Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, limited for one purpose.
• Uh, limited for one purpose.
• Uh, limited for one purpose.
• Uh, limited for one purpose.
• Uh, limited for one purpose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our courthouse projects, in whatever community they're located in, replicate the benefits that I have
• It's limited, which is why our core... ...the budget that they have for these projects is limited, which
• So I do have to commend the Judicial Council because they are working with very limited dollars.
• of these investments and the benefits to the courts.
• There's also an additional construction project that was also limited.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation held a hearing focused on courthouse facility funding and the Governor’s budget proposals for the judicial branch. The Legislative Analyst’s Office outlined the state’s courthouse funding structure, including the Trial Court Facilities Act, the main facility funds, the fixed county facility payment, and the heavy reliance on General Fund backfill. LAO also explained that the state’s construction funds were depleted after large transfers and declining fine-and-fee revenue, leaving a backlog of roughly 80 construction projects and more than 22,000 deferred maintenance projects statewide. Members and witnesses discussed the long timelines for capital projects, the need for reassessments, and the impact of inflation, CEQA, and site acquisition delays. Judicial branch representatives, including Justice Hill, Judge Moorman, and Judge Tapia, testified that courthouses across the state face serious seismic, ADA, security, and maintenance problems. They described cost-cutting efforts in design and construction, but emphasized that many facilities are aging and unsafe, with examples from Los Angeles, Compton, Ukiah, and other courts involving flooding, elevator failures, asbestos issues, and closures that disrupted thousands of cases. Judge Moorman highlighted the Ukiah courthouse replacement as an example of a project that is on time and on budget and would improve access, safety, and community services. Judge Tapia stressed that deferred maintenance in Los Angeles County alone exceeds $1.4 billion and argued that preventive maintenance is fiscally prudent because emergency repairs and closures are more costly. Committee members pressed the panel on how priorities are set, whether caseload and population growth are adequately reflected, how quickly projects can be accelerated, and what level of funding would actually meet statewide needs. The Department of Finance and Judicial Council staff explained that the county contribution is fixed and not inflation-adjusted, that acquisitions require willing sellers and can be delayed by CEQA and market conditions, and that the Judicial Council’s prioritization process was based on 2019 criteria that may need updating. LAO cautioned that any new General Fund commitment would require tradeoffs with other state priorities and suggested the Legislature decide what level of funding it is willing to support. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s budget proposals for courthouse facilities, which include backfill for the construction fund, selected new construction and judgeship-related projects, and major facility modifications such as the Orange County Central Justice Center and relocation of Los Angeles courtrooms from the Spring Federal Building.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just one last question: so the limit would be the 5 million nanometers, and what microplastics absorb
• Let me start by accepting the committee amendments, which limit and clarify the scope of the bill.
• They have health care benefits. They have full training.
• Without adequate stewardship and funding, the benefits of the conserved land, which enhances climate
• It instead elevates the importance of stewarding those lands to provide more benefits for the state.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of natural resources and related bills, with several measures taken up as the committee reached quorum and many others moving on consent or with due-pass recommendations. Early items included AB 80 on carpet recycling, AB 452 creating a local process for state surf reserves, and AB 823 restricting microplastics in personal care and cleaning products. AB 80 drew broad support from recycling, labor, and environmental groups and was described as a follow-up to earlier carpet recycling reforms. AB 452 was backed by surf, tourism, environmental, and local government interests as a voluntary, community-driven way to recognize and protect surf breaks. AB 823 generated the most extensive debate, with supporters citing public health and environmental harms from microplastics and opponents warning the bill’s language could sweep in products such as sunscreens, cosmetics, and fragrance-encapsulation materials; the committee discussed possible ambiguity and EU comparisons before voting the bill out on a due-pass-as-amended basis to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. The committee also advanced AB 1046, which would create a narrow exemption from SB 1383 organic-waste requirements for certain crop preparers and tree nut processors that do not send organic waste to landfills. Agricultural witnesses said the bill would clarify that their operations already reuse byproducts and should not face duplicative reporting, and the measure passed with support from agricultural and rural county representatives. AB 252, the “Stop Laying Off Firefighters Act,” proposed year-round Cal Fire staffing; the author and Cal Fire supporters argued that wildfire conditions are now year-round and that maintaining trained crews would improve response and prevention, and the bill was sent to Appropriations. AB 571, a targeted CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Anaheim, drew strong bipartisan and veterans’ support and also passed out. Later, the committee approved AB 1455, which would authorize emergency rulemaking and streamline future updates for ember-resistant building regulations after recent wildfire emergencies, and AB 687, which would let public agencies use forest-practice rules and timber-harvest plans for certain publicly funded fuel-reduction projects; AB 687 drew some opposition over scope and enforceability concerns but was still advanced. The committee also moved AB 652, allowing alternate members on the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District board to prevent quorum problems, and AB 317, a first-time homebuyer housing bill that would exempt certain small, lower-cost homes from CEQA and defer some property taxes; AB 317 prompted discussion about guardrails to avoid unintended use on larger subdivisions. Finally, AB 900, requiring the Natural Resources Agency to develop a stewardship plan for 30-by-30 lands, was heard with broad support from land trusts and conservation groups and advanced on a due-pass recommendation, and AB 738, a wildfire-rebuild bill easing solar requirements for certain disaster survivors, was introduced and discussed with questions about its narrow scope and the number of homes affected.

