Transcript Highlights:

• We offered up to $5,000 for a mini grant or up to $20,000 for the full grant.
• > 20,000</c> $5,000 for a mini Grant or up to 20,000 $5,000 for a mini Grant or up to 20,000 for<00:20
• </c> Senator Tina Smith she's brought it up Senator Tina Smith she's brought it up in<00:30:32.720><c
• </c><00:35:31.079><c> is</c> poultry I believe and the purple is poultry I believe and the purple is
• </c> work group so the work group um is up work group so the work group um is up and<00:50:55.880><c>

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen wages go up.
• We've seen wages go up.
• We've seen wages go up.
• </c> to uh, tighten that up? to uh, tighten that up?
• </c> done and that gap adds up. done and that gap adds up.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:10:56.640><c> it</c> the bill is set up, it the bill is set up, it may<00:10:58.480><c> make
• Uh, next up, DAB &gt;&gt; Thank you. Uh, next up, DAB in<00:32:34.240><c> support.
• First up is DAB. zones. First up is DAB.
• Your time is up. Thank you very much for your testimony. >> Thank you. Your time is up.
• </c> &gt;&gt; And DAB, you're up first. &gt;&gt; And DAB, you're up first.

Bills: SB2709 , SB3154

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The hearing began with SB 2709, which would require the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to enforce the Okami arrival program and strengthen quarantine enforcement for plants, non-domestic animals, and microorganisms. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supported the bill, as did DAB, saying it would improve biosecurity and make some provisions mandatory rather than optional. Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines supported the goal but raised concerns about language changing inspections from “may” to “shall” for aircraft, warning of possible federal preemption and operational conflicts unless the bill is clarified to align with federal aviation safety, security, and operational requirements. Committee members questioned DAB about inspection timing, scope, and compliance; DAB said the measure is intended to increase enforcement, improve form completion rates toward a 90% goal, and expand beyond airlines to other entry modes, while also noting plans to restore detector dog use and improve software/AI tools for processing forms. Decision-making on SB 2709 was deferred to February 17 at 3:02 p.m. in Room CR229. The committees then took up SB 3154, an administration measure authorizing the Department of Transportation to assume certain National Environmental Policy Act responsibilities for highway, rail, public transportation, and multimodal projects, with the aim of streamlining environmental review. DOT supported the bill and explained that it would allow the department to work directly with federal resource agencies such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife and SHPO rather than routing everything through federal highways. After brief discussion, the Committee on Transportation voted to pass SB 3154 with technical amendments, and the AEN committee followed with the same recommendation; the measure was adopted with five votes in favor. A later portion of the transcript shifted to SB 2374 on the blue economy. DBED said it supported the concept but noted that it already sits on many working groups and would need resources if a new working group is created. DBED suggested the committee could instead request research through a letter or memo, and said agencies including ADC, HTDC, and Agriculture had already begun internal discussions. Testimony in support came from IMUA Alliance, Hawaii Food Policy, and others, emphasizing the potential for blue economy ventures to support survivors, align with climate and cultural goals, and create economic opportunity. No final vote on SB 2374 appears in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I'm a registered voter and I I show up I'm a registered voter and I I show up um<00:25:30.799><c
• <00:35:35.160><c> book</c> purple book purple book right uh<00:35:45.720><c> that</c><00:35:45.960><c
• </c><01:19:17.760><c> on</c><01:19:18.000><c> all</c> to uh follow up on all to uh follow up on all this
• </c><01:29:52.800><c> with</c> the state for not following up with the state for not following up with
• </c> yay we we don't get to make stuff up yay we we don't get to make stuff up which<01:52:09.040><c>

