Transcript Highlights:

• We spend over $10 billion a year from general taxpayer funds, not gas taxes, not vehicle fees, to build
• It could be gas-powered cars or any kind of vehicle class that falls out of political favor.
• Authorizes cities to ban certain classes of vehicles from using the toll roads.
• I don't see why certain classes of vehicles should be banned from.
• Why would the department, why would Tech say we're not going to allow an electric vehicle?

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Heavy-duty service vehicles, including those providing essential solid waste and recycling services,
• So just to be clear, this is not a vehicle miles tax, nor does it open the door to VMPT anywhere in the
• The problem will only get worse is fleets electrify SB1 funds go away and vehicles are getting heavier
• So there's a gross vehicle limit that this kicks in at, correct? Basically, yes. Okay.
• So there's a gross vehicle limit that this kicks in at, correct? Basically, yes. Okay.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, Chair Bman, would you have a DE1 amendment to get the bill into a vehicle in shape that we need?
• Uh, members, this bill will be moved to Ways and Means as a vehicle that will be used for our health
• Okay, members, any final questions before we send this vehicle off to the Ways and Means Committee?
• off to the before we send this vehicle off to the ways<00:02:53.360><c> and</c><00:02:53.599><c> means
• , and this has been done in other vehicle, and this has been done in other committees<00:05:16.080><c

Bills: HF2435

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• not only that, all of the other data points that they have to remember, how many people are in the vehicle
• not only that, all of the other data points that they have to remember, how many people are in the vehicle
• not only that, all of the other data points that they have to remember, how many people are in the vehicle
• For a vehicle stops, the above possible.
• For a vehicle stops, the above demographic<02:35:56.240><c> information</c><02:35:56.640><c> need</c>

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1790 HD1, which would require law enforcement and oversight agencies to collect and report data on stops, use of force, and complaints to the Hawaii Crime Lab, which would publish incident-level information and annual reports. Supporters, including the Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Justice Rising, and the Policing Project, said the bill would improve transparency, help identify disparities, and support better policy and accountability. OHA requested amendments to ensure Hawaiians are identified as a distinct category in the data, and the University of Hawaii’s Ashley Rubin said the Crime Lab would work with agencies to make implementation as seamless as possible. The Department of Law Enforcement supported the bill’s intent but asked for a longer timeline and culturally appropriate methodology, while HPD opposed the bill as written, saying it would require too many new data points, create a significant administrative burden, and rely on subjective perceptions of race and ethnicity; HPD also noted it is piloting an e-citation system that could help with data collection. Committee members questioned HPD about current manual processes and technology options. The chair reported 18 testimonies total: 15 in support, one in opposition, and two with comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard HB 1611 HD1, which would phase down the general excise tax on groceries and nonprescription drugs until a full exemption takes effect in 2034. The Department of Taxation offered technical recommendations, including clearer definitions for groceries and nonprescription drugs and a technical change regarding the county surcharge exemption. Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and the Hawaii Food Industry Association, argued the GET on groceries is regressive and worsens food insecurity, especially for low-income households, and said the bill would provide needed relief. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical concerns, including a possible wholesale-tax enforcement issue once the exemption is fully phased in. The excerpt ends during testimony on HB 1611, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• D authorized the loophole that allowed collectors to continue collecting with a commercial marine license
• :50:02.119><c> marine</c> collecting with a commercial marine collecting with a commercial marine license
• or CML in one year under the D license or CML in one year under the D INR<00:50:06.040><c> authorized
• for us to so there are existing vehicles for us to have<02:33:06.120><c> meetings</c><02:33:07.000><
• </c> the glazing material of a motor vehicle the glazing material of a motor vehicle with<02:55:08.279

