every time of pictures of what shows up at our local recycling
- knows how many times because I send him a text every time of pictures of what shows up at our local recycling
- knows how many times because I send him a text every time of pictures of what shows up at our local recycling
Summary:
The committee took up House File 4017, with Representative Johnson presenting a delete-everything amendment that substantially changed the bill from a regulatory approach to a study. Johnson explained that the issue involves improper disposal of medical waste by hospitals and surgery centers, including items such as blood, gauze, syringes, and body parts, which he said has been occurring statewide despite an existing separation law dating back to 1989. He described the problem as a safety, operational, and cost issue for waste facilities and workers, saying facilities have had to shut down, bring in cleanup crews, and investigate incidents when contaminated waste is found in general trash.
Johnson said prior efforts to address the problem with hospitals and other locations had only temporary success, and that the amended bill would instead create a study to determine why the violations are happening, how widespread they are, and who needs education. The chair noted the amendment was a compromise that could move forward now, even if it was not a complete solution. No member questions were raised.
The committee adopted the DE1 amendment by voice vote, then renewed the motion to refer House File 4017 as amended to the general register. That motion passed by voice vote, and the bill advanced. Johnson thanked the co-authors and others who worked on the measure.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Jan 28th, 2025
House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- about it, and I do know there is a place in Arizona that's in business, and their sole business is recycling
- They take the valuable parts of that solar panel and they recycle them.
- So you recycle as much as you can, and then after that, you dispose of the remaining contents, and I'm
- I add that there is a growing recycling industry, as noted, and what you Are talking about what is happening
- have the laws, or we haven't looked at the legislation here for circular economic development with recycling
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- resource, but most large cities have a strong potential for increased municipal water reuse and recycling
- think there are other alternatives, and we need to look at those other alternatives, whether it's recycling
- Second, it could significantly increase its reuse and recycling of the existing water supply.
- I propose this: to begin with, technology like desalination and recycling of the water from sewage because
- Lakes, once they get it recycled, once they get it purified and they take the chlorine out that they
Bills:
HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672
Keywords:
aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Nov 17th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And those electrons are very cheap.
- Then that battery can later in the day turn around and discharge those electrons.
- But more electrons are generated in the middle of the day.
- There are recycling facilities for solar panels in Arizona and Texas.
- I do know at least one of our members, whenever they do swap out solar panels, they recycle them, and
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (02/18/2025)
Energy and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Maybe there's expanded recycling opportunities. Maybe there's incineration.
- The Department of Environmental Services is working on that—diversion, composting, recycling, all of
- They felt that a better use of resources would be to advance or augment electronic monitoring systems
- <02:14:29.719>
monitoring really have the electronic monitoring really have the electronic - a failed switch your electronic a failed switch your electronic monitoring<02:14:38.400>
systems
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 21st, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Lastly, requires seeking to vote electronically in an HOA election, get their ballots no less than 30
- AB 1780 makes a simple but important clarification to California's recycling law.
- removes barriers to getting clean drinking water to communities in need without undermining our recycling
Summary:
The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay due to lack of quorum, then proceeded through a long House of Origin deadline session focused mainly on floor votes for dozens of bills. The day opened with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated shooting at an Islamic Center in San Diego, and a warning to visitors about disrupting proceedings. Leadership repeatedly urged members to be on time and at their desks as the chamber worked through a large daily file.
The bills considered covered a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, community college trustee compensation, transit camera enforcement and privacy, taxation and excess proceeds claims, HOA rules, hepatitis C treatment access, child care planning, greenhouse energy standards, consumer lending, housing and homelessness, pet spay/neuter access, local financing for workforce housing, student financial aid, DUI penalties, senior housing, foster youth, behavioral health licensing, transit stop data, disaster response for child welfare, elections notices, safe surrender for infants, college enrollment and leave policies, insurance regulation, fair funding, school safety, environmental labeling, cash rounding, park passes through libraries, grocery access, pregnancy protections in education, swatting, domestic violence protective orders, farmworker housing, juvenile justice, cervical cancer screening, Medi-Cal transitions, disability certification, and home protection products. Most authors described their bills as cleanup measures, consumer protections, access expansions, or targeted fixes to existing law.
Testimony from authors and supporters emphasized access, safety, affordability, and administrative simplification, while a few bills drew policy concerns or opposition, especially AB 1751 on townhome development and labor standards. That bill prompted extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, and stakeholder engagement, but it ultimately passed. Other notable discussion included AB 1628 to extend California’s safe surrender window for infants, AB 1902 on juvenile detention extension hearings, and AB 1925 on permanent disability certification, each framed as addressing difficult real-world gaps in current systems.
The chamber took many roll-call votes, with most measures passing overwhelmingly and several by unanimous or near-unanimous margins. A few bills were temporarily passed, retained on file, or moved to the inactive file, and AB 1534 required the call to be lifted and then passed on a 54-8 vote. Overall, the session was dominated by floor action on the daily file rather than committee reports or gubernatorial messages, and the Assembly advanced a large number of bills on a deadline day.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 21st, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Lastly, it requires those seeking to vote electronically in an HOA election to get their ballots no less
- AB 1780 makes a simple but important clarification to California's recycling law.
