Transcript Highlights:

• THAT IS 15 YES AND ZERO NO. >> Chair: BY YOUR VOTE SHOW CS FOR HOUSE BILL 1359 REPORTS FAVORABLY. >>

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm really happy to see that we had, I guess, zero farm bankruptcies last year.
• </c><00:29:38.320><c> farm</c> that we had I guess zero farm that we had I guess zero farm bankruptcies
• And that's one of the reasons you see that number zero up there right now.
• We saw the zero bankruptcies in Kentucky.
• And that's one of the reasons you see that number zero up there right now.

Committee: Joint Agriculture

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:18 University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics Presentation 00:02:18 Farm Credit Mid-America Presentation 01:12:41, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 39.600><c> next</c><00:21:39.920><c> door</c> As compared to the row crops next door, we have near zero
• Um, but it ends with pointing out that incineration is considered unacceptable in a zero waste system
• It's not called a zero waste hierarchy; it's a waste management hierarchy, which they've had for many
• </c><01:46:05.880><c> waste</c> considered unacceptable in a zero waste considered unacceptable in a
• </c><01:46:15.640><c> a</c><01:46:15.720><c> waste</c> zero waste hierarchy, it's a waste zero waste

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This will actually help us then work towards Vision Zero.
• Thank you so work towards vision zero.
• </c><01:58:24.639><c> network</c> health organization vision zero network health organization vision
• zero network etc<01:58:25.920><c> etc.
• by 2045, and burnable fuels are not zero emissions.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, just to be clear, we're increasing from the governor's recommendation of zero to $203,497.
• The governor's recommendation is zero to $203,497. Is there any discussion on this unit?
• out the Gov's wreck on pay to uh zero out the Gov's wreck on pay increases<01:37:53.120><c> across</
• And it would be to lower the Governor's rec of 184,596 down to zero and also remove the FTE.
• </c><03:15:05.000><c> and</c><03:15:05.560><c> also</c> down to zero and also down to zero and also remove

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, um, 10 years ago, 25% of all undergraduate students at U of L paid zero dollars out of pocket for
• tuition. 25% paid zero dollars for tuition and fees because of scholarships and grants.
• Of all undergraduate students at U of L, 25% paid zero dollars out of pocket for tuition. 25% paid zero
• Um, whether it’s $2 million or zero, that’s still tight.
• still that's still or or zero, that's still that's still tight.<01:36:36.000><c> whatever</c><01:36:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a full quorum and approved the prior minutes. Members offered introductions of guests and family members, then heard a presentation from University of Louisville President Thomas Jared Bradley, who was sworn in before testifying. He described his background and outlined U of L’s strategic priorities: student success, access and affordability, workforce development, community engagement, and research. Bradley highlighted enrollment growth, increases in first-generation and Pell-eligible students, strong transfer pathways with KCTCS, and support programs such as the Cardinal Commitment Grant, 15-to-Finish, Comeback Cards, tutoring, mentoring, and mental health services. Bradley also emphasized U of L’s statewide and regional impact through UofL Health, rural outreach, the Bullitt County rural cancer education and research center, nursing expansion, and the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. He noted major institutional distinctions, including R1 status, a new Carnegie Opportunity College and University designation, and community-engaged classification. He said the university is one of only 10 public universities nationwide with all three designations and reported record enrollment, improved retention, and strong research expenditures. He also thanked lawmakers for significant capital and operating support, including funding for the simulation center, health science center, asset preservation, and the MEP program. During questions, members praised the university’s public service role and asked about first-generation enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation outcomes. Bradley said the university is working to improve completion by expanding academic support, early alerts, incentives for tutoring, and faculty/advisor mentoring, especially for first-generation and high-need students. He acknowledged that post-graduation employment data is difficult to collect but said the new Carnegie classification reflects positive outcomes. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and no formal actions were taken on legislation in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's zero racial disparity in our sentencing. That comes from Commissioner Eiffel.
• There's zero racial disparity in our sentencing. That comes from Commissioner Eiffel.
• Our recidivism rate is the lowest in the state, there's zero racial disparity in our sentencing.
• So we're spending exactly zero money on this and saving quite a bit for litigants.
• Next up, we have Representative Zeros. Thank you again, Chair.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s H-2 budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard first from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who outlined a $1.72 billion budget, up $69.8 million from FY26. She said the proposal emphasizes core operations, readiness, and partnerships with municipalities, and highlighted work on firearms-law implementation, State Police reform, DOC reentry efforts, hate-crimes prevention, emergency response, and planning for major events including the World Cup. Members also raised concerns about DNA backlog reporting, State Police academy boxing and training standards, ICE communication, disaster relief funding, crime lab staffing, EMS placement, and diversity in public safety leadership. Several exchanges focused on specific operational issues. Secretary Kwan and her team said the State Police are tracking the influx of forensic work from local sheriffs, that the boxing program remains suspended pending an IACP review and likely will not return in its prior form, and that EOPS has no direct communication with ICE but supports law-enforcement coordination where appropriate. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, though members urged a more permanent funding source. On the crime lab, staff said the roughly $4.5 million increase is intended to cover core operations and a structural funding gap rather than expand services. The secretary also said EOPS is not ready to absorb OEMS from DPH at this time, though she would keep an open mind. The committee then heard from district attorneys, led by Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden, who said the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association is seeking a 10% increase in operating budgets, including about $16.7 million for staffing salaries, to recruit and retain prosecutors, advocates, and support staff. He said the request reflects rising workload and the need to keep the criminal justice system functioning efficiently and fairly. The hearing was recessed briefly after the district attorneys’ opening remarks, with additional testimony expected to continue afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not a zero-sum transaction.
• That's not a that is not<01:33:30.560><c> a</c><01:33:31.600><c> zero</c><01:33:32.000><c> sum</c><01
• </c> not a zero sum transaction. not a zero sum transaction.
• Um, zero interest loans also helps you kind of get back on your feet. um um Um,<01:39:22.800><c> but<
• Um, zero interest loans also helps $500.

