Transcript Highlights:

• Lily Dorn with the Children's Partnership, a statewide advocacy organization advancing health equity
• The solution is not uniformity; it is equity and basic human decency.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 and related federal actions on Covered California, Medi-Cal, and immigrant access to care. The chair framed the discussion around three main issues: expected losses in marketplace coverage as enhanced federal premium subsidies expire, new federal work and renewal requirements that would add administrative burden to Medi-Cal, and the loss of eligibility for certain lawfully present immigrants. Covered California testified that H.R. 1 and new federal rules, combined with the end of enhanced premium tax credits, are driving higher premiums, lower new enrollment, and more cancellations, especially among middle-income, Latino, and Black enrollees. The agency said California’s $190 million state subsidy program is helping lower-income enrollees but cannot replace the lost federal assistance, and it noted that roughly 120,000 lawfully present immigrants in Covered California will lose federal tax credits in 2027. On Medi-Cal, the Department of Health Care Services said H.R. 1 will require work and community engagement verification, six-month renewals for certain adults, and other changes that the department expects will reduce enrollment substantially. DHCS estimated 233,000 members could lose coverage by June 2027 from the work requirement and 289,000 from six-month renewals, with losses rising much higher by 2028; it also said it is using automation, outreach, clinic navigators, coverage ambassadors, community health workers, and street medicine providers to reduce procedural disenrollments. The department described a two-phase outreach plan and said it is working with counties on implementation, while the Department of Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains $190 million for the state subsidy program and does not propose additional changes at this time. The LAO said its independent forecast is somewhat higher than the administration’s, estimating about 2.1 million fewer Medi-Cal enrollees by June 2028, and urged the Legislature to review county administrative workload and readiness. Public testimony and member comments focused on the human and fiscal consequences of coverage losses. A representative from the Sacramento Native American Health Center warned that reduced reimbursement and coverage losses would destabilize community health centers, increase uncompensated care, and worsen outcomes by pushing patients into emergency care. Members raised concerns about paperwork burdens, county capacity, outreach effectiveness, and whether the state should do more to preserve coverage, including possible modeling of additional H-CARF spending and support for middle-income consumers and immigrant enrollees. The hearing did not take any votes or formal actions, but it ended with public comment and continued discussion of implementation and budget options.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like that's what we would do, so that you're trying to build some equity in the rate structure.
• Like, that's what we would do, so that you're trying to build some equity in the rate structure, essentially

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Limited coverage help programs can help in the interim, but health equity can only be achieved when we
• Limited coverage help programs can help in the interim, but health equity can only be achieved when we

Committee: House Health

Transcript Highlights:

• healthy conditions for workers in our state are a central ingredient to an economy that is grounded in equity
• healthy conditions for workers in our state are a central ingredient to an economy that is grounded in equity

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and members described the audit as a response to serious workplace tragedies and argued that California’s strong worker protections are undermined when enforcement is inconsistent. Chair Ortega and others emphasized that the issue is not only staffing, but also structural problems in how complaints, inspections, citations, and penalties are handled. State Auditor Grant Parks testified that the audit found major weaknesses in Cal/OSHA’s operations during a five-year review period, including a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on employer self-investigation letters for complaints, late inspections, incomplete case files, outdated policies, and weak documentation for fine calculations and reductions. He said Cal/OSHA often lacked evidence to justify why it did not inspect certain complaints or why it reduced penalties, and that many files did not show proof that employers corrected hazards. He also noted that criminal referrals were rare and that the agency’s paper-based system made oversight difficult. Cal/OSHA and the Department of Industrial Relations responded that they accept the audit’s findings and are already taking corrective steps. Director Jennifer Osborne and Chief Deborah Lee said the division has hired more staff, reduced vacancies to about 12% through recruitment and position eliminations, hired a policy writer, updated or is updating several policies, and is developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. They said serious hazards will be directed to on-site inspections, letter investigations will be limited to non-serious complaints, and internal audits and training will be used to improve consistency and accountability. Members pressed the department on whether these changes will be enough, how fines are set and reduced, and whether the agency is doing enough to protect workers and hold employers accountable.

