Transcript Highlights:

• And so I'm looking at it as being a proactive measure to potentially address something that was started
• And so I'm just wondering, would that prevent them, if that got brought up into an exchange, what would
• There are no protections in place now to prevent the thing that you are talking about.
• way, like, the parent can put an age in there like 10 years old and under on it, on the phones, to prevent
• And so by simply coming into compliance with a bill like this, I certainly think it would prevent a windfall

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Article 9, the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordination Council.
• Page 11, the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas, you'll see that that item is grayed out,
• something. conference just we'll talk about it but give you a heads up I'd like to add some performance measures
• at 1,000,004 F. $153,000 in funding for Texas Tech to add one mental health FTE for a self-harm prevention
• centers and or retrofit or build additional beds Team B is funding for JPDs to expand or start new prevention

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE BILL AS MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING TO VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM, SOMETHING THAT
• PROVIDES THE PREVENTION TRAINING TO INCLUDE SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING AND SERVICES.
• APPRECIATE THAT AND OUR NUMBERS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION OF COMEDOWN.
• WE ARE OUTPERFORMING THE REST OF THE NATION WHEN IT COMES TO VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM SO PROUD
• THEY ARE DOING, THEY ARE MEASURING, ALL OF THAT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not just about preventing abuse.
• This bill addresses preventable instances of sexual abuse by medical professionals.
• And harm prevention. Number three, documentation matters.
• Is it because primary care focuses on preventive medicine? Yes.
• When nurses have too many patients, bad and preventable things happen.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Keywords: 995, all

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• So this in no way prevents lease agreements. Lease agreements can still be done.
• The main reason that... 33 so this in no way prevents lease 33 so this in no way prevents lease agreements

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll prevent this from coming west.
• It'll prevent this from coming statute.
• </c> the amendment, which is to prevent the amendment, which is to prevent billionaires billionaires
• </c> There's nothing in this that prevents There's nothing in this that prevents voter<01:29:54.239><
• So just on we are trying to prevent.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be unchecked measures beyond the OCA's scope of authority.
• It would be unchecked measures beyond the OCA's scope of authority.
• 05.480><c> or</c> against any candidate political party or against any candidate political party or measure
• 01:32:08.320><c> did</c><01:32:08.480><c> we</c><01:32:08.639><c> do</c><01:32:08.920><c> this</c> measure
• and why why did we do this measure and why why did we do this because<01:32:10.080><c> those</c><01:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Measurable results.
• That's also for our pest prevention assistance.
• This is a measured and strategic proposal.
• So it's challenging to measure effectiveness because in law enforcement it's often measured by statistics
• So that's one of the measures that we look at.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of Department of Food and Agriculture budget proposals, beginning with ongoing funding and trailer bill language for the Farm to School program and related climate-smart agriculture work. CDFA described the program’s goals of linking California producers with schools, expanding access to local and nutritious food, and supporting underserved farmers through technical assistance and outreach. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal as presented because of the state’s budget condition and suggested that some activities might instead be supported through Proposition 98. Members questioned whether the program is reaching the schools and communities with the greatest need, how grants are scored, and whether the proposal’s goals are measurable enough to justify ongoing funding. The item was held open. The committee also discussed CDFA’s climate bond expenditure plan, which would allocate remaining Proposition 4 funds to existing programs such as SWEEP, Healthy Soils, urban agriculture, fairground emergency response upgrades, and invasive species work, as well as new or developing programs including year-round certified farmers markets, mobile farmers markets, regional farm equipment sharing, and tribal food sovereignty. CDFA said the funds would be released in stages based on program readiness, with audits and performance metrics tied to each program. The LAO found the plan reasonable and consistent with bond requirements. Members asked about audit responsibility, performance tracking, and whether the bond programs should be front-loaded or spread over a longer period. A third CDFA item addressed the elimination of vacant positions under prior budget reductions. CDFA and the Department of Finance explained that the positions were selected because they had been vacant for long periods or were hard to fill, and that departments identified the positions based on their own operational knowledge. The LAO supported retaining the special-fund positions and suggested the General Fund positions be weighed on their merits. Members raised concerns about the impact on core functions such as audits, investigations, milk marketing, and grape pricing reports, and asked for follow-up on how the department determined which positions could be removed. The committee then heard a CDFA IT proposal to add funding and four positions for information technology operations; the LAO had no concerns, and members discussed cybersecurity, legacy systems, and future risks such as AI and quantum threats. The committee took public comment and then voted to approve items 9 through 13, which included CDFA dog importation certificates, livestock carcass disposal, Gambling Control Commission IT support and tribal grant funding, and an ABC district office relocation. The hearing then moved to the Department of Cannabis Control, which presented a request to strengthen enforcement against the illicit cannabis market by adding a North State field office in Redding and three non-sworn support positions. DCC said the illicit market remains far larger than the legal market, with a large backlog of cases and significant public safety and environmental concerns. Finance supported the targeted expansion, the LAO had no comment, and members asked about regional coverage, officer safety, and whether a larger, more transformational enforcement effort might be warranted in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• This measure has helped safeguard... Albuterol in public schools.
• The impact is real and measurable.
• Thank you for bringing this measure forward.
• Thank you for bringing this measure forward.
• , completions, student persistence, and other measures.

