Transcript Highlights:

• And so that was, after I reviewed or discussed with the Blaine County sheriff, I was able to visit with
• Kathy, you look great on video. Kathy, you look great on video. The problem is we can't hear you.

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• YOU GUYS GRAB DVR SYSTEMS TO SHOW THE PATTERN IF YOU'RE GRABBING THE VIDEO YOU CAN SEE HOW OFTEN THEY
• WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO GO VISIT EVERY LOCATION IN THE STATE BUT WE ASK QUESTIONS LIKE HEY DO YOU
• IF YOU SEE MECHANICAL REELS OR VIDEO POKER THOSE ARE BY LAW EXCLUDED FROM THE DEFINITION OF AMUSEMENT

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, while I was up here, I got a video and you can see the stream running and there's sunshine.
• Can you just clarify, the video you just showed, is that how it's supposed to work or how it actually
• So the video is a demonstration of what we could do with buffer, not what actually happened.
• Somehow I've never been to Mora to visit the little baby trees, but I know when you all were feeling
• Again, it was your letter that really got my office focused And also the visit to Rio Doso after the

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Shirley fell visited it in 2025. Shirley fell visited it in 2025.
• We did additional follow-up visits after the video was published for compliance visits.
• Keith explained that all of the centers in the Nick Shirley video had received a licensing visit that
• He said the department also did additional follow-up visits after the video was published for compliance
• </c> with a visit again to investigate that. with a visit again to investigate that.

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• those on Zoom, as probably those in the audience as well: please keep yourself muted and keep your video
• visit would be allowed under Medicare.
• </c> needed before the first Audio Only visit needed before the first Audio Only visit um<00:35:16.599
• </c> 43-13 c requires an in-person visit 43-13 c requires an in-person visit thank<01:12:36.480><c> you
• Many kupuna like myself prefer telephone service rather than video conferencing.

Committee: House Health

Summary: The House Health Committee held its first hearing of 2025, with Chair Greg Takayama and Vice Chair Representative Leoy opening the meeting and outlining housekeeping rules, including a two-minute limit for testifiers and Zoom etiquette. The committee first heard HB 303 on health care preceptors. The Department of Health, Department of Taxation, University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, and several health care organizations supported the bill, saying the existing preceptor tax credit program has been successful and that expanding eligibility to additional professions and students would help address workforce shortages. In response to questions, the Department of Health said the annual tax credit cap is $1.5 million, about 650 to 670 credits are currently used each year, and the bill applies only to unpaid preceptors. The committee then moved on to HB 441, which would raise cigarette taxes. The Attorney General, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Hawaii Public Health Institute, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and others supported the measure as a way to reduce smoking, especially among youth, and to support tobacco control and cancer-related programs. Opponents, including the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Cigar Association of Hawaii, argued the tax is regressive and unreliable as a revenue source. The Department of Health noted the last cigarette tax increase was in 2011, and one witness urged a larger increase than proposed. No vote was taken on either bill in the portion of the hearing provided. The committee also heard HB 557 on telehealth. The Department of Health supported the bill so long as it did not displace executive budget priorities, and the Hawaii State Health Planning and Development Agency and Hawaii Primary Care Association supported it. HPCA said the bill would conform state insurance law to recent Medicare changes expanding audio-only telehealth coverage beyond mental health services, and it emphasized access for rural residents, kupuna, and people with disabilities. HMSA opposed the bill as written, saying it strayed from the intent of Act 107 and that audio-only telehealth should remain limited because of quality-of-care concerns, though it supported continued access and asked for a different amendment approach. A telehealth provider also testified that payment disparities limit provider expansion and that audio-only access remains important for patients with serious illness. The hearing ended in the excerpt before any committee action or vote on HB 557.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a little video, and if you could, we’re going to hold off on the videos just time-wise, but we
• and if you could uh we're going to video and if you could uh we're going to hold<00:05:15.199><c> off
• You'll hear in the video he says it takes courage to innovate.
• Chair McMillan, you'll hear in the video he says it takes courage to innovate.
• There is a video that has been submitted, and we'll get that out to you.

Bills: HF846 , HF1538 , HF1959

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• and reports um of any of photos videos and reports um of any disability<00:53:53.079><c> related</c>
• We chose to use three products: a video, a monograph, and then this book.
• We have had 15 million downloaded PDFs from our website since 2018 and 375,000 video views.
• a monograph and three products a video a monograph and then<00:59:29.839><c> this</c><00:59:30.079><
• And if you ever want to know the history, uh, go visit Dr.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> nonprofit is functioning as a site visit nonprofit is functioning as a site visit and<00:42:25.200
• visits.
• </c><01:19:26.480><c> ogm</c> required annual monitoring visits ogm required annual monitoring visits
• </c> also states that the monitoring visit also states that the monitoring visit should<01:19:40.520>
• </c><01:19:52.960><c> visits</c><01:19:53.840><c> obviously</c> required monitoring visits obviously

Transcript Highlights:

• video and learn how to check an ID, right?
• video and learn how to check an ID, right?
• </c> that program where the state has a video that program where the state has a video where<00:59:35.039
• </c><00:59:36.559><c> and</c> where employees can watch the video and where employees can watch the video
• He is currently in his second year of an internship at a video game development company.

