Transcript Highlights:

• As Maine and Massachusetts share many of the same features in our New England style of local government
• RCV ensures everyone, especially those who often feel left out, can share their thoughts.
• RCV ensures everyone, especially those who often feel left out, can share their thoughts.
• I had to share my locus of power. If I just gave For them, I had to share my locus of power.
• It wasn't until I shared knowledge, acknowledged the patient's own expertise in taking care of their

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Election Laws held a public hearing focused primarily on ranked choice voting (RCV) legislation and several local home rule petitions, along with one petition to authorize remote participation in Concord town meetings. Chairs Keenan and Hunt outlined hearing procedures and noted the committee would hear both in-person and virtual testimony. The committee also took testimony on Concord’s request for remote participation in open and special town meetings, with supporters arguing it would make town meeting more accessible to residents with childcare, mobility, work, or disability barriers while preserving direct democracy. A large portion of the hearing centered on RCV local-option bills and municipal petitions from communities including Concord, East Hampton, Salem, Chelsea, Arlington, Revere, Amherst, and others. Supporters—among them local officials, legislators, election advocates, educators, veterans, and nonprofit leaders—said RCV would reduce vote-splitting, encourage more candidates, promote more positive campaigning, improve representation, and increase turnout. East Hampton officials described their existing use of RCV, saying it produced record turnout, was easy for voters to understand with education, and could be expanded to multi-winner races without major added cost. Concord and Amherst witnesses said their voters had already approved local steps toward RCV and urged the committee to let municipalities implement the system without further delay. Testimony in favor of the local-option RCV bill emphasized home rule and local control, with several witnesses arguing the state should not block communities that have already voted to adopt RCV. Speakers from MassVOTE, the AFT Massachusetts, Voter Choice Massachusetts, Progressive Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union, and Veterans for All Voters said the reform would strengthen democracy, broaden participation, and save money by avoiding low-turnout preliminary elections. Some witnesses also referenced examples from Cambridge, Maine, and Utah to argue that RCV is workable, nonpartisan, and familiar to voters. The hearing ended with no votes or final committee action taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you share with us any of the changes that have been made to the program since the audit?
• And what I'd like to share with you is some of the key strategies that we've used in order to get there
• I wanted to share our very strong support for Didi Adamo, who stands out to us for how practical and
• And we actively work with them and sharing information that we have and will continue to do so.
• And whenever you have an opportunity to share with us, please do so.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are being influenced and in some cases decided by people who do not belong to the party, who do not share
• the process is open to those with no real commitment to the party, it ceases to be a reflection of shared
• its core values party, who do not share its core values and<00:14:08.959><c> do</c><00:14:09.199><c>
• tenants and becomes an open shared tenants and becomes an open invitation<00:14:31.839><c> to</c><00
• ><c> conversations</c><00:52:48.160><c> with</c> back and shared those conversations with back and shared

Bills: HB541, HB541

Keywords: PFAS, drinking water, public health, environmental management, liability, primary elections, party registration, party affiliation, open primary, closed primary, runoff election, crossover voting, voter registration, Secretary of State, absentee ballot, polling place signage, election integrity, political party, Democrat, Republican

