Transcript Highlights:

• So, I do believe there's merit in proceeding with this alternate approach. >> Thank you, Senator Aler
• there, they discovered that the gentleman hadn't been deceased, he was tending to his 20 acres of marijuana
• to his 20 been deceased, he was tending to his 20 acres<01:08:46.239><c> of</c><01:08:46.400><c> marijuana
• plants,</c><01:08:48.159><c> that</c><01:08:48.400><c> would</c><01:08:48.560><c> be</c> acres of marijuana
• plants, that would be acres of marijuana plants, that would be an<01:08:48.880><c> inadmissible</c><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll point to the measure that passed in 2018, medical marijuana.
• I believe that was a state question and that allowed for medical marijuana to be allowed in the state

Bills: HB3419, HB3624, HB3748, HB4335

Keywords: corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law, public office, counties, property taxation, watercourse, boundaries, effective date, county government, administration, local resources, public institutions, construction, maintenance, animal welfare, pet shops, commercial breeders, county regulations

Summary: The Senate Local and County Government Committee met and first took up House Bill 3419, which would prohibit officers, employees, or contractors of political subdivisions from using non-public information for personal gain, extending an existing restriction that already applies to state agencies. There were no questions or debate, and the bill passed unanimously, 8-0. The committee then considered House Bill 3748, allowing county commissioners to use county-owned equipment, labor, and supplies on property owned by a four-year institution. Senator Stewart asked whether the bill applied to public or private institutions, and the author said that point needed clarification and would be checked offline. With no further questions or debate, the bill passed 8-0. The final measure was House Bill 4335, a pet store bill that would prevent municipalities from banning retail pet stores and would extend a courtesy notice period for certain animal breeders and related entities from 60 to 90 days. The bill drew extensive questioning and debate over local control, animal welfare, Petland, shelter overcrowding, and whether the measure favored an out-of-state corporation. Supporters argued it protected free enterprise and legal businesses, while opponents said it preempted local authority and could worsen animal welfare concerns. The committee passed the bill 6-3.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill seeks to open the door to breakthrough alternatives authorized by the Department of Health
• And I think what this bill is going to do, it's going to create alternative methods, as listed in the
• Alternative methods, when they have sought out to try to find ways to make themselves feel whole, they
• I like alternative therapies.
• But for alternative therapies, I wouldn't be here before you today. I can tell you that.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and voted do pass on House Bills 3037, 2760, 1778, and 2830, each by recorded roll call. HB 3037, HB 2760, and HB 1778 all passed 8-4, while HB 2830 passed unanimously 12-0. The committee also noted that HB 1746 and HB 1769 would not be taken up that night because more work was needed on an amendment. The public hearing then focused on HB 3005, which would require public libraries and school districts to adopt and post reconsideration policies for challenged materials, limit who may file requests to local residents or parents/guardians, extend the process to digital materials, and protect user privacy by prohibiting tracking of individualized digital library use. Representative Justice said the bill was developed with library and state officials and was intended to codify existing practices with added guardrails. Testimony from EBSCO Information Services and the Missouri Library Association supported the bill as a transparent, community-based process. The committee next heard seven similar bills dealing with AI-generated or digitally altered depictions, including child sexual abuse material, nonconsensual intimate images, and digital impersonation. Sponsors described the bills as closing loopholes in current law, creating criminal penalties and civil remedies, and in some versions requiring platforms to remove content quickly. Members asked about combining the bills, whether sunsets should be considered, and how the proposals related to existing revenge-porn laws. No testimony in opposition was offered during the hearing. The final hearings centered on HB 2817/HB 2961 and HB 1717/HB 1643, which proposed state-supported research and expanded access frameworks for ibogaine and psilocybin, respectively, aimed largely at veterans, first responders, and others with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, addiction, and depression. Supporters offered extensive personal testimony about treatment-resistant conditions, suicide risk, and reported benefits from psychedelic-assisted treatment, while the Missouri State Medical Association opposed the ibogaine proposal because it involves non-FDA-approved drugs. Members questioned costs, FDA oversight, state expertise, and whether the research should be limited or include sunsets, but no votes were taken on the public hearing bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can actually filter down by what you want to know, so you can say, I don't care about DUIs or marijuana
• These things and more are all possible with alternative medical transport.
• The Phoenix Police Department worked with stakeholders on an alternative process that was implemented

