Transcript Highlights:

• That somebody is there in that community. That's what this is about, folks.
• Okay, I have Jennifer Battle, Vice President of Community Access.
• I have Karen Reeves testifying on behalf of Syntex Community.
• Technology has significantly improved in recent years.
• As a community member, I'm for this bill. As a physician, I'm for this bill.

Bills: HB46, HB35, HB4490, HB4454, HB2188, HB3078, HB4743, HB2556, HB46, HB5342, HB4783, HB3785, HB5278, HB1639, HB2581, HB4224, HB4070, HB4099, HB4882, HB3794

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Transcript Highlights:

• to heal community to heal in a very unique way.
• He was a pillar of his community.
• That doesn't have this technology.
• I grew up in a a in a rural community. My father was in politics.
• And I now live in a in a larger community, but still certainly not an urban community and people know

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, we, your Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology, report that we've had under consideration
• Senate Bill 1265 is referred to the Energy and Technology Committee. February 25th, 2026, Mr.
• Section 67-823, Idaho Code, relating to coordination of policy and programs related to science, technology
• the flexibility to offer them renewable contracts, to give them stability, and keep them in our communities

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When it comes to vehicle technologies.
• stakeholders on hopefully reaching a product that will promote a fair marketplace for all vehicle technologies
• So Tesla, so the year communicating with fire marshal working with first responders are going to fire
• The EV is is is an emerging technology. All this is likely to change in a few years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Berman: THERE'S ALSO WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PRIORITIES INCLUDING NEW TECHNOLOGY OR CYBER SECURITY
• BUSINESSES LINED UP THAT WE THINK WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CYBER SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES
• AT GROUP TO HELP THEM GET THE NECESSARY TRAINING WHETHER IT IS IN AUTOMATION AND DEPLOYING NEW TECHNOLOGIES
• MELISSA FILLOUR WAIVES SPEAKING IN SUPPORT, HOLISTIC CANNABIS COMMUNITY.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE IN THIS COMMUNICATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR MIND OR IN
• AND PART OF HOW WE DO THAT IS WITH THE BUILDING INNOVATIONS SYSTEMS THEY ARE TECHNOLOGIES THAT CONTROL
• INSTEAD OF BEING TIED TO A VENDOR OR A TYPE OF EQUIPMENT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT NEW TECHNOLOGIES
• SO TIED INTO SOMETHING FOR 3 TO 5 YEARS THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT THE BALANCE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• School board members are essential parts of our community.
• School board members are essential parts of our community.
• Our schools are strong because of our communities, and our communities are strong because of our schools
• They're the community that is there every day.
• But I also see it shifting to technology.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wichita Falls is a community community community community community community community community community
• Falls community.
• That legacy of grit, determination, still defines this community today.
• community.
• This city serves as a reminder of the strength found in community and collaboration.

Bills: SJR3, SB5, SB21, SB72, SB703, SB764, SB790, SJR36, SJR3, SJR34, SJR18, SCR9, SB616, SB565, SB384, SB5, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842, SB971, SB790, SB767, SB480, SB1066, SB929, SB765, SB523, SB62, SB19, SB18, SB666, SB688, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB706, SB847, SB869, SB890, SB992, SB1145, SB494, SB290, SB766, SB11, SB10, SB13, SB263, SJR3, SB5, SR172, SR176, SR177, SR190, SR193, SR194, SR202, SR203, SR208

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, research institute, funding, grants, state health initiatives, cryptocurrency, bitcoin, investment reserve, economic resilience, financial security, vehicle rental, damage waiver

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:05:25.920><c> and</c> growth of some of our communities and growth of some of our communities
• One of the things that we've dealt with in our community, I've got a lot of small communities and we've
• One of the things that we've dealt with in our community, I've got a lot of small communities and we've
• ><c> got</c> lot of small communities and we've got lot of small communities and we've got some<01:11
• is I can think of one communities is I can think of one community<01:12:12.960><c> right</c><01:12:13.199

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><03:05:44.840><c> residences</c> also occurs for our community residences also occurs for our community
• /c><03:05:47.399><c> per</c> so those Community residences per so those Community residences per perform
• </c> priest thank you um on your community priest thank you um on your community residences<03:11:40.880
• </c> um again back to community um again back to community residences<03:19:10.760><c> so</c><03:19:11.080
• </c><04:09:05.359><c> in</c> other cases with limited technology in other cases with limited technology

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We and their independent auditors have communicated to them.
• the district's auditor still noted some deficiencies in fiscal year 2025 related to information technology
• . ...still noted some deficiencies in fiscal year 2025 related to information technology, as the district
• We try to get them invested in our community.
• But at the same time, I do have some very supportive people in the community that I've reached out to

