Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:49:02.200><c> back</c><00:49:02.560><c> in</c><00:49:02.800><c> the</c><00:49:02.920><c> family
• The<01:49:11.160><c> house</c><01:49:11.400><c> will</c><01:49:11.480><c> attend</c><01:49:11.760><c>
• Mr.<01:49:21.080><c> Speaker,</c><01:49:21.400><c> the</c><01:49:21.480><c> Senate</c><01:49:21.760><
• </c><01:49:47.800><c> the</c><01:49:47.880><c> timeline</c><01:49:48.840><c> in</c><01:49:48.960><c>
• ><c> from</c><01:49:54.600><c> 5</c><01:49:54.920><c> days</c><01:49:55.200><c> to</c><01:49:55.320><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:49:29.559><c> by</c><00:49:29.720><c> using</c><00:49:30.200><c> cap</c><00:49:30.480><c> trust</
• <00:49:31.960><c> few</c><00:49:32.160><c> notes</c><00:49:32.480><c> Here</c><00:49:32.640><c> I</c>
• </c><00:49:35.400><c> we've</c><00:49:35.599><c> been</c><00:49:35.799><c> able</c><00:49:36.119><c>
• able to do is<00:49:37.559><c> actually</c><00:49:38.559><c> work</c><00:49:38.880><c> on</c><00:49:
• for<00:49:45.359><c> our</c><00:49:45.559><c> employees</c><00:49:46.079><c> when</c><00:49:46.240><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first reorganized by electing Representative Hart as House co-chair and Senator Douglas as Senate co-chair by acclamation, then approved the December 10 minutes. It then took up deferred and routine contract items, beginning with a Council on Postsecondary Education item that was withdrawn after staff explained the contract had been canceled and should not have come before the committee because the granting authority, not CPE, was issuing it. The committee next reviewed a Department for Local Government contract tied to an Eastern Kentucky flood recovery housing project in Jackson. Members questioned the high per-unit cost and whether renovation was more expensive than new construction. Staff explained the cost included acquisition of an existing downtown building and needed water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, and said developable land was limited in the area. With no motion to object, the contract was allowed to move forward. The committee then considered Kentucky Transportation Cabinet professional services contracts for highway design work. Members asked about the size of the contracts and how much of the available funding is typically used; staff said the contracts are two-year agreements, that the prior cycle reached close to $2 million per contract, and that this year’s limits were reduced because less money is available in the Highway Plan. The committee also approved a PSC amendment contract for the Bridging Kentucky program after staff explained the $150 hourly loaded rate was within the normal range for consultants. Both Transportation Cabinet items were approved without objection. Finally, the committee heard a Kentucky Communications Network Authority contract for an $85,000 study of the dark fiber market. Members asked what dark fiber is, why the study was needed, whether there was coordination with the Office of Broadband Development, and whether existing service meant there was already a market. KCNA said dark fiber is unused fiber that local providers can light to deliver service, that the study was needed because the contractor said no market existed while ISPs said demand exists, and that the report would help both KCNA oversight and broadband development planning. The contract was reviewed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:49:05.839><c> James</c><00:49:06.160><c> High</c><00:49:06.240><c> School</c><00:49:06.400><c
• </c><00:49:08.079><c> uh</c><00:49:08.160><c> where</c><00:49:08.400><c> I'm</c><00:49:08.480><c> an<
• In addition, I<00:49:44.400><c> teach</c><00:49:44.559><c> about</c><00:49:44.800><c> mental</c><00:49
• </c><01:49:13.520><c> positions</c><01:49:13.840><c> in</c><01:49:14.080><c> lensure</c><01:49:14.560
• And we strongly<01:49:20.639><c> agree</c><01:49:20.800><c> with</c><01:49:20.960><c> what</c><01:49:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I had a real<00:49:19.280><c> quick</c><00:49:19.520><c> question</c><00:49:19.760><c> and</c><00:49:
• :28.000><c> How</c><00:49:28.319><c> many</c><00:49:28.559><c> of</c><00:49:28.800><c> your</c><00:49
• ><c> for</c><00:49:31.760><c> 10</c><00:49:32.079><c> or</c><00:49:32.240><c> more</c><00:49:32.480><
• </c><00:49:34.240><c> of</c><00:49:34.480><c> all</c><00:49:34.640><c> of</c><00:49:34.800><c> the</c
• <01:49:34.560><c> if</c><01:49:34.800><c> we</c><01:49:34.880><c> get</c><01:49:34.960><c> a</c><01:49

