Transcript Highlights:

• We all understand that the bulk of our funds get put out through contracts to get the work done, but
• HTA needs to play the role of being on top of those contracts and contractors.
• Would you be a board member to ask that the board discuss the convention center marketing contract and
• </c><00:47:22.920><c> and</c> convention center marketing contract and convention center marketing contract
• contract contract signed<01:21:48.120><c> I</c><01:21:48.199><c> would</c><01:21:48.560><c> say</c><

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Tourism met on April 1 to consider GM 510, the confirmation of Todd Aio to the board of directors of the Hawaiʻi Convention Center Authority. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from HTA representatives and numerous individuals. Supporters described Aio as a strong leader with experience in tourism, development, nonprofit work, and public service, including his time on the city council and work with Disney’s Aulani, Ward Village, and the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. In his remarks, Aio said he would bring legal, development, and corporate governance experience to the board. He emphasized the need for the authority to better define its role, oversee contractors, and help guide the relationship between destination management and branding/marketing contractors. He also said community engagement and cultural considerations should be central to tourism planning, and that the board should work to stabilize the agency during its transition. Members questioned him about board conflicts, the lack of a permanent HTA CEO, and how to measure the success of cultural and branding campaigns such as mālama and kuleana messaging. Aio said conflicts are inevitable when board members come from industry backgrounds, but they must separate their “work hats” from their board duties. He supported replacing the interim leadership with a permanent CEO once compensation legislation is finalized, and said success should be measured through better data, including possible exit surveys and other technology-based tools. He also said he would oppose replacing Hawaiian protocol with another cultural protocol, while supporting inclusion of other cultures alongside a Hawaiian sense of place.

Transcript Highlights:

• This requires the Department of Human Services to establish contracts with a certain number and type
• This is for the Department of Human Services contracts with childcare providers.
• This is for the Department of Human Services contracts with childcare providers.
• I would like to reinsert language from the House bill that the pilot program may provide contracts for
• </c><01:47:04.719><c> for</c> pilot program may provide contracts for pilot program may provide contracts

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 281 SD1, which would define and prohibit torture as a Class A felony. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office, HPD investigators, and other supporters said the bill is needed because existing laws do not adequately capture torture, especially cases involving children and vulnerable persons. Several testifiers emphasized that starvation is a common method of torture that often leaves little visible evidence, and they urged the committee to restore the original starvation language removed from the measure. The Office of the Public Defender said it did not oppose the bill’s purpose but raised concerns that the language was too broad and could create trial issues, particularly around minors and vulnerable people, and suggested narrowing amendments. The chair indicated the testimony had made a strong impression and said the committee would try to move the bill forward. The committee then heard SB 292 SD1, relating to sexual exploitation and safe harbor protections for survivors seeking medical or law enforcement help. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the measure, noting that a prior version raised equal protection concerns that were no longer present, and said survivors should be able to seek help without fear of prosecution. Written support was also noted from several advocacy and state groups. Testimony in support focused on retaliation fears, trafficking, and the need for manpower and resources to address exploitation and related crimes. Finally, the committee took up SB 295 SD1, which would increase penalties for violating temporary restraining orders and orders for protection and treat a violation of one as a second offense for the other. The Public Defender’s Office objected to the mandatory jail component, arguing judges should retain discretion and that there was no clear evidence mandatory jail deters violations. The transcript cuts off before any final committee action or vote on SB 295 was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the issue came if you did a mid-contract—remember, the contracts run from a 12-month period, so with
• a mid contract remember the contracts<02:03:25.960><c> run</c><02:03:26.239><c> from</c><02:03:26.880
• ><c> a</c><02:03:27.040><c> 12-month</c><02:03:28.000><c> period</c><02:03:29.000><c> so</c> contracts
• run from a 12-month period so contracts run from a 12-month period so with<02:03:29.480><c> the</c><
• Union contracts were finding out from the insurance company that despite the fact you have negotiated