Summary: The joint hearing opened with House Bill 1462 on crisis services. Testimony from the Department of Law Enforcement, the Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Department of Health supported expanding behavioral health crisis services as an alternative to arrest or incarceration. Witnesses said additional crisis sites would help divert people in mental health crisis to appropriate care, and the Department of Health described its current crisis center in Ewa, including the need for renovations such as a padded room and the time required to get the facility operational. In response to questions, the department estimated the Ewa center’s budgeted cost at about $4.3 million, not including rent or startup repairs, and said a second site’s cost would depend on whether it was freestanding or attached to an existing facility. The committee then heard House Bill 700 on cognitive assessments. The Executive Office on Aging supported the bill’s intent but asked that it be amended to make assessments optional rather than mandated, to pilot the program first, and to allow flexibility in handling HIPAA-protected data. SHPDA also supported the measure but said it should not be mandatory and suggested that payers reimburse for assessments when requested by patients, families, or physicians. The Alzheimer’s Association and caregivers strongly supported standardizing cognitive assessments to improve early detection and access to newer treatments, while noting the existing opt-out provision. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the bill but asked that the age 65 threshold be removed because cognitive decline can begin much earlier for people with Down syndrome, autism, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and related conditions. In response to a question, the Office on Aging said a pilot project could likely be done for about $150,000, with data security being the main added cost. The final bill discussed was House Bill 237 on peer support programs. Testimony from Family Hui Hawaii, Early Childhood Action Strategy, peer support workers, and families described peer-to-peer programs as a cost-effective way to reduce isolation, strengthen families, and provide long-term community support. Speakers said these programs help parents and caregivers navigate crises, child welfare involvement, addiction recovery, and other challenges, and can have lasting benefits for children’s development and family stability. Several witnesses tied the bill to broader state goals, including infant and early childhood mental health, trauma-informed care, and child welfare reform. Written testimony from about a dozen organizations and individuals was also noted in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• You saw a lot of growth, I think, in the video.
• Yeah, either way, we appreciate the opportunity to visit as we go through. We'll keep going.
• Essentially, they were looking at different site evaluations, visited Santa Teresa, got at least past
• I had three visits from the two companies. We had picked out a building at 135,000 square feet.
• Thank you for the opportunity to visit with you. My name is Lanham Napier.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I was invited down to visit the facility, Waymo, down in Phoenix, Arizona.
• When we drive, when we get in our vehicles and drive around, no one's videoing us.
• And, you know, we talked about videos online.
• They put out constant videos. We know that people know who did it.
• They put out constant videos. We know that people know who did it.

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory illness, and 6,700 additional emergency room visits
• Or may or may not know a little bit about how it works, and then they send you home to YouTube videos
• that they can also serve, you know, multi-purpose for our fleets, for our employees, as well as visiting
• need to incentivize and give more money from the state to make more of these programs, make these videos
• need to incentivize and give more money from the state to make more of these programs, make these videos

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Select Committee on Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure focused on California’s EV market, charging infrastructure, and the effects of recent federal actions. The chair opened by emphasizing California’s progress on EV adoption and charging reliability, but also noted ongoing challenges with affordability, access, interoperability, heavy-duty electrification, and federal headwinds. She highlighted interest in technologies such as inductive charging and thanked host organizations and staff before moving to the first panel. State agency witnesses from Go-Biz, CARB, and the California Energy Commission described current programs and priorities. Go-Biz outlined its role in coordinating agencies, supporting permitting, and advancing the state’s ZEV market development strategy and equity action plan. CARB discussed federal attacks on its clean vehicle regulations, litigation to defend waiver authority, and the importance of incentives and regulatory programs such as Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Fleets, Clean Truck Check, HVIP, and Clean Cars for All. The CEC detailed its funding and regulatory work on charging and fueling infrastructure, charger reliability, payment methods, roaming, and statewide planning, while stressing the need for more charging in multifamily housing and more public DC fast charging. All three agencies said federal rollbacks and permitting delays are major obstacles, but that California remains committed to expanding ZEV adoption. The second panel featured advocates, local government, utility, and research perspectives. CalETC urged continuous state funding through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and emphasized the low-carbon fuel standard, multifamily charging, and managed charging. An EV advocacy group proposed a conquest-style state incentive for new and used EV buyers and argued that multifamily housing is a major untapped market, while also favoring Level 2 charging over Level 1 for most home and apartment settings. Los Angeles County and LADWP described large-scale local deployment of chargers, fleet electrification, workforce training, and the need for sustained funding, agency coordination, and streamlined permitting and grid interconnection. UCS recommended prioritizing replacement of older high-emitting vehicles, using fuel policy revenues to support cleaner cars, and expanding bidirectional charging. The chair closed by asking for more discussion on Level 1 versus Level 2 charging and noted the importance of education, affordability, and practical deployment strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank you for allowing me. minutes to visit with you about the follow-up care that is addressed
• So for the, a follow-up visit would allow. me to one, physically assess any existing, any injuries that
• It's currently being circulated of this child's rape, who her uncle videoed her. performing acts with
• Horrifyingly, the video plainly showed that I was not moving, not responding to any.
• I have not, my staff and I have not had the privilege of visiting. with those two individuals that you