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> with</c><00:49:03.680><c> the</c><00:49:03.839><c> principle</c><00:49:04.240><c> that</c><00:49
• 00:49:21.839><c> in</c><00:49:22.079><c> our</c><00:49:22.240><c> courts,</c><00:49:22.880><c> I</c>
• 49:28.559><c> are</c><00:49:28.720><c> that</c><00:49:28.960><c> many</c><00:49:29.200><c> drivers</c
• saw<00:49:38.319><c> uh</c><00:49:38.480><c> a</c><00:49:38.720><c> spike</c><00:49:38.960><c> in</c
• ><00:49:39.280><c> fatalities</c><00:49:39.839><c> on</c><00:49:40.079><c> Aahu</c><00:49:40.559><c>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard several vehicle and traffic safety measures. HB 2347, which would require the director of transportation to adopt rules allowing mobile vehicle safety inspections, drew support from DOT and individual testifiers who said it would add convenience and efficiency for passenger vehicle owners. Committee members questioned how home or driveway inspections would handle safety standards such as headlight checks and whether added convenience would come with higher costs; DOT also said it would follow up on inspection fees and audit procedures. HB 182, which would exempt motorcycles and passenger cars from safety inspections, received opposition from DOT, the Hawaii Police Department, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, with Grassroot Institute in support. HB 2022, which would equalize county and state annual vehicle registration fees, was opposed by the Hawaii Transportation Association because it would raise costs that would likely be passed on to consumers. The committee also took testimony on HB 1708, which would make operating a vehicle under the influence at a high intoxication level a class C felony and add probation requirements. Prosecutors, police, DOT, and the Honolulu customer services department supported the bill, while the Public Defender’s Office opposed it, arguing that it would increase court workload, require more defense resources, and create collateral consequences, including possible immigration impacts. Several witnesses and members discussed a proposed HD1 that would change the bill to a graduated penalty structure, making a first offense a misdemeanor and a second offense a felony, while also addressing deferred pleas and DUI deferrals. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the bill’s intent but warned that Oahu lacks a reliable electronic or telephonic warrant system, which could lead to more refusals and additional court impacts. HB 2086, which would amend negligent injury in the first degree to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers, received support from DOT, county prosecutors, police, and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office. Honolulu’s prosecutor supported the bill but recommended against the attached HD1, saying the current drafting better preserves negligent injury as a lesser included offense and avoids blending it with a separate statutory scheme. HB 2154, which would create a framework for intelligent speed assist technology and require a report to the legislature, was supported by DOT, county police, Smart Start LLC, AAA Hawaii, and others, with the Alliance for Automobile Innovation offering comments and proposed amendments. A testifier described the bill as a way to prevent repeat speeding by limiting vehicles from accelerating beyond the speed limit. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:49:10.640><c> and</c><00:49:11.040><c> I</c><00:49:11.200><c> think</c><00:49:11.280><c> it's</c>
• <00:49:11.440><c> page</c><00:49:11.680><c> 11</c><00:49:11.920><c> where</c><00:49:12.160><c> you</c
• ><00:49:19.040><c> uh</c><00:49:19.599><c> and</c><00:49:20.000><c> uh</c><00:49:20.160><c> natural</
• Is it if<00:49:24.240><c> if</c><00:49:24.400><c> you're</c><00:49:24.559><c> not</c><00:49:24.720><c
• <c> might</c><00:49:39.599><c> be</c><00:49:39.760><c> the</c><00:49:40.000><c> way</c><00:49:40.079>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I will ballpark<00:49:00.319><c> it</c><00:49:00.480><c> because</c><00:49:00.640><c> I</c><00:49
• </c><00:49:02.079><c> me</c><00:49:02.400><c> and</c><00:49:02.559><c> and</c><00:49:02.800><c> I'm</
• 00:49:09.280><c> the</c><00:49:09.520><c> way</c><00:49:09.599><c> that</c><00:49:09.760><c> the</c>
• So, the<00:49:17.040><c> caveat</c><00:49:17.440><c> I'm</c><00:49:17.599><c> going</c><00:49:17.680>
• <00:49:27.920><c> process</c><00:49:28.319><c> not</c><00:49:28.480><c> to</c><00:49:28.640><c> be</c