Bills: HF2400 , HF1724 , HF3437 , HF4333 , HF2874 , HF4052

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: real estate, appraisers, disciplinary actions, sanction matrix, Minnesota Statutes, direct primary care, healthcare agreements, medical services, patient care, health insurance, mortgage fees, residential loans, commercial loans, finance regulations, investment properties, insurance, supplemental health insurance, short-term care, home health care, nursing care

Transcript Highlights:

• . virtually, from what I'm seeing, zero.
• She said the fiscal note was zero.
• And again, that fiscal note<01:25:24.639><c> was</c><01:25:24.800><c> zero.
• So I think the fiscal note was zero.
• So, the best answer I can give based on that is zero.

Bills: HF3432 , HF3411

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: resident tuition, employment, higher education, Minnesota, tuition rates, state universities, immigration status, immigration, postsecondary education, privacy, data access, federal officers, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, there's a um we completed one review yes or last week and there were zero errors.
• the bill also states that if footage cannot be produced for a period of time, it will be treated as zero
• </c><01:37:13.120><c> be</c><01:37:13.240><c> treated</c><01:37:13.600><c> as</c><01:37:13.760><c> zero
• </c><01:37:14.040><c> as</c> it it will be treated as zero as it it will be treated as zero as evidence
• </c><01:37:15.640><c> cared</c> evidence that zero children were cared evidence that zero children were

Bills: HF3542 , HF3819

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: data privacy, investigative data, welfare system, public funds, transparency, child care, licensing, inspections, compliance, program integrity, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There have been zero developments, and I believe even zero applicants in that program.
• There have been<00:45:39.040><c> zero</c><00:45:39.440><c> developments</c><00:45:39.839><c> and</c><
• 00:45:40.000><c> I</c><00:45:40.240><c> believe</c> been zero developments and I believe been zero developments
• </c><00:45:42.560><c> We</c> even zero applicants in that program.
• We even zero applicants in that program.