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety met to hear several presentations and bills. First, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry presented on its K-9 program, describing staffing, specialized detection and trailing teams, and the need to replace retired dogs and modernize an aging, high-mileage vehicle fleet used to transport canines. The committee also heard a presentation from Biometrica on a privacy-focused facial recognition and sensor system designed to identify missing persons and known offenders using law-enforcement-only data; the presenters emphasized that the system does not store video or audio and is intended to balance public safety with privacy. The committee then considered HB 2134, which would prohibit Arizona governmental entities and critical infrastructure providers from contracting for critical infrastructure equipment or software from Chinese companies or the PRC. Supporters, including the sponsor and a national security witness, argued the bill would protect communications and other critical systems from foreign adversary access; concerns were raised about costs and implementation, but the bill was amended to be prospective and to rely on self-certification and risk-based audits. The committee passed HB 2134 with a due pass recommendation by a 4-3 vote. HB 2404, which would shift most inter-facility transport of behavioral health patients from peace officers to authorized transporters, drew support from law enforcement and police association witnesses who said officers are not the right personnel for these transports; it passed unanimously, 7-0. HB 2402, dealing with ambulance certificate-of-necessity rules for small or underserved areas, was presented as a compromise measure after work with ambulance stakeholders and firefighters. The bill and a 15-page amendment would require the Department of Health Services to issue certificates in certain small-population areas, streamline applications, add reporting requirements, and address GPS coverage issues; it passed as amended, 7-0. HB 2673, which originally proposed mental health screening and treatment requirements for jail and prison inmates, was narrowed by amendment to create only a study committee on inmate mental health services; family members testified about tragic failures in the system, and the bill passed as amended, 6-0 with one not voting. HB 2253, protecting public employees from retaliation or obstruction when testifying in law enforcement disciplinary appeals, passed 5-0 with two not voting. HB 2270, expanding county protections over seals, logos, and sheriff’s posse naming rights, passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, HB 2941, which would treat certain unsafe motorcycle lane-splitting or passing behavior as reckless driving while preserving legal lane filtering, drew both support and concern about overbreadth; after testimony from the sponsor and members of the public, it passed 5-1 with one not voting, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Did you know that marijuana? a clear path to reimbursement of whatever the state does contribute.
• Did you know that marijuana? ...is going to come from.
• Follow-up: Did you know that marijuana is a Schedule I substance, and there were no such clinical trials

Bills: HB3767, HB3934, HB4199, HB4336, HB2947, HB3834, HB4302, HB4095, HB3287, HB3649, HB4430, HB4431, HB2059, HB3647

Keywords: controlled dangerous substances, controlled substances, drug scheduling, Schedule I, Schedule IV, anti-drug diversion, drug diversion, synthetic opioids, fentanyl analogs, designer drugs, synthetic cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine analogs, opioids, hallucinogens, depressants, pharmacy regulation, narcotics control, Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, DEA scheduling

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee first considered three executive nominations. Shonda Lasseter was reappointed to the State Board of Pharmacy, with discussion focused on pharmacy staffing shortages, PBMs, and broader health care workforce challenges; she was advanced 11-0. Dr. Lane Sabara was renominated to the Health Care Workforce Training Commission, where members discussed rural physician shortages and training pipelines; he was advanced 12-0. Dr. Paul Wright was nominated to fill an unexpired term on the same commission and was advanced 12-0 after questions about his availability and experience supporting rural medicine. The committee then heard several health-related bills. HB 3767, which adds 14 chemicals used to enhance fentanyl to Oklahoma’s controlled substances schedules, advanced 10-0. HB 3934, a dentistry workforce and cleanup bill updating insurance-claim and billing language, advanced 11-0. HB 4199, creating a three-year tri-share workforce pilot program for the Department of Commerce, was amended to change eligibility language and then advanced 9-2. HB 2947, allowing supervised behavioral health interns to bill Medicaid, advanced 10-1. HB 3834, authorizing the Department of Health to begin stage-one clinical trials for ibogaine and creating a revolving fund for that purpose, drew extensive testimony about veteran and first responder treatment, safety, funding, and state liability, and advanced 10-2. Additional measures also moved forward. HB 4302, after amendment, advanced 12-0 on a juvenile oversight reporting and law enforcement notification issue. Committee member bills included HB 495, reinstating the 211 Collaborative advisory council, which advanced 11-0; HB 3287, requiring domestic violence and human trafficking signage in health facilities, which advanced 11-0; HB 3649, allowing the Mental Health Department to sell underused property and keep the proceeds in its trust, which advanced 12-0 after amendment; HB 4430, clarifying malpractice coverage for APRNs and PAs at state facilities, which advanced 12-0; HB 2059, creating a mechanism to reimburse medication costs for incarcerated people in county and municipal jails, which advanced 12-0 after questions about continuity of care; and HB 3647, creating an all-payer claims database and transparency board, which advanced 10-2. The committee adjourned after announcing another meeting the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the marijuana comes out, we will not have polling places in...
• Sorry, in places where marijuana is being sold. Chair Freiberg. Thank you, Vice Chair Altendorf.
• I would think we could even do something that doesn't just say marijuana, but anything that would inhibit