Transcript Highlights:

• measure like a frozen tax rate is limited to one.
• capital budget limit deficits.
• Capital budget limit deficits.
• needs, then being able to service those communities is limited as well.
• are kept within the limit.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• income mechanisms to benefit eligible limited income customers.
• income mechanisms to adopt limited income mechanisms to benefit<00:25:28.600><c> eligible</c><00:25:
• 29.160><c> limited</c><00:25:29.480><c> income</c> benefit eligible limited income benefit eligible limited
• Two, repeals the time limits for permit.
• A benefit to having these birds land in those fields.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I do want to acknowledge again that my town would benefit if this would happen, you know.
• And I do want to acknowledge again that my town would benefit if this would happen, you know.
• And I do want to acknowledge again that my town would benefit if this would happen, you know.
• And that is limiting resources for the quality of education to those students now.
• And that is limiting resources for the quality of education to those students now.

Summary: The subcommittee began its first meeting on retained education funding bills, focusing on HB 366, which concerns school building aid for eligible projects, and HB 295, which would make school building aid program funds non-lapsing. The chair framed the discussion around broader questions about how school building aid should work, noting the state’s limited available funding, the existing debt service obligations, and whether the current formula should continue or be changed. He also raised concerns about the state’s overall revenue constraints and the need to consider renovation, new construction, and possibly leasing within any future program. Members and the Department of Education representative discussed whether school building aid is a state or local responsibility, the current backlog of projects, and the condition of school facilities statewide. Tim Carney of the Bureau of School Facilities described his background and answered technical questions about current programs. Representative Luno argued that under the ConVal decision the state has responsibility for school buildings, including construction and renovation, and that the program also serves an equity function by helping districts with less property-tax capacity. Representative Papich urged the committee to focus on policy structure and fairness rather than just available dollars, saying the current system creates winners and losers and suggesting a simpler per-capita or similar allocation model, while acknowledging a possible transition for projects already in the pipeline. The discussion also covered CTE facilities and leasing. Carney explained that charter schools, and possibly CTE centers, can receive limited leasing aid, and that CTE capital requests are funded through a state capital process, while federal Carl Perkins funds cannot be used for construction. He and others described a separate rotational funding approach for CTE centers, but several members said that model can leave programs waiting too long and may not match changing workforce needs. The chair and others noted that a report from a related study group on CTE policy and funding was still pending, and that its absence could affect legislation for FY28. No votes were taken and no bill was acted on in the portion of the meeting provided; the discussion ended with interest in modeling alternatives, reviewing the waiting list, and examining the tradeoffs of reducing upfront state aid versus funding more projects overall.

Transcript Highlights:

• To ensure that all measures are heard, we have chosen to limit witness testimony for this hearing with
• And so because of the misdemeanor limitation on prosecutors, that was one inevitable result.
• And so because of the misdemeanor limitation on prosecutors, that was one inevitable result.
• All right, I'll get going because we're on time limit. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and members.
• in CDCR and it's even more limited in a county jail setting.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> life because of the intangible benefits life because of the intangible benefits we<00:08:21.720>
• in our state and who it doesn't benefit.
• in our state and who it doesn't benefit.
• It's practical, it's forward-thinking solution, and it benefits our schools, our taxpayers alike.
• So, um, and we do have limited time.

Bills: HF827 , HF1258 , HF2387 , HF2388 , HF2534 , HF2016

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Liability is limited both on the local government side, as well as the vendor. Representative G.
• Job and they're seeking benefits, and ultimately they're trying to get to a yes or no.
• A procurement like this definitely would benefit because it is so unique.
• Affects their benefits in other ways, and it's also, of course, necessary for accountability.
• They're also maybe on SNAP benefits with DCF or TANF benefits, something to that extent.