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. On HB 211 relating to stream maintenance, DLNR supported the intent but requested amendments to clarify that responsibility for removing abandoned property rests with the entity that has jurisdiction or ownership of the stream, and asked for appropriations to help cover cleanup costs. Members discussed existing county authority to clean streams and then seek reimbursement from private owners, and the City and County of Honolulu’s written testimony was noted as arguing the bill conflicts with a federal court stipulation requiring notice and storage of personal property before disposal. On HB 502 relating to land use, OPSD and the Land Use Commission supported the bill’s intent but raised concerns about the short timeline and the need for rule changes, with OPSD recommending a more permanent county plan-based district boundary amendment process instead of a temporary one. The Department of Agriculture asked counties to make concurrent revisions to ordinances and rules affecting agricultural land partitioning. Testimony also noted the bill is aimed at legacy agricultural subdivisions and would require Land Use Commission rulemaking. On HB 510 relating to declaration of water shortage and emergency, DLNR and the Board of Water Supply strongly supported the measure, saying it would give CWRM a more timely tool to respond to emergencies outside designated water management areas and would require rulemaking, permit classifications, and criteria for declaring shortages. In response to opposition concerns from the Land Use Research Foundation and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, DLNR said the rulemaking process would allow public input and that permit classifications could help balance agricultural and other water uses. On HB 511 relating to public lands, DLNR, the Department of Agriculture, and Hawaii Farm Bureau supported removing the survey requirement before setting aside public lands between state agencies, saying it would speed Act 90 transfers and save time and money, though one testifier cautioned against misuse of agricultural lands. No votes were taken during the excerpted portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• professional associations helped me, among other things, to develop new ideas, like an internet driver's license
• If they suspect abuse, they have a vehicle in place right They're mandatory reporters.
• If they suspect abuse, they have a vehicle in place right now to report that. That's the end of it.
• I'm a licensed counselor, a mother of three children, and a senior fellow with Do No Harm.
• This broad new ban on trans participation in sports and associated private spaces gives license to the

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These include passenger trips, vehicle revenue hours, vehicle miles traveled, trips per hour, and more
• to keep our vehicles operating since we do all of our vehicle maintenance in-house.
• Would put stuff on our vehicles.
• We've got the vehicles.
• We've got the vehicles.

Summary: The committee met as a study subcommittee on fixed-route public transportation and first approved the December 11 minutes. It then heard detailed presentations from transit leaders in Grand Forks, Bismarck/Mandan, and Fargo about their systems, including route structures, paratransit service, ridership trends, fare changes, funding sources, fleet replacement needs, and operational challenges. Grand Forks described Cities Area Transit’s 17 routes, university shuttle service, expanded paratransit coverage, a 2025 fare increase, and rising costs for labor, fuel, parts, and new buses. Bismarck/Mandan’s Bisman Transit outlined its fixed-route and paratransit operations, recent service expansions approved for April 1, fare structure, ridership recovery since COVID, and major funding streams including mill levies, federal grants, and new local sales tax revenue. Fargo’s MATBUS representative emphasized the importance of continued state support for urban fixed-route transit. Members asked extensive questions about cost per ride, fare increases, school transportation, veteran service partnerships, app-based ticketing, local funding formulas, and whether ride-share or microtransit could replace fixed routes. Transit officials said fixed-route service remains essential because it provides reliable capacity, supports jobs and access to services, and preserves federal funding tied to public transit operations. They also said paratransit is costly but necessary for riders with disabilities, and that vehicle and maintenance costs have risen sharply. Minot’s transit superintendent added context on the state’s existing transit aid formula, explaining that it is weighted more toward rural and paratransit providers and that urban fixed-route systems are seeking a separate, dedicated funding source rather than changes to the current formula. The committee also heard public testimony from North Dakota Protection & Advocacy supporting both fixed-route and paratransit service for disabled riders, and from Minot staff on refurbished buses, CDL driver recruitment, and why the agency is not pursuing full electric buses. Near the end, members discussed whether to recommend additional state funding for the four urban fixed-route systems. A motion passed to have Legislative Council prepare a summary of the subcommittee’s activities for inclusion in the Government Finance Committee’s report to Legislative Management. Members then continued discussing possible recommendations, including a separate funding source for urban fixed-route transit and whether the four urban systems should meet to develop a proposed amount.