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, when we are in a conflict with the department over... we're going to release the marijuana
• When medically fragile Missourians cannot be supported in the community, what is your alternative?
• When medically fragile Missourians cannot be supported in the community, what is your alternative?
• When medically fragile Missourians cannot be supported in the community, what is your alternative?
• It's the marijuana tax. Is that correct? That's right. It's the cannabis tax.

Summary: The committee first heard the State Auditor’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick described rebuilding the office after staffing had fallen to a historic low, explaining that the office has grown from 92.5 to 119 FTE but still needs several years to reach full staffing, especially at the manager level. He said most of the budget is payroll, noted the office’s use of lapsing general revenue while staffing is rebuilt, and outlined requests including core operating funds, a small sports betting audit NDI, and a $290,000 increase to the CPA stipend to address recruitment and retention problems. Members also discussed the auditor’s authority to audit state agencies and subrecipients, the office’s role in performance audits, and the meaning of “E” appropriations and the auditor’s recent general revenue conditions report. The committee then moved to public testimony on House Bill 10, focusing on Department of Health and Senior Services and Department of Mental Health issues. One witness from the American Heart Association supported continued funding for cardiac emergency response planning in schools, citing AEDs, CPR training, and about 480 schools served. Another witness from the Alzheimer’s Association urged rejection of a proposed $1 million reduction to the Missouri caregiver program, arguing it supports families caring for people with dementia and helps avoid more expensive institutional care. Most of the testimony concerned proposed cuts to developmental disability services, especially day habilitation and self-directed supports (SDS). Providers, family members, and workers said the proposed reductions would force service cuts, reduce wages, and threaten community-based care that keeps people at home and out of more costly facilities. They argued the cuts would shift costs to emergency, residential, or institutional settings and asked the committee to preserve current funding levels. Several members asked questions about provider rates, the share of services delivered by private providers, and the cost difference between SDS and institutional care. The hearing ended with the chair apologizing for earlier tension, explaining the schedule, and recessing the committee to return later because of House floor obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• SYSTEM INSTALLATION INTO THE LIST OF SINGLE TRADE INSPECTIONS AND SPECIFIES SINGLE TRADES MAY USE ALTERNATIVE
• IT WORKS WITH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA TREATMENT CENTERS TO NOTIFY BOTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
• I THINK A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMES DOWN TO RULEMAKING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
• THEY ARE CREATING WALLS WHEN IT COMES TO THESE FOLKS GOING IN, TRYING TO GET THESE THEIR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I assume this has to do with marijuana and hemp. means I got it. Senator Dra.
• I assume this has to do with<00:34:17.320><c> marijuana</c><00:34:18.320><c> and</c><00:34:18.879><c>
• </c> with marijuana and hemp. with marijuana and hemp.
• No, it doesn't have anything to do with hemp or marijuana, or maybe there's someone who can come and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The lack of infrastructure often forces caregivers to seek out unsanitary and inaccessible alternatives
• </c> unsanitary and inaccessible alternatives unsanitary and inaccessible alternatives which<03:56:14.160
• </c> concerning the use of medical marijuana concerning the use of medical marijuana by<05:01:49.360>
• program to use medical marijuana within a health facility, subject to certain parameters.
• on its proc storage of medical marijuana on its proc on<05:08:10.560><c> its</c><05:08:10.798><c> prop

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 270 by Senator Jackson-Andrews, medical marijuana, use of medical marijuana by terminally