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lifeworks, like many other providers, make the wage difference through contract changes with the outside
• Lifeworks, like many other providers, make the wage difference through contract changes with the outside
• So it's sometimes just reworking those contract negotiations or just paying people minimum wage to do
• So it's sometimes just reworking those<01:04:19.800><c> contract</c><01:04:20.160><c> negotiations</c
• ><01:04:21.160><c> or</c><01:04:21.960><c> just</c> those contract negotiations or just those contract

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But no, it's up to the landowner how he wants to use his land, but it would also be part of the contract
• Our current federal funding under contract is about a billion dollars.
• But that's what we have under contract with the feds.
• We have selected but can't publicly announce yet because we haven't come to contract with all of the
• with all but all of the come to contract with all but all of the awardees<00:58:09.079><c> know</c><

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:35:24.680><c> of</c> really go deep into the details of really go deep into the details of contracts
• ><c> new</c><00:35:27.920><c> es</c><00:35:28.079><c> of</c><00:35:28.240><c> administrative</c> contracts
• or um new es of administrative contracts or um new es of administrative rules<00:35:29.760><c> and</
• </c><01:31:29.920><c> with</c> because you're going to contract with because you're going to contract
• </c><01:31:32.760><c> and</c> probably some of who they contract and probably some of who they contract

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Water and Land Committee heard several measures related to DLNR, coastal management, and public lands. SB 561, which appropriates funds for conservation enforcement equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, drew broad support from DLNR and multiple organizations, with the chair noting 18 supporters and no opposition. SB 465 would require DLNR to study the carrying capacity of Kīkiʻola Small Boat Harbor on Kauaʻi and report to the Legislature; DLNR supported the intent but suggested the study be timed with an ongoing $41 million capital improvement project. Senator Kouchi explained the bill was meant to close a permit loophole that has allowed operators to increase passenger capacity without additional approval, while one testifier opposed the measure as unnecessary and late. Supporters included county and community representatives, while some written testimony opposed it. The committee also heard SB 1456, which broadens the definition of beach restoration to include work on eroded beaches and degraded dune systems, including sand management, native vegetation, and removal of abandoned materials. DLNR, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other testifiers supported the measure as an administrative update. SB 1460 would require BLNR lease extensions to use updated forms reflecting current leasing practices; DLNR supported it as an administrative bill. SB 1517 would authorize public land leases for recreational residential use by public lottery limited to county residents. DLNR supported the bill, and Chipper Wiman and others testified that it would help preserve Kauaʻi’s historic recreational cabins and create fairness for local families; the committee also heard concerns about older cabins, market-based auction prices, and the need to keep these leases affordable for residents. The committee then heard SB 1511, which would prohibit vessels longer than 75 feet from entering Honoliʻi Bay, with an exemption for government vessels; DLNR and at least one additional testifier supported it. SB 1019 would allow the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund to be used for beach restoration planning and grants to nonprofits for cleanup, but DLNR said that purpose fit better under the separate Beach Restoration Special Fund, and the Ocean Tourism Coalition opposed the bill on that basis. Finally, SB 1457 would authorize DLNR to issue interim rules on commercial and recreational water sports equipment use for up to two years; DLNR described it as an adaptive-management tool for changing conditions, while multiple water-sports operators and residents opposed it, arguing it would reduce public participation, expand agency power, and target the foiling community. The hearing closed with the chair noting heavy opposition to SB 1457, including 88 written testimonies against it and only a few in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our warehouse staff calls our contracted vendor to pick them up.
• Our warehouse staff calls our contracted vendor to pick them up.
• vendor to pick them up at our contracted vendor to pick them up at times<01:26:42.840><c> our</c><01
• :26:43.040><c> current</c><01:26:43.440><c> contracted</c><01:26:43.960><c> vendor</c><01:26:44.440><
• c> is</c> times our current contracted vendor is times our current contracted vendor is unable<01:26:

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But what doesn't seem to fit in that box is a third-party contracted halfway house, where they come and
• go to work, they come and go to work, they come and go to work, is a third-party contracted halfway
• The contract secure beds, that was a treatment unit asked me to do the population I wanted to try to
• The contract secure beds, that was a treatment unit that's actually located in the Bismarck Transition
• They're contracted to private entities to operate.