Transcript Highlights:

• miles traveled, more to cleaner vehicle miles traveled.
• Only 15% of the people would be driving gas vehicles?
• or hybrid vehicles or different types of vehicles, or how many people in my district have... ...hybrid
• vehicles or different types of vehicles, or how many people in my district have solar panels, and if
• , requires testing those vehicles, doing the data QA/QC.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held an oversight hearing on managing the transportation fuels transition, fuel pricing, and supply reliability. Chair Allen opened by discussing prior legislation, including SB 1322 and special session measures, that expanded reporting to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and gave the state tools to study gasoline costs, refinery margins, inventories, and potential supply disruptions. He framed the hearing around refinery closures, rising imports, global conflict affecting crude markets, and the need to balance affordability, reliability, and the state’s long-term clean-fuels transition. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda, CDTFA Chief Deputy Director Gentian Droboniku, and DPMO Director Ty Miller presented data showing California’s growing dependence on imported crude and refined products, declining in-state refining capacity, and stable-to-tight inventories that are being supported by higher imports. They said the new transparency laws have improved understanding of the market and pointed to the proposed Gateway Pipeline, marine imports, and distribution constraints as important supply issues. CDTFA and DPMO emphasized that retail margins, especially for branded gasoline, have widened significantly, with large price gaps between branded stations and hypermarts/unbranded stations, and that some of the recent price increases were tied to the Iran conflict while earlier spikes were more consistent with localized market behavior and possible price gouging. DPMO also said it is investigating high-priced branded stations, monitoring algorithmic pricing under AB 325, and continuing to analyze diesel spot-market transparency. The CEC and CARB also discussed the Transportation Fuels Transition Plan and the SB 237 assessment, describing them as efforts to plan for a managed decline in fossil fuel demand while protecting workers, communities, and consumers. They said California’s climate goals remain centered on an 85% greenhouse gas reduction by 2045, with continued use of liquid fuels expected but with lower-carbon alternatives, more efficient vehicles, and alternative fuels playing a larger role. Committee members focused heavily on workforce impacts, the need for concrete transition planning, and whether the agencies could provide a clearer picture of what California’s fuel system will look like under the state’s long-term goals. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Having vehicles outfitted with these technologies will enable drivers to manage their charging, use vehicles
• connect vehicles to the grid.
• connect vehicles to the grid.
• VGI can also include vehicles that can power the grid or the grid. of vehicle charging.
• selling grid-integrated vehicles in California.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills, with extensive testimony on cost, ratepayer impacts, and climate or reliability goals. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and support renewable natural gas development by reducing interconnection cost barriers. Supporters said RNG helps methane reduction and organic waste diversion, while opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, argued the bill could shift costs to ratepayers and subsidize combustion-based fuels, especially dairy digesters. The author said committee amendments removed the rate-basing provisions and instead urged the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision; the bill was left for a later vote. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Community Impact Mitigation Program through 2030. Supporters said San Luis Obispo County and local schools rely on the funding for emergency preparedness and public safety, while TURN argued the extension would add about $47 million in statewide ratepayer costs and should instead be paid from existing PG&E deal revenues. Members discussed the bill as a continuation of the 2022 Diablo Canyon agreement, and the author said the measure simply restores the five years omitted from that deal. The committee also heard SB 1215 by Senator Cortese, which would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing. Supporters said renters and apartment residents are largely shut out of home charging, and that prior utility programs showed the model can be cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers. The bill was amended to address affordability, ratepayer benefits, and limits on major system upgrades. SB 1295 by Senator Stern would create a framework for using distributed batteries and other local resources to solve grid constraints more cheaply than traditional infrastructure. Supporters said it could improve reliability and reduce costs by targeting batteries where they provide the most grid value, while utilities said they were open to continued discussion. SB 1359, also by Senator Stern, would require the CPUC to more carefully evaluate major gas infrastructure investments and alternatives such as electrification before approving new spending. Environmental groups supported the bill as a guardrail against stranded assets, while gas utilities opposed it, warning it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and retroactively change the rules for approved investments. On water policy, SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Supporters said about 1.6 million households have water debt and that affordability is a statewide issue, not just a problem for disadvantaged communities. Some members raised concerns that the bill lacked a funding source and that state mandates, such as chromium-6 treatment requirements, already strain local water agencies; the author and supporters responded that the bill includes administrative caps and transparency measures and is intended to work alongside future funding. The committee then heard SB 1098 by Senator Pérez, which would restrict the use of utility memorandum and balancing accounts by requiring exceptional circumstances, adding sunset dates, and creating cost-sharing or lower-return rules for certain spending. TURN and other supporters said the accounts allow utilities to recover costs after the fact with too little discipline, while Edison and PG&E opposed the bill, arguing that some costs are unpredictable and that the CPUC already has a formal review process. SB 1125 was moved to Appropriations with a roll call, and the roll was left open for additional votes; the other measures were discussed with no final committee actions announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• to buy the vehicle.
• vehicles for emissions?
• registration for an EV vehicle.
• Vehicle are decreasing.
• and the owner of that vehicle.