Bills: HR119, HR120, HR121, HR122, HR123, HR124, HR125, HR126, HR127, HR128, HR129, HR130, HR131, HR132, HCR53, HCR54, HCR55, HCR56, HR115, HR116, HR117, HR118, SCR19, SCR26, SB102, SB222, SB255, SB270, SB273, SB314, SB418, SB420, HB21, HB24, HB29, HB31, HB39, HB45, HB49, HB77, HB136, HB150, HB211, HB263, HB273, HB299, HB315, HB324, HB376, HB377, HB422, HB431, HB444, HB450, HB519, HB533, HB538, HB549, HB559, HB562, HB663, HB664, HB715, HB717, HB805, HB822, HB823, HB834, HB864, HB867, HB1011, HB1017, HB1018, HB1068, HB1134, HB1137, HB1234, HB1235, HB1236, HB310, HCR6, HCR19, HCR10, HR74, HCR26, HCR35, HCR7, HB51, HB82, HB143, HB145, HB160, HB180, HB192, HB393, HB430, HB445, HB506, HB515, HB521, HB565, HB590, HB614, HB638, HB670, HB672, HB685, HB692, HB752, HB773, HB781, HB799, HB860, HB874, HB887, HB917, HB937, HB956, HB965, HB972, HB977, HB982, HB1006, HB1010, HB1044, HB1072, HB1088, HB1179, HB1200, HB76, HB132, HB181, HB210, HB250, HB265, HB275, HB291, HB322, HB342, HB475, HB486, HB616, HB635, HB639, HB690, HB740, HB757, HB761, HB774, HB808, HB855, HB872, HB883, HB886, HB903, HB949, HB962, HB996, HB1003, HB1036, HB1054, HB1071, HB1076, HB1078, HB1113, HB1132, HB1146, HB1232, HB1233, HB140, HB750, HB911, HB52, HB154, HB400, HB463, HB570, HB631, HB637, HB870, HB952, HB961, HB399, HB868, HB905, HB401, HB901, HR20, HB9, HB58, HB151, HB193, HB284, HB459, HB476, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB615, HB682, HB733, HB915

Keywords: condolences, public service, environmental justice, sustainability, local government, military service, World War II, veteran, community, Italian Festival, cultural celebration, Tickfaw, Italian-American, community pride, heritage, Miss Louisiana Teen USA, Heaven Riley Breaux, recognition, youth empowerment, community service

Summary: The House met on April 9, 2026, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the pledge. Members then spent much of the morning recognizing visiting groups and honoring individuals and teams, including Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Day, social workers, Black Women’s Health Initiative and My Sister’s Keeper, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, and several championship school teams. The House also received committee reports and introduced a number of resolutions and Senate bills before moving into House bills on second reading and final passage. A large block of bills focused on taxation, procurement, transportation, public safety, and administrative modernization. The House passed measures on prompt payment for contractors, fleet vehicle registration, electronic bidding forms, cooperative purchasing by local governments, and use of federal procurement rules for buses and paratransit vehicles. Members also approved bills related to ad valorem millage rules and a constitutional amendment proposal to change legislative session dates, though that session-date measure was sent to Appropriations. Other bills passed addressed brick manufacturing and wood pellet manufacturing as economic development priorities, boiler inspection authority, the Fire Marshal’s role in child care center inspections, and the Louisiana Wallet digitized credentials program. Several public safety and social policy bills also advanced. The House passed bills increasing penalties for repeat DWI offenders with serious prior driving-related convictions, providing medical expense assistance for injured law enforcement officers and firefighters, creating a green/blue envelope program for drivers with autism or mental illness, and establishing a workplace violence measure for retail food service establishments. Members also passed bills on domestic violence, homelessness-related court programs, non-compete restrictions for interns and preceptors, pharmacy benefit managers, and health coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices. One bill on jury trial reassignment in criminal cases failed on reconsideration by a vote of 50-49 and returned to the calendar. Most of the bills considered on final passage were approved by wide margins, with several receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support. A few measures were temporarily returned to the calendar or recommitted, including some domestic violence, insurance, and retirement-related bills. The House also adopted multiple amendments during debate, and several members requested co-authors on measures after passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, Representative, I just want to clarify: currently, anybody that is in the marijuana industry
• So I just want to clarify: this is not restricting commercial marijuana businesses from using groundwater