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this comes down to incentives, and it's how plan benefits are designed, it's how contracts are set
• And so it severely limits the ability of doctors to enter these innovative contracts with, Really limits
• The manufacturer works with a wholesaler to get it to the pharmacy, and then health plans contract with
• But again, it's really abstract, and each contract is usually proprietary.
• But again, it's really abstract, and each contract is usually proprietary, and the relationships and

Committee: House Health Care Affordability, Select

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• work day in and day out to ensure a level playing field for contractors by promoting equitable contracting
• authority it needs to hire staff with the appropriate qualifications. ...and contract authority it needs
• to four PBMs that basically monetize the market 20 percent, and implement their own thickets of contracts
• They're about, is my contract provision or is my action legal under the antitrust laws, right?
• I'm here today to present AB 1801, which will strengthen the public engagement process for contracts

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:32.320><c> the</c> So, far from actually contracting the So, far from actually contracting
• identify parallels where, like, these online travel agency or meta search sites like Kayak would contract
• 00:41:47.520><c> like</c><00:41:47.720><c> Kayak</c><00:41:48.400><c> would</c><00:41:48.880><c> contract
• </c><00:41:49.480><c> with</c><00:41:50.160><c> a</c> sites like Kayak would contract with a sites like
• Kayak would contract with a third<00:41:50.640><c> party</c> third party third party um um um the<00

Bills: SB2607 , SB2031 , SB2043 , SB2623 , SB2876 , SB2396 , SB2964 , SB2089

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: landscape architecture, licensure, educational requirements, examination, professional standards, consumer protection, junk fees, live-event tickets, short-term lodging, transparency, pricing disclosure, deceptive practices, insurance, captives, regulations, policyholders, SB2623, Hawaii pharmacy law, Board of Pharmacy, registered pharmacy technician

Summary: The committee first heard HCR 168 and HR 158, which would create a temporary working group to study utility capacity, coastline infrastructure lifespan, and the costs of needed expansions. Public Utilities Commission staff said the commission was not the right entity to direct all of the work because it lacks authority over many affected agencies. Members discussed whether the study should be limited to a coastal area or broadened to the whole island, and in decision-making the committee amended the measure to focus on the County of Honolulu, correct references to the Public Utilities Commission, and revise the working group membership to include the PUC chair, legislative designees, and directors or designees from DLNR, DOT, HIEMA, and DCCA Consumer Advocacy. The committee then passed both resolutions with amendments; the vote was adopted unanimously, with some members excused. The committee next considered HCR 145 and HR 137, which would convene a working group on climate change impacts on insurance availability and affordability. The Insurance Division stood on its written comments, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission supported the intent, and the Attorney General opposed the measure, warning that a working group could create discoverable materials that might complicate the state’s climate litigation and noting a technical ambiguity in the reference to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund administrator. After questions about discovery and the lawsuit, the committee amended the resolutions to replace the administrator reference with the chair of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund Board of Directors, remove the Attorney General as convener while keeping the office as a member, and have the working group share findings and recommendations with the House CPC and Senate CPN committees instead of issuing a report. The committee passed the measures with amendments, with Rep. Martin voting with reservations. In the later agenda, the committee heard SB 2607, SD 1 on landscape architect licensure. The Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects supported the bill, explaining it modernizes licensure requirements to align with national standards and clarifies the profession’s design-focused role. The bill was discussed as distinguishing landscape architecture from groundskeeping and from civil engineering drainage work. No opposition was heard. The committee also heard SB 2031, SD 2 on consumer protection and price transparency for live ticket events and short-term lodging. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill, saying it largely mirrors an FTC rule requiring all-in pricing and would give the state enforcement authority and remedies. The Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill as drafted and sought a limited exemption for credit card issuers relying on third-party hotel information, while the Hawaii Hotel Alliance supported the measure but asked for language deeming compliance with the federal rule sufficient for short-term lodging. Committee members questioned whether those proposed exemptions would conflict with federal law or weaken state enforcement, and the discussion focused on preemption, liability, and the value of state remedies such as restitution.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, our 33 AAAs in the state are all required by federal law to have a legal services provider contract
• I can tell you that we just settled a contract in Madera County for a whopping 50 cents, a 50-cent increase
• I can tell you that we just settled a contract in Madeira County for a whopping 50 cents, 50 cent increase
• For CCE expansion, projects are progressing across key implementation stages, including contracting,
• At this point, we have 29 counties that have contracted with 235 facilities that would have otherwise