Committee: All BOYS STATE

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks to Arkansas Boys State delegates about leadership, public service, and the significance of the Capitol, followed by prayer, attendance, and announcements that both chambers were organized and ready for business. The House then considered House Bill 1001, which would have increased funding for rural health care through a 10% tax on people earning at least $300,000; supporters argued it would improve access and quality in rural areas, while opponents raised concerns about fairness, funding, and driving away doctors and taxpayers. The bill failed, 24 yeas to 51 nays. House Bill 1002, aimed at funding more teachers for rural school districts and limiting how many subjects a teacher could be assigned, drew debate over teacher burnout, funding, and whether it would improve outcomes; it passed after immediate consideration, 38 yeas to 36 nays, though the transcript later includes a conflicting note that it failed. House Bill 1003, the Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2026, would let counties restrict data centers and impose a 10% tax for conservation; supporters emphasized local control and resource protection, while opponents warned about jobs, economic loss, and federal issues. It passed 62 yeas to 7 nays. House Bill 1004, reducing motor vehicle registration fees, was debated as a way to ease costs for families but criticized for reducing transportation funding; it failed, 20 yeas to 46 nays. The chamber then moved to Senate bills. Senate Bill 1 proposed incentives tied to SNAP benefits and healthier food purchases, including a Double Bucks-style program; supporters said it would help address food insecurity and obesity, while opponents objected to taxing junk food and burdening non-SNAP users. It passed 43 yeas to 27 nays. Senate Bill 2 would require reading tests in earlier grades and provide state tutoring for students who fail; supporters said it would address literacy problems early, while opponents wanted clearer provisions for older students and more detail on implementation. It passed 67 yeas to 6 nays. Senate Bill 3, the Freedom to Earn Act, would lower the individual income tax rate from 3.7% to 3.0%; supporters said it would help working families and attract business, while opponents argued the benefits would mostly go to corporations and wealthy executives. It passed 53 yeas to 15 nays. Senate Bill 4 created a zoning grant program to encourage mixed-use development in growing cities, funded by a 1% hotel tourism tax up to $50 million; supporters said it would promote housing, small business growth, and downtown revitalization, and it passed 51 yeas to 7 nays. The session ended with a motion to adjourn, which carried.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of of the fuels that are in the vehicles of of the fuels that are in the vehicles that<00:52:22.119
• A vehicle going northbound ran a light and struck another vehicle, resulting in, thankfully, a non-life-threatening
• </c> panel projects adding electric vehicles panel projects adding electric vehicles to<01:22:16.520>
• of reaching vehicle miles travels gold<01:43:00.719><c> vehicle</c><01:43:01.000><c> miles</c><01:43
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, carbon, and vehicle miles traveled saves lives.

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If you do use dyed diesel in a road vehicle, you are subject to If you do use dyed diesel in a road vehicle
• I can't prove that you didn't use this in some other vehicle that wasn't an ag vehicle.
• I can't prove that you didn't use this in some other vehicle that wasn't an ag vehicle.
• I can't prove that you didn't use this in some other vehicle that wasn't an ag vehicle.
• I can't prove that you didn't use this in some other vehicle that wasn't an ag vehicle.

Committee: House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and took up House Bill 2280, a bill to address abandoned railroad rights-of-way in Missouri by assigning the state land surveyor the duty of surveying them over a 20-year period. Supporters said the bill would help clarify boundaries and ownership where old rail corridors have been abandoned and physical evidence of the centerline has disappeared. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal note and the possibility of shifting survey costs to railroads in the future. The committee voted 21-0 to do pass HB 2280. In public hearing, Representative Farnan presented House Bill 3014, a conveyance bill authorizing the sale of about 59 acres owned by Northwest Missouri State University to Nottoway County Economic Development for a fairground, expo center, and campsites. Members asked about the acreage and whether the bill directed a specific buyer, and the sponsor said the county group was the intended purchaser if it secures funding. No witnesses testified, and the hearing closed without action. The committee then heard House Bill 3392 from Representative Haley, which would remove the requirement that retailers and distributors keep Form 149 exemption certificates on file for dyed diesel sales at retail pumps. Haley and supporting witnesses from Geyer Oil, the Missouri Petroleum and Convenience Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Corn Growers said the current paperwork requirement is burdensome, especially for unmanned or rural stations, and had led to a large audit assessment against one company. Department of Revenue staff explained that the current law requires the form, that refunds are available through DOR if a retailer does not accept it, and that they were reviewing proposed amendment language to avoid unintended consequences. No vote was taken on HB 3392, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The passage of this legislation will ensure that drivers are protected from drastic vehicle insurance
• Our members are responsible for restoring today's complex, high-tech vehicles to pre-accident safety
• standards, ensuring not only the safety of the repaired vehicle occupants, but also the broader public
• . you can't get a ...an hour to repair a multi-thousand-dollar vehicle.
• We're looking at, and I'm not minimizing what mechanics do by any stretch, but we're taking a vehicle