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including Veteran of the Week First Sergeant Jeff Osterdock, Nurse of the Day Madison Lehman, Psychologist of the Day Dr. Jennifer Steber, and a large group of student pages and visitors. Members also made personal announcements and welcomed guests from schools and community groups. On the floor, the House considered and adopted Senate amendments to House Bill 1484, a schools measure, and passed it 96-1; the emergency clause also passed 96-1. The House then took up House Bill 1085 on contracts, which would standardize service warranty fees with a delayed phase-in schedule, adopted the Senate amendments, and passed the bill 8-1. The House also considered Senate Bill 133 on groundwater permits. After an amendment and debate, members discussed how the bill would apply to commercial water wells and how it would interact with marijuana-related licensing and notification to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The bill passed 85-12, and the emergency clause also passed by the same vote. The chamber then adjourned until February 24, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law only allows for misdemeanor theft, prostitution, and marijuana offenses to be sealed.
• tool that traffickers use by expanding the list of misdemeanors beyond theft, prostitution, and marijuana

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law only allows for misdemeanor theft, prostitution, and marijuana.
• tool that traffickers use by expanding the list of misdemeanors beyond theft, prostitution, and marijuana

Bills: SB663, SB958

Keywords: community supervision, budget approval, corrections department, strategic plan, judicial oversight, SB 958, Texas Government Code, nondisclosure, order of nondisclosure, criminal history record information, trafficking of persons, human trafficking, compelling prostitution, survivor rights, record sealing, expunction, deferred adjudication, prostitution, controlled substances, theft

Transcript Highlights:

• Third reading of Senate Bill 319, relating to marijuana. Do we have unanimous consent?
• Third reading of Senate Bill 319, relating to marijuana. Do we have unanimous consent?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, called the roll, approved the previous day’s journal, and heard several introductions recognizing staff, visiting students from Do Middle School participating in Working Families Day, and advocates from organizations including H-CAN, Hawaii Workers Center, Aloha Care, the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the American Association of University Women Hawaii. The clerk then reported gubernatorial messages withdrawing several nominations to boards and commissions, transmitting one nomination to the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, and House communications sending House bills to the Senate for first reading and committee referral. The chamber adopted multiple groups of standing committee reports, including reports requiring 48-hour notice and one-day notice, and then took up third reading of Senate bills. Several bills passed third reading by unanimous consent or near-unanimous votes, including measures relating to water pollution, spaying and neutering animals, condominiums, marine life conservation districts, mental health, geothermal resources, the University of Hawaiʻi, and aircraft. Senate Bill 841 SD1 and SB 1042 SD1 each passed 22-1, SB 1197 SD1 passed 21-2, and SB 319, relating to marijuana, failed on third reading with 11 ayes and 12 noes. The Senate also granted a waiver of referral for Senate Bill 1621 SD1 to the Committee on Ways and Means so it could meet the first taking deadline, and gave one day’s notice for third reading. The session concluded with a motion adopted to leave the journal open until 11:00 p.m. for additional committee reports and to recess until 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an alternative funding mechanism for ensuring bonded buildings rather than purchasing insurance
• If my research is right, that was created under the constitutional medical marijuana.
• Yes, they had a large increase in cases associated with medical marijuana licenses.
• So following up on that, there are several different sources that the marijuana money goes to.
• And there's some other things in there that the alternative fuel, right now if you have an electric car

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee continued its House Bill 5 budget hearing with the Office of Administration, reviewing numerous OA and FMDC items in Book 1 and Book 2. Testimony covered telecommunications, personnel, procurement, facilities, utility and janitorial increases, warehouse relocations, the Kansas City behavioral health hospital staffing needs, legal expense fund transfers, the Administrative Hearing Commission, the Children’s Trust Fund, MoPerm, debt service, and transportation transfers. Several items were noted as not recommended by the governor, including some OA workforce initiatives, janitorial funding, and certain Children’s Trust Fund and FMDC requests. A major portion of the discussion focused on the Children’s Trust Fund’s home-visiting and regional collective impact hub programs. The director explained that Medicaid-related funding would flow through OA’s federal authority into CTF, then out to providers through managed care organizations, with services targeted to high-risk pregnant women and families. Members asked about marketing, consent, rural access, contract structure, oversight, and audit frequency; CTF said participation is consent-based, services are not broadly marketed, rural providers are paid more due to travel costs, and the fund uses invoices, monthly and quarterly calls, annual reports, and periodic audits. The committee also spent substantial time questioning long-standing appropriations for the Bartle Hall and Jackson County sports authority payments. OA accounting staff said they were unaware of any contract or memorandum of understanding requiring the state to pay, but that statute authorizes matching payments subject to appropriation and that the state has been making these payments since 1991. Members from both parties expressed frustration about the lack of clear documentation and accountability, and several said they wanted to revisit or potentially zero out the appropriations. Similar questions were raised about the Jackson County sports stadium complex, including how the money is used and whether the state has any legal obligation. Later, members discussed the I-70 and I-44 transfer sections, asking how the I-70 project fund works, whether the general revenue transfer is tied to bond debt service, and whether there is a subject-to-appropriations or funding-out clause. OA said the I-70 funding was set up to track and control the project and that the debt service is handled in MoDOT’s budget, but it would need to check on the clause question. The hearing ended with the committee pausing before moving on to the next section of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would we be in seizure and removal enforcement as we speak and trying to begin an alternative review?
• -OH consumers shows that 74% use it specifically to manage their chronic pain, often as a safer alternative
• These are often marketed as alcohol alternatives.
• This product is not intended to be sold as an alternative to alcohol, nicotine, cannabinoids, prescription
• Pam Lopez, on behalf of the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust, I want to thank the committee for their