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to share some context about the history and purpose of SSD.
• I also share some of the same concerns that have been spoken here this evening.
• I also share some of the same concerns that have been spoken here this evening.
• SSD may have been created with aspirations of equity, efficiency, and shared responsibility.
• SSD's shared model allows districts to access them equitably and cost-effectively.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 3070, a firearms-related bill. Representative Koslow argued the bill was not truly Second Amendment friendly, saying it could block return of stolen firearms, expose taxpayers to large payouts, and harm firearm dealers. Representative Greg said local law enforcement did not support it. The committee then voted 3 ayes and 9 noes, and HB 3070 failed to be reported do pass. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2904, which would expand animal mistreatment law to include starvation and add a House committee substitute addressing false reports of animal abuse. Representative Don Mayhew said the bill responds to cases of animals left chained and neglected, and supporters from the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Humane World for Animals, and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation backed the measure. No opposition testimony was offered. The bulk of the meeting focused on House Bill 2933, which would allow school districts in St. Louis County to withdraw from the Special School District of St. Louis County through board action and a local vote. The sponsor and supporters, including Lindbergh officials, parents, and an attorney, said the current SSD structure is too rigid, lacks accountability, and can fail to meet students’ individualized needs; they cited service delays, litigation, and concerns raised by families. Opponents, including SSD administrators, superintendents, parents, and advocates, said SSD provides specialized services that many districts could not replicate, warned the bill could fragment services and create instability, and pointed to the countywide history and existing review mechanisms for SSD. The hearing ended without a vote on HB 2933.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to begin by sharing some of our data on... ...I'd like to begin by sharing some of our data
• I just want to say that, and you'll probably hear this today, that this is a market share war.
• I just want to say that, and you'll probably hear this today, that this is a market share war.
• I just want to say that, and you'll probably hear this today, that this is a market share war.
• This is not a market share war.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), focusing on public health risks, overdose deaths, and regulatory gaps in California. The chair opened by noting that FDA and CDPH consider kratom and 7-OH products unlawful for consumption, yet they remain widely sold in smoke shops, vape stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. The hearing was framed as part of ongoing legislative work, including a future review of AB 1088, and members emphasized the need to weigh potential benefits against risks and consider whether stronger safeguards are needed. Expert testimony from a toxicology professor and several public health and medical officials described kratom as a plant with multiple alkaloids, with 7-OH identified as the more potent opioid-like compound associated with tolerance, dependence, withdrawal, and respiratory depression. CDPH reported 362 kratom-related overdose deaths in California from 2019 to 2023 and 15 deaths involving 7-OH, while Los Angeles County officials described unexplained deaths in young adults that led them to expand toxicology testing and identify 7-OH as a common factor. County and state public health representatives said they have issued advisories, contacted retailers, removed products from shelves, and taken enforcement actions, but they stressed that local enforcement is patchy, under-resourced, and limited by unclear jurisdiction and lack of testing capacity. Medical witnesses said patients are presenting with 7-OH dependence and withdrawal in ways similar to fentanyl-related cases, sometimes requiring buprenorphine, methadone, or repeated naloxone. They argued that unregulated retail sales and misleading marketing make the products especially risky, and that a statewide framework would be more effective than a patchwork of local ordinances. Some officials said the safest current policy is to keep kratom and 7-OH unlawful for consumption, while others said any new regulation would need resources, packaging rules, and clearer authority for enforcement. Industry and consumer advocates urged the committee to distinguish natural kratom leaf from concentrated or synthetic 7-OH products. They argued that kratom leaf has long-standing use, that 7-OH should be targeted rather than the whole plant, and that regulation should focus on age limits, labeling, testing, serving-size caps, and restrictions on adulterated products rather than prohibition. Several speakers warned that bans could push demand to the black market and reduce access for people using the products for pain relief or harm reduction, while critics of the industry said the products are being marketed deceptively and that more comprehensive regulation is needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It makes a crime to knowingly and recklessly share intimate digital depictions without consent.
• Well, I want to share some data. The brain. You might ask why this specific compound?
• Well, I want to share some data from an observational study regarding the subjective effectiveness of
• So for all the people that have come up and shared your stories, thank you.
• So today I'm grateful that I'm here to be able to share my experience and listen.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm happy to share it with any of you. Thank you. They had to produce this document.
• I'm happy to share it with any of you.
• I'm happy to share it with any of you. Pistol failure, modes, effects, and critical analysis.
• When you get to the podium, if you could please share your name with the committee for the record.
• At the time, I want to share about the guardian ad litem.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard HB 925 on clerks of court reimbursement. The sponsor said the bill raises the statutory reimbursement rate for unfunded clerk duties to $195 per petition, adds approved civil indigency applications to the reimbursement request, and adjusts certain civil traffic fee distributions to create parity between municipalities and unincorporated county areas. An amendment was adopted to remove general-revenue redirects and address a fee-waiver issue. Clerks and related associations testified in support, while the Florida League of Cities raised concerns about the revenue impact on municipalities. The committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 925 favorably by a 16-0 vote. The committee then took up HB 1551 on products liability for firearms. The sponsor said the bill would bar design-defect claims based solely on the absence or presence of external features not required by federal law, while preserving claims for internal manufacturing defects and failures to meet express warranties or representations. The bill drew extensive testimony from firearms manufacturers, law enforcement, gun-rights groups, and opponents from the Florida Justice Association and others, with debate focused on whether the language would limit lawsuits over alleged ghost firing or design defects and whether it should be clarified to preserve pending and future claims. The committee reported HB 1551 favorably by a 13-4 vote. Next, CS for HB 657 on community associations proposed a new community association court program, elimination of pre-suit mediation, and new procedures for dissolving associations, along with changes to “Kaufman” language and financial disclosure requirements. An amendment was adopted that changed the dissolution threshold to 50% of signatures, required a two-thirds vote for bylaw amendments, and expanded financial disclosure access to bank records and related documents. Homeowners testified about alleged HOA abuse, while attorneys and others warned about unintended consequences, loss of mediation, and questions about court authority. The committee approved the amended bill 14-1. Finally, CS for HB 635 on cybersecurity standards and liability would create a presumption against negligence liability for local governments and businesses that comply with specified cybersecurity standards and incident-reporting requirements, with the defendant bearing the burden to show compliance. Testimony split between supporters who said the bill incentivizes stronger security practices and opponents who argued it could shield entities that only “substantially” comply and could affect pending class actions. The committee reported the bill favorably 14-1. The meeting then moved on to PCS for HB 529, with the sponsor beginning presentation as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I told you about my dream, and I'll share it here quickly: as the only veteran in the state Assembly,
• Interestingly, a significant share of factory-built housing for multifamily production in California
• We have insufficient and fragmented data collection, minimal sharing of best practice, and the scarcity
• So thank you for the opportunity to share with you today.
• It could look like providing an incentive so that affordable housing developers are sort of a share of