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Financial Services Committee heard testimony on several insurance, transportation, and labor-related bills. Senator Edwards supported bills addressing app-based delivery workers, arguing that food-delivery drivers should be treated as employees with protections and mileage reimbursement, and that a small surcharge on app-based deliveries could raise revenue for the Commonwealth and localities. Kevin Brousseau of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also backed the delivery-worker bill, saying it would preserve employee status, add data transparency, and create a process for challenging deactivations. MAPC supported a bill to change transportation network company fees from a flat per-ride charge to a percentage-based assessment, saying the current fee is outdated and that a higher fee could raise more transportation revenue and help address congestion and emissions. A large portion of the hearing focused on auto insurance and collision repair issues. Insurance industry witnesses supported a bill to limit attorney’s fees in PIP cases by giving insurers 30 days after a complaint is served to pay amounts due without fee exposure, arguing that PIP litigation has surged, is clogging courts, and is being driven by out-of-state firms. They also opposed auto body labor-rate bills, saying the market is already adjusting and that a statutory floor is unnecessary. In contrast, auto body shop representatives and the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts urged favorable action on bills to raise and regularly update collision repair labor rates, saying current reimbursement levels are far below market, have not kept pace with inflation or vehicle technology, and are making it hard to retain workers and keep small shops open. One witness also supported a bill to limit insurance surcharge points for low-damage accidents or minor moving violations. Committee members asked questions about deactivation rights for delivery workers, the mechanics of the PIP litigation issue, and the gap between body-shop and mechanical labor rates. Testimony emphasized that current auto body reimbursement rates are around the mid-$40s per hour, while mechanical work can be reimbursed at much higher rates, and that advisory-board discussions have produced only limited progress. At the end of the hearing, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, then moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moreover, the parole office vehicles were not equipped with vehicle recognition lights or sirens, preventing
• Moreover, the parole office vehicles were not equipped with vehicle recognition lights or sirens, preventing
• Imagine if they would have had the vehicle, any vehicle, one, at least one, with the lights and sirens
• For even 50 vehicles across the state, $175,000. That's what would have been saved.
• This memo describes how vehicle recognition lights are now authorized for installation on the vehicles

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Number two: also restrict vehicles actively towing another vehicle or trailer.
• </c><00:25:53.600><c> towing</c> also restrict vehicles actively towing also restrict vehicles actively
• </c><00:25:55.919><c> Three,</c> another vehicle or trailer. Three, another vehicle or trailer.
• </c><00:26:22.080><c> as</c> school buses and emergency vehicles as school buses and emergency vehicles
• beyond the average paid by gas vehicles beyond the average paid by gas vehicles.<00:32:07.519><c> Those

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard House Bill 344 HD1, which would require new buildings to include electric vehicle charger-ready parking stalls. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from the State Energy Office, Department of Accounting and General Services, the Disabilities and Communication Access Board, and others. Members asked about cost and infrastructure impacts; the State Energy Office said the added cost would likely be modest if planned from the start, but that electrical capacity remains a key challenge for expanding EV charging. The chairs proposed two amendments: extending the bill to cover on-grade parking lots and adding language for Level 1 or Level 3 charging when appropriate. After discussion, both committees voted to pass HB 344 HD1 with amendments. In the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee, the chair voted aye, one member voted with reservation, and excused members were noted; the Government Operations committee also passed the measure, with one aye vote and one vote with reservations. The committees also heard House Bill 10001 HD1 SD1, relating to the Maui wildfire settlement trust fund. The Governor’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, Maui County, and the Tax Foundation testified in support. Members questioned Hawaii Electric Industries’ ability to fund its share of the settlement and whether the state should pay first or in tranches. The chair proposed amendments requiring all defendant parties to submit payment plans and proof of ability to pay, and requiring non-state defendants to fund their shares into escrow before the state releases its share. The committee adopted the amendments and passed the bill unanimously by the members present. Later, the committee deferred action on House Bill 229 HD1 until March 20 for clarification on amendments, then passed House Bill 860 HD1 with amendments addressing liability for limited resurfacing of disputed roads, and passed House Bill 1161 HD2 with amendments concerning highway fund use, formula calculations, and EV-related county fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:14:03.360><c> ones</c> are um these all the licensed ones are um these all the licensed ones
• But these are all licensed.
• bingo hall. licensed or are the smaller ones the licensed or are the smaller ones the unlicensed<01:
• </c> operation, then you need to be licensed operation, then you need to be licensed as<01:15:06.159>
• ><c> the</c><03:39:06.080><c> state</c> Allowing other licenses in the state Allowing other licenses

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 60, which would expressly authorize advanced deposit wagering for horse racing in New Hampshire and set the online tax rate at 1.25%, matching the existing rate for in-person horse betting at Seabrook and Belmont. Senator Tim Lang said the bill is intended to clarify that online horse betting is permitted, regulate the activity, and create a revenue stream while keeping the tax rate consistent with brick-and-mortar wagering. Members asked about the rate compared with other states, whether the bill was really about casino front money, and whether geofencing would apply; Lang and later witnesses said the bill is narrowly limited to parimutuel horse racing and would use geofencing to keep wagering within New Hampshire. Peter Bragdon, speaking for Churchill Downs, supported the bill and described advanced deposit wagering as remote betting on horse races under the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978. He said Churchill Downs and other operators have long been active in New Hampshire, but the state’s lack of a specific statute has created a gray area. Bragdon said Churchill Downs stopped its own New Hampshire online operations in 2022 after discussions with the Lottery Commission and attorney general, while competitors continued operating, and he framed the bill as a fairness and consumer-protection measure that would clarify the law going forward. He also said the bill would not affect historic horse racing machines and would not create cannibalization of charitable gaming. Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre said the Lottery Commission and attorney general had identified the issue as similar to the earlier fantasy sports situation, where legislation was used to regulate an activity rather than pursue enforcement. He said the commission requested the bill, would serve as the regulator, and would address violations through rulemaking and penalties. McIntyre said operators would maintain customer and transaction records, with the commission reviewing them as needed, and he noted that three operators are currently active in the state and not paying the proposed 1.25% rate. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee will come to order.
• out there were full-sized vehicles, and then a lot of hikers and a big group of people on bicycles who
• out there were full-sized vehicles, and then a lot of hikers and a big group of people on bicycles who
• out there were full-sized vehicles, and then a lot of hikers and a big group of people on bicycles who
• Off-highway vehicles are still in demand in our state, and they're hopefully buying decals.

Committee: Joint Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee

Summary: The Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee met with a quorum and heard opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing the need to balance OHV recreation with safety, land stewardship, and coordination among users, agencies, and law enforcement. The chair described recent field observations near Sheep’s Bridge as an example of mixed use on public lands and framed the committee’s work as continuing efforts from prior years to improve mitigation and stakeholder cooperation. Arizona State Parks and Trails presented on the OHV fund and grant program. The agency explained the revenue split among Parks, Game and Fish, and State Land, and reported current fund balances, pending awards, and grant obligations. Officials said they had tightened grant oversight by requiring annual reporting and closing out long-running grants, which returned nearly $4 million to the fund. They also described eliminating informal grant “buckets” so law enforcement, education, mitigation, and trail-related projects compete under the same priorities. A major focus was the new mitigation working group created after a multi-agency call with federal, state, and local land managers. The agency said the group is stakeholder-driven and intended to speed up mitigation projects, including trail maintenance and erosion control, using both grants and contracted crews. Examples included fencing and signage in Bulldog Canyon, a safety and erosion project at Charleau Gap, a culvert project on Coronado National Forest, and a pending Windmill Mountain Ranch project. Officials also reported that law enforcement demand is rising sharply, that match requirements were removed for law enforcement grants, and that grant requests can now extend up to $750,000 over multiple years to help counties hire and retain officers. Members generally supported the changes and asked about long-term funding needs, with the agency saying demand is likely to continue growing and that priorities have shifted toward law enforcement, education, and mitigation over new trail construction.