- removes barriers to getting clean drinking water to communities in need without undermining our recycling
Summary:
The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay caused by the absence of a quorum, then proceeded with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated attack at the Islamic Center in San Diego, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Speaker pro tempore then moved through the daily file, repeatedly urging members to be on time and at their desks as the House of Origin deadline approached. Procedural actions included dispensing with the journal, deferring some items, and moving AB 1667 to the inactive file.
The bulk of the session was devoted to floor consideration of many bills, most of which passed with little or no opposition. Measures approved included bills on artificial intelligence provenance information (AB 2713), community college trustee compensation (AB 2528), transit camera enforcement and privacy (AB 1837), excess proceeds claims in taxation (AB 2705), HOA technical cleanup (AB 1892), hepatitis C treatment access (AB 1843), child care planning in local general plans (AB 1914), greenhouse energy code flexibility (AB 2200), rent-now-pay-later consumer protections (AB 2350), housing cleanup and density bonus measures (including AB 2390, AB 2480, AB 1567, AB 1751, and others), spay/neuter access (AB 2010), workforce housing financing tools (AB 2110), supportive housing and homelessness-related changes (AB 2146), mental health and health plan notification measures (AB 1598, AB 2613), student aid and education bills (AB 1534, AB 1636, AB 1669, AB 1728, AB 1784, AB 1871), public safety and criminal justice bills (AB 1546, AB 1572, AB 1872, AB 1877, AB 1932), and several health and social services measures (AB 1602, AB 1628, AB 1680, AB 1825, AB 1845, AB 1906, AB 1907, AB 1925). Most bills were described as support measures, often with bipartisan backing and no opposition, and passed by wide margins.
A few bills drew more discussion, especially AB 1751, a housing/townhome bill that sparked extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, stakeholder engagement, and whether the measure could depress pay for construction trades; despite concerns and an opposition speech, it ultimately passed 44-0. AB 1793, which would allow symmetrical rounding of cash transactions to the nearest nickel in light of the penny’s phaseout, also drew light debate and passed 47-1. AB 1932, an urgency measure expanding community-based crisis response, passed with one no vote on both the urgency and the bill. Several urgency or 54-vote bills, including AB 1534 and AB 1932, required later roll calls or calls to be lifted, but all measures described in the transcript were ultimately approved.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Rules Apr 16th, 2025
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The bill would require DPS disclosure of this data in their annual statewide electronic tracking system
- Just recycling of water helps communities use less water. right and and you can water golf courses and
- water do a lot of industrial uses with a recycling water that I think we need to think about ways to
Bills:
SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230
Keywords:
parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers
Summary:
In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
CPN, CPN, CPN, CPN-JDC DEFER, CPN Public Hearings 04-07-2026
Transcript Highlights:
- we had legislation pending regarding the disposition of metal implants that potentially could be recycled
- that would involve notice and consent on the family's part, if any metal implants are going to be recycled
- You know if any metal implants are going to be recycled. - Yes.
Summary:
The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard House Bill 1481, which would require cemeteries, crematories, funeral establishments, HSI facilities, and mortuaries to dispose of human remains within 60 days after a burial transit permit or related affidavit is issued. The Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association and several funeral-related entities supported the bill, and the association said it had already implemented consistent cremation authorization language regarding notice and consent for recycling metal implants, effective January 1. The committee later recommended HB 1481 be passed with a defective effective date of July 1, 2050; the vice chair voted with reservations, saying the prior version with Department of Health rulemaking was stronger consumer protection.
The committee also considered several resolutions. SCR 96 and SR 91, on a status update for implementation of the Hawaii Electric Reliability Administrator, were recommended for passage with amendments adopting the PUC’s requested changes. SCR 172 and SR 163, seeking a comprehensive analysis of ways to reduce costs and financial risks while meeting state goals, drew support from the PUC and Energy Office with comments, and the committee recommended passage with amendments removing a disputed whereas clause. SCR 109 and SR 102, on studying expanded mail-order pharmacy use, drew mixed testimony: the Insurance Division and HMSA supported a study, while the Hawaii Pharmacist Association and others raised concerns about patient outcomes, rural access, and community pharmacy sustainability; the committee amended the resolutions to require broader agency cooperation and evaluation of community pharmacy impacts, then recommended passage.
In additional decision-making, the committee deferred SCR 193 and SR 1802 on trust transparency due to no testimony. It recommended passage with amendments on several bills, including HB 1782 after clarifying terminology with the Attorney General’s Office, HB 1514 on workers’ compensation, HB 1619 on electric vehicle infrastructure, HB 1643 on pharmacy, HB 1721 on housing, HB 1864 on insurance, HB 1946 on timeshare registration, and HB 2475 on labeling requirements. HB 350 on energy was deferred for more work. The committee also reconsidered HB 2101 on commercial aquarium collection and recommended passage as amended after hearing from supporters and noting concerns about enforcement and statewide consistency.