Bills: HB47 , HB1552 , HB1686 , HB1953 , HB2151 , HB2355 , HB2582 , HB2697 , HB2895 , HB3073 , HB3418 , HB47

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• These sites are really important because some people like to go and travel and visit these different
• And is it true that it actually takes more than one, or maybe even two days, to visit San Antonio to
• The same thing with the video cameras. The officers now all have video cameras.
• On her car video, you can see where she slowed to a stop and approached with caution, recognizing...
• Infirmary records, grievances, videos, et cetera.

Bills: HB1583 , HB1775 , HB1832 , HB1836 , HB1837 , HB1866 , HB1983 , HB2029 , HB2217 , HB2318 , HB2363 , HB2486

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• A video archive of the meeting will be available on this web page and on the commission's website shortly
• A video archive of the meeting will be available on this web page and on the commission's website shortly
• As other people come on, Iman will announce them as they arrive on the video.
• that the organizations that were part of the resource fair actually became active participants in visiting

Summary: The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities held its quarterly virtual meeting and approved the September minutes. Chair Denise Garlick opened with updates on the commission’s first “Meeting the Moment” community forum in Needham, reporting strong attendance, a large resource fair, and mostly positive survey feedback. Commissioners said the event was valuable for connecting advocates, providers, and people with disabilities, while also noting lessons learned about accessibility, timing, and the need for more networking time and advance materials. The chair said the commission is planning future forums in other regions, including possible sites in Lowell, Northampton, and the South Shore. A major item was the new advisory council. Oz Osmondahar and Eman described the outreach and screening process, which drew roughly 60 nominations and emphasized lived experience, sector expertise, geographic diversity, and connections to broader networks. The council will serve as strategic advisors and thought partners, meet twice a year, and hold its first in-person orientation on January 30 at the State House Members Lounge. Commissioners were encouraged to stay engaged with the council and use it to strengthen commission and subcommittee work. Subcommittee reports covered employment, workforce supports, and long-term services and supports/health equity. The Disability Employment Subcommittee reported collaboration with SEED, a presentation at the Employment Matters Conference, a discussion with a disability employee resource group, and upcoming work with CED and veterans advocates. The Workforce Supports Subcommittee heard from the MassHealth Policy Commission’s Behavioral Health Workforce Center about workforce data gaps and an upcoming needs assessment, and plans to host ADDP on 2025 workforce metrics. The long-term services and supports committee discussed the Housing Navigator program, barriers to accessible housing, and concerns about how federal cuts could affect disability services and health equity. The commission also heard from DDS Deputy General Counsel Erin Brown and Associate Commissioner Chris Klaskin on a new law expanding access to records from former state institutions, including new notification and privacy procedures and a forthcoming regulatory process with public input. Commissioners welcomed the law as a step toward transparency and dignity. Amen gave an executive director update on the annual report, recent collaboration with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, a national state-employer practice group, and the IDD/Autism Alliance working group. The meeting also included a moment of reflection for disability activist Alice Wong, a commissioner announcement about Work Without Limits’ virtual career fair, and adjournment after a motion and second were approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• With a lot of my classmates, and we were getting live videos and pictures texted of where the shooter
• The other question I had for you really quick is I had some constituents who came and visited me.
• An example of what we have requested is a video that they must watch when they are enrolling during the
• If you don't watch that video or read and retain that information that explains how you would identify

Committee: House Education & Employment Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, the only video pictures allowed to be taken in this committee are credential press.
• If that's an issue you'd like to discuss further, I'm certainly happy to visit with you further about
• Can you tell me if the Department of Health have you visited with them to see if this is something that

Bills: SB1806 , SB1430 , SB206 , SB1547 , SB1849 , SB1428 , SB1653 , SB1984 , SB1644 , SB1561 , SB1813 , SB1570 , SB1796

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, thank you for coming out and visiting us.
• Chairman, thank you for coming out and visiting us.
• And Kingman, just a quick story: I had family that I would visit every summer.
• If you look at the videos online, you will be shocked at what took place in our neighborhood for over
• Moore, you showed us the videos years ago, and I had no idea how low-riding and cruising had evolved.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Nucor Corporation on its Arizona operations, including the Kingman steel facility, recycling-based electric arc furnace production, workforce development, safety improvements, veteran hiring, and recent investments. Nucor emphasized that its Arizona materials support local infrastructure and manufacturing jobs, and members asked about scrap sources, annual tonnage recycled, average pay, safety practices, and future expansion. No formal action was taken on the presentation. The committee then considered HB 2574, which would require ADOT to hold off on enforcing a civil traffic judgment while an appeal is pending if a stay is granted. The sponsor and a witness argued the bill would close a due-process gap by preventing penalties from taking effect before appeals are resolved. The committee voted 7-0 to give HB 2574 a due pass recommendation. HB 2057, which lowers the fee for Arizona Centennial special plates on fleet vehicles and directs the fee split to administration and the Centennial Plate Fund, also passed 7-0 after discussion about possibly expanding the discount to other specialty plates. HB 2109, which raises penalties for repeat distracted-driving violations and adds an enhanced penalty when such conduct causes a motorcycle crash, drew extensive testimony and discussion. Supporters argued stronger fines are needed to change behavior and improve road safety, while members raised concerns that the bill lacked an education component and discussed possible committee-of-the-whole amendments. The committee voted 7-0 to pass the bill. HB 2317, which would bar local governments from prohibiting cruising, generated significant testimony both for and against; supporters framed cruising as a cultural practice tied to lowriding, while opponents described neighborhood congestion, blocked access, trash, and public-safety problems. The chair held HB 2317 so the sponsor and stakeholders could work on amendments. The committee also heard HB 2003, which would lower the minimum age for an instruction permit to 15 and extend permit validity and supervised-driving time for teen drivers; the sponsor argued the changes would improve safety by increasing supervised practice, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, um, sorry, I says I'm not able to turn my video on. Okay, sorry, there we go.
• Can you put your video on? Okay.
• The second is our family visitation centers, located on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.
• Sorry, I’m trying to start my video. Thank you very much.
• Services are available 24/7 in person, by phone, and video in over 250 languages.

Transcript Highlights:

• They amount to about $3,100 per member, which is about the cost of a single ER visit.
• The bill, as it's written, requires latent disclosures or watermarks on all video, audio, and image content
• back to a person, but just be able to tell if that image or video was created by AI.
• And I think we definitely want to know whether images or videos used in political speech or for protests
• Chairman, I had a group of Western students come and visit with me today, and they were supporters of

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2073, which would require nonprofit health carriers with surplus above 600% of risk-based capital to pay 3% of the excess to support the Cascade Care Savings premium assistance program. Committee staff said the bill could generate about $80 million in FY 2027 based on 2024 surplus data, while carriers and business groups argued their reserves are needed to pay claims, manage risk, and avoid premium increases. Supporters said the bill would redirect consumer-funded surplus to help Washingtonians afford coverage, especially as federal subsidies expire. No action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2132, which limits disclosure and retention of personally identifying and financial information in WASFA applications. Staff explained the bill would exempt WASFA records from public disclosure, restrict sharing to narrow purposes, and shorten retention periods, with significant fiscal impacts tied to purging records and updating data-sharing practices. Student and advocacy testimony strongly supported the bill as a privacy and safety measure for immigrant and mixed-status students. The committee also heard House Bill 2403, which lowers the penalty for failure to register as a sex offender and adds community custody and DOC supervision; public defense supported it as a cost-saving, consensus reform, and staff projected DOC savings. House Bill 2587 was also heard, creating a Commerce pilot to provide limited advance grant funding to eligible nonprofits; supporters said it would help smaller nonprofits manage reimbursement-based contracts, while staff estimated indeterminate but potentially significant administrative costs. The committee heard House Bill 2607, which would require DCYF to periodically rebase child care subsidy rate regions to better reflect local cost differences. Supporters from Benton and Franklin counties said current regional rates are outdated and unfairly low in fast-growing areas; staff said the fiscal impact was indeterminate. The committee then moved into possible executive session on several bills. Second Substitute House Bill 1170, dealing with generative AI disclosures and provenance tools, was amended and ultimately passed out of committee on an 18-9 vote after all proposed amendments were rejected. Substitute House Bill 1570 was amended to narrow its scope to Western Washington University and then passed out of committee on a 17-9 vote. The committee also began action on proposed Third Substitute House Bill 1710, which would create a state pre-clearance requirement under the Washington Voting Rights Act, but the transcript cuts off during consideration of amendments to that bill.