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• expenditure about $3,494 worth of MINDRIVE programming and that can be absorbed in the existing contract
• expenditure about $3,494 worth of MINDRIVE programming and that can be absorbed in the existing contract
• expenditure about $3,494 worth of MINDRIVE programming and that can be absorbed in the existing contract
• And those costs can be absorbed under the existing vendor contract. That's almost $9,000 as well.
• </c> contract. That's almost $9,000 as well. contract. That's almost $9,000 as well.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we're going to hear from two of the tribal contract schools in the state, and then we're going
• to hear five bills that are related to Indian education and our tribal contract schools.
• Today we're going to hear from two of the tribal contract schools in the state, and then we're going
• to hear five bills that are related to Indian education and our tribal contract schools.
• to hear five bills that are related to Indian education and our tribal contract schools.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned, the forecast assumptions do not incorporate any effect of federal worker terminations, contract
• The spillover effects of federal spending pauses and contract terminations are also not accounted for
• </c><00:25:14.960><c> which</c><00:25:15.120><c> is</c><00:25:15.640><c> um</c> Managed Care contracts
• which is um Managed Care contracts which is um expected<00:25:16.720><c> to</c><00:25:16.960><c> increase
• From the federal government, reneging on or stepping back from contracts, whether it's our domestic abuse

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• next measure, which is HB 1382, which appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract
• next measure, which is HB 1382, which appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract
• next measure, which is HB 1382, which appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract
• We have a budget for existing contracts, um, but for any new types of contracts, I don't have a budget
• and having that be part of their contract, so that part of the budget we can...

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several Human Services measures focused on Medicaid access, long-term care benefits, home health reimbursement, SNAP administration, trauma-informed child welfare, and child abuse reporting. HP 702 would increase funding for Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are secured, and testimony from disability advocates supported the measure as needed to help people with disabilities cover medical expenses. HB 1477, described as a correction to a prior session’s mistake, would clarify that the monthly needs allowance for certain long-term care residents does not replace state supplemental payments and would raise the ceiling by $25 to fix the prior issue and by an additional $20 as a new benefit; DHS supported it with amendments, and the committee indicated it would amend accordingly. HB 713 would fund a DHS rate study for home health services, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii strongly supporting it and describing rising labor costs, losses on Medicaid patients, and access concerns if agencies cannot keep serving Medicaid clients. HB 1099 would appropriate emergency funds to DHS after a USDA penalty tied to SNAP response times, with supporters including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others arguing the money should be reinvested in staffing and systems to improve access and avoid further penalties. HB 1079 would direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS to create trauma-informed assessments and training for Child Welfare Services staff; testimony from state offices and advocacy groups supported it, citing the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, staff burnout, and the need for a sustainable train-the-trainer model. Finally, HB 239 would narrow when failure to provide a child’s needs constitutes abuse or neglect, but DHS raised concerns that the current wording could broaden abuse findings and leave families in poverty without a clear safety net, while the Honolulu prosecutor’s office opposed it, warning it could weaken mandatory reporting and hinder investigations of child abuse. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, though the chair said HB 1477 would be amended and several measures were left open for further questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So housing corrections and Department of Corrections for state and like vendor contracts or just?
• But doesn't DESE do contract services in most jurisdictions to provide those services?
• Yeah, DESE has one contract statewide that covers the Department of Youth Services.
• DYS contracts with nonprofit providers, including Boston Children's and UMass Medical.
• DOC has a contract with a for-profit agency. It's not necessarily... well, I'll just say that.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.