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills. SB 1154 would let community college districts use best-value procurement for public works over $1 million. The author and community college supporters argued it would improve project quality and reduce delays and change orders, while contractor groups opposed it, saying the bill’s skilled-and-trained workforce and safety provisions would narrow competition and add subjectivity. The bill passed the committee on a 4-2 vote and was placed on call. SB 1347, a cleanup bill clarifying that stock albuterol may be kept in all public schools, including preschool programs, drew support from school nurses, respiratory care advocates, and a physician who said it would help schools respond to asthma emergencies. With no opposition, it passed unanimously and was placed on call. SB 1222 would create a pilot program designating a lead county office to help regions improve career technical education implementation; supporters said it would expand access and build regional capacity, while Senator Cabaldon questioned the need for another pilot and urged more direct funding instead. The bill passed and was placed on call. The committee also considered SB 1378, which would create a California Excellence in Service Learning designation for schools and districts. Supporters said it would recognize and encourage service-learning programs without mandating curriculum changes, while some members raised concerns about adding more state designations and administrative work. It passed and was placed on call. SB 1048 would create a Seal of Climate Literacy for high school students; supporters said it would recognize climate-related learning and connect students to green careers, while members cautioned against using seals to influence curriculum and noted equity and implementation concerns. It also passed and was placed on call. Finally, SB 1101 would require higher education institutions to notify students, faculty, and staff when their personal information is shared with federal agencies in OCR-related investigations or subpoenas. Supporters framed it as a privacy and free-speech protection in response to recent federal requests for campus information, while the author said the bill would not block lawful subpoenas but would require notice and limit voluntary disclosures. The committee discussed legal and constitutional issues, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:20:32.840><c> and</c> strongly opposed to this measure, and strongly opposed to this measure
• This measure was entered in 2025.
• </c> to testify on this measure? to testify on this measure?
• Third, prevent frivolous litigation.
• </c><00:52:56.000><c> to</c> um is that um we do need this measure to um is that um we do need this measure

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2455, HD2, relating to employment practices. Testimony was limited, with support from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and UPW; the committee noted nine support, zero opposition, and zero comments. No vote was taken on this bill during the portion provided. The committee then took up House Bill 2165, HD2, relating to the Hawaii Employment Security Law. DLIR supported the measure but requested an amendment moving language in Section 2 from subsection A to subsection C to preserve the legal structure. Members questioned DLIR about a January 8 U.S. Department of Labor letter and whether the bill would keep Hawaii in conformity with federal unemployment insurance requirements. DLIR said the federal guidance requires the state to remove the carve-out for labor-dispute claimants, though unions with hiring halls and members in good standing could still be exempt from work-search requirements under an authorized list. UNITE HERE Local 5 opposed the bill and said the current law already gives the department discretion to exempt striking workers. The committee recessed the bill before any final action was taken in the portion shown. In the joint hearing with Commerce and Consumer Protection, the committees heard House Bill 1509, HD2, relating to workers’ compensation. DLIR supported the bill, DHER offered comments and requested an amendment, UPW supported it, and one Zoom testifier described personal experience with delayed care and urged faster decisions. After testimony, the committees voted to pass the bill with amendments. The adopted amendments restored the 7-day treatment-plan deadline from 10 days, changed the effective date to January 1, 2077, and struck the proposed $500 fine for employers who fail to respond within 10 days. Back in the Labor and Technology agenda, the committee heard House Bill 1515, HD2, also relating to workers’ compensation, with testimony noting seven in support, one in opposition, and one comment, but no action was taken in the excerpt. The committee also heard House Bill 1514, HD2, relating to workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation plans. A Zoom testifier opposed the bill, arguing the 120-day timeline was unrealistic for complex cases. DLIR said the bill would give the director discretion to extend the vocational rehabilitation plan timeline beyond 120 days with no cap on extensions, and the committee noted five support, four opposition, and zero comments. Finally, the committee began House Bill 2458, HD3, relating to surveillance pricing. OCP said it stood on written testimony, while supporters argued the bill would prevent corporations from using personal data to set prices, especially for groceries. Retail and grocery interests opposed the measure, saying it was too broad and could restrict loyalty programs, promotions, and discounts; one witness asked that a loyalty-program exemption be restored.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an accountability measure.
• This is an accountability measure.
• This is an accountability measure.
• This is an accountability measure.
• </c> detained for preventing us from praying? detained for preventing us from praying?