Transcript Highlights:

• that I will be voting with reservations, simply because I also hope, you know, in the DOE talk about equity
• that I will be voting with reservations, simply because I also hope, you know, in the DOE talk about equity

Summary: The Committee on Education met on January 30 and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with an announcement asking testifiers and members to keep remarks brief because of weather. The vice chair also explained that HB 440, relating to immigration issues in schools and state hospitals, was removed from the agenda because the proposal would not create meaningful legal protections and immigration policy is governed by federal law. The committee then moved through a series of education-related measures, with testimony largely from the Department of Education, the School Facilities Authority, the Attorney General’s office, unions, advocacy groups, and individual testifiers. On HB 330, concerning school impact fees, the School Facilities Authority supported the bill as aligning policy with implementation, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii said the fee accounts have accumulated large balances, including more than $20 million in impact fee funds and nearly $9 million from predecessor fair-share contributions, and urged that collected money be used rather than left idle. DOE said it would follow up on the balance and why it was not being used. On HB 1188, dealing with workforce housing, DOE and the Charter School Commission offered comments or support, the Attorney General suggested clarifying the phrase “within commuting distance” by using a mileage standard and adding repayment language, and HSTA, HGEA, and others supported the bill, with HSTA saying teachers need housing to be able to live and work in Hawaii. On HB 624 and HB 625, both related to school psychologists, DOE said it would participate in a work group on the pathway bill and supported the incentive program bill; school psychologists and related groups supported the measures, while one testifier said DOE should not lead the work group alone because school psychologists may work in many education settings beyond DOE schools. The committee also heard HB 1314 on youth mental health in schools. DOE described its student support process, universal screening tools, and behavioral health services, saying schools already identify and respond to concerns and that staff are trained to report issues, while the Attorney General warned the bill could expose schools to liability and recommended a broad liability waiver. Testimony was mixed, with several supporters and one opponent. On HB 616, concerning school safety and harassment protections for educational workers, the Attorney General sought clarifying amendments on harassment definitions, temporary restraining order costs, and paid leave, while HSTA, HGEA, and individual teachers strongly supported the bill, describing harassment incidents and arguing for a standardized statewide response. DOE said it already has reporting pathways, visitor codes of conduct, trespass notices, and an ethics hotline, but acknowledged implementation varies by school and that staff can escalate concerns if needed. The committee also began hearing HB 88 on a three-year pilot program for athletic travel, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s testimony is completed or any votes are taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Green energy tax credits were protected.
• giveaways in the nation, helping address the growing strain these facilities are placing on our water and energy
• We've seen so many efforts to punish solar energy. And we stopped efforts.
• We've seen so many efforts to punish solar energy.

Transcript Highlights:

• You saw in our house of compliance that our great partners are, uh, the Environment and Energy Cabinet
• <00:22:09.200><c> and</c> partners are uh the environment and partners are uh the environment and energy
• c> cabinet</c><00:22:10.080><c> from</c><00:22:10.240><c> permitting</c><00:22:10.720><c> for</c> energy
• cabinet from permitting for energy cabinet from permitting for environmental<00:22:11.600><c> controls

Summary: The subcommittee met with Secretary Jeff Null and General Counsel Matt Wing of the Cabinet for Economic Development for an overview of the cabinet’s main economic development tools, strategy, and compliance practices. Null said the cabinet uses a data-driven approach focused on competitiveness, site readiness, wages, workforce training, and long-term assets such as roads, rail spurs, water, and sewer improvements. He emphasized that the cabinet tries to balance attracting new employers with supporting existing businesses, and said compliance is a core value of the agency. Null walked members through several programs, including the closing fund, Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI), Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training support, and the KIA sales-tax refund tool for construction materials and equipment. He said the closing fund has received $80 million over two years for projects generally involving at least $10 million in investment, though some flexibility exists. He also explained that Bluegrass State Skills funding is typically about $2,000 to $3,000 per job and can be used flexibly for training, including sending Kentucky workers to be trained elsewhere or paying trainers to come to Kentucky. He described KBI as a pay-as-you-go, incremental tax credit tied to actual jobs and investment, and said the legislature’s tiered refundable credit structure allows more targeted use of incentives in heritage and non-heritage counties. A substantial portion of the presentation focused on compliance and monitoring. Null said incentive agreements are written with commercial terms and spell out jobs, investment, wages, and training commitments. The cabinet requires regular reporting, invoices, and sampling, and can use clawbacks or suspend benefits if companies fail to meet obligations or lose required environmental permits. He said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority reviews incentive applications in public meetings and often requires company representatives to answer questions before preliminary approval is granted. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• following entitled bill: Senate Bill 538FN, extending net metering eligibility terms for municipal energy
• > municipal</c> metering eligibility terms for municipal metering eligibility terms for municipal energy
• :34.560><c> the</c><04:19:34.720><c> speaker</c><04:19:34.880><c> on</c><04:19:35.120><c> the</c> energy
• And the speaker on the energy projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, and thank you, Representative Grieman, for all the time and energy you've put into this bill.
• Representative Grieman, for all the time Representative Grieman, for all the time and<00:37:35.920><c> energy
• </c><00:37:37.280><c> It</c> and energy you've put into this bill.
• It and energy you've put into this bill.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• drawer in 2018 then to bring them out of the drawer, as you know, we've had a major change to the energy
• lost some design then to bring them out of the drawer, as you know, we've had a major change to the energy
• projects, so It is HUD housing and unqualified, so That the houses are going to be higher quality and energy
• forward if we were able to get funding for our That the houses are going to be higher quality and energy

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 274, a resolution confirming the hiring of Eric King as Executive Director of the Energy
• ><00:18:30.840><c> Director</c><00:18:31.280><c> of</c><00:18:31.360><c> the</c><00:18:31.520><c> Energy
• </c> King as Executive Director of the Energy King as Executive Director of the Energy Planning<00:18

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of sad to hear about uh this kind of vibe of not being the welcoming, warm, Minnesota nice uh energy
• /c><00:36:21.119><c> uh</c> welcoming, warm, Minnesota nice uh welcoming, warm, Minnesota nice uh energy
• </c><00:36:23.599><c> Sometimes</c><00:36:24.000><c> I</c><00:36:24.240><c> worry</c> energy that we
• Sometimes I worry energy that we want.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fill them with energy and compassion during this session.
• Fill<00:05:50.080><c> them</c><00:05:50.240><c> with</c><00:05:50.479><c> energy</c><00:05:50.880><c>
• and</c><00:05:51.199><c> compassion</c> Fill them with energy and compassion Fill them with energy and

Transcript Highlights:

• And, um, electrical energy. We do have this thing exempting a video game console.
• Um, and<00:10:21.040><c> um,</c> and um, and um, electrical<00:10:23.760><c> energy.
• <c> we</c><00:10:25.760><c> do</c><00:10:25.920><c> have</c><00:10:26.079><c> this</c> electrical energy
• Um, we do have this electrical energy.

Bills: SF0052 , SF0024

Committee: House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• $500,000 per fiscal year, and that was included in response to our memorandum of agreement with the Energy
• 00:10:26.160><c> agreement</c><00:10:26.480><c> with</c><00:10:26.720><c> the</c><00:10:26.959><c> energy
• </c> memorandum of agreement with the energy memorandum of agreement with the energy and<00:10:27.360

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each of you brought your expertise, your time, and your energy to this work.
• /c><00:47:59.200><c> time</c><00:47:59.839><c> and</c><00:48:00.079><c> your</c><00:48:00.240><c> energy
• </c><00:48:00.640><c> to</c> expertise, your time and your energy to expertise, your time and your energy

Summary: The Speed Task Force met on December 15, 2025, with members participating in person and via Zoom. After roll call and introductions, the chair filed the previous meeting minutes without objection. The chair then gave a report on outreach presentations statewide about the task force’s permitting-simplification work, noting appearances before groups such as the Chinese Chamber, Small Business Regulatory Review Board, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Chamber, and the Land Use Commission. He also introduced the new task force coordinator, Reginald K. T. King, and outlined a January 6, 2026 process for member-submitted recommendations, including first-come consideration and structured debate. No public testimony or member questions were offered on these items. The task force heard a presentation from the Building Permit PIG. The presenter said the group reviewed 79 SWAT recommendation forms over seven meetings, with participation from 15 disciplines and about 270 hours of work. The group’s findings emphasized workforce shortages, inconsistent plan quality, limited departmental resources, and a lack of centralized tools for applicants to self-resolve issues. Recommendations focused on building a workforce pipeline, expanding training on codes and technology, and developing a universal platform, including AI-assisted review tools. The presenter also raised offsite construction, including factory-built, modular, tiny homes, and ADUs, as an area needing clearer state and county alignment to speed permit review and support housing needs. No public testimony or Q&A followed, and discussion and voting were deferred to the January 6, 2026 meeting. The task force then began the Chapter 6E Historic Preservation PIG presentation. The chair described historic preservation as a broad process covering research, protection, restoration, rehabilitation, and interpretation of significant properties, including burial sites and iwi kūpuna, and said Chapter 6E is intended to guide responsible development rather than stop it. The presentation explained SHPD’s role and the complexity of 6E review, including archaeological surveys, monitoring, and preservation plans. Early findings highlighted uncertainty in sensitivity determinations for iwi kūpuna and subsurface resources, repeated review of the same projects, and staffing and technical capacity shortages among SHPD and consultants. Public testimony was closed and no immediate Q&A was allowed; further discussion and voting on recommendations were scheduled for January 6, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state partners who showed up with creative energy and steadfast commitment were vital to protecting
• state partners who showed up with Our state partners who showed up with creative<00:31:46.000><c> energy
• <00:31:46.480><c> and</c><00:31:46.799><c> steadfast</c><00:31:47.519><c> commitment</c> creative energy
• and steadfast commitment creative energy and steadfast commitment were<00:31:48.559><c> vital</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• update the definitions of disinfectant and sterilize to include the use of germicidal ultraviolet energy
• 04:17.280><c> ultraviolet</c> the use of germicidal ultraviolet the use of germicidal ultraviolet energy
• 19.199><c> a</c><00:04:19.600><c> medical</c><00:04:20.239><c> a</c><00:04:20.400><c> written</c> energy
• , require a medical a written energy, require a medical a written medical<00:04:21.120><c> authorization

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have to run back to exec committee and energy.
• 00:04:40.960><c> exec</c><00:04:41.280><c> committee</c><00:04:41.600><c> and</c><00:04:41.720><c> energy
• </c><00:04:42.120><c> we're</c> back to exec committee and energy we're back to exec committee and energy

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• First up on 1395 is Mark Glick from the Hawaii State Energy Office.
• On behalf of the State Energy Office, we stand in our testimony in support. Thank you.
• Agriculture Development and Food Security Special Fund, requiring a portion of the Environmental Response, Energy
• Agriculture Development and Food Security Special Fund, requiring a portion of the Environmental Response, Energy

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committees heard several agriculture and food-system bills. SB 1562 would create a Combined Housing Operational Agricultural Mobilization Program to help bona fide farmers live and farm on agricultural lands and provide a tax credit for donated land. Testimony generally supported the goal of housing for farmers and farm workers, but raised concerns about placing the program within the Department of Agriculture, possible constitutional and drafting issues, land-quality standards, lease structure, and whether another agency might be better suited. The committees recommended passing SB 1562 with amendments, including clarifying DOA authority to acquire agricultural lands and establishing an advisory committee within the department; the recommendation was adopted. The committees also heard SB 1171 on providing monofilament netting through hardware stores to help slow coconut rhinoceros beetle spread, SB 1186 on creating a statewide interagency food systems coordination team and working group, SB 1250 on a Farm to Families program, SB 1303 on agricultural loans, SB 1395 on a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund, SB 504 on a local agricultural transportation cost reimbursement program, SB 1185 on reviewing and repealing obsolete agricultural laws, and SB 187 on funding permanent agricultural biosecurity positions. Most testimony on these measures was in support, with some suggested refinements: for SB 1186, a youth advisory seat and clearer performance benchmarks; for SB 1250, broader eligibility for food pantries, cold storage, and staffing support; for SB 1303, support for lower interest rates and expanded loan tools; for SB 1395, debate over the fund’s structure and revenue source; for SB 504, clearer eligibility for small and beginning farmers, cooperatives, and food hubs; and for SB 1185, interest in joining the working group but concern about overbroad deregulation. No roll-call votes were taken on the other measures in the excerpt, but the chair reported testimony counts on some bills, including 89 in support and none opposed for SB 1250, 13 in support and one opposed for SB 504, and 14 in support with one comment for SB 1395. SB 1303 and SB 187 also drew supportive testimony from the Department of Agriculture, farm groups, food banks, and industry organizations, with SB 187 emphasizing the need to make Act 231 biosecurity positions permanent and fully funded.