Transcript Highlights:

• You hear a lot of people talking right?
• </c> &gt;&gt; No but how you're not you're not hearing &gt;&gt; No but how you're not you're not hearing
• You were inferring that why doesn't the board have a hearing?
• You were inferring that why doesn't the board have a hearing?
• Superintendent, I hear you and I've been hearing you, but it doesn't match up to what's happening.

Bills: SB2901 , SB2902 , SB2903 , SB2904 , SB2905 , SB2906 , SB2907 , SB2908 , SB2909 , SB2910 , SB2911 , SB2912 , SB2913 , SB2914 , SB2915 , SB2916 , SB2917 , SB2918 , SB2919 , SB2920 , SB2921 , SB2922 , SB2923 , SB2924 , SB2925 , SB2926 , SB2927 , SB2928 , SB2929 , SB2930 , SB2931 , SB2932 , SB2933 , SB2934 , SB2935 , SB2936 , SB2937 , SB2938 , SB2939 , SB2940 , SB2941 , SB2942 , SB2943 , SB2944 , SB2945 , SB2946 , SB2947 , SB2948 , SB2949 , SB2950 , SB2951 , SB2952 , SB2953 , SB2954 , SB2955 , SB2956 , SB2957 , SB2958 , SB2959 , SB2960 , SB2961 , SB2962 , SB2963 , SB2964 , SB2965 , SB2966 , SB2967 , SB2968 , SB2969 , SB2970 , SB2971 , SB2972 , SB2973 , SB2974 , SB2975 , SB2976 , SB2977 , SB2978 , SB2979 , SB2980 , SB2981 , SB2982 , SB2983 , SB2984 , SB2985 , SB2986 , SB2987 , SB2988 , SB2989 , SB2990 , SB2991 , SB2992 , SB2993 , SB2994 , SB2995 , SB2996 , SB2997 , SB2998 , SB2999 , SB3000

Transcript Highlights:

• Um I'm hearing some ideas for idea.
• Uh earlier this had a hearing on it.
• </c><01:31:32.239><c> something</c> think in the Senate hearing something think in the Senate hearing
• So if we important viewpoint to hear.
• </c><01:41:45.760><c> from</c> that, you know, if what I'm hearing from that, you know, if what I'm hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you hear me pretty well? Yeah, we hear you fine. And welcome back. Thank you. Thank you.
• You'll hear more in the and us. You'll hear more in the following<01:28:54.880><c> testimony.
• </c> you've shown Senator Putnham in hearing you've shown Senator Putnham in hearing it.<01:29:01.120
• </c><01:41:23.840><c> I</c><01:41:24.000><c> hear</c> quick? Tomatoes. Tomatoes. I hear quick?
• I hear tomatoes. tomatoes. tomatoes.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:27:18.159><c> it</c> committee did not give a hearing it committee did not give a hearing it
• </c><00:55:20.079><c> which</c><00:55:21.000><c> addresses</c> this hearing which addresses this hearing
• </c> for their campaign we constantly hear for their campaign we constantly hear the<00:56:46.839><c>
• Hearing none, the recommendation is adopted. Thank you.
• Hearing none, the recommendation is adopted.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several election-related and governance measures. On SB 176, relating to recounts, the Office of Elections supported clarifying that recount triggers should be based on the final Election Day report rather than the 6:00 a.m. next-day report, citing a 2022 recount example. The chair noted 3 testimonies in support, 42 in opposition, and 1 comment. On SB 1337, relating to the Stadium Authority, the authority supported changing quorum rules so only voting members count, explaining that the current interpretation makes it difficult to conduct business; written testimony from DBEDT was also received. On SB 289, relating to ethics administrative fines, the Ethics Commission supported uniform procedures to resolve uncontested enforcement matters more quickly while preserving due process; written support was also noted. The committee then heard SB 311, a proposed constitutional amendment on freedom of speech and money in elections. Supporters, including Community Alliance on Prisons, Our Revolution Hawaii, Pride at Work Hawaii, Common Cause Hawaii, and others, argued that money in politics distorts democracy and that the amendment would help prevent wealthy interests from buying influence. Opponents, including the Hawaii Christian Coalition and individual testifiers, argued that changing the constitution was too serious, that the proposal should be handled by ordinary legislation instead, and that the measure could create legal conflict. Deputy Attorney General Candace Park said the bill would only matter if key federal cases such as Buckley and Citizens United were overturned, and the chair thanked her for the legal input. The committee also heard SB 780, relating to election ballot disqualification, which would exclude candidates disqualified by constitutional or statutory provisions and create procedures for challenges. Opposition testimony said the bill would undermine voter choice, burden courts and election officials, and invite misuse; the Hawaii Christian Coalition echoed those concerns. Members raised questions about whether the measure would apply only to state and county offices, and the Attorney General’s office said it would follow up. Finally, on SB 1030, relating to election intimidation, supporters said firearms should not be brought near polling places or ballot drop boxes, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary and could affect lawful possession; the committee received 12 testimonies, with 39 in support. The committee then began SB 1225, a proposed constitutional amendment changing the vote threshold for legislative amendments to a majority of votes tallied, excluding blanks, spoiled ballots, and overvotes; testimony in support was heard from the LGBTQ+ Commission and others, and the discussion was still underway when the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so with that, I'll open it up for any discussion prior to hearing the voting on the bill.
• We'll now go into public hearing. We'll open the hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1000.
• The public hearing will open on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1000, sponsored by Senator Hudson.
• Seeing none, seeing no further witnesses, that will conclude the hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate
• That will conclude the hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1000 with no further business for