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> being told what they are up front. being told what they are up front.
• Just a quick follow-up then.
• Just a quick follow-up then. Uh Chair. Just a quick follow-up then.
• So just a quick follow-up.
• </c> presenting from up here. presenting from up here.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:15:54.320><c> person</c> and setting up person and setting up person making<01:15:56.159><c>
• </c> offset the resulting liability first up offset the resulting liability first up we<01:29:22.119>
• </c><01:35:20.679><c> their</c> have to give up their have to give up their practices<01:35:23.040><c
• Yes, Judge Kim, come on up.
• Come on up.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard SB 104, which would restrict the use of restrictive housing or solitary confinement in state-operated and state-contracted correctional facilities, with specified exceptions. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation strongly opposed the bill, saying its existing policy already meets or exceeds ACA and National Institute of Corrections standards, and objecting to language they said would give the oversight commission operational decision-making authority. The Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission supported the bill, but also said it was not intended to run operations and described concerns about restrictive housing practices, including CoreCivic’s SHIP program at Saguaro. Supporters included the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the Disability Rights Center, ACLU Hawaii, Easter Seals Hawaii, and individual testifiers. They argued that Native Hawaiians are disproportionately impacted by incarceration, that solitary confinement is harmful and linked to depression, anxiety, suicidality, and poor reentry outcomes, and that confinement beyond 15 days is widely condemned under international standards. Several testifiers cited suicides and deaths in custody as reasons to codify limits in statute rather than rely on policy alone. The department responded that it already has 24/7 medical care, though not 24/7 mental health coverage at one facility, and explained that it uses four custody categories: disciplinary segregation, administrative segregation, protective custody, and placements for inmates seeking separation for safety reasons. Members questioned the department and commission about the SHIP program, whether the bill was based on other states’ laws, and how current policies compare with national standards. The director said the bill was too ambiguous in places and that the department was willing to work with the commission on policy changes, but still opposed the measure as written. The committee took testimony and questions; no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is in purple on your sheet.
• The other thing I do have to bring this up, you know, in that meeting with Mr.
• Chair and Senator Hawj, yes, we'll definitely follow up with you.
• </c> that sorry who's up that sorry who's up commissioner<01:32:49.560><c> thank</c><01:32:49.719><c>
• So just wanted to bring that up.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Follow-up question, Mr. Chair, um, thank you.
• Follow-up question, Mr. Chair, um, thank you.
• </c> 19 years um it they actually had it up 19 years um it they actually had it up for<01:43:34.159><
• </c> place in Minnesota for for me growing up place in Minnesota for for me growing up um<01:54:50.880
• </c> do it is shrinking we're losing them up do it is shrinking we're losing them up in<01:54:56.599>

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a purple state that's beautiful.
• </c> We're a purple state that's beautiful. We're a purple state that's beautiful.
• </c> haven't heard an answer that holds up haven't heard an answer that holds up yet.<00:13:52.160><c
• This is held up in unconstitutional.
• And maybe that will happen in the up.

Bills: HF3433 , HF3402 , HF3412 , HF3405 , HF3404

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It came up in the other committee hearing.
• Maya, if you want to come up front, please.
• Maya, if you want to come up front, please.
• Oh, please come up and state your name.
• </c> hisk as a policy level Council made up hisk as a policy level Council made up of<01:29:45.440><c