Transcript Highlights:

• a court's going to look into to determine whether or not those fees are reasonable, but also the benefits
• Same with their patients who are denied insurance benefits. There are no-fault benefits.
• those consequential damages include attorney fees in the underlying claim to get your insurance benefits
• those consequential damages include attorney fees in the underlying claim to get your insurance benefits
• Finally, closing: It is important to remember that recent insurance reforms were not just about limiting

Summary: The committee met to hear five banking and insurance-related bills. HB 1549, an Office of Financial Regulation agency bill to help more efficiently regulate financial institutions, was amended to match Senate companion language and then passed unanimously. HB 1231 would extend physician payment and prior-authorization protections similar to a prior dental law, including limits on virtual credit card payments as the sole payment method; physicians and medical groups supported it as a way to reduce fees and retroactive denials, while insurers were not heard in opposition, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee then heard HB 999, which would make gold and silver legal tender and allow transactions in bullion through electronic debit mechanisms. The sponsor and several proponents framed it as an inflation hedge and economic freedom measure, while questions focused on definitions, transaction costs, and vendor participation. The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote, with one member voting no. The committee also approved HM 4363, a memorial urging Congress to establish a sovereign wealth fund; the sponsor described it as a way to steward national wealth, and the memorial passed with one dissenting vote. Finally, the committee took up HB 1551, which would create a prevailing-party attorney fee framework in insurance contract disputes. The sponsor argued it would restore balance, deter meritless litigation, and help consumers with valid claims recover fees, while insurers, business groups, and defense attorneys warned it would revive one-way fee shifting, increase litigation, and raise premiums. Consumer advocates and some members supported it as necessary to give policyholders meaningful recourse. After debate, the bill passed favorably, with one member voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, and I'd ask for your support of this bill that can bring greater awareness to the benefits
• And I'd ask for your support of this bill that can bring greater awareness to the benefits of adoption
• And there are other immigration benefits available as well. It's not just special immigrant status.
• and the family integrity benefits.
• integrity benefits.

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs met with a quorum and considered five bills. SB 1174, by Senator Jones, would simplify the process for transferring a family foster home license when a foster parent moves within Florida. A friendly amendment clarified that the transfer applies to the same licensed person, not a different individual, and directs DCF to prioritize amended licenses. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 558, by Chair Grall, created a framework for voluntary post-adoption contact agreements between adoptive and biological parents, including contact with siblings, with court filing and enforcement procedures. A strike-all amendment changed the child’s party status age from 14 to 12, required court filing in the adoption case, set a preponderance standard, and moved the effective date to January 1, 2026. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 1626, also by Chair Grall, was substantially revised by a strike-all addressing unaccompanied alien children reporting and custody procedures, military family child protective investigations, domestic violence shelter certification, children’s services councils, criminal-background exemptions, group home rates, subcontractor indemnification, child care licensing extensions, small residential group home fire suppression rules, and missing-child jurisdiction issues. After testimony both supporting and opposing parts of the bill, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 738, by Senator Burton, updated child care and early learning licensing rules, including expedited licensing for compliant providers, faster background screening and provisional licensure, online training/testing, exemptions for certain military and employer-provided child care, and removal of a residential insurance provision from the bill. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 304, by Senator Sharief, known as Patterson’s Law, addressed child abuse investigations involving rare genetic or metabolic conditions that can mimic abuse. The strike-all required more detailed medical analysis in reports, allowed second opinions, and set procedures for experienced physician review and judicial resolution. After extensive testimony from affected families, advocates, and DCF, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. At the end, Senators Harrell and Rouson asked to be recorded as voting favorably on additional bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've chosen not to limit, I have chosen to limit.
• However, Code Red provides for limited coverage.
• The rain fell in remote areas with limited gauge data.
• It protects our river that all of Texas benefits from.
• It's for a limited time.

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• Just a reminder, we ask that the testifiers stand on your written testimony as well, or limit the oral
• Just a reminder, we ask that the testifiers stand on your written testimony as well, or limit the oral
• </c> improvements that primarily benefit improvements that primarily benefit commercial<00:42:29.640>
• But I can see the benefits of the building itself, um... I can see the benefit to this measure.
• But I can see the benefits of the building itself. Any further discussions?