Bills: HB1721 , HB1714 , HB1718 , HB1732 , HB1740 , HB1777 , HB1842 , HB1919 , HB1701 , HB1923 , HB1741 , HB1734 , HB1739

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: housing, expedited permits, insurance, indemnification, construction, affordable housing, executive compensation, Hawaii housing finance, legislative approval, low-income housing, moderate-income housing, mixed-use development, transit-oriented development, TOD, county powers, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, HHFDC, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, DHHL, affordable housing credits

Summary: The House Housing Committee met on February 4 and heard testimony on several housing measures, beginning with HB1721, which clarifies insurance, indemnification, and certificate-of-occupancy requirements for expedited permits. Testimony on HB1721 was uniformly supportive from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Grassroot Institute, and individual testifiers, who said the bill would fix insurance issues for design professionals and encourage more participation in the expedited-permit program. No opposition was heard and no questions were raised. The committee then heard HB1714, which would raise salary caps for the executive director and deputy executive director positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and allow more autonomy in personnel matters, including employment contracts. HHFDC supported the bill, saying greater flexibility is needed to recruit and retain staff and that current pay ceilings are not the main issue because the agency lacks operating funds to reach them. The Department of Human Resources Development offered comments and raised concerns about autonomous personnel authority and employment contracts, saying state personnel matters are governed by existing statutes and collective bargaining rules; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority also offered comments, and one board member and one individual opposed the measure. Members questioned whether performance-based pay or existing incentive policies could address retention instead of statutory salary changes. The committee also heard HB1718, which would make permanent county authority to facilitate mixed-use developments and issue county bonds for low- and moderate-income housing projects. Support came from OPSD, HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management, and Housing Hawaii’s Future, all emphasizing that permanent authority is needed to finance long-term mixed-use and transit-oriented projects. A member asked whether the sunset provision would make bonding impractical, and the city representative agreed that temporary authority would make financing difficult because development takes time. Later, the committee took up HB1732, establishing the Kamina Homes program to fund counties’ purchase of voluntary deed restrictions from eligible buyers. The Department of Taxation and several groups, including HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Holomua Collaborative, and others testified, with most supporting the bill as a way to help local families remain in Hawaii and age in place. Holomua said a recent survey found 75% of 3,200 working families were considering moving, and argued the bill could preserve housing for local residents. Members asked about the bill’s 8% cap on deed-restriction cost and why the program focuses on residency rather than resale restrictions; the bill’s proponents said the cap allows flexibility for county negotiations and that the measure is aimed at workforce preservation rather than land-trust-style appreciation limits. Finally, the committee heard HB1740, which would modify a prior HHFDC housing pathway by reducing the qualified-resident requirement from 100% to 80% and allowing more flexibility for long-term rental instead of owner occupancy. HHFDC and Holomua Collaborative supported the change, saying the earlier 100% requirement had produced no developments or applicants and that the revised standard would make projects more feasible while still preserving housing for local residents. The committee did not take final votes on these measures during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, out of the 29 in support, zero in opposition, zero with comments on this measure.
• So, out of the there are 29<01:13:16.640><c> in</c><01:13:16.800><c> support,</c><01:13:17.199><c> zero
• </c><01:13:17.440><c> in</c><01:13:17.600><c> opposition,</c><01:13:18.159><c> zero</c> 29 in support
• , zero in opposition, zero 29 in support, zero in opposition, zero with<01:13:18.640><c> comments</c>

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Zero through the rough $70,000 mark. Is there any reporting going on there?
• </c><00:19:00.960><c> Um</c><00:19:01.679><c> zero</c><00:19:02.080><c> through</c> special education
• Um zero through special education aid?
• Um zero through the<00:19:02.640><c> rough</c><00:19:03.200><c> $70,000</c><00:19:04.080><c> mark.
• ,</c><00:23:04.400><c> the</c> of the warrant is less than zero, the of the warrant is less than zero