Summary: The Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation met to examine how industrialized construction, including modular, panelized, manufactured, and 3D-printed building methods, could help lower California’s housing costs and speed delivery. Chair Buffy Wicks opened by describing the committee’s purpose as a cross-cutting effort to address construction costs, drawing on visits to factories in Sweden, Idaho, and Indiana. Members from both the committee and invited participants broadly agreed that California’s housing crisis is driven not only by land use and permitting, but also by high construction costs, labor shortages, and a lack of scalable innovation. Ben Metcalf of UC Berkeley’s Turner Center provided the main policy overview, saying California needs roughly 2.5 million additional homes by 2030 and that multifamily construction costs in the state can be far higher than in Texas or Colorado. He said factory-built housing can reduce hard costs and timelines under the right conditions, but barriers remain in financing, local code and design review, uncertain demand pipelines, and fragmented research and data. In response to committee questions, he discussed possible state actions such as pro-housing incentives, state-backed purchasing or subsidies, more standardized approvals, and better research infrastructure. Members also raised the need to involve labor and building trades in the process. A panel of developers and builders then described projects and cost savings from factory-built and related methods. Caleb Rupp of Pacific Companies said modular construction can save about 20% on average and cited a project where modular delivery reduced the need for public subsidy by $18 million; he suggested incentives such as tax exemptions, state-owned sites, third-party inspections, and limits on local code variation. Lois Kim of Mutual Housing California described a pipeline of more than 660 units across six jurisdictions, saying a predictable factory pipeline can reduce construction time by about 40% and total development costs by at least 10%. Danny Haber of O’WOW said standardized design, componentized construction, and mass timber can cut costs substantially, while also criticizing outdated codes, utility hookup fees, and financing costs. Donna Jamian of Emergent Construction described California’s first code-approved 3D concrete printing projects, including homes in Redding and work on a commercial building and fire-recovery projects in Altadena. She said current codes have not caught up to the technology and asked for participation in local self-certification programs. Committee members asked about the role of state incentives, code alignment, financing support, and how to build developer confidence after failures like Katerra. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further hearings and a forthcoming white paper with policy recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I told you about my dream, and I'll share it here quickly: as the only veteran in the state Assembly,
• I told you about my dream, and I'll share it here quickly, is as the only veteran in the state assembly
• Interestingly, a significant share of factory-built housing for multifamily production in California
• It just has to mean that we get to a place where a sizable share is consistently year after year after
• So thank you for your opportunity to share with you today.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• if California doesn't do its share.
• The biggest share has been high speed rail, and I know that's going to be the first area you go into,
• I have a brief prepared statement that I'm happy to share after the hearing.
• I was sharing this with Chris Hannon from building trades.
• But that'll be one of the things that I'll be sharing with my colleagues. regarding this funding.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've got a whole lot more statistics to share. I've emailed them to you already.
• I also want to share that on my car, I have homemade anti-distracted-driving slogans.
• Almost every day, somebody stops me and shares a story about their wife, their sister, their cousin,
• And so I told that story about my personal, my family, my personal story, to share how important this
• I've run my fair share of them.

Summary: The Committee on Rules took up a long agenda of bills and reported several measures favorably. Early action included CS for SB 678, allowing pawnbroker transaction forms to be printed or digital, and SB 466, which designates St. Johns County as the site for the Florida Museum of Black History and creates a board to work with the supporting foundation and county officials. Senators and public speakers largely supported the museum bill, though some members asked about feasibility studies and long-term planning. The committee also approved CS for SB 578 on wine containers, SB 582 on penalties for unlawful demolition of historic buildings, CS for SB 1168 creating an aggravated offense for unlawful tracking-device use in furtherance of crimes, CS for SB 806 clarifying that only the Florida Attorney General may represent beneficiaries of Florida charitable trusts as a public official, and SB 1228 to support spring restoration efforts for Ichetucknee and Santa Fe springs. The committee then heard and favorably reported CS for CS for SB 304, which addresses child protective investigations involving infants and young children with genetic or other pre-existing medical conditions. The bill requires a qualified medical opinion before permanent removal in cases where injuries may be explained by an underlying condition, and it drew strong support from the sponsor and several speakers. Members also approved SB 1286 clarifying that ordinary unsupervised childhood activities, such as biking or playing outside, do not by themselves constitute neglect unless reckless, and SB 1318, a hands-free driving bill that renames the texting-while-driving law, expands the handheld-device prohibition, and adds penalties for handheld use in work and school zones and for certain serious crashes. The hands-free bill prompted the most debate, with supporters citing crash and fatality data and families sharing personal losses, while opponents raised concerns about enforcement, civil liberties, and potential disparate impacts on lower-income and minority drivers; the bill was still reported favorably after amendments. Additional measures reported favorably included SB 14 and SB 20, two claims bills for injuries and deaths involving local governments, and CS for SB 68, which updates health facilities authority financing rules to reflect modern hospital structures. The committee also approved CS for SB 172 on health care practitioner specialty titles and designations after adopting an amendment protecting CRNA titles; the bill generated questions about whether licensed practitioners with doctoral degrees may still use the title doctor under their practice acts. Throughout the meeting, most bills were adopted without opposition, and the committee repeatedly voted to report them favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, well, but I wanted to just share some things that I brought.
• </c> Oh, well, but I wanted to just share Oh, well, but I wanted to just share some<00:10:37.040><c>
• Children may not always have always share. Thank you. Your time is expired.
• Children may not always<00:15:44.639><c> have</c><00:15:45.600><c> always</c><00:15:46.000><c> share.
• </c> always have always share. Thank you. always have always share. Thank you.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard HB 698, which would increase criminal penalties for animal cruelty offenses. The chair explained that a proposed SD1 narrowed the bill to “pet animals” only, and testimony focused heavily on whether the bill should be limited to pets, whether service animals should also be included, and whether the measure could unintentionally affect livestock or cultural practices such as chicken fighting. Supporters, including the Hawaiian Humane Society, rescue organizations, and several individuals, argued that stronger penalties are needed because animal cruelty is under-prosecuted, that abuse of animals is linked to violence against people, and that harsher penalties could deter abuse. Opponents, including the public defender’s office and some farmers and livestock interests, argued the existing law is already on the books, enforcement is the real problem, and the bill is vague and could create unintended consequences. Several witnesses described graphic examples of animal abuse and urged the committee to act, while one testifier from the Disability Communication Access Board asked that service animals be explicitly included because they are not considered pets and are important to the independence and safety of people who rely on them. Committee members questioned the scope of the SD1, including whether it covered chickens, domesticated