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the communications director at AARP Hawaii.
• director at ARP GMA the communications director at ARP Hawaii<00:17:20.240><c> uh</c><00:17:20.400><
• I think Chair has another question, uh, Director, just because, uh, just for education of the community
• Just for education of the community and other members who are newer to this, what is the current amount
• Compared to past disasters, we have a lot of useful technology, yes, um, that you use for operations.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety heard testimony on several bills. HB 628 HD1, relating to education, would reinstate a prior law allowing veterans whose high school education was interrupted by wartime to receive a diploma. Testimony was generally supportive from the Office of Veterans Services, the Department of Education, the Hawaii Military Affairs Council, and an individual testifier, with one person in opposition. The committee later recommended passage of HB 628 HD1 as is, and the motion was adopted. The committee also heard HB 1158 HD1 and HB 1159 HD1, both relating to commercial harbors. HB 1158 HD1 concerns firefighting at commercial harbors and drew support from the Department of Transportation; the committee recommended passage as is and adopted the recommendation. HB 1159 HD1 would require masters or persons in charge of vessels to comply with a Harbor Master’s order to evacuate a commercial harbor during emergencies. Testimony included support from Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Transportation, and comments from the Hawaii Harbor Users Group. Members raised concerns about small boat operators and safety, and the committee passed the bill with reservations. The committee then discussed HB 1262, relating to the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, and HB 1296, relating to the major disaster fund. Supporters of HB 1262 included the Climate Advisory Team and AARP Hawaii, while the Department of Budget and Finance cautioned about duplication of benefits with federal disaster aid and the need to preserve the fund’s primary purpose. Members questioned how the bill would interact with federal assistance and whether the fund could be used more broadly; no vote was taken, and the bill was deferred to decision-making. On HB 1296, HEMA and Budget and Finance opposed the measure, citing the need for flexibility in emergencies and concerns that added reporting requirements could hinder response efforts, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii noted the major disaster fund is much smaller than the EBF. The committee likewise deferred HB 1296 to decision-making, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• and from the placement of those systems in the community.
• their communities.
• Please vote yes in helping keep our community safe.
• Please vote yes in helping keep our community safe.
• Please vote yes in helping keeping our community safe.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the previous day’s minutes, heard Senate messages on several bills, and then took up a series of third-reading and concurrence votes. The chamber also received notice that the Senate had concurred in House amendments to several other bills and that the Senate President had signed Engrossed Senate Bill 5068. Members then considered a slate of bills dealing with climate commitment account revenue, court administration, attorney general investigative authority, inmate funds, health care facility transactions, ferry governance, gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms, and renewable energy tax treatment. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170, Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251, Engrossed House Bill 2445, Substitute House Bill 2334, Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500, Second Substitute House Bill 1909, Engrossed House Bill 2156, Substitute House Bill 2539, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548, Engrossed House Bill 2588, and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 all received final passage after Senate amendments, with several members speaking in support or opposition. Supporters generally described the measures as clarifying revenue accounts, improving court access, protecting consumers, updating inmate account limits, addressing hospital consolidation, enabling local ferry management, and strengthening gun-violence prevention or renewable-energy tax policy. Opponents raised concerns about reduced transparency, expanded bureaucracy, shifting costs, attorney general overreach, limits on local control, and First Amendment or property-rights issues. Recorded votes showed passage on each of those bills, with margins ranging from narrow to broad: 55-38 on HB 1170, 54-40 on HB 2251, 66-29 on HB 2445, 80-15 on SHB 2334, 86-9 on ESHB 1960, 61-34 on ESHB 1500, 57-38 on SSB 1909, 54-41 on EHB 2156 after reconsideration, 57-38 on SHB 2539, 55-41 on ESHB 2548, 56-40 on EHB 2588, and 58-38 on ESHB 2320. The House also agreed to retransmit Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 to the Senate after deciding not to concur in the Senate’s fourth amendment. The meeting ended with both caucuses called and the House at ease.

Transcript Highlights:

• , to underserved, low-income communities that don't have access to veterinary care.
• This bill has already been tailored back because we've had discussions with the veterinary community.
• This bill has already been tailored back because we've had discussions with the veterinary community.
• However, age verification is a rapidly evolving area of technology.
• However, age verification is a rapidly evolving area of technology.

Bills: SB1176, SB1186, SB1235, SB1286, SB1446, SB1458, SB1515, SB1616, SB1641, SB1668, SB1670, SB1678, SB1747, SB1787

Keywords: stormwater, water storage, replenishment credits, groundwater, aquifer, Arizona Revised Statutes, disclosure, state contracts, procurement records, donations, transparency, EMS, reciprocity, interstate compact, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, licensure, public safety, military personnel, veterinary telemedicine

Transcript Highlights:

• A bill to be entitled an act relating to rural communities.
• The Office of Rural Prosperity, connecting communities to opportunities.
• Your heart and your passion for our rural communities knows no bounds.
• Your heart and your passion for our rural communities knows no bounds.
• But there are things that are needed in these communities, roads that are torn down.