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to approve the November 21, 2025 minutes, making several clerical corrections before adopting them as amended. The edits included adding the date, correcting a misspelled name, clarifying references to a scholarship fund representative’s title, removing an incorrect “DOE” reference, and fixing a few wording errors. The minutes were approved with one abstention from members who were absent. The bulk of the meeting focused on organizing the commission’s work under SB 57 and identifying which special education cost issues should be prioritized for research and reporting. Members discussed a long list of topics, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, increases in referrals since school closures, interventions before referral, costs of non-medically necessary services in IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal and state requirements, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, dispute resolution, Medicaid and insurance use, graduation rates, and adult learning participation. Several members emphasized the need to combine or narrow topics and to gather better data before the report due July 1, 2026. Representative Ames highlighted HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid payments when state appropriations fall short, and explained that the Education Funding Committee recommended interim study. He argued that local districts are bearing too much of the cost and that the state and federal governments should provide more support. Other members raised concerns about rising special education identification rates, possible overidentification, school climate and mental health factors, bullying, staffing, speech therapy access, and residential placements. One member cautioned that DOE website numbers may be inflated or at least difficult to interpret because of how students are counted. Department of Education staff then explained how special education data and costs are monitored. They said student counts are tied to IEPs and SASIDs in the state system, districts are checked through both desk audits and on-site monitoring, and billed services are compared against IEP requirements. They also described IDEA funding, noting that most DOE special education staffing is federally funded, with a large share of federal money flowing through to local education agencies and the remainder supporting administration, monitoring, and training initiatives. Members discussed whether more staff and more robust oversight would improve accuracy and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have to start from ground zero, and it has already been sort of approved. Okay. Thank you.
• <00:46:11.920><c> start</c><00:46:12.079><c> from</c><00:46:12.319><c> ground</c><00:46:12.560><c> zero
• </c> &gt;&gt; We don't have to start from ground zero &gt;&gt; We don't have to start from ground zero
• 01:14:28.480><c> to</c> are more concerned about the march to are more concerned about the march to zero
• 30.880><c> tax,</c><01:14:31.360><c> our</c><01:14:31.679><c> state</c><01:14:31.920><c> income</c> zero

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board reconvened and heard a presentation from the Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control unit. AG staff described the unit’s structure and work: it investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud, and also handles abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases involving vulnerable adults in facility settings when asked to assist. They said the office has prosecutors, detectives, auditors, and support staff, works with federal partners, Commonwealth’s attorneys, CHFS, DMS, OIG, and MCOs, and uses a hotline and referral line for complaints. They also explained the MCO referral process, including monthly meetings, stand-down lists, and review of referrals for a “credible allegation of fraud” before the AG office decides whether to open a criminal or civil investigation. The presentation focused heavily on current fraud trends. Staff said behavioral health is a major concern, along with participant-directed waiver services, medically assisted treatment, cash billing for services, controlled-substance billing, and vision and dental fraud. They gave examples such as duplicate time sheets for family caregivers, questionable Suboxone counseling and urine drug screening practices, and a prior optometry case involving false claims for children’s glasses. They also discussed CMS’s estimate that about 5% of Medicaid payments are improper, noted that most improper payments are at the fee-for-service level, and said there is no reliable overall fraud-rate estimate. They highlighted a sharp shift in behavioral health billing after the cabinet’s November 1, 2024 policy changes, saying individual psychotherapy spending dropped while group billing increased, suggesting providers may have moved billing to different codes. Members asked about the scale and timing of cases, how MCO referrals are screened, and whether the data reflected more people being served or just higher spending. The AG office said investigations can take years, with some federal cases still awaiting sentencing from 2018 and 2019 matters, and that they currently had nine individuals awaiting sentencing in federal court. They also reported 58 hotline reports during the referenced period, six cases opened from MCO referrals, and four additional MCO referrals not accepted for active cases. Several members raised concerns about home-based services and the risk of abuse or fraud when family members are reimbursed, and asked whether the process could be streamlined; the AG office said it had no immediate recommendations but would be willing to return with suggestions after further review.

Transcript Highlights:

• he talked about that we immediately need to do away with the 2050 carbon dioxide, where we're net zero
• What he was saying was the efforts to net zero of carbon by 2050 would even, you know, several billion
• c><01:45:52.639><c> where</c><01:45:52.880><c> we're</c><01:45:53.280><c> net</c><01:45:53.520><c> zero
• </c> uh carbon dioxide where we're net zero uh carbon dioxide where we're net zero by<01:45:54.560><c
• uh of carbon by 2050 to net zero uh of carbon by 2050 uh<01:46:25.600><c> would</c><01:46:25.840><c>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Approval of Minutes 00:01:19 Helping Power Kentucky's Growth (LG&E/KU) 00:01:39 Update from Kentucky's Electric Cooperatives 00:47:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• regular session ended and the working groups were formed, the energy working group met a total of zero
• met</c><01:18:48.960><c> a</c><01:18:49.199><c> total</c><01:18:49.520><c> of</c><01:18:49.760><c> zero
• </c> committee met a total of zero committee met a total of zero times<01:18:51.679><c> while</c><01:
• ><01:19:05.679><c> yesterday</c><01:19:06.239><c> it</c><01:19:06.400><c> was</c><01:19:06.640><c> zero
• I think the first thing I'd like to highlight is that we avoided completely zeroing out our successful

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, somebody added a zero to an application element.
• Um, you know, somebody<01:28:46.639><c> added</c><01:28:46.960><c> a</c><01:28:47.120><c> zero</c><01
• c> a</c><01:28:47.760><c> to</c><01:28:48.000><c> an</c><01:28:48.400><c> you</c> somebody added a zero
• And so if we're—I don't want to see us creating an expectation that it's possible to get to zero fraud
• </c><01:43:56.239><c> fraud</c><01:43:56.639><c> in</c> possible to get to zero fraud in possible to

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're working to accelerate our zero-waste future.
• <00:10:51.279><c> to</c><00:10:51.560><c> accelerate</c><00:10:52.160><c> our</c><00:10:52.399><c> zero
• </c> we're working to accelerate our zero we're working to accelerate our zero waste<00:10:53.120><c>
• forced</c><01:43:53.400><c> to</c><01:43:53.520><c> think</c><01:43:53.679><c> of</c> it was almost zero
• I forced to think of it was almost zero I forced to think of how<01:43:53.960><c> many</c><01:43:54.199

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• $8 million in both years of '26 and '27 relate to just one program that we'll talk about, and then zeros
• /c><01:27:00.400><c> about</c><01:27:00.920><c> and</c><01:27:01.080><c> then</c><01:27:01.400><c> zeros
• </c><01:27:01.880><c> in</c> that we'll talk about and then zeros in that we'll talk about and then zeros
• and 27 I think the base on this one<01:31:19.719><c> is</c><01:31:19.880><c> at</c><01:31:20.080><c> zero
• I'm</c><01:31:20.639><c> not</c><01:31:20.840><c> mistaken</c><01:31:21.600><c> and</c> one is at zero

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Including our own work, no one should assume the risk is zero, and we must act now.
• </c><00:03:14.280><c> and</c><00:03:14.440><c> we</c> should assume the risk is zero and we should assume
• the risk is zero and we must<00:03:14.920><c> act</c><00:03:15.200><c> now</c><00:03:15.560><c> so</
• I would say it's really easy to go from a to zero; it takes a number of events to bring it back up.
• it takes a number to go from a to zero it takes a number of<00:14:52.279><c> events</c><00:14:52.560

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate hearing focused primarily on SB 1201, a wildfire measure that would create a wildfire recovery fund and allow securitization for electric utilities. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the bill, saying it would help protect customers, property owners, insurers, and the broader economy from future catastrophic wildfire liability while improving the utility’s credit profile and lowering financing costs. Support also came from DCCA Consumer Advocacy, the Attorney General’s office on written comments, Ulupono Initiative, Clearway Energy Group, IBEW Local 1260, Par Hawaii, KIUC, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, Plus Power, and numerous organizations and individuals. Opponents or commenters raised concerns about the liability cap, victim compensation process, and fund structure, including the Hawaiʻi Association for Justice, the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters, and the Hawaiʻi Insurance Council; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land supported the concept of a fund but questioned the catastrophe threshold and whether the fund would be empty without a prudency finding. Much of the discussion centered on whether the proposed fund would actually help restore Hawaiian Electric to investment grade, with senators comparing the proposal to California’s wildfire fund. Hawaiian Electric said the bill was only one part of a broader process, alongside physical risk reduction and settlement finalization, and argued that without the bill the utility would not regain investment grade. Senators also questioned the proposed $1 billion fund size, the fairness of ratepayer contributions versus shareholder contributions, and whether customers should pay for consulting and administrative costs; Hawaiian Electric said its proposed amendment would remove those consulting-related charges. The company also said the fund would accrue interest and, if unused, could be returned to customers, and that there would be replenishment and supplemental contribution mechanisms if the fund were exhausted. The Attorney General’s office said it still had further amendments to discuss, and the departments had not yet resolved where the fund should reside administratively, though Hawaiian Electric said it believed DCCA was the appropriate place but was open to alternatives. KIUC requested two amendments. No vote or final committee action was taken during the hearing, and the measure remained under discussion with questions and proposed amendments still outstanding.