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't want to turn it into a hearing, but I would like to know if you could tell me how this will play
• Mine is more appropriate for the hearing, so I do not expect this today at all, probably not even from
• I would just love some examples of what type of costs we're talking about at the hearing, just to be
• Are we even going to hear this in this committee, this Title 41?
• And it's another one that's probably more appropriate for the hearing.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you hear our motion? Good pass. Second. Hearing and do pass and second.
• Hearing a due pass and second, will there be a discussion or debate?
• Hearing a due pass and second, will there be discussion or debate?
• Hearing a due pass and second. Will there be discussion or debate?
• You're going to hear my bill?

Bills: HB3183 , HB2999 , HB3787 , HB3499 , HJR1023

Committee: House Rules

Summary: The committee heard several measures and adopted PCS versions as working drafts before taking action. H.J.R. 1023, the biennial workers’ compensation fee schedule resolution, was presented as a vehicle to keep the schedule alive while the updated rates were still pending from the federal side due to the shutdown; it passed 8-0. House Bill 2999, which would prohibit requiring public officials to sign nondisclosure agreements, drew discussion about whether it should be broadened to cover litigation outcomes and other government transparency issues. The author agreed to strike the title and continue working on the language, and the bill passed 8-0 with the title stricken. House Bill 3788, as amended in PCS-2, would require officeholders to be U.S. citizens; members questioned whether the bill should also bar non-citizens from certain appointments, with examples raised about local boards and temporary appointments. The author said the intent was to focus on elected office, the Election Board assistant secretary said the bill reflected that intent, and the committee voted 9-1 to report it do pass, with the title still stricken for further work. The committee also advanced House Bill 3499, which allows special judges to hear applications for title matters, on a 10-0 vote. House Bill 3183, described by its author as a cost-saving measure related to electrical transmission infrastructure and protecting ratepayers from large loads, also passed 10-0. Throughout the meeting, members frequently used motions to adopt PCS drafts, move bills, and strike titles where language was still being refined before floor consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we will not be hearing House Bill 578 just yet.
• Once we get the information that we're looking for, we will hear that one.
• And so we will not be hearing House Bill 578 just yet.
• Once we get the information that we're looking for, we will hear that one.
• And so those critical incidents, so we can go into further details in our hearing should you have one

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair hears none. The chair moves that House Bill 4 be reported favorably without amendments.
• They came out in overwhelming numbers to these hearings. They submitted thousands...
• I spent all of Thursday at a hearing in Kerrville. What happened there was devastating.
• That was only the second public hearing on flood relief.
• We didn't have to have this hearing that was given to us. scraps. We shouldn't be here.

Committee: House Congressional Redistricting, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't want to hear your concerns.
• Yeah, bring it a little bit closer to you so we can hear you.
• Can you hear me now? Hi, my name is Mia, and I go to Shiprock High School.
• Can you hear me? Hello, my name is Kayla Calistillo.
• It's always a blessing to hear our children sing. Yeah, Madam Vice Chair.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:14.000><c> public</c><00:06:14.400><c> hearings</c> today are going to hear public hearings
• today are going to hear public hearings on<00:06:16.000><c> HB</c><00:06:16.639><c> 1028,</c> on HB
• </c> I would like to hear from uh Eversource. I would like to hear from uh Eversource.
• </c> the public hearing on House Bill 1290. the public hearing on House Bill 1290.
• </c><05:06:45.440><c> Um</c> hearing about. Um hearing about.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Can you hear me now? Perfect. Thank you. Can you hear me now? Perfect. Thank you.
• </c> Close the hearing on HB163. Close the hearing on HB163.
• </c> close the hearing on HB1664. close the hearing on HB1664.
• Have you closed the hearing? >> I'll close the hearing. I'll close the hearing.
• Have you closed the hearing? &gt;&gt; Yeah. Have you closed the hearing?

Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing no objection, the reports are adopted.
• </c><00:55:52.640><c> about</c> it's also pretty rich hearing about it's also pretty rich hearing about
• And when I hear workers.
• </c> what you'll hear.
• You'll hear it in what you'll hear.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:16:04.159><c> me</c> to say is just hear me to say is just hear me out<01:16:06.040><c> that<
• </c><02:01:48.360><c> us</c> very important for you to hear us very important for you to hear us because
• </c><03:02:43.160><c> that</c> Credit so I'm just happy to hear that Credit so I'm just happy to hear
• </c><03:12:44.720><c> that</c> initiatives great I love hearing that initiatives great I love hearing
• </c><03:41:51.279><c> this</c> committee thank you for hearing this committee thank you for hearing this

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much for hearing the bill.
• Thank you so much for hearing the bill.
• Thank you so much for hearing the bill.
• <00:26:24.800><c> a</c><00:26:25.440><c> uh</c> hear a uh hear a uh if<00:26:26.160><c> you</c><00:26
• 00:26:27.280><c> wrap</c><00:26:27.520><c> up</c> if you hear an alarm, please wrap up if you hear an

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 5055, the governor’s supplemental tax budget. Commissioner of Revenue Paul Marquart outlined the proposal as a balanced budget package that would leave a positive bottom line in the current biennium and beyond. He emphasized family-focused tax relief, especially a new refundable young child credit for children ages 0 to 4, which would provide up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, benefit about 104,000 families, and phase out at higher incomes. He also described federal conformity changes, including updates to business interest deductions, dependent care credits, and Section 179 expensing, along with omitted federal items such as research expensing and opportunity zones due to cost and policy concerns. Marquart also defended broader tax modernization proposals, including expanding the sales tax to selected consumer services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services while lowering the statewide sales tax rate, and creating a social media tax on consumer data collection that would fund an AI readiness special revenue fund rather than the general fund. He said these changes would make the sales tax less regressive and better aligned with the modern economy. Additional provisions mentioned included a gun-related gross receipts tax on firearms and ammunition, cannabis tax technical changes, historic structure rehabilitation conformity, and added auditors for tax compliance. Testimony from outside groups was mixed. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project supported the governor’s approach as a response to federal tax and spending changes, praised the decision not to conform to opportunity zones or federal no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions, and urged even stronger revenue measures. Brian Lake of the Minnesota State Bar Association strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on consumer legal services, arguing it would burden low- and middle-income people in sensitive cases and create unfairness when individuals litigate against the state. Tanner Fritsinger of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the sales tax base expansion and the social media tax as ways to broaden revenue without raising the base rate. The committee chair thanked the commissioner and then began hearing public testimony, with additional testifiers queued up.

Transcript Highlights:

• The hearing was open for in-person attendance, and you're encouraged to watch this hearing from its live
• And this hearing has spotlighted... Thank you so much.
• As a chair, I appreciate you hearing me out. I'm hearing me out. You should be alone. All right.
• So a fine hearing was held with the owner.
• So a fine hearing was held with the owner.

Summary: The committee heard a long housing agenda with several bills presented before quorum was established. AB 1725, as amended, would require disclosure of nearby oil wells and methane monitoring issues in a specific district; the author and community witnesses described serious health and safety risks in Vista Hermosa Heights, while the California Apartment Association, California Building Industry Association, and California Chamber of Commerce opposed, arguing the bill targeted the wrong industry and that the state should instead fix abandoned wells directly. AB 2110, a local finance tool to create tax increment districts for workforce housing for education, health care, manufacturing, and public safety workers, drew no witnesses in support or opposition and was presented as a way to help workers live closer to jobs. AB 1732 would expand CEQA streamlining for public university and college housing projects; UC and several housing and labor groups supported it, while housing advocates raised concerns about amendments affecting existing 100% affordable housing exemptions. AB 1771, amended into a study bill, would direct HCD to report on the long-standing resident manager requirement for apartment buildings with 16 or more units; the rental housing industry supported studying the issue, while the chair emphasized the need to consider tenant protections and the impact on current resident managers before changing the law. The committee also heard AB 2185, which would direct state affordable housing programs to update guidelines to better support factory-built housing; it drew broad support from housing, labor, technology, and local government groups, with no opposition. AB 2748 would delay new EV-readiness requirements for 100% affordable housing developments, keeping the prior 40% standard through 2035; supporters said the higher standard would add significant costs and threaten project feasibility, while clean air and transportation advocates argued the code changes are modest, important for equity, and should not be rolled back. Members split along those lines, with some emphasizing housing production and others urging more public subsidy for EV infrastructure rather than delaying the code. SB 417, a proposed $10 billion affordable housing bond for the November ballot, received extensive support from housing organizations, local governments, labor, and business groups, but Habitat for Humanity and the Los Angeles mayor’s office asked for specific allocations for CalHome and interim housing; the bill was ultimately moved to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote, with members noting ongoing negotiations over funding priorities. Finally, AB 1740 would create an urban multimodal community designation for Santa Monica, allowing local approval of certain low-impact coastal-zone activities—such as some housing, bike and bus lanes, outdoor dining, and building changes—without Coastal Commission review. The author and Santa Monica officials said the bill would reduce delays and uncertainty for infill housing and local economic recovery while preserving protections for sensitive coastal resources; supporters included housing, business, and city groups. The Coastal Commission and environmental organizations opposed, saying the bill would carve out broad exemptions, weaken public access and appeal rights, and bypass the local coastal program process that Santa Monica has not completed. Committee members debated the Commission’s role, with some criticizing it for opposing legislation and others arguing the bill was a common-sense way to modernize coastal permitting. A motion and second were made on AB 1740, and the bill was left pending with the committee’s action to be taken when appropriate.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> requirement that the committee hear requirement that the committee hear witness<00:09:05.720><c>
• Whoever has ears, let them hear.
• </c><00:45:34.840><c> people</c> sides of the aisle and we hear people sides of the aisle and we hear
• This is not the impeachment hearing.
• That's what I hear about when I go back in my community.