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :00.240><c> for</c><00:49:01.200><c> our</c><00:49:01.440><c> set</c><00:49:01.599><c> for</c><00:49:
• </c><00:49:02.960><c> But</c><00:49:03.440><c> but</c><00:49:03.920><c> when</c><00:49:04.160><c> I</
• ><c> it</c><00:49:08.240><c> cost</c><00:49:08.559><c> so</c><00:49:08.720><c> much</c><00:49:08.960>
• </c><00:49:12.400><c> whether</c><00:49:12.640><c> they</c><00:49:12.720><c> going</c><00:49:12.800><
• ><c> farmer</c><00:49:34.319><c> just</c><00:49:34.559><c> raising</c><00:49:34.800><c> the</c><00:49

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• says that<00:49:24.400><c> if</c><00:49:24.640><c> your</c><00:49:25.599><c> uh</c><00:49:26.480><c>
• if</c><00:49:26.720><c> your</c><00:49:26.960><c> blood</c><00:49:27.359><c> sugar</c><00:49:27.680>
• </c><00:49:37.200><c> organs</c><00:49:37.920><c> slowly</c><00:49:38.319><c> it's</c><00:49:38.559><
• c><00:49:41.839><c> going</c><00:49:42.000><c> to</c><00:49:42.800><c> you</c><00:49:42.960><c> know<
• ><c> process</c><00:49:44.800><c> that</c><00:49:45.280><c> you</c><00:49:45.440><c> won't</c><00:49:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up an insurance-related chronic pain bill and an amendment modeled on language from Massachusetts and Maine. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed after stakeholder meetings because the original bill would have created an unaffordable insurance mandate in New Hampshire. The amendment was intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies by limiting prior authorization and step-therapy barriers so they are not more restrictive than for other treatments, including opioid therapies. After questions, the committee took a straw vote and advanced the amendment. The next item was a department-sponsored bill involving the state’s all-payer claims database. Insurance Department officials explained that the bill would encourage self-funded employer plans to opt in voluntarily by giving them aggregated, deidentified claims information in return. They said self-funded plans cannot be required to report data because of federal law, but the bill would provide an incentive while protecting employee privacy. Members asked detailed questions about who would see the data, whether individual employees could be identified, and how privacy would be enforced; the department said access would be aggregated and deidentified, and employer privacy issues would be governed by ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee also discussed a glucose-monitoring bill. Members debated whether the bill was aimed at type 1 diabetes coverage or broader access to continuous glucose monitors, and whether it would amount to an unnecessary insurance mandate that could raise premiums. Department testimony estimated the equipment cost and said the annual impact per member would be modest, but also noted that non-insulin therapies have not consistently shown clinically significant A1C reductions. The chair and some members emphasized that the bill should be considered on its own terms as a CGM coverage issue, not as a general diabetes mandate. The committee discussed the bill’s cost implications and asked the department for any prior cost analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• 49:11.200><c> have</c><00:49:11.359><c> to</c><00:49:11.440><c> be</c><00:49:11.599><c> taken</c><00:
• account<00:49:12.559><c> with</c><00:49:12.800><c> any</c><00:49:13.040><c> kind</c><00:49:13.200><c>
• > the</c><00:49:20.160><c> the</c><00:49:20.480><c> amount</c><00:49:20.800><c> you</c><00:49:21.040>
• </c><00:49:27.200><c> Several</c><00:49:27.599><c> years</c><00:49:27.839><c> back,</c><00:49:28.400>
• c> it</c><00:49:41.520><c> over</c><00:49:41.680><c> into</c><00:49:42.000><c> a</c><00:49:42.319><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

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:

• If<00:49:04.160><c> the</c><00:49:04.400><c> department</c><00:49:04.800><c> doesn't</c><00:49:05.200
• 49:08.160><c> and</c><00:49:08.319><c> the</c><00:49:08.559><c> money</c><00:49:08.800><c> still</c><
• In<00:49:11.440><c> one</c><00:49:11.599><c> sense,</c><00:49:12.000><c> that's</c><00:49:12.160><c>
• :49.119><c> line</c><00:49:49.359><c> item</c><00:49:50.079><c> and</c><00:49:50.319><c> if</c><00:49
• :00.000><c> you</c><01:49:00.159><c> look</c><01:49:00.320><c> at</c><01:49:00.400><c> that</c><01:49