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several water, land, and conservation measures. HB 86, which would fund a permanent DLNR Makai Watch coordinator position, drew strong support from DLNR and community advocates. Testifiers said the coordinator is needed to connect community-based nearshore monitoring groups with government, support training and reporting, and provide stable civil-service funding instead of relying on grants and philanthropy. The committee discussed the position’s duties and cost, estimated at about $110,000 with fringe benefits, and noted broad support from organizations including Kuaʻulu, The Nature Conservancy, OHA, and others. HB 36, relating to state water code penalties, was also supported in principle by DLNR, but the agency proposed amendments to create two tiers of violations, distinguish first-time/non-harmful violations from repeat or harmful ones, and give the commission discretion on whether each day counts as a continuing violation. DLNR said the bill is intended to address egregious cases such as Red Hill while avoiding undue impact on small farmers and others without malicious intent. Testifiers from the Board of Water Supply, Lono Initiative, and others supported stronger penalties and transparency, while Earthjustice raised concerns about broader structural issues and the risk of penalties being applied unfairly. The committee then heard HB 316, which appropriates funds to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program. DLNR, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Kōkua, The Nature Conservancy, and other groups testified in support, describing the program as a workforce pipeline that places young professionals in communities, builds trust, and helps recruit future state employees. Supporters said the program has expanded capacity in watershed and reef management and has drawn extensive public backing. Finally, HB 506, funding equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, received support from DLNR and others. DOCARE said recent recruit classes are moving through training, that the new positions will expand patrol capacity, including nighttime enforcement, and that the Oʻahu-specific funding is tied to priorities such as the Māʻili Bay herbivore rules. The committee also began hearing HB 510 on water shortage and emergency declarations. DLNR proposed limiting shortage declarations to 90 days unless extended, capping groundwater reductions at 20% for lower-priority permits, removing climate-crisis language as a standalone criterion, and moving the process into rulemaking for more public input. The Board of Water Supply supported the bill and the proposed changes, while Earthjustice urged deferral absent broader Water Commission reforms. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would be decision-making after the hearing on items on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• So provides very uh limited information.
• So what we did was we limited of stuff.
• But the main reason for this limit.
• There has been uh limited<02:15:45.599><c> limited</c><02:15:46.079><c> research</c><02:15:46.960><c>
• allowed</c><02:15:47.360><c> the</c> limited limited research allowed the limited limited research allowed

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• c> the</c><01:03:06.160><c> branch</c> concerned that limiting the branch concerned that limiting the
• ><c> branches</c><01:03:08.000><c> of</c> limiting the ban to branches of limiting the ban to branches
• </c> an adjustment of the expenditure limit an adjustment of the expenditure limit and<01:10:22.239><
• ><c> nonprofit</c> financial benefit by the nonprofit financial benefit by the nonprofit getting<01:46
• </c> a limit as how much you spend. a limit as how much you spend.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1525, which would appropriate funds to counties to open more voter service centers for in-person voting, provide money to the Office of Elections to print and mail the voter information guide to all registered voters, and support a public outreach campaign to increase voter participation. The Office of Elections supported the bill and estimated costs of a little over $2 million to print and mail the guide and about $178,000 for outreach, noting it spent about $441,000 on election advertising in 2024. Testimony from advocacy groups including Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Common Cause Hawaii, and Indivisible Hawaii strongly supported the measure, emphasizing access for neighbor island voters, people with disabilities, new voters, and voters who need ballot assistance. County election officials from Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai provided comments or testimony that were more cautious. They said additional funding would be welcome, but staffing and logistics remain major constraints, especially for election-day service centers. Honolulu’s city clerk said funding alone would not necessarily solve long lines, while Maui’s county clerk explained that voter service centers require trained seasonal employees, extensive training, and the ability to handle many ballot styles. Maui also described its current pop-up sites, including Hana, as expensive but necessary for remote communities, and said the county is already running at bare minimum staffing. Members asked questions about who decides how many service centers are opened, how staffing is handled, and whether there is a middle-ground model between the old precinct polling places and the current voter service center system. Honolulu explained that county clerks make those decisions under current law and that the county has tried pop-up sites in addition to its main centers. The discussion also noted that in 2024 most voters used vote by mail, while a smaller number used early in-person voting or final-day service centers. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It says or the limit established by the county.
• Exceed $5,000 dollars and then it says or the limit established by the county purchasing agent.
• And these are the limits the county can set. Based on these certain limits.
• And so, that's where the limits are set based off of these parts here or $5,000 dollars.
• There's no limit on the amount of grant that they might receive. Maybe not.