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Senator Mark Johnson up in Senate District One, a real hot powerhouse up there.
• After 33 years of living the dream of bios so I I'll try to come up with bios so I I'll try to come up
• </c><00:05:18.039><c> my</c> badly wanted to be here I gave up my badly wanted to be here I gave up my
• The general fund makes up about 26% of Admin's budget.
• Well, that has adjusted up and down. It's basically 1,400.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• So, a casting director for Purple Rain.
• The Senate proposal taxes that go up.
• And the reality is that times up here.
• It that hasn't kept up with inflation.
• Um we have um taken up a bill to 18.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• You can sign up.
• We see it; we're seeing the rates go up and up and up, and they're going up because there are fewer people
• We need to ensure follow-up.
• Does that show up?
• And it's just not set up for that. Nothing's set up for that.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Residents checked up. 175, 177 was my last number. Residents checked up, or signed up.
• So is there follow-up testing?
• gets cleaned up.
• How do we change that up?
• It's still way up there.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• But of the 25% that show up, 60% must have... ...show up, but of the 25% that show up, 60% must vote
• If 50% don't show up, I'm assuming that 50% do show up.
• If 49% don't show up, then 51% showed up, and there will be a vote.
• show up and not vote.
• It's up to you.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions before moving into a long special-order calendar. The chamber first considered two claims bills: SB 6/HB 6507 for relief of L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, described as compensation for severe injuries after DCF returned the child to unsafe parents, and SB 26/HB 6509 for the estate of Mark Legata, involving catastrophic injuries tied to FDOT negligence. Both bills were substituted with their House companions and passed overwhelmingly. Members then approved several policy bills focused on child welfare, education, and professional regulation. CS/CS/SB 42/HB 47 required child protective investigators to consider certain medical diagnoses before proceeding in abuse cases; CS/SB 206/HB 851 expanded autism-related training and incentives for teacher preparation programs; SB 556/HB 453 allowed Special Olympics participation to satisfy PE requirements for students with disabilities and clarified marching band credit; SB 688 reestablished licensure and regulation for naturopathic doctors; SB 878/HB 1347 addressed clinical laboratory personnel shortages by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards; and SB 914/HB 867 clarified that licensed occupational therapists may perform dry needling. Each of these measures passed, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The chamber also approved bills on court administration, public records, financial disclosure, and child welfare. SB 326/HB 131 modernized rules for curators of estates; SB 758/HB 625 updated the composition of the Justice Administrative Commission, with an amendment broadening the judicial member to a judge or senior judge; SB 830 created a public records exemption for certain local government executives and their families; SB 964/HB 6011 revised how gifts and honoraria are reported and, via amendment, restored a percentage-based reporting option for financial disclosures; and SB 1002 clarified that acute or chronic parental drug abuse can constitute harm or neglect and allow courts to order assessment and services. These bills all passed, with SB 830 drawing the most opposition among them. The most contentious debate centered on CS/CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a framework for very large planned communities with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a new growth-management tool and economic opportunity, while opponents warned it was too broad, lacked specificity, weakened local control, and could be exploited by large developers. After extensive debate and an amendment limiting data centers in commercial areas, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 1632/HB 1471 on foreign law and domestic terrorist designations after a lengthy and divisive amendment debate over references to Sharia law, and SB 21/HB 218 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, which preserves SB 180 restrictions in storm-affected counties while lifting them later for unaffected counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• But of the 25% that show up, 60% must have... ...show up, but of the 25% that show up, 60% must vote
• If 50% don't show up, I'm assuming that 50% do show up.
• If 49% doesn't show up, then 51% showed up, and there will be a vote.
• show up and not vote.
• It's up to you.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several guest recognitions before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up a series of claims and relief bills, including SB 6 for L.E. against DCF, SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata, and later other measures such as child welfare, public records, and professional licensing bills. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as targeted fixes or relief measures, and several were substituted with identical House bills before final passage. Votes were overwhelmingly favorable on these items, including unanimous or near-unanimous approvals on the claims bills and education-related measures. A major floor debate centered on CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a new framework for large-scale planned developments on at least 15,000 acres with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a structured path for long-term growth and development, while opponents from both parties warned it was too vague, could undermine local control, and lacked enough specificity on conservation, infrastructure, and land-use protections. After extensive debate, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 21 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 556 on Special Olympics as a PE substitute for students with disabilities, SB 688 on naturopathic medicine, SB 758 on the Justice Administrative Commission, SB 830 creating public-records exemptions for certain local officials and their families, SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel, SB 914 on dry needling by occupational therapists, and SB 1002 on child welfare and parental drug abuse. Another lengthy and contentious discussion involved CS/CS/SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles, which included provisions on foreign law, domestic terrorist designations, and restrictions on public support for designated organizations. Senators debated an amendment to remove references to Sharia law; that amendment failed. A second amendment with broader revisions and notice procedures was then taken up, with questions focused on notice, appeal rights, and the designation process. The transcript ends during that amendment discussion, before final disposition is shown. Throughout the session, many bills were substituted with identical House companions and then passed by recorded vote, often with strong bipartisan support.