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's so many a tree, you can measure it.
• All the trees are measured, and they determine the number of tons of carbon on the property.
• All the trees are measured, and they determine the number of tons of carbon on the property.
• All the trees are measured, and they determine the number of tons of carbon on the property.
• Did you just say you support both the moratorium and not preventing landowners?

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> present</c><00:52:04.160><c> to</c><00:52:04.400><c> prevent</c><00:52:04.960><c> prevent</c> little
• to present to prevent prevent little to present to prevent prevent overdoses<00:52:05.839><c> or</c>
• </c> the best course of action to to prevent the best course of action to to prevent that<00:54:50.000
• </c> prevention all those things are good. prevention all those things are good.
• </c><04:48:12.080><c> So,</c> preventive things in the future. So, preventive things in the future.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, measure passes.
• </c> thank you members all right measure thank you members all right measure passes<00:32:10.840><c>
• There are several measures before us for consideration today.
• Moving on to the next measure.
• </c> members moving on to the next measure members moving on to the next measure sp110<01:08:25.520><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The meeting included a joint public hearing of the House Housing and Transportation committees, followed by a Transportation Committee hearing. In the joint hearing, members considered SB 662 SD1, which concerned transportation and included two parts: transferring certain streets to the city and clarifying police authority on state streets. The chair recommended moving the bill out as an HD1 with Part One removed, explaining that the street-transfer issue should be worked out by the county and state and that removing it would improve the bill’s chances. The committees voted to pass the measure with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. The Transportation Committee then heard several bills. SB 1095, relating to license plates, would increase decal size restrictions for special number plates; the Department of Transportation offered written comments, with testimony split between two individuals in opposition and one in support, and no questions were raised. SB 344 would require skateboard users under 16 to wear helmets; DOT supported the bill, as did TRIAA Hawaii, the Injury Prevention Coalition, and other individuals, while two individuals opposed it. SB 30 would require all moped riders to wear helmets regardless of age; DOT supported it, but Moped Doctors and Hawaiian Style Rentals and Sales opposed it, arguing the bill was overreaching, could be hard to enforce, and should be more narrowly targeted or replaced with education efforts. The committee also heard SB 1216, which would tighten noisy muffler and exhaust enforcement by conditioning inspection certificates, adding inspection-station penalties, increasing fines, and prohibiting repair or installation of noisy systems. DOT supported the measure, and Waiʻanae Neighborhood Board testified in support, while Moped Doctors and the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed it, saying the bill would burden inspection stations, create liability concerns, and raise questions about insurance-related language as applied to mopeds. The hearing included discussion of enforcement, inspection burdens, and whether the bill’s insurance references applied to mopeds. No final vote was taken on the Transportation Committee bills in the portion provided, and the hearing adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:19.360><c> thank</c> supporting this measure thank supporting this measure thank you<00:22
• The board stands on its written testimony and support of the measure.
• Next up, Hawaii Medical Board in support. measure thank you thank you next up measure thank you thank
• </c> testimony and support of the measure testimony and support of the measure thank<00:23:43.880><c>
• We are supportive of the measure.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several bills, with most measures drawing support from state boards, agencies, and industry groups. SB 102 (restaurants) had one supportive testifier and no questions. SB 1367 SD1 (installment loans) drew support from DCCA and other boards, but the chair raised concerns about a proposed $5 debit-card convenience fee, saying it seemed high and suggesting it might be amended downward; DCCA said it would check with industry on the likely impact. SB 1373 SD2 (administrative licensure action against sex offenders) received broad support from DCCA and multiple professional licensing boards, including psychology, physical therapy, naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, massage therapy, nursing, optometry, barbering and cosmetology, the Hawaii Medical Board, and HPD. The committee then heard SB 1142 SD1 (insurance proceeds), which was supported by DCCA, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, AARP, Hawaiʻi Realtors, and the Hawaiʻi Insurers Council, while State Farm offered comments and the Hawaii Bankers Association opposed. Testimony focused on insurance access after the Lahaina wildfires and the need to address underinsured homeowners. The committee also discussed SB 144 SD2 (stabilization of property insurance), with support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, AARP, Hawaiʻi Realtors, and the Hawaiʻi Insurers Council, and comments from the Attorney General and DCCA Insurance Division about revising the financing structure and correcting bill language. Opponents and reservationed supporters argued the bill may not help if applicants can still obtain coverage at very high prices, while supporters said it would expand market capacity and provide a safety net as climate-related losses continue. Finally, SB 253 SD2 (condominium reserves) received support from Hawaiʻi Realtors, CI, and several individual testifiers. Supporters said it would enforce existing disclosure requirements under Act 199 and improve reserve funding transparency, while one individual argued stronger enforcement and an ombudsman-style office would be more effective. The chair reminded testifiers to stay on the bill at hand. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:22.520><c> their</c><00:24:22.760><c> screens</c><00:24:23.720><c> to</c><00:24:23.960><c> prevent
• </c> are seeing on their screens to prevent are seeing on their screens to prevent what<00:24:24.600>
• </c> Aviation Credit the fraud prevention Aviation Credit the fraud prevention other<00:55:19.400><c>
• It's kind of a difficult measure to meet, but you know, I just have concern about this being the thing
• from skyrocketing Levi all uh preventing from skyrocketing Levi all these<01:38:23.920><c> other</c>

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Damage prevention remains.
• Texas, West Division of the Damage Prevention Council.
• We also work very closely with the Damage Prevention Council.
• The Texas Underground Damage Prevention Act.
• measure.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Measures in terms of timeliness.
• Bill 2 also has quality measures.
• performance measures.
• And for the abuse, neglect, and exploitation measure, it's actually a national measure.
• It's hard to measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to focus on preventing unemployment from occurring in the first place by ensuring our workforce
• And we have, we've put in place systems and metrics to help us prevent that kind of fraud.
• One of the tools that we adopted to help detect and prevent fraud is identity verification through ID.me
• So that’s sort of a baseline observation that we need to make and we need to measure and we need to continue
• Federal law also does not prevent Virginia from investing in the VEC and Virginia Works to ensure that

Summary: The Commission on Unemployment Compensation met, established a quorum, and elected Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling as chair and Senator Mike Jones as vice chair. The commission also adopted its electronic meeting policy and heard introductions from new members, staff, and officials from the Secretary of Labor’s office and the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). Secretary Jessica Lumen outlined the administration’s workforce and labor priorities, including supporting workers, employers, and program transparency, while members raised concerns about business climate, job losses, labor participation, and the implementation of paid family and medical leave. Staff provided legislative updates on recent unemployment-related bills. These included increases to the weekly unemployment benefit amount enacted in 2025 and 2026, a bill on labor dispute disqualification that changed how lockouts are treated for benefit eligibility, and a budget item providing $75,000 for actuarial support to the commission. The commission also discussed the 2025 work group on annual adjustments to weekly benefit amounts; staff reported that the work group did not complete its charge, and members agreed to revisit whether to reconstitute it at a future meeting. Delegate Martinez expressed support for continuing the work, and the chair said the issue would be taken up at the next meeting. Deputy Commissioner Joanna Darkus gave a detailed presentation on Virginia’s unemployment insurance system, including current claims data, eligibility rules, employer tax structure, benefit levels, trust fund solvency, fraud prevention, and customer service operations. She reported that Virginia’s unemployment rate remains low, weekly claims are modest, the current weekly benefit range is $160 to $478, and the trust fund balance factor is projected at 50.9 percent, near the threshold for additional employer charges. Members asked about the taxable wage base, trust fund solvency, the effect of benefit increases, fraud controls, and the planned paid family and medical leave program. VEC said it is implementing that program through regulations, staffing, IT procurement, public listening sessions, and consultation with other states. A public commenter from the Virginia Poverty Law Center urged the commission to strengthen state investment in unemployment insurance and warned that federal support is uncertain. The commission then adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to focus on preventing unemployment from occurring in the first place by ensuring our workforce
• And we have put in place systems and metrics to help us prevent that kind of fraud.
• technology, cybersecurity—these resources are all necessary to help us ensure we have the fraud prevention
• One of the tools that we adopted to help detect and prevent fraud is identity verification through ID.me
• Federal law also does not prevent Virginia from investing in the VEC and Virginia Works to ensure that

Keywords: Commission on Unemployment Compensation, 976, house, all