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So within HRS 712-1249, we talk about marijuana, but also scheduled five substances, which would be such
• <00:16:44.079><c> they</c><00:16:44.320><c> talk</c><00:16:44.480><c> about</c><00:16:44.720><c> marijuana
• </c> we talk about they talk about marijuana we talk about they talk about marijuana but<00:16:45.600
• And the sheriff's department and determine whether the arrest was marijuana or whether it was for Schedule
• Having to rely on the law enforcement agency to provide us the information whether it was marijuana or

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs held an information briefing on expungement and record clearance, with Chair David Tarnis and Vice Chair Mahina Poo Poy emphasizing second chances and the legislature’s recent work on state-initiated relief. The chair reviewed prior measures, including Act 62 (2024), which created Hawaii’s first state-initiated expungement pilot for certain non-conviction cannabis-related arrests, Act 159 (2023), which required automatic sealing or removal of expunged records from the judiciary’s public database, and Act 241 (2024), which created the Clean Slate Task Force. He said the committee invited the Clean Slate Initiative and Code for America because of their national experience with state-initiated record clearance systems. Phil Hickden of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and Attorney General’s office reported that Act 62 was implemented using existing resources and no new funding, initially covering single-charge, pre-2020 arrests in Hawaii County for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and later expanded by Act 005 (2025) to all arrests under HRS 712-1249 regardless of drug type. He said the project identified 2,268 potentially eligible records, with 1,072 processed so far, 989 granted and 83 denied, and that the work has taken about 872 staff hours and roughly 45 days per expungement. He also said the office has identified about 412,000 people who could potentially qualify for expungement under broader legislation, though that estimate does not include case-by-case research. Michelle Acasta of the judiciary explained that Act 159 changed the process so HCJDC now digitally transmits expungement certificates to the court, eliminating the applicant’s second step of filing paperwork with the court. She said the courts still manually review eligibility, but the process is easier because certificates now include a case ID and HCJDC provides additional information to help locate records. She reported that since implementation the courts received 125 certificates in July and 87 in August, with 17 court orders filed in July and August, including 81 in the First Circuit, 14 in Maui, 7 in the Third Circuit, and 15 in the Fifth Circuit. She also noted that the Hawaii Supreme Court’s State v. Rogan decision affects procedure by requiring a written request or motion, an opportunity to be heard, and written findings for sealing court records, and that new Supreme Court rules are expected for public comment. Members asked about qualitative outcomes and whether the process could be expanded statewide; staff said they do not track recidivism or personal stories, and the chair encouraged further discussion before the next session to identify barriers and capacity needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• of 2500 G of fentel seized 12,000 G of 2500 G of fentel seized 12,000 G of cocaine 100,000 G of marijuana
• 37 cocaine 100,000 G of marijuana 37 cocaine 100,000 G of marijuana 37 Firearms seized 10 vehicles and
• cocaine seeds 100,000 gram of of cocaine seeds 100,000 gram of of cocaine seeds 100,000 gram of marijuana
• 37 Firearms 10 Vehicles seized marijuana 37 Firearms 10 Vehicles seized marijuana 37 Firearms 10 Vehicles
• 37 Firearms 10 100,000 G of marijuana 37 Firearms 10 100,000 G of marijuana 37 Firearms 10 Vehicles

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• Marijuana is also excluded in that number. You have marijuana on here. Oh, I'm sorry.
• The reason alcohol is off and marijuana is because we're looking at drugs that when combined have an
• You have marijuana in it, it's not an opiate. You don't have alcohol, it's a substance abuse.