Bills: SB2130 , SB2135

Committee: Senate Local and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not going to have a time limit. There's a few people here.
• Uh, no, it doesn't bring any additional limitations or restrictions, unless that was to be something
• Uh, no, it doesn't bring any additional limitations or restrictions, unless that was to be something
• Um, the benefit of building groins is you can, uh, in my opinion, you can stabilize a shoreline region
• Um, the benefit of building groins is you can, uh, in my opinion, you can stabilize a shoreline region

Bills: SCR8 , SCR40 , SCR83 , SCR179 , SCR90 , SCR94 , SCR159 , SCR165 , SCR177

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions related to water, coastal management, and permitting. Early measures included SCR 8 on faster county action for certain home-modification permits for older adults and people with disabilities, SCR 40 on banning disposable body boards, SCR 83 on creating a lithium-ion battery disposal facility, SCR 179 on enforcing Maui fire-code provisions for brush clearance and emergency access, and SCR 90 on kupuna-friendly permit requirements. No testifiers were present for those measures, and the chair moved through them without taking votes in the portion provided. The most extensive discussion was on SCR 94, endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, and SCR 159, urging shared guiding principles for restoring and maintaining Waikiki’s beaches and shoreline. University of Hawaii testimony said the surfing-reserve designation would bring recognition, could help attract grants, and would require a stewardship committee and management plan, but would not itself block beach nourishment or shoreline restoration. Members asked about possible effects on dredging, beach nourishment, and shoreline structures; the witness said impacts on surfing were not expected to be immediate or significant. For SCR 159, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the resolution but requested clarifying amendments to broaden references to law, stakeholder collaboration, and coastal science expertise. The Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association also supported the measure, emphasizing coordinated maintenance, public access, and the economic importance of Waikiki beaches, while noting that existing legal agreements and court decisions should be reflected in the resolution. The discussion also covered whether the state and private owners share repair and maintenance obligations for Waikiki seawalls; testimony said existing agreements remain relevant but must yield to current law. The committee also heard SCR 165 designating March as Water Month, with support from the Board of Water Supply and others, and SCR 177 requesting DAGS to convene a cooperative working group on state projects needing county permits. Mary Alice Evans said the latter would help expedite permitting, especially for housing and other state projects, and would complement efforts to standardize county permitting processes. No final votes or dispositions were announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The measure would also remove property limitations that veterans must meet in order to qualify for the
• the provisions that you make for those of us who have served our country to be able to stack those benefits
• in a way that benefits us.
• the provisions that you make for those of us who have served our country to be able to stack those benefits
• in a way that benefits us.

Summary: The committee met with one item on the agenda: Senate Bill 623 by Senator Arreguín. The bill would implement SCA 4 by providing property tax relief to veterans and their families, including allowing eligible veterans to combine the homeowners’ exemption with the disabled veterans’ or veterans’ exemption and removing certain property limitations tied to qualification. The author described the measure as a way to recognize veterans and improve access to tax benefits. The bill received broad support in testimony from veterans and veterans’ advocates, including disabled veterans, combat veterans, and representatives of veterans organizations and health advocacy groups. Supporters said the measure would better honor service members and provide meaningful financial relief. No opposition testimony was offered, and no committee member raised objections during the hearing. The committee voted 3-0 to pass SB 623 as a due pass recommendation to the Committee on Appropriations. The vote was initially held open for Senator Menjivar, and the chair later noted that the committee had established a quorum and the bill had been moved out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Although that said, it's very limited.
• And what they do to benefit a charitable organization is that within 1 year they must provide a certain
• So, you'll notice that there are certain limits.
• </c><00:03:04.959><c> a</c><00:03:05.000><c> charitable</c> what they do to benefit a charitable what
• they do to benefit a charitable organization<00:03:06.680><c> is</c><00:03:07.000><c> that</c><00:03

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Gaming

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and we talk about most of them here, but this is one that has actually benefited the state and benefited
• </c><00:48:03.840><c> uh</c><00:48:03.920><c> our</c> benefited the state and benefited uh our benefited
• the state and benefited uh our local local local uh<00:48:05.480><c> cities</c><00:48:05.840><c> and
• And so, it limits the ability of course.
• Day, as you know, testimony has been limited to 2 minutes.

Bills: HF3455 , HF3936 , HF3860 , HF3656 , HF4060

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy