Transcript Highlights:

• accidents happen 100 incidents per day, over 16,000 injuries per year, and result in over 2,600 fatalities
• Some 200 had boats illegally confiscated from this largely fishing population, critical to our maritime

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

Summary: The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a hybrid hearing on bills related to land use, zoning, permitting, municipal governance, and homelessness. Early testimony focused on a home rule petition for Ipswich to remove a residency requirement for a town manager, with supporters saying it would broaden the applicant pool and help fill a vacant permanent manager position. Another panel backed legislation to change the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission’s governance so ratepayers in surrounding communities would have representation, arguing the current board structure leaves many users without a voice in rate-setting and capital decisions. Several housing and zoning bills drew testimony. Senator Keenan and the Home Builders and Remodelers Association supported a bill to toll the one-year period for acting on a variance while an appeal is pending, saying appeals should not consume the time needed to implement approved projects. Representative Murray and the Real Estate Bar Association also testified on broader zoning reforms, including changes to undersized lots, merger rules, hearing deadlines, appeals, and variance standards; they argued the proposals would reduce delay and uncertainty and help housing production. Committee members questioned whether shifting zoning appeals from de novo to closed-record review would limit new evidence, and the witnesses said the change would speed cases while preserving limited opportunities to supplement the record. The committee also heard testimony on bills to end the criminalization of homelessness. Representatives, advocates, and shelter organizations said local camping bans and fines are counterproductive, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision, and urged a statewide response centered on housing and public health rather than punishment. Other municipal bills included remote participation in open town meetings for Wayland and a statewide local option, Fairhaven and Mattapoisett charter changes, and Cambridge’s request to use automated parking enforcement and mail parking tickets. The hearing also included testimony supporting fairground zoning flexibility, a Shrewsbury solar siting bill, and an Inspector General bill clarifying county land disposition procedures by requiring written notice to DCAM and a defined response period. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is a boat considered a motor vehicle? Does it fall in class four property?
• I know that one thing I do know is that the boat, the trailer, and the motor are all separate.
• So of those three parts, is your intention to include things like boats and trailers and all of that?
• The answer from our assessor down the road here said boats are in class four.” “Yeah, okay.
• So boats are fine.” “Boats are fine. And motors and trailers?” “Trailers are. Okay. Motors too.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform met to hear public testimony on House Bill 3342 and House Bill 3354. HB 3342, sponsored by Rep. Matteson, would prevent tax levies adopted before January 1, 1975 from being applied to personal property tax, with the sponsor arguing that personal property taxation on motor vehicles and similar property was not part of earlier voter-approved levies. Members questioned how the bill would work in practice, whether it should instead remove vehicles from assessment entirely, and what property classes would be affected. The sponsor said he was focused on class four personal property, especially motor vehicles, but was open to refining the language. No one testified in support, opposition, or for information, and no vote was taken. The committee then heard HB 3354, sponsored by Chair Taylor, which would reduce the Blind Pension Fund levy from 3 cents to 0.0275. Taylor said the fund’s participant numbers are declining while reserves have grown, that the department agreed the lower rate would still be sufficient, and that he wanted to keep the fund lean while preserving a cushion. Members asked about how the levy is calculated, whether it fluctuates with assessments, and whether excess funds could be transferred to public education as contemplated by the constitution. There was also discussion about the bill’s decimal wording and a possible drafting amendment to clarify the rate. No witnesses testified in favor, opposition, or informationally, and the hearing on HB 3354 was concluded without a committee vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will move on to the next item: SCR 58, urging the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation of the
• And I get a warning and I forget to tell my family member, and they go to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor where
• the boat always is, and they didn't even know that I got a warning and then all of a sudden their car
• ><00:19:17.240><c> Harbor</c><00:19:17.520><c> where</c><00:19:17.640><c> the</c><00:19:17.720><c> boat
• </c> Ala Wai Boat Harbor where the boat Ala Wai Boat Harbor where the boat always<00:19:18.160><c> is

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The Committee on Hawaiian Affairs heard several Senate concurrent resolutions. SCR 11, urging Congress to amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, drew support from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and Pride at Work Hawaii, both of which backed the measure as a statement of equality and protection for LGBTQIA+ people. A member also reminded testifiers to keep signs and statements relevant to the measure. SCR 22, recognizing the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Ahu and Aliʻa, had no testimony. SCR 58, calling for a progressive enforcement framework for parking violations in DLNR boating and ocean recreation lots, drew strong support from multiple testifiers who argued that towing is overly punitive, costly, and unfair to beach and harbor users; they favored warnings or smaller citations instead of towing and raised concerns about signage, contract oversight, and the cost of proposed enforcement technology. One member asked about whether DLNR could use HPD or other officers for citations, and the discussion focused on staffing and enforcement authority. The committee then heard SCR 60 SD1, requesting an update on the “Breaking Cycles” study on alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models on Oahu. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was not present, but the Corrections Reform Working Group strongly supported the resolution, saying the study reflects extensive community outreach and should not be shelved. Testifiers urged the committee to use the report to examine alternatives to a new jail, including diversion, pre-trial reform, probation reform, and renovations to existing facilities, and one testifier suggested amendments to add experts in those areas and technical assistance from the Prison Policy Initiative. Another testifier described Maui’s use of wraparound reentry services, prosecutorial discretion, and programming as an example of reducing incarceration without expanding jail capacity. SCR 184, asking the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to examine anti-discrimination laws as applied to algorithmic and automated decision systems, had no in-person testimony, with the chair noting one support and one comment submitted. The final measure, SCR 89 SD1, which would create an advisory committee under the Hawaii correctional system oversight commission to develop recommendations on alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models on Oahu, also had no testimony from the department, but the Corrections Reform Working Group supported it as a way to ensure community input into jail planning. A later testifier echoed concerns about building a large new jail and urged the committee to consider alternatives to incarceration and to include people with expertise in diversion, pre-trial reform, and probation reform. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a 24-foot Everglades boat with a 300-horsepower motor.
• So besides the one boat with a single 300-horsepower outboard, what else are you towing it with that
• There was a boat or boats that were purchased, boat storage.
• There was a boat or boats that were purchased, boat storage.
• It's going to be right where our boat is, as far as where we're putting in.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee first heard a long-running audit finding involving Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit funds, which have exceeded the statutory limit for several years and were reported at $10.8 million in the most recent audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city has analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees over several periods, and used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation and a proposed City Hall expansion. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, raised concerns about the legality and necessity of proposed expenditures, and asked about interest earnings, truck purchases, and the lack of detailed tracking for training-facility use. The city said an Attorney General opinion allows construction of a new building for building-code functions but not purchase of an existing building, and that if the city cannot comply through permissible construction it would have to return the funds. No vote was taken, but members expressed strong frustration and urged the city to resolve the issue quickly and lawfully. The committee then received the Auditor General’s presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings covered elections and quorum issues, conflicts of interest, late or missing financial disclosure forms, related-party transactions, poor meeting notices and minutes, council involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget and accounting deficiencies, weak bank reconciliations, improper utility billing and rates, grant compliance problems tied to a grocery store project, personnel and compensation issues involving the town manager, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control problems, public records issues, and IT/fraud-policy weaknesses. The auditor said the review focused mainly on October 2022 through February 2024 but went back further for some grant-related matters. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit reflected actions of a previous administration and that the current council and staff have already adopted seven new policies to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics. They said the town has a new manager and clerk, that the former manager was terminated, and that the town referred matters to FDLE, which is investigating. Committee members asked about the manager’s salary increase, severance, P-card use, and whether the town should consider consolidation or dissolution. The mayor said the town is on a better path, that most of the prior leadership has been voted out, and that the town is working with auditors and an outside accounting firm to correct the problems.

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next is SB 2367 relating to state boating facilities, which establishes the State Boating Facility
• boat harbor.
• So, I've had my boat at Ala Wai Harbor, at other state boating facilities, and at private marinas.
• of boating and ocean recreation laws pursuant to HRS. than 500,000. than 500,000.
• </c> penalties for violations of boating and penalties for violations of boating and ocean<00:26:22.880

Bills: SB2982 , SB2367 , SB2818 , SB2944 , SB2022 , SB2240 , SB2986 , SB2547 , SB2401 , SB3031 , SB3035 , SB3032

Committee: Senate Water, Land, Culture and the Arts

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures, beginning with SB 2982 on campaign finance, which would prohibit foreign entities and foreign-influence businesses from making contributions and expenditures. The Attorney General’s office testified first, followed by the Campaign Spending Commission, which supported the bill but asked for clarification on constitutional review authority and additional implementation time for certifications, forms, and procedures. Common Cause also supported the measure, arguing it would help protect elections from dark money and foreign influence. No vote was taken. The committee then took up SB 2367 on a state boating facilities lease program for the Ala Wai small boat harbor. DLNR supported the bill, while UPW opposed it, warning about privatization of a public asset and possible job displacement. Several members of the public supported the concept but urged amendments to protect public access, affordability, youth ocean programs, and state employee jobs. Committee members questioned DLNR about the scope of the lease, the role of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and whether public access and existing concessions would remain protected. DLNR said current leases would remain, the board would retain approval authority, and employees would not necessarily be displaced, but members indicated more discussion and possible amendments were needed. For SB 2818 on boating penalties, DLNR testified in support and there was no opposition testimony. The committee also heard SB 2944 on conservation, which would require wildlife viewing guidelines that substantially conform to NOAA guidance and reporting requirements; DLNR said it stood on its written testimony. SB 2022 on water code penalties drew support from DLNR’s Commission on Water Resource Management, which said the bill’s two-tiered penalty structure would preserve deterrence while keeping the current $5,000 penalty for first-time or non-harmful violations. The Board of Water Supply submitted comments, and Ulupono Initiative supported the measure as a needed enforcement tool. Committee members discussed whether the higher penalty ceiling should be phased in and asked for stakeholder input on the amount of the penalties. Finally, the committee began SB 2240 on land use, which would require water availability certification from the Commission on Water Resource Management before a district boundary amendment proceeds to the Land Use Commission. DLNR supported the bill and said it often reviews project documents that lack sufficient information on water needs and availability, so the measure would allow earlier review and comment. The committee also indicated it would seek amendments and further feedback on the water penalty bill before it moved to the next committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• You guys have seen us on boats. Many of you have been out with us on the boat.
• as folks were up on top of the canyon with microscopes, and we have folks down on the water on the boats
• And I know many folks on this committee have been in the boat with us.
• So if you were to have an infested boat headed toward Idaho or Oregon and Washington, here's how many
• We get requests from boat owners regularly.

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Petty Officer Cleo Pio Guth and Petty Officer Mason Anthony were the first Coast Guard response boat
• They helped recover two more passengers hailing for help from a boat.
• :28:46.720><c> Coast</c><00:28:46.960><c> Guard</c><00:28:47.360><c> response</c><00:28:48.120><c> boat
• </c> were the first Coast Guard response boat were the first Coast Guard response boat to<00:28:49.360
• </c> hailing hailing for help from a boat. hailing hailing for help from a boat.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the boat leaving in 30 minutes, I get a call on my phone while I'm on the floor.
• five minutes to spare, they had obtained her a Kentucky Uniform ID, which allowed her to get on the boat
• expired three days earlier and uh with expired three days earlier and uh with the<00:01:45.880><c> boat
• leaving in 30 minutes uh I get the boat leaving in 30 minutes uh I get a<00:01:49.240><c> call</c><00
• </c> ID which allowed her to get on the boat ID which allowed her to get on the boat and<00:02:09.879

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and heard a personal privilege statement praising Transportation Cabinet staff for helping a constituent obtain a Kentucky Uniform ID in time to board a cruise. The chair also recognized special guests and noted a page for the day. The main bill taken up was Senate Bill 99, with a committee substitute adopted before discussion. Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Senator Douglas, would strengthen Kentucky’s distracted-driving laws by prohibiting the use of personal communication devices to write, send, or read texts while operating a motor vehicle, with exceptions for emergency or public safety use and certain reporting or medical situations. The committee substitute clarified that GPS use remains allowed, including for younger drivers, and the bill also bars anyone under 18 from using a device in any manner while driving, sets a $100 fine with no points, and imposes a 90-day license revocation for minors. Supportive testimony and comments emphasized pedestrian and roadway safety, the dangers of distracted driving, and the bill’s alignment with existing CDL-related restrictions. After discussion, the committee voted on Senate Bill 99 by roll call and reported it favorably with the committee substitute attached. Members explaining their votes said the measure would save lives, reflected practices already used in trucking and bus operations, and was a reasonable enforcement approach similar to prior seat belt laws. The committee then received an informational update on five Transportation Cabinet administrative regulations, which were described as updates for federal compliance, signage standards, truck weight-limit renumbering, an OHV pilot program extension, and expanded electronic review of title applications; no substantive objections were raised. The meeting concluded with discussion of adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So one in five traffic fatalities in Long Beach happen on this highway.
• So one in five traffic fatalities in Long Beach happen on this highway. Okay.
• So one in five traffic fatalities in Long Beach happen on this highway.
• So one in five traffic fatalities in Long Beach happen on this highway.
• Thirty of the 39 fatal crashes since 2020 have involved pedestrians.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we also regretfully would like to contest the conversation about fatalities.
• Fatalities for DUI have dropped significantly in the last few years.
• </c><00:21:27.840><c> Uh</c> uh the conversation about fatalities.
• Uh uh the conversation about fatalities.
• ><c> dropped</c> fatalities for DUI have dropped fatalities for DUI have dropped significantly<00:21:

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on March 20, 2025, first on two bills and then on a series of resolutions. On SB 597, relating to administrative driver’s license revocation, the Department of the Attorney General and other agencies supported extending the deadlines for written review decisions because chemical testing results, especially from neighbor islands, can take longer to return. One individual testified in opposition. The committee amended the bill to set the review-decision deadlines at 14 and 28 days, deferred the effective date to July 1, 3000, and recommended passage with amendments by vote. The committee then heard SB 1285 SD2, a highway safety measure that would create an impaired-driving offense, establish automatic license suspension procedures, and amend related administrative processes. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about the new infraction structure and recommended deleting that section, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it could create due process problems and unnecessary burdens on the courts. DOT and several advocacy groups supported the measure, and one individual testified in support of lowering the BAC limit to 0.05. The committee adopted extensive amendments, including deleting several sections, revising revocation language for refusals to test, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 3000, then passed the bill with amendments. In the later resolution hearing, the committee heard measures on Maui road projects, the Kulani Hako Bridge replacement, enforcement against improperly registered out-of-state vehicles, a proposed extension of the Skyline rail to West Oahu, a proposal to transfer airport regulatory authority to DOT, a golf-ball safety resolution, and a restricted parking pilot program in West Oahu neighborhoods. Testimony was generally supportive on the Maui road, bridge, vehicle-registration, and golf-ball measures, while DOT opposed the airport-corporation task force resolution and several groups offered mixed views, including calls for public-sector union representation if a task force were created. The committee also heard support and concern on the Skyline extension resolution, with members noting the need for transit options that better serve West Oahu. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted the resolutions it took up in decision-making, including the Maui road measures, the bridge resolution, the vehicle-registration resolution, and the Skyline-related resolution, with the airport-corporation and parking-zone measures also heard before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the administrator for the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.
• I am the administrator for the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.
• And unfortunately, the aku boats are gone, the fish are still gone.
• And unfortunately, the aku boats are gone, the fish are still gone.
• </c> fish and and they get one small boat fish and and they get one small boat know<01:00:43.440><c>

Summary: The joint committees first heard SB 1146, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaiʻi to develop an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan for debris management and water quality control in the Ala Wai Watershed. Testimony was largely supportive from DLNR, a UH student, and a special improvement district representative, while one speaker suggested the work should be coordinated with existing efforts to avoid duplication. Committee discussion focused on the multi-jurisdictional nature of the watershed, existing debris-trap work that captures only about 20 to 30 percent of debris, the role of the university in capstone projects and recommendations, and the relationship to the existing Geni project and other community efforts. Members also asked about costs, tracking progress, and the difference between water-quality improvements and the larger debris problem. The committees then voted to pass SB 1146 with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation and deferring the effective date to July 31, 2050. The motion passed in both committees, with votes recorded in support and no opposition noted during the decision-making. The committees also heard SB 321, which would deem certain fee simple privately owned lands transferred to adjacent property owners or community associations if specified conditions are met. Testimony was in support from several individuals, but members raised concerns about the lack of input from counties and the state, and about how the bill might affect roads already used by the public or maintained by local governments. After discussion, the committees voted to advance SB 321 unamended to the next committees, with the measure adopted in both committees despite one recorded no vote in the Water and Land committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these fences, especially one that I think was some of the genesis of this, is right from a boat
• It's right out several hundred yards parallel to a boat ramp.
• We talked about a boat ramp, obviously that allowed for boats on the lake.
• have been put up there could easily be underwater and a great hazard to those. ...that are out there boating
• Certainly a handful of boat ramps would be affected by it.

Bills: HB334 , HB583 , HB605 , HB1327 , HB1646 , HB2115 , HB2379

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: family leave, leave pool, county employee, sick leave, vacation leave, family care, pandemic, guardianship, fencing, reservoirs, local government, regulation, land use, conservation capacity, property regulation, fence regulation, reservoir safety, county authority, fencing regulations, counties

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, there were 7,300 sideshows resulting in 264 crashes and 30 fatalities.
• First, let's start with the fatalities, a number of fatal accidents where we had individuals who were
• Quite simply, when driving offenses result in a fatality, our administrative consequences...
• It's just the fact that 25% of our fatalities on the roadways are DUI... ...the fact that 25% of our
• fatalities on the roadways are DUIs who are not their first offense, not their second offense.

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and public safety bills, largely focused on traffic violence, e-bike regulation, and DUI enforcement. AB 1588 on sideshows and street takeovers drew support from the author, San Francisco officials, law enforcement, and the League of California Cities, who said the bill would close loopholes, add motorcycles and dirt bikes to the sideshow framework, and align penalties with speed contests. ACLU California Action opposed it, but members generally supported the bill, noting the need for stronger tools against dangerous takeovers. The committee also heard AB 1654 on commercial driver’s licenses and federal verification rules, with the author arguing California must comply with federal law to avoid losing CDL authority; the chair and others objected that the bill could wrongly affect U.S. citizens and codify changing federal rules. The bill was discussed but not advanced in the portion provided. AB 1976 sought to speed delivery of bicycle and pedestrian safety projects by limiting some public meetings, restricting cancellation of contracts without findings, lowering petition thresholds for traffic calming, and updating the Pedestrian Mall Act. Supporters said current procedures delay life-saving projects and give too much power to opponents, while counties and cities opposed the limits on local public input and budget authority. After discussion, the committee voted to send AB 1976 to Local Government, with several members expressing support but also concerns about preserving community participation. The committee also heard AB 2015, which would direct Caltrans to study the effects of navigation apps on local roads and safety. Supporters said apps can divert traffic onto residential streets and undermine local traffic calming, while members suggested the bill should also consider built-in vehicle navigation systems. AB 2168, on the Active Transportation Program, would update the definition of safe routes to transit, prioritize transit-rich and underserved areas, and add stronger spending accountability; it drew support from bicycle and transit advocates and some local agencies, with a few technical concerns left to resolve. Finally, AB 1942 on e-bike registration and license plates for Class 2 and 3 e-bikes drew strong support from law enforcement and medical witnesses citing rising injuries, but broad opposition from bicycle groups, micromobility advocates, and some local governments who said it would burden lawful riders, create DMV problems, and not address illegal e-motos. The committee also heard AB 1685 and AB 1687, both DUI-related bills from the same author: AB 1685 would increase DMV points for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and AB 1687 would extend license revocation for a third DUI conviction to eight years with an interlock option after four years. Both bills received strong support from law enforcement and victims’ advocates, with ACLU California Action opposing them as duplicative or overly punitive; both bills were advanced by committee vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, there were 7,300 sideshows resulting in 264 crashes and 30 fatalities.
• First, let's start with the fatalities, a number of fatal accidents where we had individuals that were
• Quite simply, when driving offenses result in a fatality, our administrative consequences...
• Quite simply, when driving offenses result in a fatality, our administrative consequences should match
• It's just the fact that 25% of our fatalities on the roadways are DUI...

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• under 900 fatality crashes we went to, 896 to be exact.
• We were trying to drive this number of fatalities and aggressive driving, and lower serious, fatal, and
• So how can we help drive down impaired driving, fatal crashes, or other problems in the community, or
• They were noticing that they were having a large collision, large fatal picture from their members.
• They were noticing that they were having a large collision, large fatal picture from their members.

Committee: Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from WSDOT on balancing uncertainty in capital program estimates and cash flow management. WSDOT explained the differences between design-bid-build and design-build delivery, its tiered risk-assessment process by project size, and how it uses base estimates, inflation, and risk modeling to set budgets. Staff said design-bid-build estimates are generally accurate within about 1% across the program, while design-build projects carry much wider uncertainty and are better communicated as ranges; they cited a P85 budget approach and noted that large, complex projects can be affected by market competition and long procurement timelines. Members asked about the Columbia River Bridge cost growth and about value engineering, and WSDOT said it uses value engineering but has limited scope to cut costs because of project requirements and policy mandates. Troy Swing also discussed cash flow, noting that a few large projects can significantly affect biennial funding needs, and said a risk pool would not reduce overall program risk but could help manage timing if paired with appropriation and cash-flow controls. The committee then received the final presentation in the WSDOT Project Delivery and Innovative Practices study from HKA Global. The consultant said WSDOT’s estimating practices are generally robust and recommended improving transparency by presenting budget authorizations as ranges or estimate classes, better tracking estimate growth over time, and adjusting advertisement timing to avoid competing lettings. The report also discussed surety bonding, suggesting the legislature consider restoring authority for reduced bonding on select large design-build projects or using phased bonding and alternative securities. On indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracting, the consultant said current job order contract rules are restrictive and recommended legislative changes to make such tools more usable, especially for smaller tasks and to help use unspent funds more flexibly. The committee also heard a follow-up presentation on transit-oriented development policy recommendations tied to HB 1491. The Urban Institute’s Yona Freemark said Washington has been a national leader on TOD but that housing construction, especially in the Puget Sound, has slowed sharply since 2022. He said rising construction costs, high financing costs, and local tax and rent conditions are making many TOD projects infeasible, and recommended that the state fill infrastructure funding gaps around stations, revisit MFTE affordability requirements, consider minimum rather than average density requirements near transit, and create a statewide system to track TOD outcomes such as affordability, gentrification, and transit access. Members questioned the study’s developer interviews, the role of rent control and crime, property tax assumptions, and parking needs; the presenter said the study included five private developers, that rent control was not part of the study scope, and that parking was included in the model assumptions. Finally, the committee began a presentation on regulating emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth. Staff and consultants described California-style at-berth rules, which require shore power or equivalent emissions controls so ships can shut off diesel auxiliary engines while docked. The study is examining vessel traffic, emissions reductions, implementation costs, labor and operational needs, and possible effects on port competitiveness and cargo diversion. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2025, according to data from HDOT, there have been a total of 46 traffic fatalities statewide as of
• </c><00:36:50.640><c> from</c><00:36:50.840><c> 2013</c> of Hawaii's traffic fatalities from 2013 of
• Hawaii's traffic fatalities from 2013 to<00:36:51.760><c> 2022</c><00:36:53.120><c> were</c><00:36:53.240
• statewide as of April 20th, fatalities statewide as of April 20th, 2025.<00:37:04.840><c> And</c><00
• . fatalities. fatalities.

Transcript Highlights:

• The MMTA is a nonprofit trade association representing the recreational boating industry since 1964.
• To start off with a brief overview of the recreational boating industry from an economic standpoint:
• I am fortunate to work in the recreational boating industry because the clients that I work with and
• Access, which manages over 300 boat ramps across the Commonwealth.
• We actually have four pilot boats and one under construction right now.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to environmental, natural resources, and maritime issues. Representative Markey testified in support of H. 1000, which would create a commission to study financing wastewater infrastructure, especially in southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore, citing combined sewer overflows and impacts on aquaculture. Members agreed the core challenge is finding long-term financing for wastewater solutions. The committee also heard testimony on H. 902 to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, with supporters describing its role in expanding access, supporting underrepresented communities, and helping grow the outdoor economy. Related testimony also supported H. 986, which would codify the Division of Ecological Restoration and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access within the Department of Fish and Game, with witnesses emphasizing habitat restoration, flood reduction, public access, and boating/fishing opportunities. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 901/S. 597, “An Act Providing Nature for All,” which would dedicate existing sporting goods sales tax revenue to a new conservation fund. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Trust for Public Land, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and conservation groups argued the bill would provide a sustainable revenue stream for land conservation, parks, trails, wetlands, water protection, and climate resilience, while also advancing environmental justice and outdoor recreation. They said the state needs roughly $300 million more per year to meet land conservation goals and that the bill could generate about $100 million annually without raising taxes. Committee members asked about balancing conservation with housing and development, and witnesses said the goals are compatible and that the bill includes safeguards. Witnesses also noted similar funding models in other states. The hearing also included H. 1053, a bill to create a Merrimack River Collaborative. Regional planning and watershed advocates said the river faces bacterial contamination, heavy metals, combined sewer overflows, and other pollution, and that a formal collaborative would help coordinate municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofits across the watershed and possibly across state lines. Another bill, H. 4109, would relocate harbor lines in New Bedford Harbor to allow reconstruction of deteriorating bulkheads at a waterfront industrial site; the New Bedford Port Authority, engineers, and the property owner said the change is needed for permitting and would support port modernization and jobs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on S. 641 regarding marine pilotage in New Bedford. Supporters argued the bill would remove a District 3 pilotage restriction and improve port flexibility and offshore wind operations, while opponents warned it would undermine the state’s compulsory pilotage system, weaken safety, and allow ship owners to shop for pilots. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• construction requirements to those outlined in this legislation have a statistically indistinguishable fire fatality
• what it's worth, a Pew study also documented six stories has statistically indistinguishable fire fatality
• what it's worth, a Pew study also documented six stories has statistically indistinguishable fire fatality
• Sprinklers have been shown to sharply reduce residential fire fatalities.

Committee: Senate Housing and Human Services

Summary: The Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services met with a quorum, adopted the June 16, 2026 minutes, and then unanimously adopted S-1 substitutes for House Bills 5570 and 5571. The chair said the committee would take testimony and likely not move to final passage that day, in order to allow more discussion and questions. The bills, as substituted, would allow local governments to permit certain multifamily buildings up to four stories to be built or converted with a single staircase, subject to conditions such as limits on units per floor, floor size, and existing fire safety requirements. A sunset provision was described as ending the statute once LARA adopts corresponding building code rules. Representatives Fairbairn and Wooden testified in support, saying the bills are intended to address Michigan’s housing shortage by making smaller infill and “missing middle” projects more feasible and less costly. They argued the current two-stair requirement drives up costs, makes land assembly harder, and limits development on narrow or irregular lots. Senators asked about stair width, emergency safety, the choice of four stories instead of six, and why the American Institute of Architects opposed the approach; the sponsors said the 48-inch stair width was intended to allow two-way movement, four stories was a compromise aligned with expected code changes, and the architects preferred rulemaking over statutory change. Supportive testimony came from Pew Charitable Trusts, which said research from New York City, Seattle, and other places found fire death rates in modern single-stair buildings to be indistinguishable from other multifamily buildings, and that modern safety features such as sprinklers, alarms, and fire-rated construction make these buildings safe. A developer from Ann Arbor and the Michigan Home Builders Association said the reform would improve floor-plan efficiency, reduce wasted circulation space, lower construction costs, and help smaller projects pencil out. Abundant Housing Michigan also supported the bills, estimating they could reduce apartment construction costs by nearly 13%. The clerk read in numerous written cards in support from business, housing, municipal, and advocacy groups, while the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union were listed as neutral. The committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I was so eager to testify on this bill as much as I am eager to prevent boats from sinking, which
• And then we'll hear from Taryn Todd with Recreational Boating Association of Washington.
• Then we'll hear from Taryn Todd with the Recreational Boating Association of Washington.
• I'm here on behalf of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington.
• We have extensive shoreline, active recreational boating, and working waterfronts.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held public hearings on several bills, with most of the discussion focused on tribal representation and natural resource management. On HB 2117, which would add a tribal representative to the Board of Natural Resources, the prime sponsor and DNR officials said the bill would strengthen government-to-government relationships without replacing existing consultation duties. Tribal leaders from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation testified in support, as did the Commissioner of Public Lands and DNR’s tribal relations director. County and timber interests said they were not opposed to tribal representation but raised concerns about trust responsibilities, beneficiary interests, and whether the representative should come from a tribe with commercial forest management experience. The committee later closed testimony on HB 2117 and read into the record 192 pro, 124 con, and zero other sign-ins. The committee also heard HB 2516, which would impose a two-year moratorium on the use of certain anticoagulant rodenticides and bromethalin after a Department of Agriculture report and while the Washington State Academy of Sciences studies alternatives and impacts. The prime sponsor argued the bill balances rodent control with concerns about wildlife, groundwater, and human exposure, while opponents from the pest management industry warned it would remove effective tools and worsen rodent problems, especially for low-income and manufactured-home communities. Supporters included the Washington Poison Center, wildlife rehabilitators, Birds Connect Seattle, the Stillaguamish Tribe, and other advocates who cited poisonings in wildlife and children and pointed to non-toxic alternatives and integrated pest management. The committee read into the record 754 pro, 176 con, and five other sign-ins. For HB 2554, which would repeal RCW 77.110 and related language tied to Initiative 456 and tribal fishing rights, the sponsor and the Attorney General’s Office said the statute is unconstitutional and inconsistent with federal treaty law and court rulings. The Department of Fish and Wildlife also supported repeal, describing the measure as removing an unenforceable anti-tribal statute. The committee then moved on to HB 2327, a bill directing JLARC to audit the county forest board lands trust and DNR’s management of those lands. The sponsor, former Rep. Jim Buck, county representatives, and forest industry witnesses supported an independent review of the trust structure and performance; some asked for amendments to address reconveyance options, broader legal and ecological considerations, and consultation with tribes and the Board of Natural Resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• Put differently, everyone has an oar, but no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction
• Put differently, everyone has an or, but no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction
• This bill But no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction.
• It accounts for 20% of its crash fatalities, and tragically, it's taken an average of eight lives every

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on artificial intelligence, child safety, mental health, and privacy. SB 574 by Senator Umberg would require transparency and human oversight when attorneys, judges, and court neutrals use AI; it drew support from privacy advocates and committee members, with no opposition. SB 1276, the End Child Exploitation Act, would update child sexual exploitation laws to cover live-streamed and AI-generated abuse material and clarify that viewing such content can be criminally punishable; prosecutors, child advocacy groups, and others supported it, while no one appeared in opposition despite opposition on file. SB 813 would create a California AI standards and safety commission and a voluntary two-tier certification framework for AI safety standards; supporters said it would create scalable, independent oversight, while TechNet and CalChamber opposed it as duplicative, under-defined, and likely to create a de facto mandate. The committee discussed market pressure, federal preemption concerns, and the role of voluntary standards, but no final vote was taken in the excerpt. Senator Padilla also presented SB 300, which would strengthen protections for minors from sexually explicit chatbot content by moving from a reasonableness standard to an affirmative duty to prevent such exposure and to prohibit facilitation. Supporters said new evidence showed greater risks and that companies can and should build stronger safeguards; opponents, including TechNet and CCIA, argued the bill was premature because SB 243 had only recently taken effect and warned it could create strict-liability-like exposure. Padilla then presented SB 903, which would bar AI chatbots from being advertised as therapists, require licensed clinician oversight and informed consent for AI use in psychotherapy, and protect patient confidentiality; it received broad support from mental health professionals and labor groups, while industry and health associations were opposed unless amended over triage and crisis-detection language. The committee members emphasized the need for human judgment in mental health care and noted ongoing negotiations on amendments. The committee also heard SB 1119, a companion to AB 2020, which would require annual risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, default child settings, parental controls, limits on data use, public incident reporting, and third-party audits for chatbots used by children. Supporters argued the bill would address documented harms and improve transparency, while industry groups objected to ambiguous standards, liability exposure, and the private right of action. A roll call vote was taken on SB 1119 after quorum was established; the motion to pass to Appropriations succeeded on a 5-1 vote, with one no vote and the measure left on call for absent members. Finally, SB 354, a privacy bill for insurance consumers, would modernize outdated insurance privacy rules, bar sale of personal information, and expand consumer rights to know, correct, and delete data. Supporters said it would implement Proposition 24’s privacy mandate, while a large coalition of insurers, agents, brokers, and related businesses opposed unless amended, mainly seeking a small-business exemption and narrower treatment of publicly available information; members and the author said negotiations were ongoing and the bill had already been substantially revised.