Transcript Highlights:

• But of the 25% that show up, 60% must have. show up, but of the 25% that show up, 60% must vote in favor
• need to show up.
• If 50% don't show up, I'm assuming that 50% do show up.
• If 49% doesn't show up, then 51% showed up, and there will be a vote.
• It's up to you.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions before taking up a special order calendar of bills. Early measures included a claims bill for relief to L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, which passed 34-0 after substitution from the House version, and a claims bill for the estate of Mark Legata, which passed 35-0 after the amount was reduced in the substitute. The chamber then approved CS for CS for SB 42 on child protective investigations and specific medical diagnoses, requiring investigators to consider certain medical conditions that can mimic abuse; the sponsor described it as a fix for cases where medical evidence is overlooked, and it passed 34-0. A bill on autism education for teachers was also substituted with the House version, amended to replace the Senate language, and passed 35-0 after supportive remarks from members. The Senate next passed a land-use bill, SB 218, adjusting hurricane-related development restrictions so they continue in storm-damaged counties but expire in unaffected counties in 2026, with debate focused on local control and recovery needs; it passed 36-0. The chamber then approved several other measures with little or no opposition: a probate bill modernizing curators of estates (36-0), a Blue Ribbon Projects bill creating a framework for large planned developments with conservation set-asides, which drew extensive debate over local control, growth management, and the bill’s breadth before being temporarily postponed, a state lotteries update (36-0), a diploma requirements bill allowing Special Olympics participation to substitute for PE and clarifying marching band credit (36-0), and a naturopathic medicine licensure/regulation bill that reestablishes a licensing framework and board, which passed 33-3. The Justice Administrative Commission bill was amended to broaden membership to include a judge or senior judge and passed 37-0. The Senate also passed a public records exemption for certain local administrators and their families (31-5), a clinical laboratory personnel bill easing staffing requirements by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards (37-0), a dry needling bill clarifying occupational therapists may perform the practice (37-0), a financial disclosures bill revising gift/honoraria reporting and restoring a percentage-based reporting option via amendment (36-0), and a child welfare bill expanding when parental drug abuse can be treated as harm or neglect and allowing earlier court intervention and services (37-0). Later, the chamber took up a bill on ideologies inconsistent with American principles and terrorist organizations. The sponsor said it would prevent enforcement of foreign or religious law over the Constitution, create a due-process process for domestic terrorist designations, and bar public funds from supporting terrorism. Senators raised questions about the lack of a time limit on conduct used for designation and whether conviction is required; an amendment was then offered to remove specific references to Sharia law and the bill’s findings, with the sponsor of the amendment arguing the language stigmatized Muslim constituents and singled out Islam. The transcript cuts off during that amendment debate, so no final action on the bill is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Follow-up question.
• But of the 25% that show up, 60% must have... ...show up, but of the 25% that show up, 60% must vote
• If 50% don't show up, I'm assuming that 50% do show up.
• It's up to you.
• It's up to you.

Transcript Highlights:

• And can you wrap it up? Yes.
• Can you wrap up, please? Yes, sure.
• Battle, can you wrap up, please?
• They have all been bought up.
• And I will follow up.

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

Committee: House Public Health

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:

• Next up, we have Thank you, Tatiana. Next up, we have Chloe<00:13:03.040><c> Rosabella.
• up at the Link.
• Next up we have House File 4840. Vice Chair Frederick, as he makes his way up.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Next up, Representative Scraba. &gt;&gt; Next up, Representative Scraba.
• Last up, we have Denise Mija. &gt;&gt; Thank you. Last up, we have Denise Mija.

Bills: HF4736 , HF4737 , HF3806 , HF3352 , HF4840 , HF3748

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: emergency shelter, grant program, homelessness, capital investment, Minnesota Statutes, appropriation bonds, public funding, housing, infrastructure bonds, funding, appropriation, Minnesota constitutional amendment, public debt, state bonds, general obligation bonds, information technology, IT infrastructure, software licenses, technology modernization, capital improvements