Transcript Highlights:

• We’ll amend the bill so that we restrict vehicles over 10,000 pounds and those towing another vehicle
• Thirdly, we’ll ensure that the restrictions in this measure shall exclude vehicles using the left lane
• when overtaking another vehicle, turning left, and for public transit, school buses, and emergency vehicles
• when overtaking another vehicle, turning left, and for public transit, school buses, and emergency vehicles
• when overtaking another vehicle, turning left, and for public transit, school buses, and emergency vehicles

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 229 HD1, a transportation measure previously heard jointly with another committee. Members recommended passing it with amendments. The amendments would shift the left-lane restriction from a speed-based standard to apply to vehicles over 10,000 pounds and vehicles towing another vehicle or trailer on roads with three or more lanes in the same direction. The committee also indicated the Judiciary Committee would handle the penalty amounts, while preserving exemptions for passing, left turns, public transit, school buses, and emergency vehicles, and keeping the bill limited to counties with populations over 500,000. The motion was adopted without discussion. The committee then considered HB 1 HD2 relating to the HCDA and transit-oriented development financing. The proposed amendments would give HCDA authority to develop parcels outside community development districts, allow community facilities districts within TOD zones, authorize CFD bonds and HCDA bonds to finance infrastructure, especially transit infrastructure, and incorporate the structure and intent of SB 1669, along with technical changes. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the measure was adopted. Later, the committee heard HB 1167 HD1, an emergency appropriation to the Department of Transportation. DOT testified in support and clarified that the requested appropriation was $1 million from state highway funds. The committee recommended passing the bill with amendments, including changing the defective date to July 1, 2025 and noting the $1 million request in the committee report for further consideration by Ways and Means. The motion passed, with the chair, Senator Kanuha, and Senator Dort voting in favor and the vice chair excused.

Bills: HR203 , SB2802 , SB3081 , SB2902 , SB2005 , SB3252 , SB2096 , SB2095 , SB2046 , SB2999 , SB3103 , SB83 , SB2041 , SB3234 , SB3156 , SB3154 , SB2146 , SB2053 , SB2010 , SB2009 , SB2667 , SB3215 , SB2698 , SB2363 , SB2372 , SB2673 , SB2948 , SB2277 , SB2057 , SB3085 , SB3025 , SB2761

Keywords: H.R. 203, House Resolution, Hawaii education, teacher of the year, educator recognition, Jessica Canyon, Natsumi Yamasato, Jodi Kadoyama, Mānana Elementary School, National Blue Ribbon School, Teach For America Hawaiʻi, public education, K-12, elementary school, STEM education, literacy, teacher appreciation, school excellence, Hawaiʻi Legislature, keiki

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a licensed pharmacist, and I have firsthand experience knowing people that take kratom, and it's

Bills: SB1067 , SB1234 , SB1285 , SB1295 , SB1392 , SB1413 , SB1436 , SB1470 , SB1476 , SB1489 , SB1512 , SB1535 , SB1540 , SB1556 , SB1568 , SB1569 , SB1570 , SB1573 , SB1585 , SB1609 , SB1627 , SB1634 , SB1635 , SB1644 , SB1647 , SB1648 , SB1650 , SB1653 , SB1654 , SB1655 , SB1656 , SB1657 , SB1658 , SB1661 , SB1662 , SB1664 , SB1666 , SB1667 , SB1669 , SB1709 , SB1720 , SB1723 , SB1725 , SB1743 , SB1746 , SB1748 , SB1755 , SB1786 , SB1820 , SB1822 , SB1829 , SCR1027 , SCR1040 , SCR1048

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Elections

Keywords: tax lien, property tax lien, real property tax lien, foreclosure, right of redemption, redeem, excess proceeds, county abatement lien, abatement lien, lien priority, assessment lien, easement, county treasurer, certificate of purchase, tax delinquency, delinquent property taxes, property owner equity, judgment foreclosure, title report, Arizona Revised Statutes