Transcript Highlights:

• As I mentioned, the program has undergone several expansions, progressively increasing the number of
• The state responded by increasing funding to 4.8 million dollars in 18, 19 increasing funding to 4.8
• this increase accounts for the anticipated growth following the inclusion of healthcare practitioners
• However, this has coincided with an increase in the needs of those children who are removed from their
• This bill requires DCF to create a treatment foster care pilot program that will increase family like

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to increase spending on primary care.
• On a personal note, juggling these ever-increasing demands took their toll on me.
• On a personal note, juggling these ever-increasing demands took their toll on me.
• by the COVID pandemic and increasing patient acuity.
• At this time, I'm going to go to Senate 1613, an act to increase access to health transportation.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hybrid hearing on a wide range of bills focused on patient safety, workforce development, health equity, and access to care. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 2362/S. 1491, which would require health care providers to offer trained chaperones for sensitive exams. Sponsors and supporters said the bill is a common-sense safeguard prompted by cases of physician sexual abuse, and survivors gave emotional testimony describing grooming, isolation, and abuse during exams when no chaperone was present. Support also came from a health services researcher, a physician, and a RAINN representative, all arguing that trained chaperones and clearer documentation would improve transparency and protect patients. Committee members asked about clarifying who may serve as a chaperone and whether the bill would apply to other clinicians such as PTs and OTs. The committee also heard testimony on H. 2401/S. 1485, which would require explicit informed consent for certain educational exams performed on unconscious patients. The bill’s supporters said patients should know in advance if students or physicians will conduct non-medically necessary exams while they are under anesthesia, and that the measure would protect survivors from retraumatization. The hearing then moved to H. 2537, a primary care access bill. Health Care for All, the Massachusetts Medical Society, pediatric and internal medicine physicians, and a patient advocate described long waits, provider shortages, and difficulty finding primary care, especially for low-income people and people of color. They supported the bill’s proposed primary care spending target, payment reforms, Medicaid graduate medical education funding, and a commercial payment floor for health centers. Another set of bills addressed workforce and safety issues. H. 2397/S. 1593 would establish a nursing workforce center; nursing leaders said Massachusetts should make the current workforce council permanent to support data collection, apprenticeships, and long-term planning for the state’s largest health care workforce. H. 2396/S. 1535 would require safe patient handling and mobility programs in health facilities; nurses described serious injuries from lifting patients and said better equipment and programs would reduce staff injuries and improve patient outcomes. H. 2501/S. 1505 on LGBTQ+ health disparities drew support from a medical student and Doctors for America, who urged collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data to improve care and school outcomes. Finally, H. 2448/S. 1522 on patient safety and equitable access to care drew strong support from nursing organizations and individual nurses who described unsafe staffing, burnout, and patient harm, while the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems opposed the bill as redundant for psychiatric facilities already regulated by the Department of Mental Health.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department's failure to review independent audit reports increases the risk of failing to identify
• The department's failure to review independent audit reports increases the risk of failing to identify
• Both tribal contributions and event wagering and fantasy sports privilege fees continue to increase year
• This inconsistency was flagged because it increases the risk of potential harm to the public and led
• Failure to comply with conflict of interest requirements and recommended practices increases the risk

Committees: House Commerce , House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, what we're trying to do here is just increase those options and opportunities for people.
• And then the second part is I think increasing fees sometimes impacts people who can't afford it.
• And then the second part is I think increasing fees sometimes impacts people who can't afford it.
• And then the second part is I think increasing fees sometimes impacts people who can't afford it.
• And then the second part is I think increasing fees sometimes impacts people who can't afford it.

Transcript Highlights:

• We increased the footprint of the building.
• We increased the footprint of the building.
• We want to increase the density.
• When we increase the density and target those young families, we're going to increase the student body
• There's no competition, so quality doesn't increase.

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:

• If we if we increase the capacity.
• 01:10:46.239><c> that</c><01:10:46.719><c> septic</c> increase the flow that that septic increase the
• No tax increase. But it could be...
• No tax increase.
• </c><02:13:40.239><c> from</c><02:13:40.400><c> the</c> revenue increases from the revenue increases

Bills: SB2190 , SB2338 , SB2424 , SB2356 , SB2981 , SB3028 , SB3187 , SB2378 , SB2398 , SB2192 , SB2155 , SB3219 , SB3218

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The House Housing Committee heard testimony on a series of housing-related Senate bills. SB 2190 SD2 on inclusionary zoning drew support from HHFDC, Hawaii YIMBY, Grassroot Institute, Housing Hawaii’s Future, and Hako Seed Center, with opposition from OHA and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii. SB 2338 SD1, dealing with housing agency personnel authority, received comments from the Attorney General cautioning that the bill should be clarified to avoid conflicts with civil service and collective bargaining laws and recommending removal of a provision limiting employment contracts; HHFDC said its comments addressed those concerns and supported the measure. SB 2424 SD1, concerning HHFDC, received broad support from housing, business, and community groups, with one opposition. Testimony focused on changing the definition of “qualified resident” so people who already own an HHFDC-assisted unit could later purchase another if their housing needs change; HHFDC said the current rule forces people to sell before buying again and that the bill would help people move up the housing ladder and encourage more housing development. SB 2356 on parking also drew broad support from state agencies, housing advocates, business groups, and local officials, with Unite Here Local 5 in opposition. SB 2981 on land use had strong support from many organizations and 67 individuals, with Unite Here Local 5 opposing. SB 3028 SD2 on property conveyance generated the most detailed policy debate. Supporters, including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Indivisible Hawaii, and others, backed restructuring the conveyance tax into a marginal rate system and urged changes to revenue allocations, including dedicated funding for homeless services, DHHL, and the rental housing revolving fund. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii supported the marginal-rate concept but opposed dedicated special-fund allocations and criticized the bill’s blank sections. Committee members questioned the historical purpose of the conveyance tax, and the Tax Foundation explained it was originally a modest tax tied to property-value tracking when the state still ran the property tax system. The committee also heard SB 3187 SD2 on off-site construction, SB 2378 SD2 on housing permitting, and SB 2398 SD2 on residential housing utilities. OPSD supported SB 3187 but said it preferred the House version and wanted clarification that off-site certification should apply to factories in Hawaii, not out of state, to avoid outsourcing labor; it also suggested starting with a small scope. SB 2378 SD2 drew support from engineering, housing, and labor groups, with testimony that the House version included needed fixes to make the program insurable. On SB 2398 SD2, the Board of Water Supply opposed the bill, saying it could require disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information beyond ordinary water-availability assessments and raise critical-infrastructure and cybersecurity concerns; developers and housing groups supported the measure. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's more and that it increased I think it's more and that it is<00:11:11.000><c> increased<
• </c> significant percentage increase significant percentage increase so<00:21:47.000><c> given</c><00
• of students increasing, and the amount of students being increased than previously.
• of students increasing, and the amount of students being increased than previously.
• and the amount of students increasing and the amount of students being<01:29:10.560><c> increased</c

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of that is obviously driven by the increase in the number of parcels.
• The story here is just the increase in property values overall.
• The increase in just value has been captured in the save. Our homes assessment benefit.
• Cause the able to generate more in taxes levied as a result of the increase in taxes and taxable value
• . increase in taxes and taxable value.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second proposal increases the cap on the State Route 710 Rehabilitation Account from $1.2 million
• Will allow for increased emissions and increased polluting with no guarantees that it's going to actually
• Increase or decrease GHG emissions?
• And so in order to avoid the continual cost increase, you know... ...result of it.
• increases in one year by PG&E, gas prices that have gone through the roof.

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• revenue with increasing deficits—is that we need to focus on outcomes.
• revenue with increasing deficits.
• Is it successful, or are cost increases just unsustainable?
• It's strategically important with our structural deficit and increasing revenues with increasing deficits
• But strategically, with our structural deficit and increasing revenues with increasing deficits, that's

Summary: The subcommittee heard budget proposals for Exposition Park, the California Science Center, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), the Debt Collection Licensing Act program, and the Board of Registered Nursing. For Exposition Park, the administration requested $96.5 million for utility replacement, site improvements, code compliance, accessibility, and safety upgrades, plus $1.698 million for operational sustainability funded from the park’s improvement fund. The LAO said the proposals had merit but noted the first item could be downscaled if needed because of the state’s budget condition. Members emphasized the park’s deferred maintenance, major upcoming events, and the need to protect a statewide asset; both Exposition Park items were held open. The Science Center requested funding to open and operate the new Air and Space Center, including staffing for the facility that will display the Space Shuttle Endeavour and expand exhibit space. The LAO supported the proposal but suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as admission fees, parking fees, or private funds. Members discussed the Science Center’s public-private funding model, the importance of keeping access affordable for disadvantaged communities, and the tradeoff between free admission and long-term operating support. The item was also held open. DFPI sought continuation of expenditure authority for the California Consumer Financial Protection Law, debt collection licensing, and broker-dealer/investment adviser workloads, and the LAO recommended limited-term funding with more cumulative reporting before permanent funding is considered. Members pressed the department on whether its workload and spending are tied to measurable outcomes rather than just activity counts, and DFPI cited complaint resolution, enforcement actions, and restitution recovered as examples of impact. The Debt Collection Licensing Act item drew similar LAO comments, but members raised stronger concerns about the financing model, the gap between projected and actual licensee counts, and whether spending levels are justified; that item was held open. The Board of Registered Nursing requested $1.4 million for eight special investigators to address rising complaints, and the board said most complaints are resolved through investigation, referral, probation, or rehabilitation rather than discipline. Members asked about complaint backlogs, viral and potentially automated complaints, bias in care, and the lack of broader inspection authority; the item was also held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I kind of have to question when COVID hit, particularly nurses' salaries really increased.
• And I think that increased the complaints. It also staff dealt with that.
• We know that increases adherence. It's also extremely expensive.
• We expect higher insurance premiums, a 20% increase. That's cost to the program.
• We expect higher insurance premiums, 20% increase. That's cost to the program.

Committee: House Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• One instance of a 17-year-old period supplemented broodstock program showed a 2.6 increase where the
• So a lot of reasons to think this could be a good tool in our hatchery program to increase our natural
• some relief possible to mitigate the damages of those fee increases.
• They slow water down and they increase connections between surface and groundwater.
• valuable habitats for a lot of species, and increase heterogeneity.

Bills: SB6104 , SB6241 , SJM8015 , SB6318

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: agriculture, protection, state regulation, farmers, land use, sustainability, steelhead, conservation, wildlife, fishing, environmental protection, federal response, wildfire protection, community safety, infrastructure, natural resources, commercial shellfish, fees, fishing industry, regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Eliminating this plea option will not increase safety.
• It is not often that we testify in support of bills that increase penalties for crimes.
• If simply reducing sentences increased rehabilitation and limited If simply reducing sentences increased
• Increasing earned release increases participation, which increases public safety. Thank you.
• Increasing earned release increases participation, which increases public safety.

Bills: HB1228 , HB1239 , HB2310 , HB2464

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: DUI, driving under the influence, impaired driving, toxicology, forensic toxicology, breath test, blood test, THC, marijuana, cannabis, alcohol concentration, state toxicologist, implied consent, evidence admissibility, venous blood draw, forensic phlebotomist, certified laboratory, accredited laboratory, law enforcement, DWI

Transcript Highlights:

• That was an increase of about 74 Applications reviewed, and the 315 increase of approved licenses.
• Our new headquarters increase would be $30 million.
• We’re asking for a $5 increase on those to bring it to $20.
• Increase our manpower. You know, we're at 51 FTEs right now.
• But I do believe that you do deserve a pay increase.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• And we they can really increase fear.
• </c><00:53:20.079><c> and</c> legislation that would increase and legislation that would increase and
• </c> has increased by more than 37%. has increased by more than 37%.
• </c> we should increase safe school funding. we should increase safe school funding.
• ><c> per</c> it was supposed to increase from $17 per it was supposed to increase from $17 per pupil<

Bills: HF3653 , HF2717 , HF3451 , HF3857

Committee: House Education Finance

Summary: The committee first adopted the March 3rd minutes by voice vote after Representative Lee moved them and there was no discussion. Members then reviewed hearing rules on decorum, safety, and participation before taking testimony from Dr. James Densley and Dr. Jillian Peterson of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center at Hamline University. The presenters summarized research on mass shootings and K-12 school shootings, drawing on a database of homicides in school settings from 2000 to 2025 and a smaller set of 15 K-12 mass shooting cases. They said school shooters are usually insiders, most often current or former students, and typically young males. They described common patterns including a noticeable crisis before attacks, perpetrators viewing the shooting as a final act, studying prior shooters online, and “leakage” in which most tell someone in advance. They also emphasized that many perpetrators use unsecured firearms from family members and argued that prevention should combine reporting systems, behavioral threat assessment, counseling, mentoring, secure storage, and other layered interventions rather than rely on a single solution. The presenters also discussed broader violence trends in the Twin Cities, saying much school violence is spillover from community violence and that pandemic-era disruptions and weakened trust in institutions contributed to serious violence. They cited a national survey finding that exposure to gun violence is associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and fear of public spaces, especially among young people. During member questions, Representative Wam asked for clarification on the data set and the rural/small-town share of the survey sample.

Transcript Highlights:

• That increased by 39% in 2023 to 308, and then last year there were 301, which was a 36% increase from
• </c> driving that increased driving that increased uh<00:08:30.240><c> by</c><00:08:30.680><c> 39%</c
• that has increased um 81 80 72 89 119 so that has increased um 81 80 72 89 119 so over<00:09:49.959><
• </c> absorb the likely increased absorb the likely increased incarceration<01:19:00.320><c> that</c><
• ><c> and</c><01:59:53.599><c> increases</c> because of that and increases because of that and increases

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• That's likely where we're going to see the participation increase.
• point increase at lunch, which isn't huge, but I looked at what we already are at.
• So I increased that lunch to 80% to 85%. I increased that breakfast to 50% to 60%.
• point increase at lunch, which isn't huge, but I looked at what we already are at.
• So I increased that lunch to 80 to 85%. It increased that breakfast to 50% to 60%.

Committee: Joint Legislative Management

Transcript Highlights:

• at breakfast and a 9 percentage point increase at lunch.
• point increase at lunch, which isn't huge, but I looked at what we already are at.
• So I increased that lunch to 80 to 85%. It increased that breakfast to 50% to 60%.
• And one of them is by increasing CEP and Provision 2 participation.
• Johnson, you had helpful percentages that have been the average increase in... Thank you, Mr.

Summary: The Legislative Management Committee met to address the fiscal impact of Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 3, which would require public schools, public school districts, and public charter schools to provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to students and allow reimbursement from the state, with implementation beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The committee first filled a vacancy created by Representative Jared Hagert’s resignation by appointing Representative Berg to the committee. Legislative Council and DPI staff explained the measure’s requirements, including federal reimbursement participation, possible use of the legacy earnings fund if other funding is unavailable, and the authority of the Legislature and superintendent of public instruction to clarify implementation details. Linnell Johnson of DPI testified that the estimated fiscal impact for the 2027-2029 biennium is between $124 million and $134 million, based on participation assumptions, federal reimbursement rates, and the extent to which schools continue to collect applications or use community eligibility/provision 2 options. She also noted a likely additional administrative cost of about $300,000 for DPI to operate the program. Members asked about school participation, Title I implications, special diets, staffing, and whether the measure could reduce federal reimbursements if families stop applying. Johnson said the estimate is uncertain and could be higher if applications decline, but that schools would still have incentives to participate in federal programs because of reimbursement and other funding ties. After discussion, the committee adopted a motion to report a fiscal impact range of $124,300,000 to $134,300,000 per biennium to the Secretary of State. The committee then received an informational update from Legislative Council attorney Dustin Richard on the ongoing redistricting litigation. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Eighth Circuit’s ruling and sent the case back for reconsideration in light of Louisiana v. Callais, while the district court-imposed map remains in effect for now. No action was taken on that update, and the meeting adjourned after members noted minutes from the prior meeting were not yet available for approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• point increase at lunch, which isn't huge, but I looked at what we already are at.
• So I increased that lunch to 80% to 85%. I increased that breakfast to 50% to 60%.
• point increase at lunch, which isn't huge, but I looked at what we already are at.
• So I increased that lunch to 80 to 85%. It increased that breakfast to 50% to 60%.
• One of them is by increasing CEP and Provision 2 participation.

Committee: Joint Legislative Management

Summary: The Legislative Management Committee met to fill a vacancy created by Representative Jared Hagert’s resignation, and the House majority recommended Representative Berg to replace him on the committee. The motion to appoint Berg was approved unanimously. The committee then took up its assigned task of estimating the fiscal impact of Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 3, the school meals measure, which would require public schools, and optionally nonpublic and tribal schools, to provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to students and reimburse schools through state funds after federal reimbursements are maximized. Legislative Council’s Liz Fordall summarized the measure’s requirements and answered questions about implementation, including the 2027-28 start date, the measure’s interaction with the Legacy Earnings Fund, and the fact that the Legislature would still control the funding source. DPI’s Linnell Johnson then testified at length on current school meal programs, direct certification, CEP and Provision 2 participation, and likely behavioral changes if the measure passed. She estimated the biennial fiscal impact at $124 million to $134 million, with an additional roughly $300,000 in administrative costs, and explained that the estimate assumed higher participation and some schools shifting to CEP/Provision 2 to preserve federal reimbursements. She also noted that if no new applications were filed in non-CEP schools, the cost could be substantially higher. After discussion, Senator Sorvaag moved to report a fiscal impact range of $124,300,000 to $134,300,000 per biennium to the Secretary of State, and the motion carried. The committee also received an informational update from Legislative Council attorney Dustin Richard on the ongoing redistricting litigation, explaining that the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Eighth Circuit’s prior ruling and remanded the case for further consideration in light of Louisiana v. Callais, leaving the court-imposed map in effect for now. No action was required on that item, and the meeting adjourned after a brief note that the prior minutes would be brought back at a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're expected to see a continued decline due to increasing temperatures.
• So all this leads to the increased likelihood of seeing more droughts in the future.
• This year adds to a recent pattern of increased frequency of drought declarations.
• Do we need to increase funding?
• Do we need to increase funding in that area?

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first elected Rep. Reeves as chair and Rep. Dent as vice chair for the coming year, with the vote appearing unanimous. After a brief discussion about who would chair the rest of the meeting, the committee proceeded to its regular agenda focused on the 2026 drought situation in Washington. The Washington state climatologist, Karen Mbacca, and Department of Ecology drought staff presented data showing a statewide drought declaration issued April 8 due to very low snowpack, warm winter temperatures, and resulting water supply concerns. They described the state’s statutory drought criteria, current reservoir and streamflow conditions, Yakima Basin water supply forecasts, likely summer temperature and precipitation outlooks, and the possibility of an El Niño developing later in the year. Ecology said the declaration makes $3 million in drought response grants available and allows expedited water transfer processing, and staff said they are already hearing concerns about impacts to agriculture, fish, and drinking water systems. Committee members discussed the need for longer-term drought preparedness, possible legislative tools, and whether additional funding or reservoir/storage strategies should be considered. Rep. Dent and others asked about available grant money and future mitigation planning, while Ecology said it is open to working with the legislature and stakeholders on resilience measures. The committee then heard a contrasting presentation from Dr. Cliff Mass of the University of Washington, who argued there is no current drought emergency because reservoirs are full, precipitation and soil moisture are near or above normal in many areas, and agriculture is performing well; he said the state’s drought declaration is not justified by current conditions. Members questioned him about reservoir capacity, drought definitions, and forecasts, and the meeting ended with several members thanking departing legislators and noting the importance of continued water planning.