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:49:23.920><c> current</c><00:49:24.480><c> guidelines</c><00:49:25.440><c> of</c><00:49:25.680><c>
• c><00:49:32.319><c> page</c><00:49:32.640><c> three,</c><00:49:33.040><c> lines</c> coal.
• > add</c><00:49:35.520><c> um</c><00:49:35.839><c> for</c><00:49:36.160><c> consistency,</c><00:49:37.200
• And finally, add<00:49:55.359><c> a</c><00:49:55.599><c> defective</c><00:49:56.079><c> date</c><00:49
• :56.559><c> as</c><00:49:56.720><c> well</c><00:49:56.880><c> as</c><00:49:57.119><c> any</c><00:49:57.599

Bills: SB2421, SB2690, SB3103, SB3137, SB3164, SB3206, SB2933, SB3133, SB3315

Keywords: cannabis, marijuana, Hawaii Cannabis Law, legalization, decriminalization, adult use, hemp, taxation, social equity, public health, primary care, health insurance, health carrier, insurance commissioner, Med-QUEST, Medicaid managed care, provider reimbursement, downcoding, prior authorization, utilization review

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 1864, which would require health insurance coverage for standard fertility preservation services for people undergoing medically necessary treatment, drew broad support from SHIPA, the Department of Health, HMSA, the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, and others. Testifiers emphasized that fertility preservation is routine coverage on the mainland and important for patients facing infertility from cancer or other treatment; one patient described incurring more than $20,000 in costs. The Insurance Division flagged possible Affordable Care Act issues, a potential conflict in the bill’s language about using patient history to determine limits, and a mismatch with state medical-necessity standards. Committee discussion also focused on whether the bill should apply to all women of childbearing age rather than a narrower age-based category. HB 2305 would require nutrition and metabolic education as part of physicians’ continuing medical education. The Hawaii Medical Board opposed the measure, arguing that CME should remain flexible and tailored to each physician’s specialty and warning that topic-specific mandates can expand over time. The Office of the Governor supported the bill, saying it would help the state’s rural health transformation application and could improve federal funding prospects, though the exact impact was unclear. Members questioned whether nutrition is already covered in medical training and whether the requirement should be limited to primary care physicians; the board said Hawaii currently has no topic-specific CME mandates and that physicians can already choose relevant courses. The committee also heard strong support for HB 1597, which would establish an Alzheimer’s disease research center at the University of Hawaii. Supporters from the university, the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, and others said the center could attract federal research dollars, expand clinical trials, and help address the state’s high Alzheimer’s-related health costs. HB 2159, which appropriates funds for health care workforce development, also received broad support from the University of Hawaii, health systems, and advocacy groups, with no opposition noted. Finally, HB 2121, which would prohibit the sale and distribution of disposable electronic smoking devices, drew support from the Department of Health, youth advocates, and public health groups citing youth addiction, environmental waste, and fire hazards; the department said a separate bill, HB 1573, would be more comprehensive and better defined for enforcement and penalties. The committee ended with HB 1913, creating a veteran services mental health coordinator position at Tripler Army Medical Center, which was supported by veteran services officials and others who said veterans need better navigation and coordination for behavioral health care.

Transcript Highlights:

• &gt;&gt; Um<00:49:22.319><c> he</c><00:49:22.559><c> said</c><00:49:22.800><c> we</c><00:49:23.040><c
• > should</c><00:49:23.200><c> be</c><00:49:23.440><c> kind</c><00:49:23.680><c> and</c><00:49:23.920>
• </c><00:49:30.880><c> President,</c><00:49:31.280><c> I</c><00:49:31.520><c> told</c><00:49:31.680><c
• <00:49:37.839><c> get</c><00:49:37.920><c> a</c><00:49:38.079><c> bill</c><00:49:38.319><c> signed</c
• </c><00:49:43.200><c> It's</c><00:49:43.440><c> restored</c><00:49:43.839><c> to</c><00:49:44.000><c>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and</c><00:49:05.680><c> I</c><00:49:05.839><c> would</c><00:49:06.000><c> ask</c><00:49:06.240><c>
• If you'd like<00:49:09.200><c> me</c><00:49:09.359><c> to</c><00:49:09.520><c> write</c><00:49:09.680
• &gt;&gt; So,<00:49:19.839><c> obviously,</c><00:49:20.319><c> this</c><00:49:20.559><c> is</c><00:49:
• ><c> on</c><00:49:24.240><c> that</c><00:49:24.640><c> even</c><00:49:24.800><c> if</c><00:49:25.040>
• </c><00:49:32.720><c> court</c><00:49:33.040><c> as</c><00:49:33.280><c> it</c><00:49:33.440><c> was<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:49:06.800><c> Um</c><00:49:07.200><c> so</c><00:49:07.680><c> in</c><00:49:07.920><c> my</c>
• for</c><00:49:11.440><c> LGBTQ</c><00:49:12.319><c> folks</c><00:49:13.200><c> um</c><00:49:13.280><
• </c><00:49:18.880><c> Um,</c><00:49:19.440><c> and</c><00:49:19.680><c> while</c><00:49:19.839><c> I<
• <00:49:24.880><c> laws</c><00:49:25.200><c> are</c><00:49:25.359><c> there,</c><00:49:26.079><c> um,<
• </c><00:49:35.119><c> And</c><00:49:35.440><c> I</c><00:49:35.680><c> do</c><00:49:35.839><c> want</c

Bills: SB2936, SB2850, SB2851, SB2521

Keywords: accessible parking, disability, kupuna, public accommodations, small business exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, parking permit, blind, deaf, accessibility, deafness, traffic safety, law enforcement, vehicle registration, communication, emergency services, commercial driver's license, first responders, public safety, authorized emergency vehicle

Summary: The joint hearing covered House Bill 251, which would require hospitals to report costs associated with Medicare and uninsured patients, and House Bill 1875, which would expand protections for gender-affirming health care services. On HB 251, the Department of Health said it supported the intent but described the bill as complicated and potentially impractical as drafted because the department lacks the expertise to produce the required analyses without outside help. Hawaii Health Systems Corporation echoed those concerns, while the Queen’s Health System said it was willing to work with the department to provide the information. In committee discussion, officials explained that hospital support in Hawaii includes public hospital appropriations and the provider tax program, which uses hospital and nursing home contributions to draw federal matching funds; a department witness estimated the net benefit at about $150 million for hospitals and $20 million for nursing facilities, though exact figures would be provided later. On HB 1875, the Insurance Division testified with concerns that the bill’s language on prohibited actions by malpractice insurers was broad and vague, and that a rate-increase prohibition could conflict with actuarially based insurance pricing. The division also noted it was not the primary enforcement agency for the statute. In contrast, many testifiers strongly supported the bill, including the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, PFLAG Oahu, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, the Hawaii County Democratic Party, and others. Supporters argued that gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and protected by privacy and bodily autonomy principles, and that the bill would protect patients and providers from outside political interference. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:49:03.120><c> we</c><00:49:03.360><c> we</c><00:49:03.760><c> we</c><00:49:04.280><c> are</c
• But<00:49:10.160><c> we</c><00:49:10.360><c> are</c><00:49:10.520><c> we</c><00:49:10.640><c> also</c
• :49:15.840><c> a</c><00:49:15.920><c> in</c><00:49:16.080><c> a</c><00:49:16.120><c> space</c><00:49:
• But<00:49:20.320><c> we</c><00:49:20.440><c> may</c><00:49:20.640><c> have</c><00:49:20.880><c> to</c
• Uh<00:49:26.560><c> in</c><00:49:26.720><c> order</c><00:49:26.880><c> for</c><00:49:27.040><c> us</c