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day, a visiting debate student, and later Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol. The chamber then took up committee reports and confirmed a slate of 52 executive appointments by a 39-0 vote. On special order, senators considered SB 250 on rural communities. The bill, described as a “Rural Renaissance” package, would create an Office of Rural Prosperity, establish a Renaissance Grant Program, increase housing and transportation support, and direct new funding to rural education and health care. Two amendments were adopted to update rural health funding and hospital estimates. Members from both parties spoke in support, while raising questions about eligibility and access to grants for certain rural areas. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then debated CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. The bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, tightening payment and audit procedures, and creating a stabilization fund for scholarships. Three amendments were adopted to remove a district declining-enrollment provision from the bill, adjust private-school documentation timing, and clarify withdrawal form and parent-attestation procedures. Senators from both parties supported the measure while noting concerns about oversight, school quality, and future conforming legislation. The bill passed 38-0, and both SB 250 and CS/SB 318 were certified to the House before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um, needs for, uh, local communities. um, needs for, uh, local communities.
• It's great technology, and it's only becoming more important.
• </c> our team members, and our communities. our team members, and our communities.
• Our current law has not kept pace with modern battery technology.
• Counties the modern battery technology.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know other communities have been ravaged and we've seen loss of life.
• Speaker, gentlelady, there are rural communities, including Just south of Socorro, communities were working
• , sort of a border area community.
• Twelve communities only have public broadcasting.
• communities, and those communities are facing some of the most tremendous threats from extreme weather

Transcript Highlights:

• owners within a community who get together and they form a chamber of commerce and their charter, well
• So they're trying to attract business. tourism or industry within their community.
• So many of us never see the use of the funds that are promoting our own local neighborhood or community
• They don't put them in your community if that organization is in your community.
• It does a lot of things in our communities.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved minutes from March 6, 11, 12, and 13, 2026 after correcting a procedural issue with the earlier March 6 approval. The committee then heard House Bill 861, which would allow universities to apply for grants from the state’s 2% hotel bed-tax marketing fund currently used for tourism promotion and chambers of commerce. Representative Monks said the bill would only expand eligibility to apply, not guarantee funding, and argued it could help universities offset promotion costs. An Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association representative testified in opposition, warning that diverting those dedicated tourism dollars could harm outdoor recreation marketing and rural jobs. After debate, the committee rejected the motion to send HB 861 to the floor on a do-pass recommendation. The committee next considered House Bill 885, a homestead exemption bill that would clarify residency and documentation requirements, including allowing a prior or current Idaho income tax return as proof of address, requiring six months’ residency in Idaho for continued eligibility except for military or religious mission service, and tying the homestead exemption to candidate residency provisions already in code. Sponsor Representative Raybould said the bill was intended to ensure only Idaho residents receive the benefit and to prevent double-dipping on similar exemptions in other states. Ron Nate of the Idaho Freedom Foundation opposed the bill, arguing it could create retroactive candidacy problems, impose unequal exceptions, and be difficult to administer across other states. Despite concerns and requests to delay the effective date, the committee passed HB 885 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation, with several members recording no votes. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1345, which would let the Idaho State Tax Commission communicate with taxpayers by email or other secure electronic means if taxpayers opt in, instead of relying only on U.S. mail or certified mail. Chairman Cannon said the change would improve efficiency and save an estimated $300,000, and noted the Tax Commission had helped shape the bill and was comfortable with the July 1, 2026 implementation date. With no testimony in opposition, the committee unanimously sent SB 1345 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Language development and communication skills, literacy, and social-emotional growth.
• Did you talk to any of the members of those boards that were community members?
• Idaho receives funding through the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant.
• I know that outreach and communication will continue to happen.
• Community. That is nothing about us without us.

Summary: The committee began by honoring pages Finn Meekum and Cooper Smith for their service, with both students describing the experience as eye-opening and professional. Members thanked them for their help, presented gifts and certificates, and then approved the minutes from February 2 and February 5, 2026. Senate Bill 1316, by Senator Blaylock, would update Idaho’s newborn screening exemption language to align with vaccination exemption standards and clarify that parents may decline newborn screenings and related treatments without stating a specific religious objection. A pediatrician testified in support, saying the bill codifies current practice and supports parental choice. The committee advanced the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1294, by Senator Galloway, would codify newborn hearing screening in Idaho law and standardize the screening methods used. Supporters, including an education official, an early intervention provider, and parents of children with hearing loss, said early screening improves language development, reduces long-term costs, and helps prevent delayed diagnosis. Some members questioned whether the bill was necessary if screenings already occur and whether the mandatory language conflicted with exemption provisions, but the committee sent the bill to the floor on a 4-3 roll call vote. Senate Bill 1314, also by Senator Blaylock, would repeal the Board of Health and Welfare and regional behavioral health board statutes, shifting authority and rulemaking directly to the department while keeping services in place. The sponsor said the boards are outdated and duplicative; an opponent argued the changes could affect federal settlement obligations, grant funding, oversight, and regional input in behavioral health. After debate, the committee advanced the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• :22.480><c> Open</c> communications associate for Open communications associate for Open Democracy<00
• Things have moved fast with internet, you know, technology, etc.
• Things have moved fast with internet, you know, technology, etc.
• Things have moved fast with internet, you know, technology, etc.
• I I've got<02:18:53.920><c> communities</c><02:18:54.559><c> that</c> got communities that got communities

Keywords: 1191, senate, all