Transcript Highlights:

• 541 Becker electrical load shifting do pass as amended to remove requirement that Energy Commission develop
• SP484 Laird, coastal development permit, do pass out on an A-roll call.
• sorry 4 5 4 McNerney PFAS mitigation fund do pass out on an a roll call policy and clean energy development
• SB 774, Committee on Business Professions and Economic Development, Sunset Review, Department of Real
• On an A roll call, SB 775, Committee on Business Professions and Economic Development, Sunset Review,

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Day of Stoneham moves that the petition be referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging
• The ayes have it, and the bill will be referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging
• quantum science, quantum investment in tax incentive programs for certain quantum science, research, development
• Day of Stoneham moves that the petition be referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emergency
• The ayes have it, and the bill will be referred to the Committee in Economic Development and Emerging

Summary: The House began with routine ceremonial business, including adoption of resolutions congratulating Judy and Dick Jolin on their 50th wedding anniversary and commending the National Brain Tumor Society for Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The chamber also welcomed guests recognizing Apraxia Awareness Day. A gubernatorial message proposing injured-on-duty compensation for Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinale was filed and referred to the Committee on Public Service. The House concurred in several Senate petitions referred under suspension of Joint Rule 12, including measures on consumer-connected devices, crumbling concrete relief for homeowners, and naming the Hianus Transportation Center. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 for a petition on reporting crimes to law enforcement, and for a quantum science tax incentive petition, which was then referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling placed three House bills on the calendar: the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code, a Holyoke Charter change removing the treasurer as acting mayor, and a Kingston measure raising the maximum retirement age for special police officers to 70. The House then advanced and passed to be enacted three engrossed bills concerning Andover special town meetings, the Plymouth town charter, and an additional all-alcoholic-beverages license for Pembroke. It also passed to be engrossed bills on expanded small property tax abatements in Auburn, validation of the New Salem annual town election, and land acquisition/disposition in Falmouth. Finally, the House adopted an order to adjourn to meet the following Monday at 11 a.m., and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:27.560><c> council</c><00:50:28.120><c> recommendations</c><00:50:29.320><c> on</c> developing
• council recommendations on developing council recommendations on how<00:50:29.720><c> Minnesota</c><
• </c> how Minnesota should develop AV policy how Minnesota should develop AV policy to<00:50:32.120><c
• </c> to that idea in terms of developing to that idea in terms of developing further<01:23:52.400><c>
• And three, by making room for both passenger and freight innovation to develop responsibly.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and success of support the development and success of native<00:40:47.680><c> hin</c><00:40:47.920><
• And then we also have plans to do major development in the area, in Makuʻa as well as Paneva and Kaha
• And then we also have plans to do major development in the area, in Makuʻa as well as Paneva and Kaha
• Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is the HUD Federal Housing Administration.
• And for developments that we're doing, it's kind of key.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 410, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium operating budget. OHA asked for a modest increase over its base budget, including $1.2 million to fund 13 new full-time positions for a strategy and implementation team tied to its long-term plan, with emphasis on housing, education, health, and economic resilience. OHA also described a broader effort to work directly with executive branch departments to improve outcomes for Native Hawaiians. Testimony was largely supportive, with several individuals speaking in favor and one testifier expressing strong frustration about Native Hawaiian rights and access to resources. The chair noted there were 38 additional written/supporting testimonies and three in opposition. Members asked about OHA’s funding sources and public land trust revenues; OHA said it is not receiving the full 20 percent share, described a public land trust working group and system issues, and said a related bill would seek funding to begin an inventory. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then considered House Bill 304, which would make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and later translated into English. The Judiciary supported the bill, saying it reinforces Hawaiian as an official language and looks to the original language for legislative intent. The Attorney General supported the intent but recommended narrowing the bill with a proviso to avoid ambiguities, limiting it to laws originally drafted in Hawaiian that were not later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Public testimony was generally supportive, though one speaker raised broader sovereignty concerns. Members questioned how many laws would be affected and whether the proposed amendment would undercut the bill; the Attorney General said the amendment was meant to address uncertainty in interpretation. No final action was reported. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 603, which would direct OHA to administer a Native Hawaiian business marketing program to promote Native Hawaiian-owned businesses through marketing and technical assistance. OHA supported the concept, saying a label or branding program could help consumers identify and support Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, but requested that funding be redirected to a working group to study program design, implementation, enforcement, and long-term viability. The chair noted four supportive testimonies had been received, and a member asked OHA to confirm that its programs serve all Hawaiians, not only those eligible for homelands; OHA said it serves all Hawaiians in the state. The transcript ends before any vote or further action on HB 603.

Transcript Highlights:

• But then I understand there might be an opportunity at this time to have a different development to the
• Anyway, it's kind of confusing, but some background information, yes. since it was uh start development
• 2000 since it was uh start development 2000 1990s<00:50:47.119><c> 1990s</c><00:50:48.079><c> yeah</
• to the standards of roads to development to the standards of roads to this<00:51:41.359><c> Century<
• so they're the point that development so they're the point that that<01:00:05.520><c> they're</c><01

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several water, land, and conservation measures. HB 86, which would fund a permanent DLNR Makai Watch coordinator position, drew strong support from DLNR and community advocates. Testifiers said the coordinator is needed to connect community-based nearshore monitoring groups with government, support training and reporting, and provide stable civil-service funding instead of relying on grants and philanthropy. The committee discussed the position’s duties and cost, estimated at about $110,000 with fringe benefits, and noted broad support from organizations including Kuaʻulu, The Nature Conservancy, OHA, and others. HB 36, relating to state water code penalties, was also supported in principle by DLNR, but the agency proposed amendments to create two tiers of violations, distinguish first-time/non-harmful violations from repeat or harmful ones, and give the commission discretion on whether each day counts as a continuing violation. DLNR said the bill is intended to address egregious cases such as Red Hill while avoiding undue impact on small farmers and others without malicious intent. Testifiers from the Board of Water Supply, Lono Initiative, and others supported stronger penalties and transparency, while Earthjustice raised concerns about broader structural issues and the risk of penalties being applied unfairly. The committee then heard HB 316, which appropriates funds to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program. DLNR, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Kōkua, The Nature Conservancy, and other groups testified in support, describing the program as a workforce pipeline that places young professionals in communities, builds trust, and helps recruit future state employees. Supporters said the program has expanded capacity in watershed and reef management and has drawn extensive public backing. Finally, HB 506, funding equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, received support from DLNR and others. DOCARE said recent recruit classes are moving through training, that the new positions will expand patrol capacity, including nighttime enforcement, and that the Oʻahu-specific funding is tied to priorities such as the Māʻili Bay herbivore rules. The committee also began hearing HB 510 on water shortage and emergency declarations. DLNR proposed limiting shortage declarations to 90 days unless extended, capping groundwater reductions at 20% for lower-priority permits, removing climate-crisis language as a standalone criterion, and moving the process into rulemaking for more public input. The Board of Water Supply supported the bill and the proposed changes, while Earthjustice urged deferral absent broader Water Commission reforms. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would be decision-making after the hearing on items on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would also fund development for music educators and the Rondo Community music series.
• </c> and over it would also fund development and over it would also fund development for<00:01:34.560
• </c><00:18:40.120><c> the</c> expression helps students develop the expression helps students develop
• FFA has always been a cornerstone of leadership development and agricultural education. Saturday?
• You know, FFA, as I've seen, has developed leaders in our communities and our state.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:56.720><c> program</c><00:05:57.199><c> offered</c> leadership development program offered
• ,</c><00:20:01.520><c> to</c> Business, and Economic Development, to Business, and Economic Development
• Senate File 124, economic development rodeo museum, sponsored by Senator Driskill.
• </c> Senate file 124, economic development Senate file 124, economic development rodeo<00:44:27.760><
• </c> the strength of our water development the strength of our water development program<01:39:17.600

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You need the right data to develop policy, and you don't have that for this presentation.
• You need the right data<00:12:55.760><c> to</c><00:12:55.920><c> develop</c><00:12:56.320><c> policy,
• ,</c> coordination care plan development, coordination care plan development, maintenance<00:16:24.240
• </c> development. You strengthen communities. development. You strengthen communities.
• </c> this group together in order to develop this group together in order to develop this<01:25:08.239

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board met with a quorum, approved the November 12 minutes by voice vote, and then heard a presentation from former Governor Ernie Fletcher and Dave Johnson on Medicaid reimbursement for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Fletcher argued that addiction should be treated as a chronic disease requiring a longer continuum of care, not just short residential stays, and said recovery should combine clinical treatment with social supports such as housing, transportation, employment, peer coaching, and recovery housing. He cited data on overdose trends, low treatment rates, and high costs for people with SUD, and said current reimbursement models create poor incentives and do not adequately support long-term recovery or measure outcomes well. Fletcher proposed a “carve through” model administered at the MCO level with standardized metrics, data sharing, and an independent recovery coordinator that would assess patients, coordinate care, and connect them to clinical and social recovery services. He suggested using bundled payments, shared savings, and partial risk arrangements, with recovery housing reimbursed on a PMPM or weekly basis and funded in part through existing Medicaid spending and other sources such as opioid abatement funds. He also emphasized peer support, telemedicine, criminal justice coordination, workforce and education supports, and the use of technology, including text messaging and possibly AI, to maintain long-term follow-up and identify relapse risk. Members questioned how the model would work in practice, especially the education and staffing requirements for recovery coordinators, reimbursement levels, and how many patients each coordinator or peer would serve. Fletcher said peers could be certified and would need additional training in assessments such as ASAM and recovery residence standards, but he did not give a precise salary figure, saying the market and bundled rates would determine that. He also said follow-up should continue for years, noting relapse risk over the first 18 to 24 months and that meaningful employment and ongoing peer contact help sustain recovery. No formal vote or action was taken on the substance use presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:52.560><c> benefits,</c> development would have many benefits, development would have many
• It would not this type of development.
• , and high-density development and a one-size-fits-all really isn't responsible growth.
• Under the bill, towns can still assess developer impact fees to offset any increased costs.
• </c><00:44:58.720><c> impact</c> towns can still assess developer impact towns can still assess developer

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development for Wednesday, February 26, is
• we've developed the technique somewhat we've developed the technique somewhat in<00:30:10.279><c> Minnesota
• We've already started to develop our market. You can see here this is at Pack Expo.
• </c> could sell them to uh people who develop could sell them to uh people who develop machines<00:46
• So we are drastically planning to move the development of our product.

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

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other exception in this page 2 through 10 is small water development projects for new development
• Uh all of projects for new development.
• These projects development account one.
• development development uh<01:06:35.520><c> that</c><01:06:35.839><c> they</c><01:06:36.160><c> shut
• Business, and Economic Development, to Business, and Economic Development, to whom<03:07:37.680><c> was

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The suggested<00:14:16.240><c> language</c><00:14:16.720><c> was</c><00:14:16.959><c> developed</c><00
• :14:17.440><c> in</c> suggested language was developed in suggested language was developed in concert
• Section Five deals with rural economic development initiative, and it amends 10 V.S.A. 3525N.
• <00:39:27.200><c> initiatives</c> development initiatives development initiatives confirm<00:39:30.640
• ,</c> committees on economic development, committees on economic development, housing<01:26:31.600><c

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's something my institution has been very good about and a leader in developing.
• And you're clarifying that if you develop these tools, you've got some skin in the game.
• So the developers actually have what's called a knowledge standard, so they know the age.
• And that's something that smaller developers could really struggle with.
• For example, Project Liberty developed a free, open protocol for social networking.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on privacy, accessibility, labor, and public safety. AB 1798 by Assemblymember Wilson would bar life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information, including direct-to-consumer test results, in underwriting. Supporters argued the bill would protect privacy and encourage genetic testing, while insurers opposed it as unnecessary and said genetic data should be treated like other predictive health information. The bill passed the committee on a 7-0 vote and was held open for absent members. AB 2190 by Assemblymember Wallace would create website accessibility standards based on WCAG guidelines and add affirmative defenses intended to reduce serial litigation while improving access for people with disabilities. Disability advocates supported the measure as a needed civil-rights update, while business groups warned it could increase liability and create unclear compliance obligations. The bill passed 9-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2721 by Assemblymember Carrillo would require hotels to post notice when they know or should know that U.S. Customs and Border Protection or ICE are using the premises, with supporters saying workers and guests deserve transparency and safety. Hotel and business groups opposed it, citing privacy, liability, and concerns about interfering with federal operations. The committee voted 6-2 to pass the bill to Appropriations, with the roll left open. AB 2027 by Assemblymember Ward would restrict employers from using worker data to train AI systems that replace workers and limit sharing of worker data for automation; labor groups supported it and business and public-sector groups opposed it as too broad. The bill passed 7-2 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The committee also heard AB 1837 by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, which would extend and tighten privacy rules for transit agencies’ use of forward-facing cameras to enforce bus-lane violations; supporters said the cameras improve transit flow and safety, and the bill was presented with amendments, though no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• greenfield development.
• preference for development expansions in brownfield<01:14:43.920><c> development</c><01:14:44.400><c
• </c><01:15:56.719><c> over</c> or brownfield development over or brownfield development over new<01:15
• So um developed.
• </c> needed to be developed into the future. needed to be developed into the future.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environmental Policy Subcommittee took up HB 1621, which would require a baseline environmental impact study before development of certain manufacturing and storage facilities. Members said the concept had merit, but they could not resolve major drafting and implementation issues, including how to define covered facilities, what the study would require, and how enforcement would work at the municipal or county level. Several members expressed concern about unintended consequences and said the proposal was not ready; the subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend inexpedient to legislate (ITL), and the full committee later adopted that recommendation on a 16-0 roll call vote, placing the bill on consent. The committee then discussed HB 1053, involving electronically submitted pesticide use reports. Representative Comtois presented an amendment creating a department database and protecting confidential information, but said she still needed to check whether it was germane and to review administrative issues with the Department of Agriculture. After hearing from David Russo of the Division of Pesticide Control, the committee agreed to continue work on the amendment and took no action that day. The committee also reviewed HB 1186 on egg labeling and producer exemptions. Representative Comtois offered an amendment exempting small producers from most requirements except labeling, but Commissioner Sean Jasper asked for more time to review the impact and suggested the state might not need the existing egg law at all if federal USDA rules already cover the field. Members agreed to hold action until the following week. Finally, the committee began discussion of HB 1780 on penalties for violations involving seeds, plants, and nursery stock, focusing on labeling rules and germination-date requirements; testimony from industry and department representatives indicated they were working toward a compromise that would allow multiple relabelings, add production dates, and set a 36-month sale limit, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Craig Nakamoto, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority.
• Lastly, we feel the bill is a bit misleading because it does not promote economic development.
• </c><00:43:53.440><c> Fund</c> and special landan and Development Fund and special landan and Development
• First up, we have Senate Bill 1396 relating to economic development.
• First up, we have Senate Bill 1396 relating to economic development.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the House Committees on Tourism and Water and Land was held on March 20, 2025, on SB 1396 SD3 HD1, which would raise transient accommodations tax revenues beginning in 2027, impose a $20 per-night tax on stays booked through loyalty or rewards points, and dedicate funds to DLNR for natural resource protection, management, and restoration. The Office of the Governor, DLNR, DBEDT, the Hawaii State Energy Office, Tax Department, Hawaiian Home Lands, HI-EMA, the Climate Advisory Team, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HCDA, the Hawaii Ocean Legislative Task Force, Resource Legacy Fund, KUA, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority all testified in support or with comments, generally emphasizing the need for dedicated funding for environmental stewardship, resilience, wildfire and climate preparedness, and community-based projects. Several supporters cited polling showing broad visitor willingness to pay additional fees to protect Hawaiʻi’s resources, and DLNR and the Attorney General noted the bill aligns with broader state land-management and fire-safety priorities. Opposition came from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi and the Maui Chamber of Commerce, which argued the bill unnecessarily raises the TAT, places more burden on visitors and visitor-dependent businesses, and could harm Maui’s still-recovering economy. The Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaiʻi initially marked opposition but then said it had misunderstood the bill’s relationship to another measure and asked to resend testimony. Expedia Group did not oppose the TAT increase itself but raised operational concerns about the new tax on loyalty-point redemptions, calling it novel and difficult to administer. The American Hotel Lodging Association and Hawaiʻi Hotel Alliance were listed as having no comments present. Testifiers also suggested amendments, including dedicating the revenues to a special fund, ensuring community grants, and clarifying administrative provisions. One testifier urged the bill be used to fund hurricane shelters and stronger building standards, while another emphasized that the measure should support people and disaster resilience as well as environmental protection. During questions, members asked for the polling methodology and for a breakdown of current TAT allocations; staff indicated they could share the survey memo and began identifying existing statutory remittances. No vote or final committee action was taken during the excerpted portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have a great partnership with all of the 15 area development districts.
• </c><01:04:30.360><c> Each</c><01:04:30.640><c> of</c> area development districts.
• Each of area development districts.
• </c> represented by that area development represented by that area development district. district. district
• </c> needs within each area development needs within each area development district,<01:05:30.040><c>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received a budget and program update from Kentucky Emergency Management on the state’s urban search and rescue buildout. Eric Gibson and Doug Hargrave said the legislature’s funding was used to create FEMA-type urban search and rescue capacity, including Kentucky Task Force 1 and 2, the incident support team, and the helicopter aquatic rescue/hoist team. They emphasized that the effort is not just equipment purchases but also training, credentialing, warehouse and training-facility development, canine program expansion, and coordination with local search and rescue agencies across the Commonwealth. Gibson reported that the agency executed 99.4% of the $16.175 million appropriation by the end of the fiscal year and said the team met its readiness target ahead of schedule, with equipment already being deployed in recent flood response operations. He also said $500,000 per year was set aside for local search and rescue grants, with about $482,000 awarded to 29 teams in one year and $490,000 to 36 teams in the next, averaging about $20,000 per grant. Several members urged the committee to consider increasing support for local responders in future budgets, noting rising equipment costs and the importance of local teams as first on scene. Members asked about staffing, coverage, and benefits. Gibson explained that the task force is a mixed workforce of full-time fire personnel loaned from local departments, professional service staff such as doctors and engineers, and temporary deployment staff, with workers’ compensation coverage provided through KYEM and/or home agencies depending on the arrangement. He also said local search and rescue members are not currently included in line-of-duty death benefits. In response to questions about coverage and deployment, he described the two task force locations as designed to keep resources within roughly 100 miles of every Kentuckian. The discussion also turned to recent flood response and disaster recovery. Gibson said the state had mobilized up to 24 teams over the weekend, documented roughly 60 to 80 water rescues or assisted evacuations, and was seeing significant damage in counties such as Cumberland, Clinton, and Metcalfe, including agricultural losses. He said several counties were meeting FEMA public assistance thresholds and that the state was preparing a broader relief request that could include FEMA, SBA, and USDA assistance. He also updated members on efforts to claw back and reallocate unused “strained fiscal liquidity” funds by the statutory deadline, saying notices were sent and funds were redirected where possible to unmet local needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other It is difficult to develop an accurate cost projection at this time.
• And one way that they do that is through their board development or board nominating committees.
• And lastly, will they listen to the right people as they develop the agreement? Thank you.
• the interagency agreement, if we, ...into the process of developing the interagency agreement.
• Today, these staff support community engagement, training, development of standardized developments of

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard testimony on Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and related budget and trailer bill proposals, with a major focus on the impacts of H.R. 1 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DDS and the Department of Social Services (DSS) said H.R. 1 could affect Medi-Cal and CalFresh access, but that people with disabilities and caregivers are exempt from the work requirements; the administration is working on data matching and automation through the statewide eligibility system to identify exemptions, with June 1, 2026 as the implementation date for CalFresh changes. Witnesses and advocates warned that any loss of Medi-Cal could create fiscal pressure on regional centers and households, while public commenters described the real-life consequences of losing services. Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about cost shifts to counties and asked for harm-mitigation strategies before the May Revision. The committee also reviewed the governor’s IHSS-related proposals. DSS said the budget would set a baseline for authorized hours, align IHSS disenrollment/reinstatement with Medi-Cal eligibility processes, and eliminate the IHSS backup provider system, while emphasizing that individual service hours would still be based on assessed need. DDS said if a person loses IHSS or Medi-Cal, regional centers may have to step in as payer of last resort for some services, potentially at higher state cost. Members and the Legislative Analyst’s Office questioned whether counties could absorb the proposed shifts without reducing services, and asked for more detail on implementation, data quality controls, and how regional centers could help families navigate disruptions. A separate trailer bill on DDS rate reform and the Quality Incentive Program drew mixed reactions. DDS proposed extending a contract exemption and delaying final rate reform regulations to 2030, saying the changes are budget-neutral and needed for implementation. DDS reported that about 81% of providers had completed the current Quality Incentive Program requirements, but providers and advocates argued the 90-10 structure can function like a penalty and may destabilize services if providers lose 10% of funding. Committee members asked for clearer assistance to providers, possible flexibility for good-faith efforts, and a redlined version of the language before the May Revision. The committee also heard DDS’s proposed trailer bill on regional center governance and provider capacity. DDS said the language would consolidate regional center contracts and performance measures, strengthen board training and oversight, require consumer advisory committees, expand independent legal support, raise the threshold for board approval of contracts, and remove barriers such as physical-office requirements and duplicate vendorization. DDS said the goal is to improve accountability and efficiency while preserving person-centered services, and members indicated they wanted further refinement and stakeholder input before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.
• Third, it requires that ANR develop a manual for these connections.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Investing in tribal nations is not charity; it is smart economic policy, it is rural development, and
• She brings strong experience and education, health care, workforce development, and community service
• The problem is there's no economic development down around there.
• So it's just an area that needs economic development, and that's what we want to do.
• President, Madam President, a lot of this sounded like private development.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:10.000><c> Agency</c> Health Planning and Development Agency Health Planning and Development
• So, what growth and development of this.
• But yet, if economic development at all.
• </c> talk about economic development talk about economic development initiatives<00:58:04.720><c> trying
• </c><00:58:46.960><c> uh</c><00:58:47.520><c> in</c> economic development uh in economic development

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 302, which would expand access to medical cannabis by removing the in-person provider-patient relationship requirement and related restrictions. The Department of Health supported the bill, and multiple advocates and organizations testified in support, including the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Alliance for Cannabis Reform, Marijuana Policy Project, and others. Supporters said the measure would improve access for patients, especially on outer islands, and some urged broader amendments allowing providers to certify cannabis for any medical condition and to speed registration and treat in-state and out-of-state patients equally. No opposition was heard, and the bill was left with no questions after testimony. The committee also heard HB 1052 HD1, which clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission may use universal service fund monies to provide free telecommunications access for individuals with print disabilities. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the DCCA Division of Consumer Advocacy, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Human Services, the Public Utilities Commission, and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii. Witnesses described the program as an important accessibility service that has been operating under prior appropriations and should continue under the universal service program. HB 1482, relating to controlled substances and hemp/synthetic cannabinoids, drew support from the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Health, Honolulu Police Department, and others, with some comments from the Attorney General’s office. Supporters said the bill would clarify that delta-8 THC is a controlled substance and help enforcement against illegal hemp products and synthetic cannabinoids. Testimony and questioning focused on the need for better lab testing capacity, retail registry and age-gating, seizure authority, nuisance abatement, and possible use of special funds or appropriations to support enforcement. Members also discussed enforcement of illegal hemp businesses and whether additional funding or statutory changes would be needed. Finally, the committee took up HB 712, a 340B drug-discount measure affecting safety-net providers and contract pharmacies. Hospitals, health centers, and provider groups testified in support, saying the bill would protect access to discounted drugs and preserve funding for services such as chronic disease management, transportation, and specialty care. Pharmaceutical-industry representatives opposed the bill or sought amendments, arguing the 340B program has expanded beyond its original intent and lacks transparency, and they requested reporting or audit-like provisions to verify claims and revenues. Members questioned both sides about alleged abuse, the growth of contract pharmacies, and whether the bill should include transparency requirements before moving forward.