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education resolutions, beginning with HCR 11 and HR 14, which ask the Board of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to report on improving access to stable, suitable, and affordable facilities for public charter schools. The Charter School Commission supported the measure, and OHA also supported it while noting long-standing facility challenges, the lack of a dedicated facilities appropriation, and the strain on charter schools that have had to use operating funds for buildings and temporary structures. Kealakehe Academy, Hawaii Technology Academy, and several individuals also testified in support. The committee then took up HCR 181 and HR 171, which seek a shared decision-making committee to develop an action plan for a K-12 Ka Waihona School in Kapolei. The Department of Education said it has already developed a strategic plan for Kaipuni education, has expanded immersion programs over the past decade, and is addressing growth through interim guidance and a new priority placement process. Community witnesses, including representatives of Ke Alo Ever, strongly supported the resolutions, emphasizing the need for a K-12 pathway, the importance of Hawaiian language and culture, and the role of community voice in planning. They argued that teacher shortages, especially for licensed Hawaiian immersion teachers, remain a major barrier and proposed a kumu recruitment and retention program tied to community, UH, and DOE partnerships. The committee also heard HCR 187 and HR 177, which urge the Department of Education to begin initiatives to address teacher retention statewide. DOE and the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education said teacher retention is already being addressed through the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee, a five-year plan focused on building capacity, improving satisfaction, and compensation, and a new DOE human resources plan. In response to questions, DOE said it is seeking better school-level data on why teachers leave, is preparing for contract negotiations, and is working with the standards board and DLIR on an apprenticeship-related grant. TECC representatives said the group has been working since the pandemic era, may narrow its focus to retention as the most actionable area, and expects to provide more concrete recommendations in its annual report. The transcript ends as the committee moves on to the next item, HCR 47 and HR 43, without showing any votes or final actions on the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• 49:02.319><c> got</c><00:49:02.559><c> married,</c><00:49:02.880><c> so</c><00:49:03.119><c> I</c><00
• </c><00:49:06.319><c> Um</c><00:49:06.640><c> I</c><00:49:06.800><c> live</c><00:49:06.960><c> in</c>
• </c><00:49:14.960><c> the</c><00:49:15.200><c> nation</c><00:49:15.520><c> where</c><00:49:15.839><c>
• <00:49:21.440><c> Um</c><00:49:21.760><c> may</c><00:49:22.079><c> not</c><00:49:22.319><c> have</c><
• 49:26.319><c> get</c><00:49:26.400><c> it</c><00:49:26.559><c> back,</c><00:49:26.880><c> may</c><00:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:49:10.400><c> facilities</c><00:49:11.520><c> uh</c><00:49:11.680><c> that</c><00:49:11.839><c
• ><c> to</c><00:49:12.160><c> get</c><00:49:12.319><c> cut</c><00:49:12.720><c> and</c><00:49:13.040><
• ><c> number</c><00:49:14.480><c> that's</c><00:49:14.880><c> around</c><00:49:15.359><c> uh</c><00:49
• </c><00:49:32.880><c> you</c><00:49:32.960><c> know</c><00:49:33.119><c> sort</c><00:49:33.280><c> of
• 49:48.000><c> one</c><01:49:48.080><c> in</c><01:49:48.320><c> 20</c><01:49:48.560><c> year</c><01:49

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:49:01.679><c> the</c><01:49:01.800><c> first</c><01:49:02.040><c> is</c><01:49:02.199><c> if<
• > do</c><01:49:02.639><c> fund</c><01:49:03.159><c> line</c><01:49:03.400><c> 10</c><01:49:04.159><c>
• ><c> a</c><01:49:05.239><c> year</c><01:49:05.400><c> to</c><01:49:05.520><c> do</c><01:49:05.639><c>
• </c><01:49:12.560><c> spoke</c><01:49:12.800><c> to</c><01:49:13.040><c> so</c><01:49:13.320><c> this
• :49:40.040><c> in</c><01:49:40.239><c> law</c><01:49:40.840><c> um</c><01:49:41.040><c> and</c><01:49

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.

Transcript Highlights:

• You<00:49:19.640><c> all</c><00:49:19.760><c> know</c><00:49:19.960><c> here</c><00:49:20.520><c> a</
• Cuz<00:49:24.960><c> we</c><00:49:25.080><c> want</c><00:49:25.480><c> more</c><00:49:25.680><c> tax<
• That's<00:49:26.480><c> why</c><00:49:26.560><c> we</c><00:49:26.640><c> want</c><00:49:26.760><c> to
• </c><00:49:26.840><c> get</c><00:49:26.920><c> rid</c><00:49:27.000><c> of</c><00:49:27.080><c> TABOR
• Is<00:49:29.080><c> that</c><00:49:29.560><c> not</c><00:49:30.040><c> the</c><00:49:30.160><c> thing

Keywords: 981, all