Transcript Highlights:

• And yet we have not been able to hear anything relevant to that.
• Hearing none, those in favor, vote aye. Opposed vote no.
• I did hear an aye in there. So ordered.
• Even the five people watching online can hear you. Okay, thank you.
• You've been requested to say it under the mic, just so they can hear.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the journal and received House messages and first-read bills. The chamber moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a range of measures on solar energy, public safety, insurance, health care, agriculture, gaming, education, child welfare, and real property. Several bills were retained on calendar, while many others were advanced with committee amendments and floor amendments. On Calendar 2, SB 1419 on solar energy inspection contractors drew the most debate. A floor amendment by Sen. Sundareshan sought to require utilities to protect ratepayers from costs associated with large energy users such as data centers; supporters argued it would help keep electricity affordable, while opponents called it a hostile amendment. After a division vote, the amendment failed 12-15, and SB 1419 was reported do pass as amended. SB 1498 (DPS appropriation) and SB 1502 (unlawful flight/reckless endangerment) also advanced. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, but a later attempt to add the failed Sundareshan amendment to the report on SB 1419 was defeated 13-14. On Calendar 1, the Senate advanced SB 1165, SB 1206, SB 1212, SB 1215, SB 1290, SB 1291, and SB 1347, mostly with committee amendments. SB 1178 on naturopathic physicians and prescription drug pricing saw a contested Sears floor amendment aimed at stopping price gouging on essential generic drugs; supporters said it would lower drug costs, while the sponsor objected that it was not germane. The amendment failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1186 on document retention and donations also drew a Sundareshan amendment on transparency and implementation; it failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1286 on veterinary visits and electronic prescriptions advanced after a proposed Kavanagh floor amendment was defeated on division. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole reports and moved on to additional calendars. On Calendar 4, the chamber passed SB 1004 on ESA students and interscholastic activities, SB 1116 on AHCCCS access/behavioral health, SB 1162 on health care institution licensing complaints, SB 1179 on developmental disability/health monitoring, SB 1475 on school district governing boards and eligibility, SB 1821 on DCS training and child placement, and SCR 1012. A request to hold SB 1475 for a reinstatement process was rejected. The Senate also took up an additional Committee of the Whole for SB 1077, SB 1479, and SB 1566; SB 1077 advanced with a Payne floor amendment, SB 1479 advanced with a Carroll amendment classifying certain forged real-property recordings as a class five felony, and SB 1566 began consideration with a Petersen amendment to remove part of a prior amendment. Throughout, the chamber repeatedly adopted committee reports and advanced the bills for further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And yet we have not been able to hear anything relevant to that.
• Hearing none, those in favor vote aye. Opposed, vote no. That motion.
• Hearing none, those in favor, vote aye. Opposed vote no.
• I did hear an aye in there. So ordered.
• Even the five people watching online can hear you. Okay, thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I hear when I hear "sanctity of life" is that my life is not sacred, only my uterus is.
• We can't hear you at all up here.
• And so I remember hearing this a lot. I never really did it, but like, you know, you hear...
• Based on the fact that I don't really hear anything about this, except for when we're hearing a bill
• I did not hear, maybe I missed it, but I didn't hear testimony about an attack.

Bills: HB229 , HB229 , HB3990 , HB5082 , HB5510

Committee: House State Affairs