pigs, and service or emotional support animals. The deputy attorney general was asked to provide follow-up clarification on those points, and the Hawaiian Humane Society said it would welcome adding service animals back into the bill. At the end of testimony, the chair announced the final testimony count as 112 in support, 128 in opposition, and one comment, noting that some testimony appeared to address the broader House version rather than the narrower SD1. Because several questions remained unresolved, the committee deferred HB 698 until Monday, March 31, at 10:00 a.m. in room 016, with a vote to be taken then. After that, the committee moved on to its 10:02 decision-making agenda and deferred HB 108 as well, citing concerns about alcohol shipment, drunk driving, and underage access; it then began discussion of HB 226 on windshield tinting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We actively encourage our members to engage with you directly to share their on-the-ground experiences
• I want to share the major news from CDAC this spring.
• We are also the largest risk-share lender in the country.
• With things like risk share, where we’re seeing potential challenges, but not yet as of today, is the
• I want to share one story with you today.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened its second hearing of the session with remarks from Chairs Haggerty and Cyr emphasizing that the hearing was a broad look at Massachusetts’ housing crisis rather than a single bill. They highlighted topics including zoning, permitting, rental assistance, public housing, homelessness prevention, and housing production. The first witness, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, reviewed implementation of the Affordable Homes Act and the state’s new housing plan, citing a 1.6% vacancy rate, a projected need for 222,000 new homes over 10 years, and ongoing efforts such as ADUs by right, fair housing enforcement, eviction record sealing, seasonal communities planning, and new funding for affordable housing, public housing, and the Momentum Fund. He also discussed infrastructure support for municipalities, technical assistance for ADUs, and concerns about possible federal funding cuts. Committee members questioned the secretary about ADU financing and technical assistance, the likely unit yield from the Affordable Homes Act, infrastructure barriers in suburban and rural communities, public housing waitlist management, supportive housing, and federal budget risks. MassNAHRO then testified that public housing authorities are facing rising operating and capital costs, a statewide waitlist nearing 300,000, and uncertainty over federal Section 8 and HUD funding. Witnesses described recent state support for operating subsidies, capital improvements, vacancy turnover teams, and resident service coordinators, while warning that proposed federal cuts could sharply affect voucher issuance and agency operations. CDAC’s executive director Roger Herzog described the agency’s role as a quasi-public source of early-stage financing and technical assistance for nonprofit housing developers, noting its loan capital, supportive housing bond programs, home modification loans, and preservation work under Chapter 40T. He said CDAC has helped produce or preserve more than 55,000 units and stressed the importance of patient capital and preservation tools. CHAPA CEO Rachel Heller urged the committee to focus on production, preservation, planning, and political will, supporting goals for affordability, supportive housing, and homeownership, and endorsing policy changes such as YIGBY, clearer site plan review rules, stronger fair housing funding, and more support for vouchers and public housing. MassHousing then outlined its financing role, including mortgage lending, down payment assistance, the Community Climate Bank, and the Momentum Fund, while noting that permitting delays, capital gaps, and possible federal changes could affect production. Members also asked about transparency, prevailing wage compliance, and a recent internal restructuring related to diversity and business engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll start by sharing a little bit about our farms and cidery.
• </c><00:05:12.000><c> my</c> farm winery and I'm here to share my farm winery and I'm here to share my
• I'll<00:05:17.400><c> start</c><00:05:17.600><c> by</c><00:05:17.720><c> sharing</c><00:05:18.000><c>
• </c><00:07:52.360><c> the</c> this change, I also want to share the this change, I also want to share
• </c> so that each city would receive a share so that each city would receive a share based<00:20:48.280