Transcript Highlights:

• Charter school students, students who attend nonpublic schools, and tribal contract schools are left
• Tribal contract schools should not be left out either.
• Our charters, our nonpublic, our tribal contract schools deserve to have this funding to help make their
• In reference tonight, many times they're left out a safe school aid, tribal contract schools left out
• They should have a safe place to study, to educate, to learn air travel contract schools should be left

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And then you will see a government grants contract checklist.
• :16.280><c> um</c><00:25:16.760><c> and</c><00:25:16.960><c> a</c><00:25:17.000><c> timeline</c> contract
• So um and a timeline contract checklist.
• that misclassification, when it involves underpaying folks after the point of having secured the contract
• is of course having secured the contract is of course a<01:14:52.160><c> crime</c><01:14:52.400><c>

Bills: HF3643 , HF4470 , HF4462 , HF4366 , HF4172 , HF3629 , HF4356 , HF3093

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: Melissa Hortman, Mark Hortman, memorial park, state park, working group, Minnesota Historical Society, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Saint Paul, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Administration, Legislative Coordinating Commission, general fund appropriation, park planning, interpretive services, public engagement, state memorial, land use, natural resources, commemorative legislation, HF4470

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of power is provided through contracts with independent power producers. >> That's correct. >>
• A lot of power is provided through contracts with independent power producers. >> That's correct. >>
• c> provided</c><00:22:15.960><c> through</c> power is provided through power is provided through contracts
• <00:22:17.760><c> with</c><00:22:17.880><c> independent</c><00:22:18.360><c> power</c> contracts with
• independent power contracts with independent power producers. producers. producers.

Bills: SB3326

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Keywords: renewable energy, energy storage, cost reduction, public utilities commission, Hawaii energy policies, 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Labor heard SB 3326, a bill concerning a study of separating transmission from generation in Hawaii’s electric system. Testimony was largely opposed. Life of the Land argued that true separation on an isolated island grid has not been shown to work anywhere and said the bill would waste taxpayer money. Hawaiian Electric and the Public Utilities Commission also opposed the measure, saying Hawaii already uses competitive bidding for new generation, that the bill would add cost, complexity, and reliability risks, and that a new study would duplicate prior work. In response to questions, the PUC explained its existing competitive bidding framework and said it had not seen an island system fully restructure in this way. The chair then amended the bill’s intent to require the PUC to open a proceeding for an independent, comprehensive analysis of the state’s energy pathways, including cost reduction, financial risk, state energy goals, and reliability, rather than narrowly focusing on separation. Both committees voted to pass SB 3326 SD2 with amendments, with the Energy committee adopting the recommendation unanimously and the Labor committee adopting it with one reservation and two no votes. The Energy and Environmental Protection Committee then took up SB 2497 SD2, which would require electric utilities other than cooperatives to provide transparent, publicly accessible customer bill impact analyses and annual reports to the PUC. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the PUC offered comments, with the PUC supporting the intent. Life of the Land said the proposed disclosure requirements would be too complex for most ratepayers to use meaningfully, while Hawaiian Electric said the bill could raise costs and slow projects, though it acknowledged some of the language changes and said much of the information is already available through existing planning and regulatory processes. Hawaii Clean Power Alliance and one individual testified in support. No vote was taken on SB 2497 SD2 during the excerpt. The committee also heard SB 3183 SD2, which would bar higher-income taxpayers from claiming the renewable energy technologies income tax credit for certain residential solar systems and would change refundability rules. The Department of Taxation, the Hawaii State Energy Office, and the Tax Foundation offered comments, while the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and numerous companies and individuals opposed the bill. Opponents raised concerns about impacts on financing models and the solar market. Members asked the Department of Taxation for data on how credits are claimed by homeowners versus third-party owners and on the refundability of the credit; the department said it did not have the information immediately available but would follow up. The chair indicated decision-making would likely be deferred to allow further review, and no vote was taken in the excerpt.