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please share with us your name. If you're with an organization, let us know.
• Those are goals that I share, and I applaud you for that.
• Just so everybody is aware, our... we share, we live close to each other.
• And it strikes fear in the hearts of those who share property nearby. ...in the hearts of those who share
• I share that admonishment, that concern with the Capitol community.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just have three short announcements to share with the members.
• vetting, data sharing, and clear eligibility criteria.
• I'd shared in Senate Judiciary that my career with the state, I'd shared in Senate Judiciary that my
• So I just wanted to make sure to share that.
• So thank you for sharing that. We do have those on the list.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to share our condolences to his wife.
• Speaker, I'd like to share a story, and I shared this with Chair Small yesterday and visited with him
• On this note, though, I want to share with this body, Mr.
• So would insurance then be forced to cover them with no cost sharing?
• And so cost sharing would be required for those folks who opt in to.

Transcript Highlights:

• He shared that he was the 17th generation.
• I appreciate the privilege to share with you a very powerful perspective.
• So I will tell you, while I share that fear, what I put my faith in.
• So let me share the answers I was shared with. First, the maps.
• So let me share the answers I was shared with. First, it was assembly. Here we are.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, recess, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into a highly procedural and contentious floor session centered on redistricting measures. Members debated a point of order raised by Assembly Member DeMaio challenging the constitutionality of SB 280, ACA 8, and AB 604; the Speaker ruled the point not well taken, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on appeal. The body also took up consent-calendar and procedural motions, including suspending rules to adopt late amendments on ACA 8 and to bring the measure up without reference to file. Several motions to re-refer or suspend rules on related measures failed, while the motion to adopt the late amendments on ACA 8 carried. The main substantive item was ACA 8, the Assembly Constitutional Amendment related to redistricting, presented by Assembly Member Berman as a response to mid-decade redistricting efforts in other states, especially Texas. Supporters argued the measure was a temporary, voter-driven response to protect democracy, counter partisan gerrymandering, and address broader threats tied to the Trump administration, including immigration enforcement and health care cuts. Opponents argued ACA 8 would undermine California’s independent citizens redistricting commission, violate the state Constitution, and amount to partisan gerrymandering or a power grab. Members on both sides framed the issue as a defense of democracy, but disagreed sharply over whether the Legislature should act or leave redistricting to voters and the existing commission. No final vote on ACA 8 is shown in the transcript excerpt, but the Assembly did vote on several procedural matters: the appeal of the Speaker’s ruling was sustained 58-18; the motion to adopt late amendments on ACA 8 passed 58-19; a motion to re-refer ACA 8 and SB 280 to Judiciary failed 19-58; and a motion to take up A.J.R. 21 without reference to file failed 19-58. The session remained focused on ACA 8 and related redistricting questions, with extensive floor speeches from both supporters and opponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• I I shared the sentiment of both gentlemen up there that that uh especially with the revision or the
• Uh, I I shared Chair. I appreciate it.
• So, I'll share a few of their stories. One instructor told me about his technical program.
• Ericson, for sharing your story and your testimony. Uh, Mr. Bowen, welcome.
• Uh we will need to share their ideas.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:48.519><c> of</c> company's commitment to pay its share of company's commitment to pay its
• two our $2 billion share the $2 billion two our $2 billion share of<00:13:52.079><c> the</c><00:13:52.240
• , whatever size their share is.
• , whatever size their share is.
• raising their share whatever size their<00:45:50.119><c> share</c><00:45:50.760><c> is</c><00:45:51.760

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on HB 982 HD1, a wildfire-related measure aimed at creating a wildfire recovery fund and a financing structure to address future catastrophic wildfire liability. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Division of Consumer Advocacy, and the Public Utilities Commission submitted comments and were available for questions. Supporters included IBW Local 1260, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Clearway Energy Group, Hawaiian Electric, Par Hawaii, and others, while Charter Communications and the Hawaii Association for Justice opposed or raised concerns. Life of the Land supported the bill but urged changes to the definition of a catastrophic wildfire and noted concerns about prudency review language. IBW Local 1260 asked to restore language from the original draft, and Charter warned the bill could impair existing contract and indemnity rights unless amended. A major focus of the hearing was Hawaiian Electric’s position on the HD1 version. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the original bill but objected to the HD1 requirement for an additional $500 million shareholder contribution, arguing it was not feasible and could delay or prevent the fund from operating. The company said the bill would help protect customers and improve credit ratings by creating a dedicated revenue stream and a bankruptcy-remote financing structure, which it said would lower borrowing costs over time. Members questioned how the $1 billion securitization amount was chosen, whether credit rating agencies had indicated it was sufficient, and how the bill would work in bankruptcy; Hawaiian Electric said the amount was a balance among interests, not based on a specific agency directive, and that it would follow up on bankruptcy questions. Opponents and skeptics raised concerns about liability caps, the new claims process, and unclear language on damages above the fund’s limits. The Hawaii Association for Justice argued the bill limits victims’ remedies and gives too much authority to the new entity without clear guardrails. Committee members also pressed Hawaiian Electric on comparisons to California, the feasibility of the shareholder contribution, and whether alternative capital-raising or divestiture options had been considered. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided; testimony and questioning continued with follow-up information requested from Hawaiian Electric and others.